Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-09-29
THE INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL ron
CHILDREN
How II OriginateA-What It's Objects
Are-WhO Are Hts Managerial Chafi.
table Affair, Etc.

STAR scribe asked Mrs. Llewellyn DeAne,
one OF It's promoters, this morning about the in
dustrial school lately established at 233 Penn
sylvania avenue northwest, what are its objects?"
She replied: ''The object of this school is to
help widows with families. women with dlssi-
pated husbands, who have children, invalid
parents with families, and those who are will
ing to work, but can't find employment. The
ladies of the school do not wish to break up
the family relations, but to teach the children
to help the parents by learning some useful in
dustry
"NO matter how poor and unfortunate, no
matter if degraded and wretched, the mother
still loves her offspring. Children are quick to
understand. and will soon distinguish between
the poor disorderly home, and pleasant well
ordered school room. kind and faithful
teacher has an influence equal to the mother, If
not superior to it,"
"How do you provide for them?"
III children can be taught for five hours in the
to, eat, be comfortably clad, both mind and body
will be benefited. Add to this short lessons in
spelling, reading, writing and arithmetic, and
what now seems nuisance may one day be our
useful citizens The noble christian women, who
have come to the aid of building up this school,
wish to make it permanent success, and they
will do so if each one who is able, will do just
a little"
"How have you succeeded"
"At nrSt the school was In session three days
in the week The ladies now propose to have
an afternoon session five days in the week, and
on Saturday an all-day session beginning at 10
am. Those children who live too far away to
come after schoolh hours can come on Saturdays"
"HOw are you suStained?'
'The merchants have given goods and shoes.
The grOcers have given groceries. The good
people of Center Market have given of good eat
aDles generously, without stint. The money
left at THE STAR Office was thankfully received.
Money coming thus. without special request,
seems to do us so much good. Many have given
Us money without the asking. But we must
still seek aid. We have been in small quarters
We wish to enlarge our borders, that we may do
more good. Many of the children we have
public schools all day and come to US ON
Saturdays, and in the evening after school"
What work do the children do?'
1.-The ladies' wish tOintrOduce into the school an
industry that will greatly benefit the poor, viz:
braiding and sewing straw and palmetto hats.
There are. on the opposite side of the river,
near Detroit, Mich, in Canada settlements
whose people are called Muskrat French, the
Inhabitants of which derive great part of their
living from braiding the straw out of which is
made the celebrated MackInaw hats. They
braid it, bleach it, press it, pay duty on it, and
yet make large profits. They SOW the white
wheat harvest it just before it is ripe. cut out
the joints, sort 1t into equal sizes, tie it in bun
dies. and put it away in dry place. During
the winter evenings, around the cheerful fire,
parents, children and grandchildren braid the
straw" ~ EgifgaEs -.
Have you tried that work ~
'In the Industrial school children eight years
old nave learned to braid. They do not yet braid
perfectly, still, they are learning. The ladies OF
the school have procured some Of the Canadian
straw. and will. as soon as possible, have hats
on exhibition. Why cannot we teach our poor
children and let them have the money thus
earned instead Of sending it into Canada
Until the art is learned it will not be profitable.
We can't jump to the top of the house, but many
OF us can climb there, if we have good ladder.
1t is no light undertaking to teach a child that
has all it's life been accustomed to idleuess yet
patience and perseverance will succeed at last
and accomplish wonders. If the good people of
Washington will assist in the establishment of
this school, the day is not far distant when we
will have an industry which will give employ
ment to large number of our POOR
There will be a meeting every Wednesday
evening at six p H., in the school room, 1913
Pennsylvania avenue northwest; to which all are
invited. Mrs. NJ. E. MCPHERSON will speak
Wednesday evening.