Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-01
The Troubles of the Industrial Home
School.

School.
To the Editor Of The Evening Star:
During the last year much has been said
and written about the trouble OF the in
dustrial school, and 1t has just reached the
climax of woe by having its entire sppro-
prtations turned over to the board Of guard
ians. Last year 40 per cent Of its appro-
prtation was given to the guardians. and
this amount was to have been made up to
the Industrial school by the board paid for
1t for children placed there by Agent
Lewis. The amount. however. has tallen
very short Of the sum adequate to meet the
expenses Of the school, as the guardians
have had a less number of children than IL
was supposed they would have In antici-
patton Of this shortage the expenses of the
Industrial school were cut in every possible
way, and reduction Of s132-beginning
with that OF the observation-disclosures made
In the salaries. Fifty children were dis
charged; some Of whom were placed out,
and others returned to the poverty from
which they came. Sending away half the
children. however. did not reduce half the
expenses. The expenses of carrying on the
farm running the carpenter shop and the
greenhouses. are just the same as they
were for a hundred, excepting the reduc-
ton in the salaries 1t does not take one
lump Of coal less now to heat the green
houses and buildings than it did before. ard
We cannot heat half OF them. During this
terrible winter Of restitution. our rooms
nave been warm and our beds comfortable
but they have been empty, and the little
sufferers that so sadly needed them have
peen turned away because there was moth
ing TO iced them with. Some of these cases
We're SO desperate. that Notwithstanding
the order DO not take any more" the
pltylng superintendent could not send them
away. For instance. a little orphan girl
begged with streaming eyes that her little
brother might be admitted, father and
mother were both dead. and now the uncle
VINO mad taken care of the tiny boy was
sent 70 the hospital to die also. ''Oh. SUPER
intendent cried the little girl do take
my little brother. and God will bless Won
ior IT,! and the superintendent did take
him. For twenty-five years this school has
done a noble work. 1t has made the chill
dren morally better. and fitted them to get
an honest living. and of the many en-
ployed in and around the city at present. 1
do not know of an idler. The school has a
carpenter shop with a nearly new engine.
houses and farm, where the boys are
taught, and II has a sewing department
washing and typewriting for the girls, ali
OF which must now be given up as the
S1O.25 per month. paid by the guardians
Tor their wards. will not support the in
dustries. pay the teachers and buy food
and clothing. because they. the guardians.
this school. that has kept 100 children,
should be cut OF entirely, and the reform
school for girls. that We are told, has &C
Communications for but twenty-nine. and at
present but three inmates" should be given
sl5.6lO. is a legislative problem that but
few can understand. 1t is certainly a much
larger sum than was ever allowed to the
Industrial school The former superintend-
school. and watched its workings, In his
report for 1882, page 49, In speaking Of the
cost of Industrial trainings said Il should
distinctly favor having this institution ap-
bill and receive a substantive appropria-
ton on the same footing as the reform
school," Col. Tracey, the present superin-
tendent also recommends that the appro-
priations be restored to the Industrial
school" The methods pursued by the two
charities, i.e-, industrial and b. c., are very
different. With the guardians, the mother
II there be one, must give up all claim to
the child. While the pride of the Industrial
school has been to re-unite families, when
the children were able to go into employ
ment, and help the mother bind the homes
together, and does not the hope of the
country lie on its homes? Believe me- its
central forces are in these children Do
not break up industrial schools create
them, and fix habits of industry in the
children. Give them something to do, and
something 10 amuse them, and you will
save the country from bomb throwers and
dynamite fiends, and you will save souls
also. But fix. by constant training. in
dustrial habits. They are the wings on
which effort flies to success
Finally, this school has cost the govern
ment very little comparatively. II was a
gift, and for many years the children were
kept by voluntary contributions. The lrop-
erty now. counting IL at % cents per foot
will amount to $ls2, 80. The government
could well afford the appropriations IL has
given in the last few years, for the school
has paid 1t back at compound interest in
the improved morals of the children
K. d. BARLOW, Superintendent