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The Hood River News, Hood River, OR., May 11, 1951, page 10

TELLS OF NEW BOYS TOWN PROJECT NEAR HUSUM
By G.A. Weber, Hood River Pomona Grange Corespondent

At the Hood River Pomona Grange all-day meeting at the Odell Grange hall on May 1, Mrs. R.A. McCully presented a lecture hour program of exceptional quality and pleasing variety. The feature of features was an address by Major F.H. Blake, founder and supervisor of the recently instituted "Camp Columbia" Boys' Town of the West, between White Salmon and Mount Adams, directly opposite Hood River.
Major Blake is fundamentally a humanitarian, a quality motivated by a heart overflowing with the milk of human kindness. Professionally, he is a disciplinarian, becoming that by virtue of many years of service in British and Canadian armies.
Born in London, England, he served in the British army for 17 years around the turn of the century, rising to the rank of major in the infantry. In 1913 he moved to Montreal, Canada, to become athletic coach at McGill university. Shortly thereafter the first World War broke out and he joined the Black Watch Highlanders, a Canadian regiment garbed in kilts and marching with bag pipes. This famous and picturesque unit sailed for France in September, a 1914, and served in the thick of that fray until the end of the war in 1918, when the survivors returned to Canada.
The major resumed his coaching position at McGill university and in 1924 he accepted a similar position at the Central YMCA at Chicago, Ill. During the past 27 years, he has been active in YMCA and other youth organizations and in Red Cross activities.
Late in 1950 he purchased the former Hendrich ranch of 80 acres; scenicly situated along Spring Creek, one mile west of Husum, Wash. Forty-five acres are under cultivation and the ranch buildings will accommodate 10 boys which were soon gathered together. Thus was launched an enterprise for up-building the lives of boys, patterned after the now famous Boys Town, Neb., founded a generation ago. An additional 200 acres is under option and the major is currently gathering funds to build a $50,000 dormitory, which will accommodate 50 boys. His wife is the house-mother of the institution. Maj. and Mrs. Blake had three sons, one of whom was killed in the second world war.
Major Blake made a deep impression on the lecture hour audience. At the conclusion of his address, instead of returning to his seat, he approached the exit where a group surrounded him to offer congratulations, felicitations and help. A Pine Grove matron was seen thrusting a sizable greenback into his hands for the enterprise. She refused to give him her name, choosing to have her mite consider as anonymous. A copy of the address would make interesting reading.
Another feature on the lecture hour program was a "History of Parkdale Grange," presented in a novel manner by Mrs. Lydia Van Saecke. She read excerpts and anecdotes from a voluminous scrapbook of clippings and notes, of the trials and tribulations experienced since the organization of that Grange late in 1913. The members of fluctuated variously between 42 and 200 as they shifted meeting places half a dozen times before acquiring their present modernly equipped hall, kitchen and dining room. Always it was the faithful members of their home economics committee that kept the spark alive and provided quarters for its activities.
Music for the lecture our program was also provided by Parkdale talent. Miss Judy Monroe, the beautiful daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Monroe, rendered a piano selection, and also served as accompanist for Roger Field's two vocal solos. Young Fields is an amazing individual. He is only 14 years of age and towers skyward six feet and three inches. This young giant has a dramatic baritone of voice of tremendous volume and of grand opera quality. With proper training he may rank high in musicals circles. He is the son of a widowed mother who works for a living in Portland. While attending school at Parkdale, he resides with the J.C. Little family, opposite the J.C. Hatfield residence.