The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-11-29
among children who read their songs by
note nnd word

note and word.
After the boy has progressed suf-
Ccicntly i'll tho schoolroom to enable
him to learn trade he is put to work
at one under the immediate super
vision of a trained mechanic. A largo
number of boys are in the shoe shop,
make all of the shoes worn by the chill
dren and do all of the mending. In the
tailor shop the suits are made for all the
boys in the institution, and the plumber,
blacksmith, carpenter and painter is
each Il teacher i'll his speciality of num-
Der of pupils.
The farm employs the largest number
of boys naturally. and employs a class
incapable of employment elsewhere ex
cept i'll the cleaning department.. Many
Of the children can be taught the SIM
plcst branches of teamwork who could
not understand the more complicated
trades.
All of the cleaning about the house is
done under direction by the inmates,
and one feels almost tempted during n
morning journey to the institution TO
paraphrase the Song of the Shirt" and
make it "Scrub, scrub, scrub" there are
such armies of scrubbers everywhere.
The girls after leaving the schoolroom
are taught dressmaking and mending,
cooking, laundry work and general
homework In the sewing room are
made all the dresses worn by the pupils.
After the training given at the institu-
ton is completed the child, if capable of
Independently caring for himself, is sent
out into the world to earn his living. If
not he is kept and made useful at the
institution until his place is required by
smaller children coming in, when he is
returned to the officials of the county
from which he came as being the only
agents responsible for him. Many of the
children could be made self supporting
under competent supervision who, if
allowed to go out into the world alone,
become burdens to society and propaga-
tors of their kind.
Mental weakness means invariably
moral weakness, and though the institu-
ton may make the child ordinarily ca
pable and self supporting under its man
agement it cannot in all instances make
him so when he is sent out into the
world. However, some do go out who
are enabled by the education given them
to make fair living.
Among the greatest benefits conferred
by the institution is the orderliness which
it teaches its pupils. The lives they
lead are perfectly regular and directed
according to the best known principles
of health. Every child is given each
day, unless it is stormy, n large amount
of outdoor exercise. In case of storms
there are long covered corridors attached
to the buildings SO arranged that the
sides can he almost entirely opened up,
and in these corridors, clothed as for
outdoors, the children promenade. The
sanitary condition of the house, too, is
constantly watched. Disinfectants are
used i'll every corner, and during the
day the dornitories are thoroughly
aired. In their sitting rooms and sleep
ing rooms and during meals the children
are under the care of attendants.
The institution contains large library
of the best literature extant for the
young, which is in constant use in schools
and reading rooms, and which, by means
of its illustrated books, its simple histo-