Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1857-03-25

other establishment we must notice mn pas
SAINT, in reference to the Ragged Schools
Shoe black Society We ailude to the Grot-
to Passage Ragged and Industrial Schools
Here tailoring, shoemaking, mat and rug
weaving, box.making, irpicking and wood
chopping, are the principal occupations pur-
sued. And it is here that the boxes contain
ing the backing and the brushes for the shoe
blacks, and the mats on which they kneel, are
fabricated, so that one institution aids the
other in becoming self-supportiug.
1t may here be observed. that the boxes
and uniforms regularly deposited at the
Offices of the different societies, as the
days work is oyer; and if the laas rotarn
home, they return homo in the plain suits IN
| which they came, OR others left at the Offices
! by charitable persons, for the use of the most
ill-clad After their first equipment, too. the
boys have to purchase both their uniforms and
implements, but these they obtain at half
price The object is to relieve the society as
! far as possible of unnecessary burden, and to
render the boys careful in the use of what
they have received gratis.
At seven o'clock in the morning, the boys
assemble at headquarters. Prayers and pas
sages from the Scriptures are then read
either by one of the committee or the super
intendant. Before the Blue and Yellow So
cieties had established more central points for
assembling, some of the boys came in from
great distances-from Mazda Hill, White.
chapel, and even from Narrow Street, Rat
clife-to the offices then in York Place.
Strand. One boy, for nearly tive years,
came every morning from the cast end of
London, and returned at night; thus walk
ing more than eight miles. besides the dis
tances between the Office and his station,
which sometimes exceeded two miles. 1t was
with the object of reducing the distances the
poor boys had to travel to their headquarters,
that the society was broken up into three di-
visions. When prayers are concluded, the
boys disperse to their different stations, where
they remain till the evening. The hour of
return, however, varies according to the time
of the year--being four o'clock in the winter
and half past six in the summer During
the day, The lads are frequently visited at
their posts by the superintendent or his assis-
tant, who observes their conduct, and supplies
them with blacking should they want it.
The sum Of one penny only is allowed to
be asked for brushing the trousers and clean
ing the boots but sometimes more is given
"a practice which the committee discounten-
ance, as it is apt to make the lads dissatisfied
with their legitimate remuneration. A daily
account is kept with each boy, who surrenders
daily gains, which are ttSIs disposed of: Six
pence is returned as !. regular allowance:
the remainder is divided into three equal
parts, one of which is given to the boy in
addition TO the sixpenoe, one retained by the
society towards defraying the working-expen-
ses and making the institution self-supporting,
and one is deposited in fund reserved as a
bank for the future benefit of the boy. BY
this regulation, three shillings week at least
is guaranteed to each boy; and should his
earnlr gs fall below sixpence a day, the differ
ence is charged to his bank. This, however.
rarely happens; for it has been ascertained
that, by industry and proper attention,
shoe-black can make on an average two shil-
lings day and if his earnings habitually
fall below that amount, he is deemed unfit for
the employment, and discharged from it. 1t
has also been ascertained that different sta
tons have different values. and further, as
general rule, what the value is. According
ly. to equaiise as much as possible the earn
ings of the boys they were not allowed to
remain more than three days at the same
post Originally, all the stations were occu-
pied by the lads in succession but for some
time past the stations have been divided into
three classes. This arrangement was made
with view of enforcing better discipline
by introducing the system of promotion.-
Twelve of the best boys were placed in the
first class; fourteen in the second; and the
remainder IN the third-the third being the
lowest class into which all newcomers en-
tered In the early part of 1855, however.
an important change was affected at the sug-
gestlon of the chief commissioner of the city
police. The boys employ within the walls
were olassed separately, and now work only
at stations within the city boundaries. Since
then, four classes of stations have been es-
tablished-the first and second, city; and
the first and second. town.
Every week, list Of each boys earnings
is made out and suspended in the Office of the
society to which he belongs This list is
anxiously scanned by each member, as there
by be knows the state of his revenue. As
soon as boys capital amounts ten shllings,
he is allowed to draw it out to provide him
self with good working clothes, or other
things necessary for his comfort and should
he desire afterwards to draw further sums, he
Can do SO, but only with the consent of the
committee. The weather and the seasons
make considerable difference in the profits of
the day Warm sunny weather, with a few
showers, is the most auspicous; heavy wet
day is the least favorable; but public holi-
day IS the best of all. On the second of May,
1904, two boys, stationed at Wellington stat
uc, loyal Exchange, made between them e1
Is 3d.. or los. 10d. each, the largest sum
earned by any boy in one day. The eco
nomical principle upon which the banks are
conducted, enables the more steady boys to
realize considerable amounts. According to
report printed two years ago, one lad had
the sum of Ct 1Ss. 4d.- to his credit; whilst