The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-12-11
Salvation Army Seeks
 to Educate Chlden. !, MIL EMpLoYEs ATTENDING
Pudiments of Leaning Are Offered
 to Children.
|. o.e nesn Forty Children Assem- Sss at Might, After Day Of Toll, l. Besin Learnias Pri-
 nary Matters.

\ ni~ht school for poor children who hsva to suend the hours of the day m toii. nos been in operation in Mont. ronnary for over . year. supporteo' fhrourh all adversities. by the Salva. fion Army. This school Is located ~ the rsoble's Cotton MIL in west < ! n the great school system of Mont ronery this is one school about which there is probably more real scnooI in- tArest and for which more hard worh has been done than in any other in- stitution in kind in the city. m one room, not a large one, an average ol about forty children assempIe eseas @ nieht, and after many of them nave worked ten or twelve hours in the cos- ton mill they try to learn their read inr and writing in manner that brings words of admiration from those who may visit the school.
 Feeling the need of the children em- pfoyed about and reared in the atfnos- nhere of the cotton mills of the city, for at least the rudiments of educa- tion. which few if any of them were rettins. Captain Odon of the Saiva- tion Army a little over year ago started small night-schooi Tor tnese children. No tuition Is charged anu the books are furnished free. In start ins the work Captain Odom went to the parents of all the children living about the Peoples Cotton Mill. told them his purpose and asked that the children might be sent) to the school after they had finished their work.
 Little Encouragement at First.
 In general he received little encour- agenent from the parents, neverthe- less the school was started a year ago this fall A room in one of the mill houses was secured and in this the task of teaching over fifty pupils was be- gun After six months work the school was firmly established and when the second term opened about two months ago the news was received with well come by many of the children who had Attended last year and by many who wanted to begin the work. Now there Is one of the most 1ourishing schoois of the city in progress four nights in and 10 o'clock.
 To one unaccustomed to the sight of children earning their living, and in many cases that of others. before they reach an age where they might be well settled in school, at work there in that little room every night, is indeed one that would leave an impression never fo be removed. The children Sssne in their mill clothes as soon as they get home and eat something. They stay there until 9 and 10 o'clock at night trying to learn to read and write.
 Since the new child labor laws have zone into effect there are some chil. dren whose parents live in the mil houses that cannot work on accoun, of their lages, but the majority oi those in the school room at night come there after spending ten or twelve hours in the big mill during the day Their little bodies are tired from the steady strain that has been on then ali day but even with tired eyes ana yawning faces they. ponder over then "A. B. C's and simple lessons in arith metic. With a very few exceptions thu children have to be started at the be ginning, although some of them are II and 15 years old.
 Many Applications.
 Tn the school now running chtidrei over 15 or 16 are not taken, but Cap tain Odori had so many application from older persons. some or then young men and women. that he | making every endeavor to enlarge m school and accommodate them. The. do not fancy being taught along witl the very small folks. even though the