Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-10-13

SCHOOL FARM, AND woRKsHOP-How A BOY
sHozTENs HIS owns TERx-s NEW FAMILY BUILD
ING AND orHEK IMPROVEMENTS
brown looking lad resting on his spade to gaze
inQuiringIy at a STAR reporter who tOIled along
the wide road that winds the hill from the Bla-
dens0urg turnpike TO the Reform School seemed
an harmonious part OF the october landscape. HIS
face was bronzed by sun and wind. his jacket was
Of sober gray his trousers and shirt OF some tawny
coored material, and his shoes were rusty from
the soil In which he delved He was bad boy
undergoing reformation Before his eyes, II he
chose 10 look, was spread a scene that was almost
worth ones while TO be bad Just 10 see IT, II II
could not be seen on other conditions. II i'm
pressed one at once with the natural beauty OF
the environments OF the national capital Between
the distant blue line OF the south, where the Viz
GINA hills seemed 10 meet the sky. and the dim
glance, take In wide expanSe OF rolling cOun-
grovs swelling hills crowned WILD
Ilnts and fields barred by the harvest.
The picture, too, would contain glimpses Of ham,
Tets and OF empowered villas, the dome OF the
capitol and the white shaft OF the Washington
monument, diminished by the perspective, the
Potomac far away at the south and In the valley,
eastward the sluggish Eastern Branch But The
STAE reporters business was with the brOwn-lOok-
Ing Lad and the hundred and ffty other boys who
were orous ut 10 this teautui spot, TO have their
JOurneye1 on 10 the top OF the hill where the
buildings, dedicated 10 the reformation OF de-
BSTERIS6 THE SCHOOL
The road curves Ia 10 the central building, a
commodious house, with a cupola or belfry that
gives II a stately appearance, and a hospitable-
looking porch at the entrance. This Is the door
that the bad boy entered when he was nrst
brought here In the jail van, II he had the DIS
tlncLIOn OF having been sentenced by the court or
In the Reform SchOol carriage II he were COM
United by the president OF the board OF trustees
He was conducted 10 Office room at the night OF
the wide hallway, and there the portraits OF tne
men VINO have served as president OF the board Oh
trustees looked oenignantly down at MIN, rs tne
superintendent or an assistant questioned lin
about his history, his father and mother. ana MS
idea OF the causes that have brought MIN 10 the
Reform school, and wrote down a brief summary
OF MS replies, TO form part OF the records OF the
Institution. He felt little suIlen and rebelliouS,
PERHAPS. though somewhat awed b. the strange
experiences OF the day, but when ne was taken
back 10 room where a good many otner DIo
bled, some reading Ut writing, others engaged IN
games during the evening recreation hour he pc
gan To take an Interest In his surroundings He
was given supper, furnished with clothing like the
other boys wore, and when the dell sounded Tor
with a clean white spread, forming one OF long
TOW OF cots In a great airy room. He began 10
feel that the Reform School Was not at all like the
prison he had pictured In his mind When he has
finished his term In the school he will leave Dy
the door he entered after listening TO some words
OF kindly ADVICE from the superintendent in the
ONCE. he Will 20 again into the world. with
steadier and SIrer step, perhaps, If he has
prOnIeC by the instruction received In the school;
lion In the UeI1ef that a large percentage OF the
youths that leave do 50 with their moral constitu
lion much strengthened
HOW BOY sHORTESs HIS TERN.
The boy sent to the Reform School is committed
"during his minority" lie Will not be received II
he is over sixteen years old The managers OF the
Institution have legal power to keep him there
until he Is t%enty-one. Under the rules OF the in
stitutIOn, however, the boy can gain his liberty in
eighteen months II he chooses. He is informed OF
this In the first interview he has with
the Superintendent In the Office. The length OF
his stay in the school beyond the minimum term
OF eighteen months Will depend entirely On his
good conduct. some OF the boys become impressed
with this fact at the outset, and AT once adopt a
course OF behavior that Will earn for them a
liberation in the shortest possible time. Others,
through recklessness or their natural depravity
begin with RIGHTEOUSNESS or disObedience. Gen.
orally, however, IN the course OF TWO or three
months they see that the good boys are getting a
long start In the race Tor the coveted goal of
liberty, and they begin Alright with some regrets
Tor the time lost by their folly. system Of
monthly grades and badges Is carried out by
which bog, whose department is good, advances
steadily and rapidly toward the day when he can
take his leave Of the institution. There IS
no evidence about the Institution any physi-
cal restraints 10 prevent the boys from escaping.
Doors are open anu windows are not barred To
be sure the windows OF the domitOries in the new
family building are made secure with a lattice OF
Iron wire, but this, the superintendent told The
STAR reporter was intended as much as precau-
Ton against accident, As TO prevent escape. Boys
seldom attempt 10 escape, OF even leave the
grounds without permission. Many of them are
the city without an attendant. A boy who runs
away Is sure 10 be retaken by the police. Then he
has 10 begin his lie at the Reform School all over
again, without credit for the time he served be-
fore his escape.
DAY AT THE SCHOOL,
The day at the Reform school begins at $50 a.
m In the summer and at 6 a In. In the winter.
Then the big bell IN the eupola OF the main build
ing rings as a signal to the boys to rise From the
dormltOries they go 10 the washlng-r and
then 10 the schOOl-rOOm for prayers. At $40 they
are assembled at breakfast Breakfast is over at
7:O1, and the boys then troop out the play-uround
n the weather Is lair, and froIic till 80 when de-
tails are made for the morning work In the dffer-
ent parts OF the Institution, ia the workshops or
on tine farm. One-half or the boys are in school
while the other nall are at work AT IL 30 the
bell rings, ami the boys 60 10 the wash-rOoms 10
1880 p. In The half hour after dinner the
boys spend In the playground, and at
] o'clock the Afternoon detail for work
10 made, the boys who were In school in
the morning going out 10 the farm or shop and the
Others going 70 school, AT quarter past work
and reciIatiCns are over for the day and half an
hour Is given for play. At quarter TO 5 the boys
go in 10 make ready for supper. supper Is over an
quarter To and the bOys 20 10 their school rooms
where they remain studying. reading or taking
part In games until o'clock when the bell sounds
Tor bed saturday afternoon Is a holiday and the
boys usually spend II In the playground. SUNDAY
morning the boys sleep later. When they rise
they put on their SUNDAY best" a uniform OF sky
blue pants, a dark blue blouse with brass buttons
and military cap. After breakfast they attend
sunday school, and In the afternoon RELIGIOUS SER
wees are held Tor their benefit led by some minis
ter from the city, who volunteers for the occasion
The INDUSTRIES.
The employment OF the boys is varied. The
larger boys do most OF the work on the farm
which covers $50 acres, and on which much OF the
produce used at the Institution IS raised There
are horses and cattle % be cared for roads 10 be
Kept In order, and all the work OF farming 10 be
carried on. Then the domestic work about the
house Is done by the boys under the superin-
Ieudence or the matTOn or her assistants In one
of the buildings Is the laundry. When The SrAK
Ing shirts There are two washdays-NoDday
Tor the white boys and Thursday for the colurei
boys visitor - likely 10 spend most OF his time
IN the building where the workshops are located
First he enters spacious room used as a tailor
sEOp Here several boys Will be found at work az
sewing machines under the direction OF a skilled
tailor. When The STAR reporter paid his visit
the boys were sewing on winter flannel shirts
which had been cut out blythe tailor. They sew
also the trousers and jackets composing the work.
cay clothes OF the boys All OF the clothing is
made at the institution except the Sunday uni
firms, when are purchased. One small colored
worked, knitted a winter sock on a stocking
machine. II took him about eight minutes to knit
the SOCK, OF brown wool, with a white heel and
TIE. 1t was all complete when he took II from the
machine, except that the toe had TO be closed BY
sewing.
In an adjoining room IS shoe-shOp where one
small DOy was in1ustr.O1sly sewing together with
Naxed ends the pieces OF leather forming a shoe
upper, anq another was mending a well-worn old
shoe. MANY or tue shoes worn by the boys are
h4ade here, ana al the coboling is done.