The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-12-29
COMP ANY A Wins
|. COMPETITIVE DRILL
Awarded Prize at InduStrl-
al Home School
COMMISSIONERS PRESENT
Mcfarland and BiddIe Both Address
the Contestants-Tea Is
Served
COMMISSIONERS PRESENT

Christmas festivities were brought TO
a close at the Home Industrial School
yesterday, with a competitive military
drill between Companies A and s, of
the institution
The prize for which the two companies
competed was gorgeous silk American
flag, presented by W. C. Clephane. The
boys, under the direction of former Ser
geant Ball. of Company H, Western
High School, have been preparing for
the drill for months.
The judges, consisting of last year 5
captain of Company II, Western r,ieh
school, and the captain and first SER
geant OF this years company, decided
that Company A, commanded oy Bates
Davis. was entitled to the banner.
Swords Were then presented to the Of
Ulcers of the two companies by W. c.
Cleohane.
Inmates and guests filed into the
school house, situated on the grounds,
where the banner was presented by Miss
Kitty Lowrey. an inmate of the insti-
tuition, and student at the Western
High School,; and the boys were adj
dressed By Commissioners mcfarland
and Biddle
Commissioners Talk.
Commissioner Macfariand spoke main
ly to the boys of Company "A, the win
ners or the banner. and urged them to
exemplify the qualities of a soldier
honesty, truthfulness, bravery, loyalty.
and obediance
Commissioner Biddle spoke to the los
ing company, and urged them TO enter
drill with renewed energy and hope. in
preparation for the coming competitive
drill, to be held in May.
The children of the institution sang
several songs, which the Commission
ers applauded. The guests were served
with, with tea in the parlor of the main
There are three completely fitted out
companies at the Home Industrial
school, but the boys of Company c.
owing to their extreme youth, and brief
allowed TO compete for the banner The
three companies contain in all ai,our
eighty boys. To fit them with uniforms
and otter accouterments of reguia-
soidier. The institution has expende 4
Most Of the boys are between eleven
ana fourteen years of age-few are
older-yet they performed tbe difficult
military maneuvers like veterans
The Home Industrial School stands in
a class by itself. Its inmates include
ooth sexes, their average age being
twelve years.
For Poor Children.
I None of the inmates are sent to the
school as result of delinquency. The
courts may not sentence a boy or girl
to the institution 1t Is intended for
needy and destitute children of the Dis
trict, and every effort is made to make
the life as home-like as possible
Principal and inmates alike retire at
an early hour, and are up at s In the
morning. The rooms are then put in
order, breakfast is eaten, and the chill
1dren are off to school; some to the pub
lie school situated on the grounds,
others to the Western High School.
where several of the older inmates are
enrolled as pupils
The girls are instructed daily in sew
ing and household duties. The boys are
taught carpentry. horticulture. and In
the summer, farming.
Spacious private grounds adjoin the
institution, on which the boys may en-
gage in athletic sports, and taken all
in all the life of the average inmate is
far more pleasant at the Industrial
School than at the home from which
he was taken.