Wichita eagle., 1886-10-24
@ai1YR Eagle
FIVE POINTS SCHOOL.
ORIGINALLY THE PUPILS WERE RAG
eED AND DIRTY STREET ARABS,

crcises--Tl,e Noon Hour
Too Five Points mission school rcopcled
tho other day for another years work. 1t
numbers over 400 children, nearly ell under
10 years OF cgc 1t occupies the building
known rs the Old Bowery, Gl Park street, at
the Five Points. The school is one Of the adj
mirable works Of tho Ladies Home Mission
aIy society Of the Protestant Episcopal
churches of New York and Brooklyn
This year large per cent. Of the children
are Italians and many Of the others are Polish
Jews. They como from the most destitute
families and would have no training what
ever, but would be allowed to run the streets
the entire time, if it were not for this school;
Tor their parents are not able TO clothe theI'
sufficiently TO send them to public schooi.
But the mission school clothes them Tree OF
charge, and more than that, it gives ttein
every lay q substantial dinner II the Dar-
gain.
ORIGINALLY they rero the ragged and dirty
elfs that make the Dowery, Mulberry, Baxter
and Tie adjacent streets hldeous with their
crying and quarreling. They lived cn what
decayed food they found on the street and in
the cutters or could hunt ont Of the garbage
barrels. They were only half clothed and
many OF them never had on more than a short
calico slip at one time. They never saw any
thing of earth or sky save what Wow their
own street afforded, and as to natures beau
ties of field and mountain that was creation
entirely beyond tho pale Of their imaginative
powers.
Many Of them were born in the streets
whero they lived, and of parents who them
selves were born in the same region. And
thus handicapped vita mind inherently at
tuned TO their surroundings, the prospect of
useful Or happy life for these children was
exceptionally dark.
THE IEFANT CLASS Eo0N.
They come at $50 o'clock in the morning
and gather in the main school room for the
opening exercises. They are thcn dismissed
to the class rooms Of the respective grades,
where the rest Of the day is spent
Perhaps one Of the most interesting rooms
is the infant class room. Here the little ones
are ranged On benches, tier above tier Ike an
amphitheatre, and below them is the piano,
desk and black boards. Here takes place all
important lIdilnentary training under their
most accomplished teachers
The older children arc taught in other rooms
fitted carefully with the best modern appli-
ances for thorough instruction. The common
English branches are taught and q few classes
in industrial work have been organized. A
cooking class, was instituted last winter for
Thursday nights and was attended by about
twenty of the older pupils. The children were
first told how to cook, then set to doing it, and
then TO their unbounded satisfaction were
allowed to Get what they had cooked.
A sewing school has been in operation
among the scholars and was attended by 12S
pupils. both boys and girls. They learned
the plain stitches first. then TO hem and
gather, and then proceeded to buttonholes.
This fall those who have progressed far
enough will be taught cutting and fitting
Reward Of merit cards are given for
punctuality, neatneSs and Improvement. and
when certain number of cards have been
awarded the child can purchase the garment
with them These tickets are as good legal
tender as tho Five Points children caro- for,
and TO their l:eeds are quite as useful IS gold
pieces.
They meet il one Of thu large class rooms
70 sew, and are taught III small groups by
benevolent young ladies. who dev9to their
services two hours each week to this laud-
able endeavor Last year many applicants
to the sewing school were refused because of
the lack or teachers. Tho classes were all
large, too many, in fact, for one teacher TO
satisfactorily instruct. II is to be hoped that
more young ladies' VIII offer themselves this
year, that every one who desires il may re-
coive thorough instruction in this important
industry
CALIsTHE1;IC EXERCISES
Perhaps the prettiest sight II Tie spectator
is that OF the school il cal;sthenic exercises.
The 800 children march in time with piano
music and then go through With The muscular
movements 20 the regular cadence OF the
music. II is indeed a pleasant picture, for
every movement is uniform and falls upon
tho accented tone Yet there is nothing
strained about it, for its rhy thm is inspired
by the music, and the movement becomes
almost involuntary with practice.
At noon the children march il double line
up the stairs 10 the top OF the building, where
the dining room is There are long tables on
iron standards, and on the tables double
row OF bowls or plates, according to tho bill
Of fare Sometimes the meal consists of meat
and vegetable soup, with buttered rolls, and
sometimes Of fish and bread, or vegetables
and coffee There is a coating OF white sand
en- the floor to protect it from the hundreds
Of restless feet upon it. At the close OF the
meal the elder girls assist III rearrang ing tie
tables
Ia. noon recess is the best hour of the day
in The childreI's estimation, FOR after their
hearty dinner they go TO tho playground in
the rear and basement of the building. The
reighbors always know when it is noon, for
tso combined noise froIn 200 tliroats and 500
small feet is quite enough to notify the whols
community rooling down upon them, with
ones ears filed with the deafening chatter,
tho most natural expressions are: "PanGe-
moniuln.7 NBodiam let loose" But they
eniov it. Every shout comes from n merry
throat and every stamp Of boot heel IS but
tho echo of a happy, oTeriowmS spirit
within.
Tho smallest ones prefer the basement ioI
their play ground, and III here, inclosed by
foundation walls OF sandstone, they play
"Rin- around The roses Pussy wants 9
corner ard Blind mans baf' To thei,
hearts content To sea them at recess tStlt
ono would rot think them the children OF the
most appalln, poverty, neglected ard for
gotten lv their parents, LETT To feed upo-
refuse, 70 learn the lessons Tor their future
lie frcul the shameful scenes all about thorr
in 4 q streets and 80 crawl into a filthy CLOSET
al N yht to sleep upon o pallet OF straw, o.
psilaps upon the too- itse.f.-New AorI
Graphic.
Tao Vowcls OF Laughter.
Different reople sound different vowel
-, I,,. .l,;,,e. f,,r, which fact q close %