New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-07-27
The Boys House o. Refuge.


Situated on the Metairie ridge. in quiet
and retired epct. far from the noise and
hustle OF the city, this building with its
white walls presen te quite N imposing ap-
pearance. the loneliness OF the place. the
tall oaks, mossed with age, Spreading their
luxuriant branches to the breeze, she croak-
ing of the frogs, and the silent gcavey ards,
with their white marble monumnte, give the
surroundings a lugubrious air. and inspire
the visitor, unaccustomed 70 such scenes,
with awe.
Tie location is far from teingan erviable
one. The land is low. marshy and seldom
or never clear Of stagnan: pooh Of water.
hence the air is more or less mpregnated:
yet strange to cay there has ben. during
tie past year. bat little sickness, and that
only sach as is incidental to sue, localities.
There are a: present II 1 inmats, Of whom
ffty-one are white and sixty tree colored.
Among them are some crusty lads, who
would quickly seize an opportunity Of
jumping the fence or prying @t plank.
Others there are quite contenta with their
lot.
There is youth of about si,.een years
old who, having left relatives and friends
and crossed the Atlantic to njoy for a
while our republican institutions, found, to
his dismay, that he had confolnded COM
munism with republicsnism. Iaving prac
tically made this mistake. he Don beca
aware that here, az in Liverpool. catch
poles, though with another name, were
plentiful. He will one day return to his
native home with extensive knowledge and
vast experience Of our institutions.
An other lad is a quondam aul vicious
inmate Of the St. Louis House f Refuge,
which, in his eagerness to see New Orleans
and spend while in her Houe Of Refuge,
he set on fro.
The Echoolroom Is q neat, elem and cosy
little hall in the south wing If the build
ing. On the walls hang little outline maps,
their only adornment; patent desks and
benches are tidily arranged OF the floor,
thus giving the hall the air O. one Of our
public schools. The boys ae separated
into two divisions, one Of witch attends
school for four hours in the morning and
the other for the same length O. time in the
evening. A lady teaches the ,oung and a
gentleman the older boys.
The library. though not very we'll
stocked. yet contains some Of he choicest
works in the English Language. But few
dog-ear books there are in tn. collec ton,
in fac. they seem to be handl.d wi th kid
gloves.
In the ehoeshop when we eltered work
had been laid aside for the more agreeable
pas.ime Of recreation. We were there but
a short time when . young cdored shoe
maker stepped in. A more Industrious and
energetic soul is confined withiI the walls
of no other institution. He gave us striking
indications of his genius at the last in the
facile way in which he drove tle pegs aud
used the awl. He, on an average. makes
from four to five pairs of she's week.
There are about twenty boy in this de-
partment engaged in learning tn e trade,
and most of these perform the same
amour: Of labor during the week. The
shoes are good and strong, and are. for
wear and tear, equal to any made in the
city.
In the bakery enough bread j, cooked for
the House of Refuge, and also for three
other city institutions which a:e daily sup
piled. Several boys we're occupied knead'
ing dough which others, WHEN kneaded,
shape into loaves. Everything about the
bakery looks clean and neat.
Next to the bakery is the shop. Only
a few boys are engaged in this craft. The
majority Of the boys have decided pre-
ference for the last, probably b cause they
look upon shoemaking as the most lucra
tive of the crafts, or because they think II
not so laborious and hard to learn as the
others.
The boys are allowed the privilege Of Sc
lecting their trades, but once having made
choice, that they must follow, no matter
how great bent they may inagiu they
| may have for any other. From ihe tin shop
the House of Refuge is furnished with its
tinware.
lit Ctcllbl ubcu III tuc SCNeIdI eHopS AZ
furnished by the gentlemen n charge o.
them. Any loss occas ioned by waste. they
sustain. The profits which arise from the
| vending of the articles made in the shops
accrue to them. Odds in this arrangement
are in favor o: the city.
This institution is under the control OF
Administrator Robert Brewster, and its
its fine condition is owing in sgrea: meas
ure to his constant care and careful super
vision. Mr.. w. j. Slark is the efficient Sc
perintendent, Mr.. j. H. Bowen, assistant
superintendent and teacher, Mrs. Daven
port. matron, and Mrs. S. B. Bowen teacher
| of the younger lads.
Improving vermilfon Bayou.
Captain John Pharr, of tho steamboat