Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-05-02
ST. IuSEpH's INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL.
Good Showing of the Clayton institution
For the Past Year.

The annual financial report of ST.
Josaph's Industrial School, which is
situated at clayton, has Just been
submitted by Rev. NJ. q. Slice, j. f.,
to his superior, Very Rov. j. r.
Slattery. of Baltimore. Its showing is
a source Of much encouragement to
those who have at heart the interes
Of this extensive undertaking, The re-
port shows that whist the institution
is as yet far from being self.support-
ing, 1t has made great progress IN
that direction. One department, the
printing, at least has been a source OF
income over and above its own expenses,
and it Is hoped that during the present |
year some of the other industries may
DO placed upon the same satisfactory |
footing. The maintenance Of The school |
in addition to the very extcn live i'm
provemeuts which are constantly being |
made on the farm ard grounds, and TO
the buildings, has besn rendered pos
sible through the very generous aid
extended to the woTa by its many
friends. And right here tho Rev.
Rector wishes to tender his most sincere
thanks TO the many benefactoIs who
have SO freely given, and to assure them
of the warm appreciation in which
their charity Is held.
The founder of he school, ss Is we'll
known, was the Rev. John 4. De
Ruyter, who died August 2lst, 1896.
His purpose In Its establishment was to
provide a refuge for the eolorsd bcys,
who at a tender and dangerous age
must leave St. Joseph's Home in vii.
mipgton. The refuge, however, OF his
conception was not to be place where
the boys might idle away their time,
hut on the contrary, hive OF industry
where they might acquire a knowledgs
OF useful trades, and whence they
might go forth as mis-, ioners amongst
their own people, equipped for the
battle of life, and strong in morality,
founded on religious training. To the
end that such a bright hop may he
rfalized are directed all the thoughts
and energies of those who now conduct
St. Jnsephs' Industrial School. The
plan Of an Industrial School for boys
who might otherwise be tast adrift
seems to have gained in public favor
OF late years. lstitutions Of the IN
dustrial kind are becoming quite
numerous, and some Of them are very
some cases. Under such favorable
circumstances excellent results may he
expected. The school at Clayton re-
ceives no help from the State, but sub
sists entirely on charity. and on the
revenue 1t may derive from its own
work.
It IS an affair Of great proportions.
There are Is large frame buildings
arranged in the form of horse shoe
In the center 10 the chapel, a beautiful
building having tower 80 feet high,
5 which can be seen for many miles
| around. In this tower, about the
, middle of May, is to be placed a thou
9 sand.round bell, which regularly will
peal the Angelus to distant ears IN
9 used to that heavenly announcement.
The other buildings are the priests
y house, the sisters convent, the guests
!. house, the gymnasium, the laundry and
y kitchen, the two dormitories, tbs
o boiler ard powerhouse, tire very large
o barn and stables, the three older build
. ings now used by the printing, furni
/ ture, and electrical departments, anC
i the water tower sixty feet high, which
l. like the church tower, attracts tho cyl
- frem long distance. These buildings
q with the lawns and grounds belonging
properly to them cover space Of abou
lg eight acres. Underneath the ground
TO between the buildings, there Is ne
}, work Of water, gas, and sewer pipes
J, There Is a telephone service through
T. out, and some Of the departments ar
a lighted by electricity. An industrial
1t village would be the most appropriat
q term by which to designate the insti
20 tuition.
to In October of 1890 the Rev. Thoma
B. Donovan, now in charge of th
Sc Catecbetical School at Montgomery
g. Ala, was made rector at Clayton. an
D. began system of improvements upo
g quite an extensive SCALE. He is a ma
TX Of indefatigable zeal and iudomitahI
energy, and withal, very resourcefu
70 He left the impress of these qualitie
ny upon the work at Clayton, when at tn
end of a years sojourn at that place
be was removed to another field {
T. labor. His successor, the Rev. Marti
B. Size, who had been assistant at th
VI school for three years, was promoted
the rectorship, and is persevering 10 th
,ly improvements initiated by Faith,
tb Donovan. In the interior of the hors
he shoe formed by the buildings new lawr
to have been laid out, and convenie
til walks made from oyster shells an
IRIS crushed granite.
led A glance on one of these srring da,
I'd, towards the tract on which the buiit
ire lngs are located, reveals scene
ICE great activity. During last summer
ng beautiful lage was formed at some di
not tance from the buildings by dammir
ief up ST. cam running through the farm
all the buildings received two ne
lre coats Of paint, and large sewer pip
me were made to Replace small on
ir- throughout the grounds. These nj
hi other improvements have been co
VI sidered necessary to the proper deyelo
to ment Of the place. The farm attach
oss to the school contains about 400 acre
OBJ and upon this much has been expend
be in the hope that the near future W
bring full recompense. Some OF Il
fields have been divided off ia pr
Eortionate shapes by new fences, b
the there ia still much of this kind of wo
left to he done. About 40 res of swan
the land have been reclaimed by gruobi
his and ditcbing, and about 20 acres
the main which, it is intended, will also
utilized for farming purposes. IL
believed that the comfort ard CO
venience of those VITO live at t
to school and Of visitors and guests. Is
Dis Sufficient reason for the improyeL eli
han to the grounds, and that the larger cro
the will be guarantee enough that mon
be and time have not been wasted up
the desert places OF the farm Mu
also has been done to increase I
in fertility of the scil.
itre 1t will readily be seen that with
ard of thia out OF door work going on,
q to abundant opportunity Is afforded
ical engaging the boys 10 ugeful labor. I
sing large farm gives regular work to ma
mes of the boys, the truck department
nts anna mora anl tho 6airv IN anati