The Washington times., 1894-12-11
OLD REGIME ANOTHER YEAR
Present Officers Of the District Re-
form School Reelected.
OCCASION A PLEASANT ONE
Boys Sang Very Creditably and Enthusiastic
cally Greeted Addresses By the officers
and visitors-President Falls Presented
Interesting Facts Concerning the Inmates

The annual reelection of officers took
place yesterday at the reform school OF the
District of Columbia, and the occasion was
later in the afternoon made pleasant one
for the boys of the institution as well as for
the few visitors present.
The meeting resulted in the reelection of
those who for many years past have stood at
the head of tho institution. Mr.. Alexander
Falls was reelected president; DIR. Carpenter,
vice president, and Mr.. Samuel Curriden,
secretary. The regular business OF the meet
ing having thus been successfully disposed of,
the board Of managers adjourned to the hall,
where the boys were already assembled, end
greeted their arrival with some very creditable
singing, under the leadership of Mr.. Frank
Wilson, conductor of the choir at Foundry
Church. Miss Wilson presided at the organ.
The gentlemen who made short addresses
to the boys were Mr.. Alex Falls, DR.. Carpen-
ter, Mr.. Curriden, Mr. Fitch, Mr. n. c.
Burchel, Mr. W. S. Thompson and DR..
WelleS, the physician in charge OF the insti-
tute.
DR.. Carpenter in few words introduced
Mr.. Falls, stating that by his present re-
election he thus entered upon the fifteenth
year of his ably conducted connection with
the institution.
Mr.. Falls made some felicitous remarks.
Frequently he had been asked why he was so
ready to give his time and thought to the re-
form school when there was neither reward
nor compensation in the matter. In this way
of looking at the matter his friends had been
wrong, as he proceeded to demonstrate by
telling of an encounter with former inmates.
who have since become respected members Of
the community.
Mr. Falls went on to state that since the re-
form school had been established there had
been, in the twenty years OF its existence
over ZOO boys admitted The majority OF
this number are now doing well. Many of
them own their little homes and are honOra-
bly, established in business. All trades and
callIngs have been represented in this num-
Der. several of whom have been formally in
stalled in holy orders and are now ministers
of parishes. To those OF the boys who are to
be discharged this week he urges that the
teachings of the school would not be forgot
ten; that in going out into the world again
they would endeayor to make themselves a
credit to themselves and a comfort to their
parents. The highest honor to be attained
by any one was that OF a Christian gentle
man. At the conclusion one of the boys
wearing an honor badge for good conduct
came forward and presented Mr.. Falls with a
lovely bouquet.
Dr. Carpenter then followed in a short
speech, at the close of which he too was pre-
sented with bouquet.
Mr.. Curriden, upon being called upon for a
| speech, waived his prerogatiye in this respect
in favor of those whom he declared were
! better fitted to discharge the pleasing task.
Mr.. C. Burchell also declined to make any
set speech urging upon DR.. Wells that he
give the boys little talk.
What Dr. Wells did say was brief and to the
mi int Fn- 4ha hrT-u cd fnr
! when he declared that for the future he would
! abstain from administering any more quinine
! there was applause of the most enthusiastic
] and genuine nature.
Mr.. Thompson. upon being called upon, de-
! clared that he could not make a speech for the
! reason that in so doing he could but reiterate
! the good things already said and that after
| the happy efforts of the others he might mar
! the beautiful effect left upon the minds of the
! hearers. To him and to Mr.. Burchell had
| fallen the duty of inspecting the buildings, in
| which everything was in perfect order and
| the most cleanly condition. The teachers and
! employees generally had shown themselves to
be quite up TO the mark.
All this had been done for the boys by the
! community, therefore it behooved the BOYS to
| do their share in the matter As every human
! being has to be schooled in some manner the
| boys should consider themselves fortunate in
! having fallen into the hands of such woman
/ as the superintendent wife. who, as the
! matron of the institute, was without an equal
! The Importance of building up character and
controlling ones self in small things resulted
inevitably in developing an honesty in the
! large things of later life.
The drum corps of the institute. recently
organized with sixteen of the boys as per-
| formers, then gave an exhibition Of the
! proficiency already attained under the leader
| ship of Mr.. Lloyd.
After the singing of several songs, Col
Shallenberger dismissed the boys with Rip
! Van Wrinkles famous toast, May you live
! long ami prosper"