The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1884-05-06
THE INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL.
How 10 ~ Operated ana the worI
That IL Being Done.

huht IN DOues
A score OF bright, eager faces, bending In.
tently over as many little trays on which were
quantity OF straws, while the fingers belong
ing 10 tho owners OF tho faces deity plated
the straws into neat, close braid, greeted
THE CRITTc reporter as he entered tho room
sot apart for the afternoon class OF the Metro.
politan Industrial school, corner ofNlneteenth
and II streets, which had long since been dis.
carded by the commissioners as unit for
public school building. The scene presented
was full reward for tho exerton. CHEEKY lit
their teacher, Miss Weeks, wore patiently Mt.
ting themselves to BIO helpful, practical, value.
able women. Placed on one OF the desks con.
venient TO all, was large tin dish half.flled
with water In this each little worker dipped
her straws before plating them. Under their
perseyerlng hands the bit OF braid became
n hat; thon tho braid was sewed, placed on q
block, shaped, encirclod with band and q
straw hat was the result.
with wonderful aptness," said Miss Weeks 70
the reporter. "rhey have been at 1t less than
month, and they have plated some braid
which think fully equal TO that made by
skilled hande. You know how much children
Ike to do what they see grown folks do. Well,
we have tried to direct that natural feeling
into something that will benefit them. This
Is cur first hat" she remarked, taking upn
large straw hat, the etraw OF which was plalted
quito regularly. I'VE had no block when wo
made that one, so that Its shape is not as regu.
lar ms II might be. Here Is one on block,
though, that will DO In very good shape. try
10 have them do thoroughly what they do.
They go slowly, because want them 10 perfect
themselves In their work."
Yesterday happened to DO tho day for the
monthly meeting. The Board of Managers
were present and tho usual monthly reports
were submitted. According TO that Of Miss
Weeks thlrty.nve garments had been cut out
"This 10 ali their WORK." she said, pointing
TO n number OF garments, dresses, aprons and
undcrclothes, hanging on a line stretched
NnO.dnv N
those who made them. Some few arc absent,
allurcd away by the circus, but most OF them
are here. They wanted q holiday" she con.
tinued. ito sec the circus, but couldn't give
that, So" she said, with laugh, "some con.
cludod to take It,"
"Whnt we want" remarked ono of tho In.
dies, ais an appropriation. Here we have
never received a cent OF Government aid. Mr..
Randall has professed himself interested, and
Mr.. Follett has promised to do what he could,
but among the estimates see that nothing is
| done for us. This is great work and should
be extended: We are doing what what ", wo can as
| done wonders with the material she has had
| TO work on
from homes OF squalor and ignorance children
were obtained. They had no idea how to hel u
| themselves. Tho little girls had no concep-
| tion OF household duties; they could not SOW,
sweep, cook, dust were Ignorant un!idy, and
ran the streets at Will. What has been done In
few months in modest, quiet way by Miss
with The encouragement OF a few noble
ladlee, can be seen by any ono who will take
| the trouble to visit the institution. The VS.
| itor will see between twenty and thirty chill
| dren, all but seven girls, busily engaged In
| tho morning on their school books, learning
their spelling lessons, coming their readers
and arithmetics or puzzllng over examples.
| At IL o'clock comes intormlsslon. Then diu.
ner is prepared. Two OF the girls are assigned
to assist the matron In preparing dinner for
| the rest. 1t is, In fact, cooking lesson they
| are given.
The little maids have developed quite an
| aptness for housework. In fact, tho two who
are assigned to kitchen duty are envied by the
| rest as II they had been exalted to some honor.
After dinner the boys are dismissed, and tho
| girls Sit down at l o'clock until and engage
In sewing, crochetlng or, recently, straw plait.
ing; u,,., uooo,,, 90, .omo,,,nr ., ,..oo.
| the boys during the afternoon" remarked
| Miss Weeks. 1--WE have been expecting u
gentleman to come and give them lessons In
tailoring. The girls can cut and make their
| own clothes. Why shouldn't the boys? At
any rate they would be learning something
that would be useful to them and they would
be kept or the street."
The room of the industrial department
somewhat resembles small bazaar. There are
number OF fancy articles hung around, all
the work OF the scholars, and all showing re-
markable neatness and skill. There are wash.
stand mate, platter mats, '.darned not ties,
macramo shopping bags. hoods and other
very moderate price, OF which fair percent
ago ia given 10 the pupil who did the work, the
rest going to pay for the material. The girls
4 OF making money and are taught to be a helr
to themselves.
The school has Just been presented with GOO
| yards OF straw plating by a generous Baltl
moro flrm. The pupils VIII make out OF this
their summer hats and they undoubtedly viii
defy any one to detect them from hats pur
| chased from the hatters.
| mutually profitable arrangement is OK
pected soon TO DO made by the school with g
leading hat mandatory whereby the pupils
| viii plat straw for this mandatory. They
will then be learning trade and be earnlnl
money at the Same time. But mornings vii
be devoted to storing the mind, the afternoon
being set apart for training the fingers.
| All this and much more about the schoo
the reporter learned as no sat watching thu
little ones who bent intently over their tasks
Soon came the hour for closing. The gar
ments were taken down. As the names plunet
to them were read or one girl, appointed Il
that duty, proudly distributed them. Ea,l
one then came In turn TO her teacher, dropped
noon," TO which the teacher similarly re
spondod, and left the building gayly bearin!
70 their parents the results Of their m22ihl
l