Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-05-05


and has the effect Of arousing and holding
the interest OF the boys In their homes. In
effect, each colony constitutes almost an
entirely separate Institution under one
general management. The loyalty Of the
boys to their matrons and supervisors is
marked.
Lessons in Home Life.
Everything Is done to cultivate the home
atmosphere. The cottages are light and
airy cheerful and homelike. The boys have
large sitting room for their own use,
where in the winter evenings they may
enjoy the open fire, play their games and
read when the days work Is done.
The dining room adjoins the sitting room.
The boys and their supervisor and matron
have their meals at the same time, the
officers having a separate table. Ali the
cooking is done by the boys, with the ex-
ception Of the bread making.
One Of the great advantages Of the in
dividual kitchen is that II brings home
to the boys the necessity for economy in
the use OF supplies. once a month all
the supplies a colony is to have for the
month are sent to It. II these supplies
are wasted then the boys have fewer things
TO eat and no one is to blame but them
selves.
The individual kitchen gives an oppor-
tunity for the matron and boys to exer-
else ingenuity in cooking the same mate
rails In a variety of ways. thus adding to
the attractiveness Of the dietary. The uues-
| ton of food is an important one, as good,
wholesome, properly cooked food not only
brings the boys more willingly under the
influence OF the matron and supervisor,
but also makes them healthier and gives
them a better view of life.
The boys dormitory is located on the
second floor II consists OF one room, in
which all twenty-five boys sleep In single
| beds 1t is large and airy and well venti-
lated.
Advantage of Farm Work.
I one advantage of letting all the boys
devote their time to agriculture is that
| they see the object of each act required
\ Of them. 1t is argued that manual train
| ing, as done by the institution boys, is not
done with greater interest because the
boys realize that the object made will find
it's end in the kindlng wood or scrap
heap. with the farm work 1t lie different.
The boy knows why he milks the COW,
and he knows that the more carefully he
miks her the more milk he will have for
himself and his fellows. There is a friendly
produce the best crops The Matching OF
a brood of chickens or the advent of cali
or a colt is an important and interesting
event Each day brings a new phase Of the
work.
The education of the boys is also looked
after. The instruction in the common
school branches Is given by teachers whC
go to the cottages. One teacher has two
cottages, going to one in the morning
and the other in the afternoon. The work
done is very largely individual.
The school has not been established with
out meeting with some criticism. Some
have characterized 1t as folly to attempt
to care for the delinquent boys, whom the
critics refer to as convicts, on a farm IL
the open country. Another criticism made
was that the state was going into the bust
ness of farming, having the work done by
boys instead Of hired men.
Boys Prefer TO Stay.
In discussing the matter recently Prof
Franklin H. Briggs, superintendent of tn,
school, said that seventy boys had escaped
, in the first year, but that all save Ave haC
either been re-captured or returned volun
tarily As a matter of fact, most of tn
boys could probably have gone If the!
had so desired, for there is nothing but tn
surveillance of the superior and matroI
, to stop them; and there is a railroad onll
a fow hundred yards away, which might b
considered a temptation for boys to sill
away. The boys realize. however. tina
they are pretty we'll of at the school,
The most severe punishment that can b
inflicted is deprivation of the privilege o
visits and correspondence with friends, o
participation in games. which include bas
k,n N,, K.VV -.
coasting in winter
American born boys form the great ma
! jorlty of those committed to the institu
, ton, This is the case in most inlan
! cities Only about per cent Of the boy
, are foreign born.
The school takes boys between the age
of II and 10 who are convicted OF an
offense and boys from to 12 who comml
felonies
The average term of detention at tn
! school is one year. but a few boys succee
? in winning their parole in six months
/ Boys after their discharge are required {
report to a parole officer for two years.
Some statistics.
OF the 267 who were committed In 19C
1o1 were sentenced for stealing, thirty
/, four for burglary. eleven for disorder
conduct, thirty-two for being ungovernabl
and thirty-three for vagrancy. The othe
ofrenses included everything from arse
(. to treason. The boys ranged in age a
= follows: Under 10 years. FIVE; under /
: 4; under 70, Ave- under 10, forty-fouI
under H. forty-one; under 10. seventy; uT
o der 16, ninety-eIght.
Forty-one OF the boys were fatherles
= thirty-three were motherless and twenty
one were both fatherless and motherles
r The parents Of thirty-four others wer
separated.
= Fifty-four Of the boys had brothers VIII
S had ben arrested. fifteen had brothers a
d ready In the school, The fathers OF sevent
k others were Incorporate. and the fathC
d of another was in the almshouse. tn
4 mother Of one had been arrested, tn
r mother Of two are in the almshouse an
the mothers OF four are incorporate.
q The board Of managers of the school hs
e asked the legislature for an appropriate