St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-11-20

IA l.
TBECH(N bruised and battered
- flesh as result of
brutal blows received at the hands of
attendants and officers of the institu-
! tiOn-led to an investigation OF the
charges yesterday by reporter for the
GLOBE. To avoid possibility of the
object of his visit being known until
such time as he chose to announce it,
the scribe proceeded to the spot on foOt,
and mingled freely with the boys, who
were playing football during the after
noon recess. a number of boys were
spoken to as to the character of the food
they received. whether sufficient was
allowed them-as to the truth OF the
story that in the absence of Supt.
Brown, his assistant, Hewitt, had cut
down rations in any degree whatever.
The answer was unanimously Iefuta-
ton of the charges which have been
made, each boy in turn replying that he
had nothing to complain of in the man.
agement or ratiOms, many averring
that they would not leave the institu-
ton, even if they could.
MAKING TOUR.
A tour of the industrial departments
! revealed boys of all ages working at the
trade they have chosen to learn. In the
timers shop were perhaps a dozen boys
diligently working at the dies and cut
ting machines of all sorts, with which
their department is supplied. Sur
rounding them were stocks OF newly
made pals, kettles, pans and every sort
of utenSil which can be fashioned from
tin. None of these lads had ever heard
of ill-treatment by officials, and they
were lOudest in their praises of the as
SiStant superintendent. whom they
characterized unanimously as a first
rate fellow.
Descending fight of stone steps to
basement of one of the buildings, from
which an odor of cooking escaped, the
reporter found himself in the bakeshop
of the establishment. Baking opera
lions were i'm full sw ng. Piled on high
were stacks of newly-inade bread of
whiteness and sweetness not eXcPlled
by the article furnished the patrons of
the Ryan. Half dozen bakers-bOys
who had learned their trade since being
sentenced to the schOoI-clad in white
aprons and with f1Oury arms and faces,
were engaged in
MAKING SODA BISCUITS
for the boys supper. Another side OF
the apartment was occupied by innu-
merable pies. There were pies of all
sorts, newly baked, and which 1t was
discovered will all have been deyOured
by the hungry youngsters ere the sun
has set tonight. Mrs. Campbell, who
has charge of the kitchen, Invited the
reporter TO sample any of the supplies,
remarking that the same batch OF bread
supplied the officers and the boys in
their charge. and defying any one to de-
tect an iota of superiority in the food
prepared for the officers tables over
that intended for consumption by the
A nafianat,fn trait nf tho
school in all its departments is their
serupulous cleanliness. The floors are
scrubbed to Wilderness which bespeakS
health and denotes the best of manage
ment. In the course of his tour about
grounds the scribe encountered Assist
ant Hewitt, and having made known
his mission to that official, was at once
taken in tow and pilOted through every
department of the entire institution.
In the store room were piled bags of
flour bearing the legend ''Christian's
Best" Minneapolis. AS this was the
only -four to be found in the entire eS-
adjustment, the only inference is that
the bread which has been been charac-
terized as ''unfit for Il hog TO eat' must
have been made from that same supply.
In an interview with one of the boys
employed in the bakery as TO whether
or not sour bread was, as alleged, served
to the inmates of the place at meal time,
the charge
WAS INDIGNANTLY REFUTED.
Replying to question as to whether
he knew Mrs. Merrill or had seen the
lady ON the occasion of her last visit to
the school, one of the young bakers re-
piled:
Yes, know her. She's got boy here"
where did Mrs Merrill get the specimens
Of sour bread which she submitted to the
board as samples of the food furnished
hereT
bakeshop."
'That sort Of bread, then. is not given the
boys 10 eatf''
mo. sir. 1 work here, and there don't
any stale bread go to the tables because after
it gets two davs old we make bread buildings
of it and all the boys like bread pudding"
DO you ever get your rations cut down for
punishment. or get hung up by your thumbs.
or does the assistant ever knock YOU down or
thrash you-in short, have you anything to
complain of in any way"
mo, sir; I'm satisfied, and so is the rest Of
the fellows. guess.
Each Of the homes is complete In
itself. Each has its kitchens, school
rooms and dormitories. These latter
are the pink of neatnesS, steam-heated
and excellently ventilated. Every ill.,
mate has his own separate bed, and is
expected to occupy il. On entering
any of the dormitOries the impression
is at once created of their cleanliness.
Each bed has its spring mattress, clean
blankets and immaculate white cover.
There is certainly nothing to complain
of IN that direction.
Having thoroughly inspected all the
home departments. the GLOBE man
proceeded to the carpenter shops, where
perhaps a hundred boys are employed
in fashioning all kinds of toys to please
the fancy of the young PEG, lie
of the Twin Cities. In the turning
department were lathes and turner's
tools in abundance, and sections of toys
half-completed. On the upper floor are
the paint shops and store room. Here
are stacks of toy wagons. rocking
horses, and a variety of other bTic-a-brac
of the sort, painted to brilliance never
excelled by the oldest master painter,
all being entirely, with the exception of
the iron work, the result of training
the boys have received at the school.
THE BOYS KNEW RIM.
DO you know the boy Merrill?' was asked
of one of the busy young workers.
Eyes sir" was the reply. Hes the boy
that got his eyes BACKED in scrap last
week"
"Are you sure he got them BACKED that
wayg''
Eyes. sir: saw him. He called another
boy tough name. and the other boy was =
new boy. so he hauled off and smashed him.
"Have you ever seen Mr.. Hewitt pound any
of the boys with his fist, or knock them down
with anythingT'
"No, sir I've been here year, and Mr..
Hewitt has always been good friend to me.
SO he has to all the kids, guess"
''Who does the fiOgging when there is any
doneF'
''Mr. Brown"
"What does he fog the boys with?'
"Guess he goes and cuts SWITCH"
''Dnes he fog boys very oftenT'
'Only when they're dead tough and make
trouble for the teachers i'll the schools. There