New-York tribune., 1903-06-03
GOOD WHOLESOME WORK.
House of Refuge Boys and Girls
Shoe CLeUer Exhibits.

.eyyhv I thought they kept the boys IN dungeons,
observed an astonished visitor at the House Of
Refuge yesterday. when an exhibit Of the work Of
the inmates Industrial, scholastic and military.
was opened
But this is a reformatory. and dungeons are not
-e1ormatory." said the polite Official who was
escortng her about
The visitor assented but was evidently puzzled,
and after q while she said that she wished she
could see some OF the bad boys but supposed 1t
would not be allowed
There are no bad boys, madam was the re-
sponse. and all who saw the exhibit must nave
gone away with the same impression.
To judge from their work and what their teachers
say Of them these boys and girls are very much
ike others. with the difference that they are more
energetic and perhaps as a class q little more
clever. II was their sUperabundant energy which
brought them into conflict with the law. and when
this quality is turned into legitimate channeIs II
produces results which must have been extremely
astonishing TO those whose ideas about 1uVenhe
5elrouents were represented by the remarks JUST
quoted. People laughed when the superintendent
omar Y SAGE established an art school IN the
r5opse q Refuge some TWO years ago but now ue
graduates Of these classes are filing important ana
177r-s-s-a oosjr5ors and the instructor, J. R Nc
-7oskv. SAYS that he never anywhere saw anything
aous1 n their success Some beautiful specimens OF
work IN wood carving clay modelling freehano
drawing and mechanical drawing and color work
were or exhibition yesterday, and one OF the DoSs
gave an amazing exhibition OF enbidextrous draw
f-r This is one OF the specialties OF the school,
and all the boys who draw at all can DO II with
both hands. The wood carving was conspicuous
feature OF the exhibit and there were some excel
ient specimens OF carved furniture
The boys are put into the art and sioyo classes
irnr7ediarelv on entering the institution, and by
their work there the teachers are able TO determine
what their special pacties are Those VINO sho"
special artistic talent receive every opportnLty 10
5evelop and some astonishing discoveries o. tIlls
kind are made, Mr.. Sage says Others gain from from
ne training manual dexterity VyIllch Is oI great
assistance them IN learning udocS-
ALI, KINDS OF TRADES TAUGHT.
a g-ear many trades are taught II the institution
and heir exhibits less interesting than lhe
artistic display. There was z nice htle Co1olll3I
cottage built by the carpenters. and compete even
n the electric light and water supply a prlnuhg
-razs in operation. Z bakeshop with q tempting
sT-a- OF good things display OF no"erS IRON ON
~ to-ric5tIraI classes. FIRE place built by the
~esors and bricklayers. boots and wearing aEparel
from the tailor and shoe SHOPS slgclileSS Tnos-
-ricsl work and olacksnlths WORK aLI ,i+ lliU9s
fascinating display OF plumbing. WIN JOINTS i
1s-i-rF" - ceVerly any professional plNiIlI;1L
could have done them. allo IhIcH Dei17i ~ ~
be girls who are in great minority at the House
- Refuge had attractive displays OF cookery ana
sewing but they made much more Is HI e-5
NJ Sage md their teachers 10 q delicious anc
1--t,-o-s 5i--e- oF their own cooking and serving
N-s1oIel- ol-'ls % se-5le 5ai7nlIent class do not
s7lsl Ike kindly books. and many OF tnose "llo
enter the HoLse OF Refuge al fifteen ana A sixteen cen
congensl ground they do "olers ano tLei 5a s4sr
GaT Vvher thew find that they have actually cone
some creditable work As Tor tne paLensss'a -ba+
1o, md bride are unboun6ed when they mo lhat
johnny or ToTrnay. who never did AWNING 5 III, IN
- lfFa He<ore but play hooky is actually learning
- 80 a~6 write and do and draw maps
lust ike other children. The pupils have mace up
some pretty booklets showing specimens %
-hei- work il the scholastic department Ior IeI5
parents an6 the neghborhood Is geneTaIty i caiLeu
r 70 see them il IS salC, when they reach InS4i o
tinatlOn- - .-,.- -s,,a-
- ne House OF Refuge. and is well worth seeing
TIE institution IS on RandalIs Island. and can pe
reached by from the foot OF East One-hLrqr
erd-twerTy-fth-st. The public Is invited ana tl5e
exhibit viii remain open until June b. from !"
O'clock n TIL $50 ?.