The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-08-20
TRIAL INDUSTRIAL COLONY
An Interesting Experiment IN Juve-
nile Local Government in New York.

nile Local Government in New York.
New York, Aug. 20.-The work of the
Industrial Colony association at Gardl-
ner- Ulster county, N. Y, is now IN 1ulI
swing and up to the present the results
nave proved even more satisfactory
than the founders of the association
hoped The purpose and plans OF the
colony have previously been described.
1t is intended to provide total change
of surroundings for boys from IL TO 10
years old from the ''slum" districts, to
take them out of the unhealthy and
den1oralizing atmosphere of the tene-
ments, and to teach them to become
useful and capable citizens.
The ne plan Incorporates many E1i features 1:
Brigade and similar organizations.
There are, however, several fundamen-
tai differences between the Industrial
Colony association and the Junior Re
public, the chief being the choice of
county and local government as the
model followed by the former, instead
of the national government which
forms the model of the Junior Republic.
The national system is complicated
one for uneducated boys to master, and,
instead or this, the farm at Gardner
is run like miniature county. The
boys make their own laws, choose their
own Legislators and officers, are arrest
ed and tried if the laws are broken,
and, if found guilty, are imprisoned or
fined. The right to vote is based on
attachments, and not on age, the full
privileges of citizenship not being
granted until proper capacity is shown.
the boys learn farming ana various
handicrafts. They are expected to work,
and are paid, according to the amount
they do, in the currency of the colony.
They pay for their meals, lodging and
clothing in the same currency, and,
while the amount of labor expected of
them is light, four hours work a day
being enough to provide them with ne
cessitieS, this system teaches them the
value of money and discourages lazi-
ness and improVidence.
Twenty-four boys are now on the
farm. The first batch arrived on May
29, but most of the young colonists did
not start until July 1. Those who were
on the farm in May were sent in order
arrival of the others. The boys are
chosen from lists supplied by churches,
clubs and missions. They are of the
troublesome class and the colony is in
tended as a reformatory, besides its
other purposes. The colony will prob
ably break up on September 8, and the
reason that only those boys recommend
ed by churches and missions were chosen
was in order that they might be watch
ed when they returned to the city. The
association will also continue its work
after the boys have left the farm, and
will endeaVOr to make the good effect
of the training there permanent.
Another feature in which the colony
differs from other institutions of SINH
lar purpose is in the closer relations
which exist between the teachers and
boys. Instead of taking their meals al
different tables, they all sit down to-
gether and partake of the same class
of food. Some of the teachers also
sleep in the boys dormitories. There
is daily military drill at the colony, be-
sides instruction in military tactics.
Religious services are held, at which
attendance, however, is not compul-
sorry, and il has been demonstrated
that boys are glad to attend the Serv-
ices, which are made as bright and in
teresting as possible.
Herbert NJ. Williams is president of
the board of directors of the Industrial
colony association; the Rev. DR.. John
b. Calvert editor ofpthe Baptist Exam
liner, vice president; the Rev. Frederick
hart, treasurer. Frederick Morse Gut
Ter, the Rev. Frederick w. Fuess and
Orrin E. Wightman are directors.
Among the advisers are General A. G.
Barnes, the Rev. DR.. Howard Duffield,
the Rev. Dr. Charles Cuthbert Hall, the
Rev. DR. A. E. Kittredge, the Rev. DR..
Robert S. MacArthur, the Rev. Edward
Niles and the Rev. DR.. w. s. Rains
ford. There is also a first auxiliary
committee, composed of women, of
which Mrs. Josie Valentine is chair
man. The acting superintendent of the
farm is Rev. Frederick T. Steele.
A considerable amount of money has
been subscribed toward the support of
the colony. The farm it occupies is
rented, but the directors hope before
long to buy land, on which a suitable
building can be erected 1t is the in
tention of the founders of the colony to
make the boys labor, besides being
such as will educate and improve them
the institution self-supporting to some
extent.