The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-08-16
A GRAND WORK
Something About the Confurt Of Soldiers ORPHANS,
Schools in Pennsylvania
To the Editor NATIONAL TRIaUEs:

To the Editor NATIoSAL TEIsGys:
Ia al editorial ina y0ar sSEe Of July 18th on TIA
subject OF tie PenEsy ivaniss SOLDIERS OrphansP
Schools, you say secerGiis 10 an esteemed corre-
slondeiii thai; 1hsy che sehOOls} are not all
grounds, teachers and attendants food and eIotf.
lug are not a! that they sheuiS be. THAI
some of the buildings are iitt better than we're
tie soldiers barracks at C-nsp Parole Annapolis.
and that tie food poor and the right sort For
children the eiotisIrg, except aem furnished bv
friends OF tire children, Insufficient. The istruct-
ors chosen with regard rather the interests OF
the contractors than tie proper education Of the
inmates. The male pupils are allowed to
waste tdeiF time until they sixteen years old
anu tiic foliSsd 20 leave wI5houI having laid the
foundation fOF lives Gf u-efuIness DC.
desire 10 assure you tl-sg you are seriously and
Strongly h.5sih4ori@s1 y y2ur esteemed Pelnsyl-
These SCHOOLS have for several wears past been
under the care and supervision of the Departments
OF PeBnsy lvanls. G. A K This supervision IA by
a Department. officer. elected as each annual En-
eAnipinvnf, assisted by committee called SOIL
diers' Orphans School Committee" CONSISTING OF
tWenty-one meIAbers, with Rev. j. W. savers
Chairman, appointed annually by the Departments
CoInnGnder. " bic this supervision is not au-
th"Fzee py hiVF yea u Is as Efficient and earnesb
IN securing 10 the children al taal the law provides
Tor them as though regularly employed and paid
As a member of this committee. the writer 81
TINS has vlritsd seyeTai Of these schools and CARE
FULLY subjected the one under his immediate super
VISION Waite Hail SghoosJ to thorough inspection
twice during the present year and was present
and assisted At the annual examination and insoee-
uon by the superintendent of pubic instruction OK
the State
The results Of his several visits and inspection.
Were embodisd IN official reports, duly forwarded
to Department Headquarters No. I3g2 Chestnut
street, Philadelphia, Pa Copies of these reports
may. have doubt, be mad ii desired
These reports contradict each and every one of
the chaTZes named by Your correspondents; they
show that the buildings large Comfortable
and well adapted 20 the purposes of the schools
the grounss well kept and ia good sanitary eondi-
ton, and attached to each school farm OF thirty
TO sixty acres OF land, which the bows are taoba
practical flrriing In several Of the schools work
shops IN wood and tin are established and tha
boys taught trades Well as farming The
food IS ample In quantity and universally of good
quality Ii y plain, but well cooked and prepared
ard hesslthfui- la fact nothing like the star
walton tntiufated by your esteemed correspond
ent could exist III any schools without mani
testing Itsflt ia the health and appearances Of
the children Aside from being discovered by
the State officers and the Grand Army visitors
there Is nOs week in the whole year in which
every school IN the State Is not visited BY some
one Interested IN seeing that abe children get
their full ''e. Al W mite Hall school two hundred
and tOrty-O&e children were in attendance during
the year just closed, and in all that number there
was not one death nor single ease of sickness
during the year And my last report of Nav Is83
describes them thus: " The children enjoy good
health, there beng sickness in the institution:
are cheerful! sud eontented, presenting the same
appearance OF vigorous physical and mental devel-
opnent whieh have remarked upon in my former
reports 10 Department Headquarters &c
OF clothing: Allow me to say. in the first place,
that know OF soldiers orphans schools In thu
State where the furnishing of clothing of any kind
by parents other friends TO the children is per-
mllttett. The law eompels the principals of ths
schools to expend each year One-sxth Of the entire
appropriation for each child in clothing The an
auai appropriation is S150 for each child over and
SIl0TOr each one under ten years Of age. Nv re-
ports show that ut each inspection the girls had
none less than five and some high as eleven
complete suits each, including underelothiDG.
shoes, and hats and that the boys had each none
less than three and some as high five completes
suits, including undereiOthinS, boots. shoes hats
and caps.
do not believe there are in the State of Penn
sylvsnia a body OF children well housed fed,
and clothed as are our soldiers orphans IN these
schools
OF intellectual and moral training: spent tina
entire day of May II IN examination of the va
rious classes IN this school. This examination was
supervised by Dr.. Higoee, the state superin-
tendent OF pUoilc instruction, in person. I exam
ined twelve classes and repeat here as reported
to the Department, that the prof iency of the
children IN tine branches STUDIED. gives abundans
and satisfactory proof THAT the teachers have dur
ing the pat year. faithful and efficient For
the truth Of these statements / would respectfully
refer you 20 Rev. j. ". Sayers, Department Chap
lam and Special Inspector OF Soldiers Orphans,
Schools. Thus you will sec that your esteemed
correspondent Is strangely in error in his state
Enents.
Yours in F. c. and L., JOSEPH G.. VALE.
Post No. ii, Department. OF Pennsy ivania. Menu
Der of Soldiers Orphans School COMMITTEES, for
the Department.
CARLISLE, Pa.
We are glad TO receive such a good repors
Of these schools, aad trust there may be no
exceptions 20 the general excellence OF their
cond lct- The school to which the structures
of cur correspondent had references was the
Mercer School We should be glad to hear
ron some eOmrade touching It's management
Ed