The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-02-09
BOYS SCHOOL IN The TOMBS.
An EFFORT TO IHPART KNOWI-
EDGE TO VERY TOUGH PUPILS.
Abcut T~ent, the Average size OF David
WIZARDS aisss Some Pupils Accused
Of serious Grimes --Exsn,pies Of Their
Ignorance BENEFITS Of the School.

probably only one, which Is attended by
boys who go of their own free will. The
school Is m the Tombs Prison and holds
a session every weekday between Q and
1890 O'Clock In the morning.
It's master Is David Willard and its pupils
are boys ranging In age from 10 to 81 who
are in Jail awaiting either trial or sentence.
In no school in the city ia there better disci-
pline; there Is no disorder, no bent-pin
tricks and no throwing OF paper wads.
The pupils are orderly. because they
know that any breach OF discipline will
mean their return 10 a cell. which IL vastly
more unpleasant than the school hour.
That IL why they attend the sessions, No
one orders them to do 20, but between a
cell and the schoolroom they choose the
latter every time.
The school was started In 1896 by the
Public Education Association, and Mr..
Wiilard was put in charge OF il. On account
Of the varied kno wledge Of the pupils the
field Of instruction Is limited to very few
subjects. and there Is no attempt made to
ave the boys study.
Instruction Is impaired by discussion OF
various topics by the teacher, such as
physiology, hygiene. the laws Of health,
geography and history. and though no
great results are to be expected there Is no
doubt that all those who attend gain con-
siderable information and knowledge. In
the words Of Mr.. Willard it Ia carried on
more 10 get the spirit OF bravado out OF
the boys than TO get education into them"
The schoolroom is a strange little place
on the fourth floor Of the prison near the
tiers OF cells in which the boys are locked
up. It is about fifteen feet square, dark
and gloomy to the outsider. who notices
the barred window and the heavy iron door;
but for all that IL answers its purpose well.
Five rows Of plain benches painted green.
each having a shelf-like desk before il. a
table for the teacher. a little book case
and a bundle Of maps in the corner con-
stitute the equipment, while on tho walls
hang a number OF framed photographs
Of various scenes and buildings in this
try and abroad.
About twenty boys attend on the aver
age. hut the personnel changes constantly.
Some are there regularly for three or four
months, others for only one day.
They are the toughest boys in the world,
so Mr.. Willard says, Some are in the
prison charged with highway robbery,
others with housebresking or grand lar
ceny and there hav been pupils who were
there on a charge OF murder. They are 40
well behaved in the schoolroom, however
that but for the sullen looks on some OF the
faces one might suppose that they were
a specimen lot Of boys from the tough
quarter Of the city
A reporter OF The SUN accepted Mr..
Wizards invitation to attend a session one
morning last week. The teacher arrived
a little late that morning and it was about
half past Q when he told the keeper TO send
the boys in.
About sixteen came, all told. None
wore a collar and they were a very I'M
promising lot as thev shufied in, some
with a hang-dog air. others evidently used
10 IL.
As Mr.. Willard was taking the names Of
one or two newcomers the voice OF the big
keeper was heard in the corridor just out
side the room.
Get out OF that bed and get your coat
with YOU Are you dopy' Get up
A moment later a boy appeared and took
his seat rubbing his eyes and grinning.
As the boys came in many OF them laid
books on the table. These had been lent
| TO them from the little library OF the school.
On the blackboard was a list OF four Nance
of boys who had failed to return their books
on lllnf anu Nv bftIl FfhA bo'h ~ Nlltl
cells to get them.
This is a heinous crime in the school and
| bars the offender from receiving any more
! books for several days. As Mr.. Willard
added a new name to the list he erased one.
SAYING as he did 40:
Il guess we will take Mr.. Jones's name
of. That gentleman was sentenced to the
penitentiary for three months yesterday. Z"
None of the pupils seemed TO care about
the fate OF Mr.. Jones.
aNnyp nanflaVNan - hanan Mr. Willard
'we will take up a little geography. this
morning. Where is Canada'" he asked one
Of the boys.
I don't know was the answer.
Point ii out on the map said Mr.. Will
lard.
The boy was about 20. but he was stumped.
If you were taking a train there you
would know wouldn't you?-said the teacher.
pointing out the big pink area on the map,
Now. where is America
The boy didn't know that. either. Evil
IDENTIFY he had never seen a map before.
* this point came the only breach 81
discipline of the morning. Two OF the
boys on the back row began a conversation
kindly keep quiet, ;" said Mr.. Willard, and
there was no more talking among the bows.
Now. Smith, where ia MexicoP"
Smith rose and pointed out Brazil, but
got il right on his second try.
Where WAS the last war that has been
fnished?" was the next question.
One boy said Africa, but that was wrong,
and no one knew. so Mr.. Willard had 10 tell
them.
1T was in China he said; but perhaps
il shouldn't Toe called a war. Only a lot OF
countries went over there and fought.
Now last week we had a few details abou
the wal with Spain. Where Is Spain'-
he asked of a boy who had attended the
former session.
The boys knowledge Of geography was
still somewhat hazv. and The pointer indi-
Gated Cuba before IL went 30 the right spot,
1T is that little pink country over there"
said Mr.. Willard. This big area here
represents the United States. When they
began 10 fight. the big country whipped
the little one, a. IL always does. China Is a
big country, though, but they don't know
how to fight there,
The Cnited States is one Of the best
civilized nations OF the world he went
on, IAN China il not, When was America
discovered?"
Two boys did not know.
who discovered it?-
Two more boys did not know; then some
one said Columbus.
NO" said Mr.. willard. .he discovered
an island near il and the discovery Of
America followed soon afterward."
No one Of the pupils knew who discovered
- -,p,tNap, -, The VaapIaE Vnl1 .I.,,