The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-04-03

CCATToN IN PURSUIT OF THE Iht AM wv"
OF THE FouRTEENTH WAND.
New Yort Herald
! The good work which Mr.. j. jasper, the
civ superintendent OF Education, began
a few weeks ago Is still progressing, ana
with favorable results. The children VINO
roam the streets during school hours are
not suffered to do so with fmpunfty. n
special day Il set apart for interceptlng
these waits and strays aud ascertalnlng the
reason OF their presence in the public THOR
ourhiares at a time when their little bro
theirs and sisters a:e bending all their
energies TO the acquiring OF those
clements OF education that are 10 nt
them hereafter for becoming intelii-
gent and patriotic citizens. The force az
MI. Jasper's command for carrying out this
la,dable object is not very lai &c. NUMBER
Ing eleven AGENTS. but 1t seems sullicient Ior
the purpose, perhaps because those gentle
men work with will and have their heart
In their task. For couple OF weeks past
the truapcy agents have secured the lower
wards OF the city, but 1t was deemed ad-
yisable Yesterday to make a Jump ana
sk,rmsh in the Fourteenth Ward. ms was
rendered necf ssary on account OF the free
masonry which exists among the small boys
OF New York, the news OF the iDroads OF
the educational enemy having spread with
lightning rapldity among those who were
scholars de fdcto. and those whose "hookey'
stood 10 the way OF their being
either de .fdcto or de jure learners. The
Youngsters who had been caught In the act
of playing truant in the Second, Third. and
Fourth Wards recounted their experiences
10 the lads in the adj IiniDg wards, and so
put the latter upon their guard. preparing
them for the dreaded emergency. But the
agents wisely passed ever the intervening
wards, and took that bounded by Canal and
Broome streets and the BOwery and Broad
way. The Fourteenth Ward, though
small one, is very densely populated, and
here il was expected that the raid would
result in an unusually large number OF
captures. But the Superintendent reck-
Oped without his host, or rather
without the Herald Weather Service
Bureau; had he consulted the latter be
would have found that Thursday was not
day for the ide and mildly dis
solute Young hookeyite TO be at large. Yes
terdav was dull aud wet and depressing.
and the schooiboy preferred the cOsey room
and dry benches OF the temple OF learning
10 the sloppy and uncomfortable streets
wherein he is wont to dspOrt himself on
brighter and painter days. Yet the INVASION
was not ineffective, many more boys beng
pounced upon than when the Second and
Third Wards were gone through. The
agents started out at . O'Clock in pairs.
police officer accompanying the eleventh
man. The truants were mostly OF the very
lowest class, hose harder natures were
trained to DEFY almost oil weatherS, and who
felt as great a pleasure in playing "b0p
scotch" or chasing each other round the
corners on driZZly as on sunShiny day.
Again, many OF them. when not pursuing
each other, pursued the occupation OF
b9oiblack or newspaper peddler. Most OF
The former were Italians, and with them MIR.
KusaI (wbO has been many years in this
department) assured the reporter was the
most trouble. They are more passionate
and more defiant than the American, and
their parents also are less agreeable to the
visiting AGENT. One Of these boys Mr..
JObes accosted in his usual kindly way, but
the little fellow at once placed himself In
antagorism and refused TO give any salts
factory reply to the questions put to bin,
and was breaking away when the policeman
stopped bin. Mr.. Jobes then took him BY
the hand 10 his home TO find out II he had
attended school for the fourteen consecutive
weeks Of the previous year as prescribed BY
law. Yet the Italian boys attend largely
the afternoon and evening schools in Crosby
street and Leonard street. In these they
are kept not much longer than one hour
and half, but even that short period OF in
s,iucti0n IL better than none.
AMONG THE BOwERY SHOWS.
The twelith-rate theatres in the Bowery,
with their filming posters and highly-color-
ed pictures OF the terrible dramas enacted
within, are centres OF attraction Tor the
truant youth. Especially on matinee days
land almost all days here have that fashion.
able designation) have the agents splendid
opportunity for arresting the objects OF
their search. Even yesterday, wet as 1t was,
we're to be seen groups Of lads under four.
Teen years OF age gazing with wondering
ewes and rapt attention upon the brilliant
pictures OF thrilling dramatic incidents
posted outside these theatres. But keener
eyes were watching them, and quickly were
they reused from their conleinplatiye and
enhancing mood by the question, "Wel,
sonny, how old arel" Instlnctively
these urchins would answer, "FOurtcen,
SIR; but when pressed for the year
when first they saw the light Of day, or
of a tallow candle. their response ELECTED The
woful fact that they bad never studied sim
pie subtraction or addition, and that they
were only guessing. The Bowery is IA
nous place for crowd, which will assem-
BILE there upon any and even no prOvoca
ton, and, of course, the spectacle OF two
gentlemen interviewing a couple of trem-
bling, and in some cases ragged, lads drew
together quite a cOugre cation. Some were
DISPOSED TO enter the lists against the big,
seeming oppressor, but when the little diff
Guilty was briefly explained cODgratulation
aud satlsiac' lion took the place OF lndigna-
ton. In this way net few were enlight'
enPd as to the existence OF a truancy law,
and went away rejoicing that the educa.
ton OF tue young was so well cared
for. II happened that Commissioners OF
Education, whose place OF business i IN
Grand street, was nearly breaking the law
he was bound TO uphold. Mr.. Kltsall had q
couple OF BOYS in front II his store, and the
three were surrounded by pretty cOnsid-
cradle crowd, which blocked the approach
TO the store. Out came the wratbful Com
missioner, highly resenlful at the obslruc-
ton, loudly demanding the nature OF the
trouble and eagerly looking around for pre-
server Of the peace. But presently his eye
lighted upon the agent, and the transforms
ton was complete. The smile that illumi-
mated his cOuntenance as he beat hasty re-
treat was equal to bali dozen combined cleo
trio lights. As an instance OF the good effect
springing from this department, Mr.. MIti'
nez relates the story OF boy he had thrice
/" had up" for cOntumacy. When the po-
lceman went to the house where the urchin
resided, for the purpose Of arrestng him,
tie young desperate rushed to drawer,
drew a sheath knife, and Threatened TO "Iir
up" the officer. And yet he was only q
child Of thirteen. Taken to the refOrmatO-
nv, he was not lost sight OF by the agent,
and now, by the efforts OF this department;