Los Angeles herald., 1907-05-05

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of manual work, and also to contribute
to their own support.
Have Good Schooling
The intellectual is not overlooked. In
fact, special attention is paid to this
feature of the childrens training. A
large, well appointed building and COM
petent teachers are provided. In many
cases the child brought to the home has
received little or no education. Living
in some poor home where the parents
could not or would not sent him to
school, the boy is back farther than
others of his age; and in some cases
he does not care to learn. To overcome
this disposition great care and hard
work are required. Gently the back
ward pupil is urged to new efforts.
Gradually he is pushed on and up till
he has reached his fellows; and in
many instances a clever, almost bril-
liant lad is developed from what seemed
at first hopeless material.
One room of the school is reserved
for the band. A brass band of eleven
pieces is now training, and under the
leadership of Mr. Campbell is already
making a fine showing
The management never loses sight of
the fact that "boys will be boys" A
dandy bath house and swimming
plunge, forty by twenty feet in size,
has been made for them, and several
good swimmers have developed. Ample
Fairgrounds provide amusement for
all.
Treatment of Newcomers
The method of dealing with new ar
rival is novel. He is assigned to some
particular work, where he is under the
supervision of one of the older lads.
These boys at the head are chosen by
Mai Bourne from lads whom he is
certain are steady and trustworthy.
If the newcomer settles down at once
to behave, all well and good If not,
if he tries to introduce "cuss" word
in his conversation or bring in any
other bad habits the boys take him in
charge and without any interference
from the management break him into
the home life. But the newcomers all
take kindly to the strange regime or
kindness and home life. While in a
few cases an obstreperous youth has
endeavored to run away during the
early days of his life at the home,
after he had been there three weeks
and had seen what was being done for
him not a youngster has tried to break
away.
Mai. Bourne has all confidence in
the training of the home. So sure of
it's influence for good is he that he is
raising two of his own children on the
farm. There are no faVoriteS. In the
big dining hall teachers and managers,
waits and the Bourne children, share
alike. The major and his wife eat at
the same table with the children and
the same food. The boys and girls eat
at the same tables, six or eight to a
table. At the head sits one of the in
structors or older attendants of the
farm Everything savors of the home.
A dentist comes from the city once
month to look after the children's
teeth.
Wants More Boys
Maj. Bourne was in Los Angeles yes
terday to see Judge Wilbur with ref
| erence to taking several boys to the
home. Judge Wilbur expressed himself
as being highly pleased with the work
of the farm and declared that he would
send several children there. He gave
one boy into Maj Bourne's hands and
the lad went back with him when the
manager left for -Lytton Springs last
night Two little boys who have no
home also started back with him. While
on his way down to Los Angeles the
major arranged with the juvenile court
at Santa Barbara to take boy from
that city, and several other children
will accompany him from Bakersfield.
there are eight from Los Angeles and
forty from Southern California.
The work of the home has been
highly commended by business men
and persons interested in child work
from all over California. A. ]. Pills
bury, secretary of the state board of
examiners, praised the work of the
institution highly; the Santa Rosa
chamber of commerce added the weight
of it's approval to the home. Business
men expressed themselves as being
pleased with it's work.
Mortgage on Farm
But there is one little circumstance
that casts slight shade over the in
stitution. Sometimes the rays of the
sun are abscured by the shadow of a
mortgage that hangs over the place.
This amounts to $4,000 and has ooca-
stoned the management just a little
worry; for the interest on such sum
eats rapidly into the receipts. AT pres
ent vigorous campaign is being car
ried on by the management to raise
this .aortgage and the philanthropical-
ly inclined are being urged to help
along the cause.
of the work Major Bourne said:
"Our experience with our orphanages
has taught us that all institutions for
children must provide some way not
only for feeding, clothing and the or
binary schooling of the little ones,
but must also have ample opportuni-
ties for manual and physical training.
We have also found that this training,
together with proper healthful de-
velopment of mind and body. can sat
| isfactorily be carried on in the country
in accord with this$experience. Three
years ago we purchased the beauti-
| full Lytton estate. Of it's many and ex-
ceptional facilities for this work too
much cannot be said This well known
property was one of the leading and