The Saint Paul globe., 1904-10-23


ticaI education of young choris-
ters in music and all primary
branches is beginning to take root
In America. Two New York
schools for choir boys almost the
length of the city apart have commenced
their new season, while others are being
opened in Baltimore and Washington. The
New York schools are the choir school of
the Cathedral Church Of st. John the Di-
vine, which occupies a part of the former
Leake and Watts Orphan Asylum building
On the Cathedral grounds, and the ehoris-
ters' school, of Grace Church
The latter school is most picturesquely
housed in the rectory of Grace Church.
s. Between Fourth avenue and busy Broad
way this little oasis fourishes in a
% wilderness of noise-itself quiet and re-
tired to a singular degree. Under the
supervision of the warden, Mr.. James nj.
Helfenstein, and the head master, Mr.. j.
Mausur Beard, and with the Rev. Mr..
huntington casting over 1t a paternal
eye, the Grace Church School is model
OF its kind. Naturally the space to be
devoted to the boys is limited, but when
the school was discussed firm of
noted. :, architects was called in and
every bit of space has been utilized There
- eafe'vtWenty-four boy pupils, members OF
the Grace Church choir, and sixteen of
~ 1iese are resfdents-the remainder coming
IN as day pupils. The latter are furnished
with a hot lunch in the middle of the dav
and dining room sufficient to accomnno-
date all the boys has been devised. The
result is beautiful room, with green
walls and old oak furniture On the same
hoor are pretty library and a reception
room, where the boys can receive their
parents. On the floors above are the he'd
rooms of the little felIoWs-eacn having
MS own room. A sick bay is provided for
each floor, but thanks to the careful reeI-
men OF diet and exercise these are rarely
occupied - al ely
Strict Discipline.
IN each bedroom are hung the rules The
boys are required to rise at o1arter
past, seven A. NJ. and to go to bed Of a
quarter to nine P. NJ The boure
1or oath and every function of the dav arc
especlIled' The Grace Church ehoristerq
come rom different parts of the country:-
oeatlIe, wash; Annapolis, Md. and Fort
Werth, Texas, being. among the cities
Whlch are represented in the choristers Of
So4. AS the boys are kept from six to
elght years and before they can ba for
mally admitted their parents ara required
10 sign an agreement not to remove them
without permission, it will be seen how
nigh a standing Is borne by the school.
vacancies are filed once or twice q year
On the waiting list,
descending to the basement of the build
Ing through the clean kitchens. thence bv
way Of a corridor used as music 1ihrarv
one OF the largest for church choir nusic
In the country, one passes the south
transept door of Grace Church. where +ne
honor boy" of the school for each wear is
rewarded by having his name engraved
under the word "optimus" f1iebf m
steps. lead up to the school rooms on
Broadway. On the floor above Is the indoor
playroom, furnished in quasi-gvmnasi,,,, =,
fashion, and with its plano, for everythine >
mere, even play, passes to the sound OF
"a music, and from there to the roof play-
room Is but a flight of steps. This fs
grated and within sound but out of sight
OF the throng of pedestrians on the street
Military drills are held weekly. and the
poys love these soldierly exercises. Their
holiday is On Saturday and then the head
master and warden take them to Staten
Island, Governors Island, the Bronx OF
somewhere in the country for baseball and
other bigger open air games The course
l. of study conforms as nearly as possible to
that IN the best public and private schools
including the English branches and Latin.
Individual vocal lessons are given to the
boys in the choir room during school hours
With the exception Of the necessary cloth
ing and one uniform each year, to be pro-
vided by the parents, Grace Church pays
all other expenses Of a boy so long as he
remains in residence as pupil or until his
voice changes.
Training the Gtotr.
For four years services have been held
In the crypt of the unfinished Cathedral of