New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-06-07
UNRULY BOYS AND GIRLS.
THEIR PROGRESS IN SCHOOL WORK
AT HOUSE OF REFUGE.

The first exhibit Of the school work Of the boys
and girls IN the House Of Refuge, at RandalPs
Island held yesterday and Thursday, sue
cessfuI in arousng interest that it will be con-
tiuued to-day, contrary the original intention
Fully six hundred visitors the first day, and
nearly as many the second. Most of these were
friends Of the urruly young people who consti-
:ute the principal part of the population of the
island. The boys there have families rela-
tives. it would seem, they refer to even their
parents as friends
These came from all nationa1ities and nearly all
classes, TO see what their children accomplish
ing under frrner rule than they could give them,
and in many instances showed the utmost surprise
and delight
81 am looking for Luigi MontebelIo's work" a
dark skinned Italian father said, and when he
the neat composition on Abraham Lincoln illus
trated by magazine prints. his admiration was al
most too great for words. and one felt that new
and important eIement-tiat of respect-had sud
denly crept his feeling for his son. There was
positive pride IN his face he turned TO the teacher
TO ask: is 1t not beautiful done? He is smart. my
Luigi and the teacher answered genially: In
deed he is and he is going to make a splendid
man. We are sure. He is becoming Industrious
The incident was one of many similar, and the
rrinciual of the school department, Miss Annette
Arnold SAID mar me eIIect % 5ne t epO
the parents has been SO marked ana the lIlIOehSe
upon the boys helpful that it is likely TO be made
an annual affair.
Miss Arnold is assisted by Miss Helen H Cook
and Miss adelaide Burns yice-princlPais. ana a
conducted the public school plan, as many OF the
boys, whose ages range from fifteen to eighteen
years. are not advanced beyond the early grades
when they enter. 1t seems hardly credible, yet II
is 2 fact, that is not unusual to have boys sent
10 the Refuge who have never been at school ana
are unable 10 read or write, although they have
lived IN New-York all their lives
The teachers say. however that they soon become
interested, and often learn rapidly The compost
tons The Cravings, the work. history, arlth-
metic and other papers were often highly credita-
BE il cases where the bows knew hardly as much
as urinary scholars entrance The evident en-
thllsasrn Of the teachers and the kindly feeling
manifest between them and the boys explain the
RAPID progress. ,....,
There are eight hundred boys in the institution
and about eighty girls, 50 that the principal ds-
plav was made by the boys The girls had a par
tcGlarly good exhibit il nature work The life
Of 2 butterfly. from the cocoon stage up, was IL
luerraed with dra wings OF the different stages OF
growth and real butterfly mounted Pansies were
mounted and their growth explained In neatly writ
ten and well expressed papers
The drawing was most noticeable in the boys ex-
hibt and q good deal Of actual talent was shown.
One bow Of fifteen had series Of pencil sketches
OF the Presidents, that considered wonderfully
good.
self as delighted with the showing made, and be
Tieyes that the exhibit will encourage the boys to
greater self-reApect than they have ever known.