San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-01-05

for you. We were toS.c~that the imposing
building before whose massive iron gateway
we drew up was a school for girls An air of
mystery surrounded the exterior. The gate
at which our driver was knocking looked as
if it had never been used, and our effort to
gain admittance there proved vain At
length another gate was found, and after
free use Of the 'knocier we succeeded in
arousing sleepy looking porter, who scanned
us leisurely and then announced that school
is in session, but | will 60 and see if you can
be admitted" During his absence we looked
about and decided that though surrounded by
high walls OF solid masonry this was no girls
school, for the windows had neither curtains
nor blinds, and were devoid of those close
lattices which always screen the Turkish
woman from the gaze Of man.
Soon the porter returned and conducted
our entire party up the well paved walk and
a flight of marble steps and, without waiting
for cards or the slightest introduction, we
were shown into the private office of the di-
rector, who received US very courteously,
even before he learned we were party of
Americans. 1t was most gratifying to our
national pride to see his face brighten and
note the pleasure with which he extended to
us the usual Inequalities when he learned
our nationality. He escorted US through the
establishment and informed us in pretty
good French that they then had 400 orphan
boys, besides large number Of day scholars,
all of whom were required to don a uniform
and submit to O rigid discipline He showed
us through room where hundreds of uni
forms were hanging, all numbered, and when
walking through an immense dining hall
where covers were laid for more than 400, he
pointed to table at one side where ''the
naughty boys were fed on bread and salt
alone"
STUDENTS "IN DURANGO VILE"
He then took us to prison on the ground
floor, where they had at that time five ire
pressible students 'in durance vile" confined
in box like cells just large enough for one
person, with n small ventilator near the top
through which few rays Of light could
enter. While we passed through the high
empty halls, and from room to room, we saw
nc one but the two servants, who with heavy
bundles of keys in hand followed the director
and watched our every look and motion with
lynx eyed vigilance. We were shown through
SO many empty class rooms that We began to
wonder if the porter had not been mistaken
when be told US the school was in session,
when suddenly door was thrown open and
before us were about twenty lads with books
and drawing material on their desks, and a
teacher demonstrating on Q blackboard a
a simple problem in geometry All stared at
US with immovable features, and we as ST.
lently retreated. We were then taken across
an open court to a modern looking building
most beautifully and conveniently fitted up
for a chemical laboratory. This, it was
quite evident, was the pet and pride of tho
director. Here we were pressed to be seated,
and coffee and cigarettes again offered the
entire party.
When leaving the laboratory to return to
our carriage our attention was arrested by
murmur Of voices, and looking
up to the windows we saw hundreds Of faces
pressed against the panes. We stepped into
our carriage and drove away, leaving ell
those motionless heads covered with the red
fez always worn by the Turkish subjects and
curious young eyes watching US, and yet per-
feet silence reignedl Such privacy, such
stiffness and order about q great institution
like this is q marvel to western eyes. When
We recall the fact that We spent more than
two hours In the building and heard no sound
but our own footsteps and voices and that of
the director, and, except the one class Of
twenty youths and five we found i'll in tho
hospital ward, saw no sign OF life or activity,
we might well have been incredulous regard
ing the 400 or 500 students the director had
told us of, IL we had not seen those faces in
the windows. We could learn but little re-
garding the course Of instruction in this in
but were greatly impressed with
the rigid discipline observation-disclosures Cor.
San Francisco Chronicle.
Moro Dangerous Than Sewer Air.