Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-03-08
THE BOYS ENJOY THEMSELVES.
Pleasant Annual Entertainment BY the
Reform School Pupils.

Pleasant Annual Entertainment by the
Reform School Pupils.
The boys out at the reform school were moi
in bed last night at 8 o'clock, nor even ct 10
1t was the one night in 365 when the rules
which govern the time for retiring suffer an
exception-it was the gala occasion of the year.
Very much more enjoyable was it than the
Fourth OF July, and even Thanksgiving, with
Its welcome accompaniment OF turkey and
mince pie, suffers by comparison with the
1 opportunity which Is annually afforded the
inmates OF the school to amuse their friends
and to show. in a certain line and to q certain
extent, the progress which they are making
Last nights entertainment was o success; the
reform school entertainments always are. In
the audience, which crowded the large
ecnool room to its utmost limit, were
In addition to q number Of specially
| invited guests, relatives Of many Of those boys
whose unruly conduct had brought them within
| the nrm but not cruel grasp of q charitably
! disposed and reformatory law. To watch these
parents and brothers and sisters was more in
teresting even than the performance. Smiles
ut up wan faces and laughter quickened the
beats of hearts which had throbbed in anguish
not SO long ago. The same boy who caused
| the pain was the promoter of the laugh. Only
the circumstances had changed.
THE VISITORS AND THE PUPILS.
The number Of visitors at the annual enter
tainment, which took place last night, was fully
as great As on any previous occasion. They
commenced to arrive shortly after o'clock.
| and as they trooped in from the frosty outer
atmosphere they were welcomed by Col Shall
lenberger. the superintendent. Mrs. Shallenber-
ger and the Misses Shallenberger. Wrappings
we're laid aside and by the hour of there was
not q vacant seat in the school room. The boys.
| as usual, occupied the center Of the room. and
very clean, well-fed, contented-looking boys
they were. The air which is supposed to be-
long to reformatory institutions was absent
| and an onlooker did not need to DO more than
ordinarily imaginative to fancy that he was
looking at the pupils Of a military academy.
The blue uniform blOuses were neat and well
brushed and the brass buttons shone like 60
many brazen stars.
THE FUN BEGINS.
1t was after 8 o'clock when Col. Shallenber-
ger made few preparatory remarks, in which
he said the boys were going to do their best.
Then he called upon the school to sing "Chim-
ing Bells" This was completed and the men,
| bers of "C'' family-a new suborganization
composed exclusively of small boys-were down
| for tabieau, which they gave in admirable
style. 1t was entitled mischief in school," and
1t showed clearly just how mischievous boys
will behave themselves when the teacher il
|
bles, two Others were wrestling, one was chew
| ing On big apple and a couple whose tastes
were evidently artistic and ideal were admiring
chalk sketch of an alleged man whose name
was said to be something like "McGinty." The
leader OF the ten boys then made a speech and
sat down, giving way to the entire school,
which sang "Polly-wolly."
MORE MUSIC.
A tall colored lad acclaimed "The college
oil csns" in very pleasing manner, and when
he had concluded that pathetic selection the
| school inflated its numerous lungs as one boy
and warbled plantation melody in which ref
erences were made to a supposititous female
alleged to have been denominated "Susiannah,' ~
and whose recent post office address was stated
| to be in Alabama The white boys were en-
| titled to an equal share of the music, but they
| didn't use their right; the colored boys were
more unanimous singers Some few of them
didn't sing and some of those who did try
| didn't know how, but the aggregation of
| melody was too powerful for the minor walls
and vocal epilepsy of those who had no music
In their Threats or lungs.
| DRAMA AND THE BALLET
When they got through the curtain went up
on rural scene. The characters we're chip
per boy who was supposed to be hoeing pota-
toes, an irate father and sportsman who was
seeking Information. When the sportsman Il.
nally failed to get the information ne was after
the whole school joined in a chorus in which
an imitation of the soothing notes of many
crows was the feature.
| Might" and Morning" not after Thorwals.
den. was next on the program. Might was
| represented by colored youth, who would
have been tall had he stood upright. He DOS.
sessed splendid bass voice and when he sang
'.Old Black Joe" the audience applauded en-.
Enthusiastically. Eight little boys, half of them
in feminine attire, represented Morning" and
the dancing they did was such as only can be
executed by the untutored children of Ham.
| OPERA AND ELocUr1oS
| Then the school did little operatic work
and related in chorus the facts attendant upon
the decease OF the grasshopper who was seated
in the rear of a sweet potato vine
very bright white boy whose ideas Of elo.
cution we're good. detained Damon and
| Pythias." and then Mr.. Geo. Chandlee, who, BY
| the way, Is not an inmate Of the school. con.
tributed very beautiful cornet solo.
For fifteen minutes thereafter minstrelsy
oral and choral. had possession of the stage
| The interlocutor wore handmade diamond
in his shirt front and knew his business
Listen to My Tale of Vice." Poor Old Ned
paled before the rendition of ''McGinty." Tha,
was the gem OF the occasion. The conclusion
| OF the chorus "Dess Bones Shall Rise Again
brought one Of the company's clog dancers to
his feet, and when he had done his turn he
| q
marvelously clever heel and toe work. Har-
monicas furnished the aggravation The anna
| teur minstrel troupe enjoyed the affair as much
as did the audience, and that is saying good
| deal.
DR.. Dieffenderfer blew Sullivan's "Ios,
Chord out of the spreading end Of a cornet
and when the applause permitted the school
took up the theme of ''Nanon" and sang q
chorus built upon that foundation.
THE train to Mauro" was the title Of a
dialogue between six white boys and then came
the march and chorus of the ''Button-hoe
Cadets"-all white. The program should have
ended there, according TO the program but op-
portunity was afforded little white boy-the
| baby OF the institutIon--to tell the audience
why he would rather be boy than girl
With the benediction song, God Be With
You Till We Meet Again." the entertanm n
| concluded.
The accompaniment were by Mr.. Will
Cohen. the organist, who is the school in
| structor in matters musical. Valuable assist.
ance was rendered him by Mr. Geo. H. Chand-
lee and DR.. W. E. Dietfenderfer, both exper ts
| on the cornet
| WHO WERE PRESENT.
Among those present were President A. j.
Fails and Mrs. Falls, Col. Clay, Mrs. Clay, Miss
Clay, N. W. Burchell, Mrs. Burchell, DIR. j. E.
Carpenter. Mrs. Carpenter, Dr. W. s. Thomp-
son, Mrs. Thompson, Miss Thompson. Repre-
sentative Atkinson, Mrs. Atkinson, Mrs. DIR.
Campbell. Miss Campbell, Rev. DIR. Markham,
Eey. Dr. Boyle, Mrs. Capt. Espey, Samuel W.
| Curriden, A. I. Stuart, Mrs. Stuart, Judge
George r. Fisher, Controller Matthews. Mrs.
Matthews, DR.. Falls Root. Cohen, Mrs. Cohen.
| Miss MagOip Cohen Misc Moeas Mic, Michael