Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-02-07
PLACE FOR BAD BOYS.


WHERE THEY ARE SENT If THEY
PLAY TRUANT TOO OFTEN.
A Home" for the Boys Of Brooklyn
Who Habitually Play "'Hookey''-Hours
Of Study and Play-Discipline Of the
Institution.
On the Jamaica plank road. near Mt. Hope
cemetery, on the outskirts Of Brooklyn, has
stood for forty years a low, old fashioned
frame building with spacious veranda run
ming its entire length. In days gone by it
was famous road house But all has
changed The old road house, together with
a more modern three story brick building in
its rear, is now the Brooklyn truant home.
The home, which is the outgrowth Of the
compulsory education law, is under the con-
troll of the Brooklyn board Of education, and
is intended for boys between the ages of
and Ia years who habituclly play ''hookey."
The boys are committed TO the institution by
a magistrate, and always with the consent Of
their parents, except where the Society for
the Prevention of Cruelty to Children shows
that the parents, through drunkenness or
some other cause, are unfit to exercise any
authority over them.
There are also some boys in the house who
have been placed there at the request OF their
parents They are generally committed for
a term Of fourteen weeks, but when the
parents request that they be released they
are set at liberty. Upon arriving at the in
stitutlon q boy is taken in hand By P. n.
Corrigan, the superintendent, and submitted
to much the same process that all new ar
rivals at the penal institutions undergo. His
pedigree, together with the school from
which he is committed, is entered upon the
records. He is given bath, his hair is cut,
and he is arrayed in the uniform of the
place, which consists of a coat and pair Of
trousers of coarse dark gray material. This
process completed, the boys life in the home
begins
EARLY RISING.
At 6 o'clock in the morning he is awakened
and after scrambliIg into his uniform lie
marches downstairs to the wash ROOM where
he is given a thorough cleaning. Then no
falls into line with the other boys and
! marches into the dining room, where break
fest consisting of bread and butter and coffee
awaits him. Before he sits down, however
he joins in short prayer. After breakfast,
in concert withthe other inmates he returns
thanks for the meal just furnished and then
goes ont to the playground to amuse himself
as his inclination moves him.
At 9ociock he marches into the school
. room and is at first placed in the class under
the charge Of Mr.. Thomas Tassie There he
is examined rs to his mental qualifications.
and if found to be sufficiently advanced for
that purpose be is placed in higher class
From until II o'clock the time is passed in
the same manner as in the grammar schools
OF the city, and at noon he again marches to
the dining room His dinner consists of
corned beef and cabbage, pork and beans, or
some other wholesome food prepared in an
excellent manner by the two cooks Of the in
stitution.
When dinner is over the playground is
again resorted to until l o'clock, when the
studies are resumed in the school room
School is over at o'clock, and until o'clock
in summer and 4:30 O'Clock in winter tho
playground is the scene of the youngsters
actions All the games and sports SO dear TO
the heart of the average small boy are freely
INDUCED in, but baseball is the favorite with
them all. This is perhaps the reason why
Mr.. Tassie is held in such high esteem by
every boy in the institution. He was at one
time an expert ball player, and takes a lively
interest in the boys play. He makes all their
balls, keeps them in repair, and gives them
many valuable hints g to the science Of the
game.
OF TO BED.
When the time arrives for leaving the
playground the boys repair to the dining
room and eat their supper Of bread and
prunes or dried apples and tea. This over
they solemnly march TO the dormitories and
prepare for bed In reality there is little
preparation about this Generally thoroughly
tired out with their play, they waste no time
in divesting themselves Of their clumsy uni
form and disappearing beneath tbs sheets.
A Waterman is constantly on guard, and
there is little opportunity for boyish pranks.
The dormitories are on the third and fourth
floors of the new brick building, and are
large, airy and well lighted A perfect sys-
TEN Of heating and ventilation keeps en- even
temperature in the rooms at ali times. The
rooms contain 100 clean, wholesome beds.
On the ground foor are the two school rooms,
the bath room and laundry. The dining
room, offices and apartments u the o..icera
and help OF the home are in the frame build.
Ing.
The discipline Of the institution is excel
lent, and only on rare occasions is it found
necessary TO resort TO extreme measures A
system Of rewards and punishments is in op-
GRAFTON, which appears to have q satisfactory
result For good behavior and attention 70
studies some Of the boys are made monitors.
They occupy the teacher seats in their alb
sencs and exercise mild sort Of supervision
over their classmates A striped suit with
disgrace worked on its back is provided
for certain infringemeuts Of the rules, and
has Q wholesome effect in maintaining good
order
The religious training Of the youngsters Is
carefully looked after, and on Sunday morn
inS Sunday school services are conducted Ia
both the Protestant and Catholic religiona-
New York Press
When a girl gets to DC . or more, it's just
- vel 10. 10 gre Der any birthday presents
Colored T-osIA In the War.
The number Of colored soldiers in the vaz