The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-05-21

New York, May 20.-In the Memorial
 Day procession of Tuesday. May 30. will march a brass band. modestly uniform ed In cadet gray, which in former years has attracted greater attention from the thousands of spectators along the route than many similar organizations of twice its numbers, clad in far more respondent costumes. The band of the New York Juvenile Asylum, composed of former street waifs, whom the in- stitution Is training to become useful citizens has always been pleasant feature of the parade. No stranger, observing the intelligent faces and manly bearing of these soldierly little fellows, would ever suspect their lowly origin and the nature of their early lives; but the city crowd knows, and displays its kindly interest in the boys by hearty applause and apprecla- tive comments on their appearance and playing.
 The praise which the youthful bands men receive is not by any means a mere matter of sympathy. for one of the most surprising effects of the edu- cational system pursued at the Asylum is the great success which has attend ed the band. Many of its members have become professional musicians. Two years ago, for example, when a large number of the juvenile players left the Asylum they were promptly organized by an enterprising manager into a Boy Band which has attained considerable prominence in New York and is still principally made up of former Asylum boys. It is not i'm probable that a future Patrick Sars- field Gilmore or John Philip Sousa may be at present marching and playing in the ranks of the Asylum band
 The bandmaster at the Juvenile Asy- lum has all the material he needs to pick from, for member of the band is a being to be envied by his less fortunate fellows. Not only does he exchange his plain uniform for the mroe striking one of cadet gray, trim med with black braid. but opportunities for excursions into the outside world accompanied by unlimited ice-cream and cake continually present them selves. He may even turn his talent to immediate financial profit. In the great Labor Day parade of last year the Asylum band had place and as no one would hear of anybodys receiv- Ing less than union wages on such an occasion, the boys of the band each received $5 for their services. For a waif of the tenements, committed in rSany cases O the Asylum to save him from starvation in the streets s for a teW hours pldylng ana marc0lnR IS fabulous wealth, especially when one considers all the delightful excitement of the spectacle. The circus, the Mill tary Tournament and similar events also afford the band occasions on which to display its proficiency.
 All this is not done without work, however. The fact that uniforms, ex- cursions in the nature of holiday pie nics, refreshments and money, are to be had makes the band so popular that there is no difficulty in filling vacancies and those whom these allurements at tract more than any real love for music have little chance of obtaining the bandmaster's favor. Where there is so much competition the results are not urally good in spite of the fact that most of the instruments belong to the set which took the first prize at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition of 1876
 What the Asylum boys have been taught to do in the way of furnishing their own music from their own re- sources fairly illustrates the general policy intended to be carried out In the new farm home of three hundred acres at Dobb's Ferry, to which the in stitution removed last month. The ar chitects. York and Sawyer, have ar- ranged a little village of detached cot taees- each accommodating twenty