Home › V › Volunteers of America

Volunteers of America

a religious and philanthropic body; organized from former members of the Salvation Army in March, 1896, by Commander and Mrs. Ballington Booth and consisting of several central societies and numerous self-supporting posts and outposts. The head officer is elected by the members as commander-in-chief, and by the directors as president. There are four branches of philanthropic work: (1) The sociological branch, which provides homes for destitute men. In 1920 the homes located in various cities furnished lodging for over 200,000 persons. (2) Homes for friendless young women. (3) The tenement work for the worthy poor. (4) The philanthropic branch, working among unprotected children.

The Prison League is an important department of Volunteer activity. There are branches in most States. The homes for the reception of discharged prisoners are known as Hope Halls. A large majority of the ex-convicts who have been sheltered by these homes and provided with situations have made good records for themselves. There was an aggregate attendance of 927,045 persons at the hall meetings and 2,287,985 at the open air meetings.

VOLUSENUS FLORENTIUS, FLORENCE WILSON, or WOLSEY), a Scottish humanist; born near Elgin at the opening of the 16th century. H Having received his early education in Scotland (probably at Aberdeen), he seems to have proceeded to the University of Paris. Like his contemporary and personal friend George Buchanan, he cultivated classical learning in preference to the logic and philosophy of the schoolmen, and attained a mastery of Latin which gives him a place with the first scholars of his time. After acting as tutor to a son (spoken of as a nephew) of Cardinal Wolsey, he eventually became principal of a school at Carpentras, near Avignon, a position he owed to the favor of Cardinal Sadoleto. In 1546, on his way home to Scotland, Volusenus died at Vienne in Dauphiné, lamented by Buchanan in a Latin quatrain, which VONDEL proves the strength of their friendship.

His chief work is his "The Tranquility of Mind," written in the purest classical Latin, every page of which reveals the essential refinement and moral beauty of his nature.