Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-03-23
AT THE REFORM SCHOOL
The Boys Give Their Annual Entertainment
Before Large Audience
Songs, Farces and Minstrelsy-A
Pleasant Night mt
the School.

wing Tee Wee was sweet Chinee,
And she lived in the town of Tao;
She had eyes of blue,
And braided cue
Hung dangling down her back
She fell in love with gay Win SILL
When he wrote his love on a laundry BILL"
Wing Tee Wee was not written especially
for the boys of the District Reform School,
but If Hub Smith had tried for year to
shape composition to which those young
sters could do ample justice he would
hardly have done better than he did.
Last night the event of the year at the
reform school-the annual entertainment
was enjoyed by the more than two hundred
inmates of the institution, and about twice
as many visitors. There have been several
very successful efforts in years gone by.
but none of them was equal to the affair of
last night; from the first there has been
steady improvement, until now the boys do
es well as even the most critical could rea-
sopably expect them to do The chorus
work was especially good, the greatest adj
That part of the program included The
Country Band" ''The Whistling Coon"
"Ching-a-ling-a-lin wing Tee Vice."
Swinging on de Golden Gate,' Isn't it
more Guard" and a clever medley of popu-
lar songs. expressly arranged by Prof.
Frank A. Wilson. who is the schools in
structor in vocal music. Every number
was thoroughly appreciated by the audi
ence, but it is doubtful whether the listen
ers, delighted though they were, derived
half as much pleasure as did the boys, who
entered with heart and voice into the BUSH
ness of rendition.
Drama and MinstreIsy.
But while the choruses were conspicuous
because of their force and finish, and the
other qualities that appeal TO the human
ear, they were by no means all of the pro-
gram, for the three subdivisions of the
school known officially as IA family, "B'
family and &C. family competed for
share of the applause that was willingly
and yet SO deservedly scattered abroad.
AS the representative of Mr. Shallenberger,
a nice-looking white boy delivered an adj
dress of welcome very smoothly, and then
a dozen members of &c" family--all of
them white but two--presented a political
skit which abounded in good features. It
was entitled THE Mass Meeting at Po-
dunk" and to those present who had any
acquaintance with the political methods of
small communities there was much in it of
real interest. "A'' family-which Is col
ored-tickled the crowd with the reor-
gained Blackville minstrel troupe, COM
pany of nine of the bigger boys arrayed
just as most of the stage minstrels of to-
day are, and decorated very lavishly with
huge limitations of diamond adornment.
The features of their contribution were las
We Sang in the Evening by the Moon
light laughing song, some clever dane
ing. brief Grafton of the old stump speech
variety and double quartet, My Heart
Can Only Say Observation-Disclosures and
Not Goodbye"
The contribution of "B" family--which
is composed of white boys-was one-act
farce, urgent Private Affairs" by seven
boys, every one of whom did most credit
atly; three or four of them were decidedly
superior. and could hardly be surpassed
by any youngsters Of their ages. The pro-
gram reached conclusion in what was
termed a calisthenic exercise by eight
little colored members of &C. family. The
exercise was arranged by Prof. Lloyd and
consisted of an exhibition of such Senatorial
ability as can only, with reason, be ex-
pected of the dark-skinned little ones. Not
even the big boys of the Blackville Min
strel Troupe were more successful as
dancers, while the older ones suffered
when comparison was made by reason Of
the fact that four of the juveniles were
attired as little girls and acted their parts
NEST naturally. An encore-the only one
of the evening-brought forth a pink
frocked dancing solo by one of the imita-
President A. j. Falls of the board of
trustees came to the front and thanked
the boys for the pleasing skill that had
been displayed, and for the application
which created the efficiency. Then came
the benediction song, God Be With You
Till We Meet Again." and separation.
The general direction Of the whole affair,
as of the Institution. was in the hands of
Mr.. George A. Shellenbarcer, superintend-
ent of the school, ably assisted by Assist
ant Superintendent l. d. Porter, Prof.
Lloyd and Prof. Anterior. Prof Frank
Wilson conducted all that was musical
while his daughter, Miss Wilson, played
the accompaniment most acceptably.
The Guests.
After the performance came to an end a
number of the guests enjoyed the bounte-
Gus hospitality of Mr.. and Mrs. Shallen-
berger, the host and hostess, being as
sisted in entertaining by the Misses Shall
lenberger and Mr.. Shallenberger.
Among those present were President and
tie Misses Chinn, Allen r. Adams, Jas.
Walker. Prof. and Mrs. barton, Major and
Mrs. Strong, Howard Perry, the Misses
Childs, Col. and Mrs. Clay, Dr. w. s.
Thompson and family, Judge KinlbaIl and
Family, Miss FURNACE, Major W. G. Moore,
H. p. Goodwin, s. w. Curriden and
daughter, DR.. Carpenter and Mrs. and Miss
Carpenter, Miss Mcknight, NJ w. Bever-
idge George Ryneal, Fred Siddons, Gen.
Joe Smith and Mrs. Smith. Prof. Frank A.
Wilson. Mrs. Wilson and Miss Wilson, Mr.
end Mrs. George H. Harries. Mr.. and Mrs.
E. H. Thomas. DR.. and Mrs. j. T. Winter
and daughter, Mr.. and Mrs. Addison NJ.
Smith, Mr.. and Mrs. Rex Smith, Rev. F.
d. Power and Miss Power, Mr.. and Mrs.
Copeland, Rev. DR.. Butler, Rev. DIR. Muir
and Miss Muir, Mr.. and Mrs. Chas. WEIGH,
Mrs. DR.. Wells, Ed Fuller, Miss Florence
Carr, Frank Carr, Mr.. and Mrs. Dobbs,
Miss Mary Wells. Adam Geib and Miss
Geib, Mr.. and Mrs. Rives. Mrs Dr. New,
Mrs. S. w. Woodward and Miss Wood
DR.. buckingham and Miss Buckingham,
Mr.. F. A. Stickney and the Misses Stick
pey, Miles Sh.,nd and MI. and Mrs Nc
Kahon.