Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-01-07
FERRIS INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL
Interesting Exercises Held
Yesterday Week.
THE PUPILS MAKE A FINE SHOW
What an Inpsection of the
Premises Revealed.


generosity and benevolence tile Ferris
Industrial School was established, could
only have been permitted in some super
natural form to take look yesterday
week at the institution he had founded,
his repose ever afterward must have
been peaceful one. The sight which
would have met the gaze of the plain,
sympathetic and much beloved philan-
thropist, would have pleased him
beyond description. He would have
seen an industrial school, built upon
land purchased by his well-earned gold
and constructed of material purchased
by his wealth, that is credit to the
State and monument to his memory.
True, the school has received pecuniary
assistance from other sources than that
of the dead philanthropist, but it was
the venerable Quaker's money that laid
the cornerstone of the institution and
went so far toward formulating the
plans which were afterwards put into
execution and which resulted in the
opening of the school. The result is the
institution now bears the name of the
man to whom it owes to large degree
its success and future prosperity.
For number of years the Board of
Managers of the Ferris Industrial School
and its able superintendent, who have
WED with each other in conducting the
institution as such an institution should
be conducted, have been in the habit of
holding an annual entertainment at the
school just about Christmas time. This
entertainment was gotten up not al
together on account of its being the
annual Christmas festival, but more for
the purpose of teaching the pupils that
they, too, could celebrate the greatest
festival of the year, just the same as any
other boy or boys, no matter how
limited were their privileges.
And so yesterday week was the day set
tpart by the Board of Managers and by
the superintendent, for the annual
Christmas celebration. 1t was an event
much looked forward to by every boy
in the school and each seemed to take
special pride in seeing how successfully
he could carry out the part assigned
him in the drama commemorating the
arrival of the Yuletide festival. The re-
asult was the entertainment was a most
auspfcious affair and one that will long
lurk in the memory of those that took
part no matter what their failings or
shortcomings may be.
place was 2.30 o'clock, but owing to the
tardiness in the arrival of many OF the
guests the time for the entertainment to
take place was delayed. II was few
minutes after 3 o'clock when, Superin-
tendent Haines announced the arrival
of the hour for the exercises to begin.
AT the signal all assembled in the main
school room, where the entertainment
was to take place. The room was nicely
decorated with evergreens, and flags
and bunting added much to the attract
iveness of the decorations. Appro-
pirate mottos hung from different places
on the walls. Neither did the decora-
tions cease here, but many rooms in
other parts of the main building were
tastefully decorated for the occasion.
When it came time for the entertain
ment to begin the following guests had
seated themselves in the main class room
to listen to the exercises Members of
the Board of Managers; Lindley G. Kent,
Wilmer w. Palmer, Mrs. Francis
Garrett, Mrs. i. w. Mendinhall, Mrs.
James Bailey, George s. Capelle, II. L.
Armstrong, w. II. Watson, Alfred Gaw-
throp and Mr.. Armor. Others present
were: Rev. A. s. Mowbray, and Mrs
Mowbray of Newport, Rev. Enoch
Miller, Mrs. w. II. Watson, Miss
Saunders, Misses Tantum, George H.
Rue.
The entertainment was opened by the
singing of carol, "That Wonderful
Star, by Johnny Everheart, assisted by
Clara Haines, a bright little girl of
years and daughter Of the superin-
tendent of the school. Mrs. Haines
played the accompaniment on the
organ. Alonzo Cleaver gave a recita-
ton which was applaudod, and then
gAarles Colwell, a handsome lad of 10
years, sang a song in costume, "Ihc
Bell Goes a Ringing for Sarah" Col
; we'll, who was dressed to impersonate a
girl, carried out the part admirably. He
was mistaken by several for a girl. The
Z lad has rare talent for boy of his age
and seems to have been blessed with q
rich musical voice, which, if cultivated
would secure him a place of some
prominence on the stage. The boy has
desire for going on the stage and it was
desire for this kind OF life that induced
his parents, it is said, to send him to the
industrial school. He has rather pretty
countenancc and has large, soft, black
ewes. He was at one time in Trinity
Church choir in this city.
An amusing recitation by Johnny
Everheart, Juvenile pupil, who gave
a"Boy's Opinion Of Girls" convulsed
his hearers with laughter. The lad is Q
favorite in the school. "a Lullaby
was given by the infants. A Christmas
presentation by the "Peak Family
was striking feature of the entertain
ment. This was given by 13 boys, five
of them colored, and was under the di
rection of young Colwell. In this pres
entation the lad again showed rare
talent and convinced many with the
belief that if properly trained for stage
life his talent would amount to some
thing. In the rendition of the "Peah
Family" the audience were well pleased
A colored lad, when it came his turn
d whlstled "trhe Mocking Bird" witt
\ good effect and warbled beautifully. "A
fellow people accompanied hin
pn the harmonica. The entirt
10 boys sang "'rhe Jolliest Boys Alive,
while another sang "Sweet SslverJ
Bells" Johnny Brandley sang a som
md then two colored lads gave an eX
aibition of clog-dancing. Those who
look an important part in the rendering
of the programme We're John Everhart
Charlie Colweli, Alonzo Cleaver, Jane
WEIGH, Robert Blakely, Ezekial Benson
and others. The entertainment was
most successful affair and reflects mucl
credit upon Mr.. and Mrs. Haines fo
their strenuous efforts i'll putting th'
pupils through such thorough drill IL
preparing them for the entertainment
f. ..N ~.