New-York tribune., 1902-08-17
BOYS AT A FARM SCHOOL
THEY HAVE NO BOOKS, BUT LITTLE
FELLOWS BECOME WISE, JUST
THE SAME.

This is the baby of the Farm School.'
With this introduction a three and one-halfyear-
old boy was tossed high in the air and seated on
a shelf that was a little higher than the house
mothers head The boy shouted with glee and
kicked his short legs about behaving in every par
ticar like the petted darling of millionaire, and
not in like the ward of organized charity
The house mother of the Farm School of the Chill
dreu's Aid Society is the wife of Superintendent
Gor. the second member of the faculty of the
school and the adopted mother of every boy who
enters there to be trained for home living
~I think it is time for somebody to have his
afternoon nap she added, mschievously, address
ing the child who nodded in agreement to t
,ro,ostion Then having selected the softes-,
rra+test pillow with the brightest flowers, he
trotted away to the next room, where he thre"
himself on the floor, and with his jolly head IN
the down cushion, he soon fast asleep. 1t
was all done Just any mother would nave done
:. II was simple little scene, but 1t told of the
harmony and the love, which is more important
than any branch of the curriculum taught at the
Farm School. The fact is, there are no other
branches taught there, and possibly this is the
only school. called where no books are IN use
THE citv bov who is lured out there, the homeless
newsboy and the street gamin, are not SLOW 10
discover this fact The truth takes hold very
gradually, but it takes hold.
THERE ARE GOOD PEOPLE. AFTER ALL.
There are eighty-1ve boys out there now being
| trained to live in a home They are learning how
II feels to be cared for parents care for their
children in well organized homes. They are learn
ing that the world is not all hard and cruel that
there are good people in it who care and VINO are
not all selfish; that there responsive. loving
thoughts ready to meet the best impulses of boy
heart II he Is not ashamed to express them
There are more good human nature stories to be
| gathered out at the Brace Memorial Farm School
than could be recorded in large sized book TAKE.
| for example, the newsboy of the lower East size
| district He is homeless. and lives at one of the
lodging houses conducted for his benefit He Is
| smart. and has an eye to the main chance' ouI
he is rough uncouth, uncvilized ana lhlpossipie-
| The agent of the Childrens Aid Society is con-
stantly working among this class Of boys to induce
| them to go TO the country. There comes day
| when business is dull. when boy Is not feehng
very we'll and the agent invites him to go Tor
| q week out the Farm School With this boy II
| is a business proposition.
Come ahead he says to his chuIn. Lets go
and see what it's like. II won't cost us a cent,
| and stay week and then come back:
So together they 60 having been provided with
transportation by the willy agent. They present
| themselves unannounced at the big farmhouse
which is located. with its one hundred and hfty
acres of beautiful land. about two miles back from
the station of Kensico The road to the farmhouse
winds through picturesque section. so attractive
that even n CITY boy who knows little about the
beauties OF nature must lend himself to the har-
mony of the as he foots 1t over hill ana
dale to his destination. The superintendent is
ready for him. and when he shakes hands with
| the boy he says:
Glad to see you. sir! Hope you will like us
and stay some time with l just want to tell
you one thing There is never any occasion TO
run away The fences all down, and no one
stays here against his will. There are no ropes nor
| chains TO fasten a boy in. and If he doesn't like
US always sorry. but have plenty OF tickets
TO the city. and when you want to go let me know
and YOU shall have ticket. Don't walk, for it's
| not necessary"
NO FOOD PROBLEM THERE.
The logic OF this argument is rarely lost on the
street boy. The first thing required of him is that
| he take and don a suit of farmers clothes;
| that is a pair of overas and jumper, some stout
| shoes and a farm hat. Then he goes out to ex-
| pore on his account Everything on a farm
is interesting a boy, and b. the side OF its mys-
| teries the curos of a dime museum pale In COM
| parison. He choose his work. He can
! join merry crowd OF boys who building
| stone fence the construction OF which is n mere
contest OF strength, or he can learn to milk the
| cows drive them groom the horses. make
| hay, play the man with the hoe. Time files so
! fast knows where it goes to. and when
| the dinner horn sounds every appetite has keeny