New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-03-12

branches OF PLAIN EnguSn 00ucalOn, ana
a trade also, should he remain long enough.
Withal under any circumstances, he is
allowed full efficiency of the pabulum Of
boyhOod-play. At the same time his habits
are SO regulated that he must be innately
bad, indeed, if he do not leave the refuge
improved in moral and mental requisites
for making his way in the respectable walks
Of life.
One defect in the present system IA defect
perhaps, unavoidable at presently Is the I'm
tied number Of occupations taught IN the
House of Refuge. This, however, is not an
intrinsic defect, and could be easily RENE
died should the ideas Of the present Admin
istrator of Police, Captain Lewis, be
carried out by the City Council.
The institution contains one hundred anu
nineteen boys. Most of these are too young
to be put to trades; but, besides the allot-
ted hours of schooling, and the quGntuM
su6icH Of play, every lad has his time filed
up with some species of occupation suitable
to his strength and capacity. There are
seventeen shOemakers, nine tailOrs nine
tinsmiths and four bakers. OF those not at
trades, there are six who wash the clothes
under competent supervision, six who saw
wood mot too much at a time), six to at
tend to the dormitOry, and others to at
tend to the clothing. All have something
to do; there are knives and forks to sco.r,
crockerv to wash, rooms to keep in Ortier,
chores of many kinds, all claiming atten-
ton and bestowing occupation; last but
not least there is cooking to learn. Every
body is moderately occupied, and none
need be unhappy; for. as the good boy
ward" in the House Of Refuge at any rate.
The officers in charge of the institution
are: Mr.. j. H. Henry, superintendent; Mr..
Charles Schwind, assistant superintendent;
Mrs. j. H. Henry, matron; Mrs. Catharine
Schvind, teacher. In addition. there are
two day watchmen. one night watch
man, a messenger, a cook and a baker. All
these officials are employed by the city
administration, and receive salaries. Be
sides, there are 4 master shoemaker.
tailor and tnsmith. These craftsmen, who
are superior mechanics, receive for compen-
sation some emolument derived from the
labor of the boys whom they instruct.
The assistant superintendent acts also as
teacher of the larger boys, and the hours of
instruction are SO regulated that the smaller
boys are at school while the larger ones are
at work Thus, the shop boys go to school
from half-past five to halfpast seven in the
morning, and from four to six o'clock in
the afternoon: the smaller ones having
their opportunity during the balance of the
day.
The personnel of the boys is indicative OF the
salutary treatment they receive. They are,
as a rule, very healthy and as a consequence
cheerful. What is more, they are evidently
contented. They are all clad uniformly,
in serviceable clothing, which is made in the
establishment, in which the boys look more
like cadets than paupers.
Some attempt has been made to get to-
gether library for these boys and some
one hundred and fifty volumes have been
collected. principally by donation. But
most of the volumes contributed seem TO
have been given more in reference TO what
the donor did not want than what the boys
needed: for most of them are exceedingly un-
attractive to minds so young. Even the
books intended for youth more especially
are OF the kind that would interest ne
but the model good boys we read OF. who
invariably die and make an edifying death
bed, at very tender age.
1t would be Il genuine charity, certainly
on "a par with the efforts making by Chris
tan people to evangelize the heather. if
donations of books were made to the library
in the House of Refuge-of books abound
ing i'll the present age, calculated TO interest
as we'll as instruct youth, and make read
ing an attractive pursuit. A good library
of suitable books is all the more to be de-
sired. for the general dOcility of the boys
and the attention they give to instruction
of reading and study which would 90 far
to keep them from evil habits whenever
they leave the institution and are LETT 10
provide for themselves.
Since the present superintendent. Mr..
Henry. and his assistant. Mr.. Schwlnd, have
been appointed. IL new feature of instruc-
ton and recreation has been introduced
the boys being taught to sing. Like all
children with whom sufficient pains are
taken. they sing remarkably well, both N
tune and time. and it Is remarked that since
singing has been introduced, the boys are
still more docile than before.
The views OF the present superintendent
are that little more discipline will he needed
among the boys under his charge than Is
required in any well-ordered house; hence
the influences of terror are to great eX-
tent discarded, and while fault is invari-
ably checked. there is little need Of punish
ment as few faults are committed. The
officers of the institution evidently feel that
the great object is not to keep the boys
under terror of punishment to procure good
behaviour while they are inmates OF the
refuge, but to tit them for q useful career
when they leave it.
Althous Oh the House of Refuge is not self
supporting. it could, by proper arrange
ment, be easily made SO. Even now the
bakery, besides what is consumed i'll the
refuge, supplies bread to the City Work
house, the Insane Asylum, the Home for the
INDECENT and Intirm, and the Girls House OF
Refuge. Under more extended system,
with larger premises, many trades could be
added to those already taught, to the bene-
fit OF the inmates, and the lessening, if not
entirely obviating the expense to which the
institution now subjects the city.
1t has already been cOntended in the RE
PUBLICAN that in procuring the utmost eN-
cellencc and working efficiency i'll an insti-
tuition established for such high purposes as
the House OF Refuge, the mere curtailing of
expenditure should be Of secondary cOnsid-
Grafton at least. Much has been said and
written respecting the dangerous element
in society, and the best method of dispOsing
OF it. Does not the House of Refuge solve
the problems If the uncared for and va
grant youth, who will mature into a dan
gerous element, be gathered up and instruct
ed in such an institution as house OF
refuge should be, will not the dangerous
element disappear, at least to a great ex-
tent, in the coming gencratiOn4 The more
the House Of Refuge is cared for, the less
necessity will there be in the hereafter OF
jails and prisons.
We are gratified to know that the late
Administrator of Police, Senator Pierce, as
well as his energetic and clear-headed sue
cessor, Administrator Lewis, fully approve
OF and second the efforts of the superin.
tendent, Mr.. Henry, to make the Boys
House OF Refuge reformatory institution
in the utmost and best sense Of the term;
and it is to be hoped that the time is not
far off when the means Of the city will
enable the authorities to enlarge and found
the House of Refuge on a most extensive
scale, worthy of a great city, and fully
efficient to strike at the root of social evil
the neglect Of parentless and vagrant
youth