The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-06-06
THIRTY-THREE BAD BOYS.
-gr NEW TRUAHT SCHOOL AND IT'S
LIVELY PUPILS.

I'M
r,sL Before the Tcacher-Osiects or the un-
,ttution-A New Arrival ut the School.
rbcre Is n school at 215 East Twenty.hrst
street worth visiting. 1t is the now Truant
scbool, the first OF the kind New York has over
h,a. and 1t has been In full 8 wing for two weeks.
=, oponcd with eighteen sobbing boys on its
hocohes, and the number has run up to thirty
three and is still increasing. Most of them have
tsten their degrees in sobbing and signing and
ara now trying to show what past masters they
ar, IN genuine boyish mischief. They don't have
,ny Saturdays or Sundays of. or any holidays.
n ia school, school all the time, and when IL
,.n't books It Is discipline. There Is never a
rllmpse of the world except by special favor for
yery good behavior, and then only on Sundays.
On tho day that the school opened William
W. Locke, Supervisor of the truancy department
NJ the Board Of Education, who il acting MS
superintcndent of the institution, after stating
N the boys what wns expected Of them, told
them that although they were imprisoned they
were not criminals, and that by earnest
work and good behavior they could mako
their lot q pleasant one. and would
rot back home tho sooner for It. This seemed
to encourage the transRressors wonderfully. for
pretty soon they were able to smile, and then
they began TO got acquainted with ono another,
and the next thing that Miss Julia Byrne, who
was assigned to the new school from Grammar
School 50, know was that she had some very
tough cases to deal with.
On Thursday afternoon, when o SUN reporter
visited the school, most Of the boys were in high
pirits. Mr.. Locke had about ten in his office on
tho FIRST floor. who had proved to DO more than
Miss Byrne could stand. Thought Of the punish
ment which they know was In store for them did
not sQuelch them. While the master was en-
gagged in making out como papers to be signed
BY a troubled father about to commit his son,
the culprits pulled each others hair, tweaked
noses, punched ribs, and looked innocent
II Just can't stand him any longer said the
troubled father as he stood by his young hope
less in front of the desk, land I am more than
willing to trust him to your care
Tho boy looked Indifferent.
"Are you willing and able to pay something
for his board = asked Mr.. Locke.
Yes, III gladly pay whatever you ask for his
keep" said tho father, his voice beginning to
break. 81 do want him to be a good boy"
Pretty soon the papers were all signed and IL
was settled that the boy should be committed
thsn and there.
Now, I'm going to leave you here said tho
father to the boy. and il you are good I'll take
you home, but if you are bad 1 shall always
leave you here"
The boy looked defiant.
Bid your father good.by." suggested Mr..
Locke. 1T Is the last time you will see him for
some time"
The father fourished his handkerchief and
norted after the manner Of men who would
hide their emotions, and then he thrust his hand
INTO his capacious pocket and articulated:
"Pen-nies-wil he need any pennies I"
mo. tho boys here don't need any money" re-
Piled Mr.. Locke. WED rather they wouldn't
have 1t. Say good-by to the boy"
The hand Of the boy rested in the big, rough,
toil-worn hand Of the man q minute; the boys
face swelled out like q red toy balloon, and all
Of sudden exploded with a sobbing sound, fol-
lowed by snifles. The man made a hasty exit.
The truants at the desk snickered as the new
victim took his place among them. The more
he sobbed the more they enjoyed it.
That happens nearly every time a boy is
committed" said Mr.. Locke. turning to the Wis
itor. Now, suppose you go up and visit the
Tho schoolroom looked very much like any
other public schoolroom at first glance, but AS
soon as the youngsters saw that the visitor was
aos show SS 9m Itself. The me story aorgf Of y JOS 5Ss paaience % nssan
the Trlans School existed in his time. She was
hbored nightly and In silence over the straight
and curved lines, most of them were just as dis.
."Thines aren't in good running order yet"
abe explained. alphabetically, but soon I ex.
mp pu S Hs schoolss' 'f In the sf frst Place aSss 81 eight .a grades a%es
II e fssS IN q r. S a. busy It Tie ;s@s
RAILS; but wen have everything we need BY
s &fpdhas; ahf THIN tSink we You "t can 'G sst e. &c i best
idss Of what the children thenselyes
went ON taking a lot Of papers from her desk.
"0n the opening day Mr.. Locke. asked them to
write something about the school, and this
nnFnin0 i hnd Annn ~ HiT m lnffAr ~ hfQ
father or mother"
The boys had evidently thought that the best
the school, for in all that batch OF opinions there
was not = single adverse one, and that, too, on
; yesE Yea f Mitb day : z. of 1.h their ffmP rs%s %rats A 10
"Truient school 1t looks very nice and we get
pencils and pats from our teacher and read
A young Italian carefully penned. with much
ssSSdinS q Letters. THE Tfuant School is for
.. One Of III The largest boy. said; rsgsrdlsss O. ?
tS5 BOYS BOYS who Pdl s.b sru1 ant, from school and fSr
mas and teachers and to keep them of the street
and also to make them behaved and mind theii
escept On an sa 20 d. seh snd sySJga dey in the week
When called upon to write letters TO Their
these papers would faif into the hands Of Miss
Byrne and Mr.. Locke as well as their compost
no1s on the school, and most Of them laid bare
heir hearts. A boy who has really been very
good wrote:
dear FATHER, I hope you are all getting
along well. l will be glad to see you on Friday
at3P. n. sharp, and TO tell Mr., Locke to give
me another chance. for I would like to stay HON,
with Johnnie. l am In the eighth grammar
grade. | have TO wash dishes and to scrub tn,
hoor. do not like no other place but home
sweet home. Your loving son, L. p"
The following letter was evidently written By
one whose taste runs to the syharitlc. even II h,
ID one OF the most incOrrigible of the truants:
DEAR MOTHER: ! hope you are well. and
WI be glad to see you on Friday at 3 o'clocl
sharp. Please bring me some clean underwear
Apair or shoes, cOame an brush, a story book u
read at night. When are you going to take M
S9ti i am very good and hope to get out soon
riease come sharp at 8 o'clock on Friday after
noon. Your son. V. f."
This letter was written by a boy who would
!esl as soon be in one place as another, SO lonl
She can't have perfect liberty.
DEAR MOTHER: VIII you please come Friday
tha take my old clothes and wash them, anC
orihg me a new pair OF slippers. and stocking
ana clean underwear and new pair Of pantsi
Your loving son, Z. H."
"A small, sOft-eyed lad, known as the boss o
EEidrldge street and called by his comrades Tn
Shlcken, without a doubt labored long an,
oafeiully over the following:
DEAR MOTHER: / feel very well In the Mac,