New-York tribune., 1901-02-17

guards with which the city and private benevo-
lenCe surround the bad bOy"-the wild way
ward child who has suitable home influence
who is what his parents sadly declare too
much for the ordinary family discipline. The
first step in the career Of the wild boy is. as
rule. his refusal to attend school. The life OF
the better element of tenement house children
centres around the big buildings which mean to
them all the blessings of a sweet land of lib
erty" but the bad boy is not to be allured. He
yields to the fascination OF craps" and similar
forbidden sweets. and the seat of the righteous
knows him not. What is u be done about il
supposing either the absence of parents the
failure of their discipline? Two remedies are
offered or. rather. two forms of the same RENE
dy All over the city the Children's Aid Society
supports industrial schools-twenty- in all
Thes" schools do not duplicate. but efectuaIly
supplement. the public scho Is. Here the Ignorant
and frirudless together with the wayward are
taught first simple lessons in the art Of appli-
cation passing on TO the mastery of formerly
distasteful affairs of spelling and reading The
Industrial work done by the boys is in many
cases truly artistic. Beautiful specimens OF
burnt wood work. of iron bending which has
fashioned candlesticks. lanterns and the like.
ceme from the hands of street boys Book
learning is tucked in like pill in Jelly
This treatment cures many boys at the start
But if the truant is obdurate off he goes 10 the
city truant school in East Twenty-frst-st. Here
he is restrained by law, while in the societys
school he was free to come or not. as he chose
In the truant school all the boys are necessarily
of the wild genus. At the society's institu-
tions the bad boy was by means the predom-
mating factor; so that forced attendance at the
truant school marks another step in his unex-
emplary career.
About the same time as the truant school dis
cipline may come visit 20 the school farm OF
the Children's Aid Society. or to those OF two or
three other organizations. These schools aim tcI
show the boy the benefit of country life and &C
separate him permanently from the evil infu-
ences and associations of the city. Frequently
the former waif becomes a highly respectable
farmer. with keen eye for the points of cattle
At any rate. his neglected body receives a fair
chance, and his cheek changes the duskness OF
the gutter for that of the honest sun
II industrial schools. truant schools and farm
schools, with the helpful friends found in every
place. have done nothing for the boy, he is in Il
fair way to deserve the epithet, doubtless ap-
piled to him by his neighbors at the farm
school. of "a limb of Satan" He of the cIoven
hoof was present at the boys BIRTH and society
must look out for itself. The boy commits
some petty offence. and is arrested. The papeIs
will say that he was turned over to the Gerry
society" which is quite true. but that society
Is not designed To care for the reformatiopg of
and the eulprit is again turned OVER"
to some other organization. There are thre{ OF
these which receive practically all such cases:
The Catholic ProtectOry. in Westchester Coun-.
ty; the Juvenile Asylum, at One-hundred- and
sixty -hfth-st. and Amsterdam ave.. and the
House of Refuge, ON FandaITs Island
These institutions have always plenty 10 do.
and they effect a fair number of cures. But .
boy who has reached this stage. although he
may become . deeentIy respectable member oe