The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-05-01
SIX POLICEMEN NOW BLWGUGL
READY TO ADDRESS THE BLACK
HAND IN ITALIAN.
Last Day OF school Finds PTOhcIent the
Men Selected by tho Department TO
Try . Free Language COurse-MOre 10
Attend II Bingham Gets Results.

~ was baiAhoy DNNANNAf 1ANAp HNAyt
George Mccormick, Hennie Henton and
Frankie Upton who constituted the merry
group Of pupils that scampered gayly down
the steps Of the little red sohoolhouse at
Broadway and T~wenty-hfth street late
; yesterday afternoon, laughing and chatting
happily and talking Of vacation joys In
prospect as they swung their books at the
ends Of their straps,
Outside Of school hours Barney and
Eddie and George and Hennie and frankie
arc employed on the Headquarters, detec-
! tive staff under Deputy Police Commits
sioner Woods. By this means they have
been working their way through school
up at the BeTlitz Language Academy
They think it's lots more fun 10 do 1t that
way than tending furnaces or shovelling
snow of sidewalks. It's more original
too. But schools out, now. Yep-spring
term finished yesterday and there were
graduation exercises and visitors, and
dear teacher said good-by and everybody
was much affected.
A touch Of additional sadness was i'm
parted TO graduation day by the fact that
Chris O'Brien, one Of the most popular
members Of the class, was sick and couldn't
be present, but Eddie and Frankie promised
teacher to go around to Chrs's house and
tell him everything. The boys have been
studying Italian since early in February,
and they are expected 10 make practical
application Of It TO the Black Hand and
other Sicilian Industries. If Commissioner
Bingham upon reflection believes hat
it's a good scheme some Of their play
fellows will be sent 10 school in the autumn.
One Of the principal Graduation Day
visitors was the Count di Rosa, Italian
Vice-Consul- General at New York, He
said II was a very brilliant class. II sur
prised him, 1t certainly did, that they could
learn 80 much in 80 snort a time-especially
those Irish boys. Little F ankle Upton
was graduated at the head Of his class
and he also won the prize for the boy that
was absent fewes times. Frankie was
absent only twice through the Who'll term.
But all the boys did very we'll indeed,
Barney Dietsoh, who Ia only six feet four,
getting The secon b st marks. Hennie
Horton, Eddie Kelly and George McCor-
mick all did well, but they have perhaps
been a little more mischievous than their
comrades-nothing vicious, you under
stand, just the natural ebullition Of good
spirits common to all healthy bows.
1t was Fernando Maggioli himself who
conducted the graduation exercises, and
they showed clearly what progress the
bows had made. When Prof, Fernando
Maggioli asked Geor gle Mccormick II he
liked the pork George was able TO tell him
that he did not in the least like the pork
and never ate it when he could get anything
that he liked better,
frankie Upton went even further. He
not only was able 10 state that he emphat-
ically did not enjoy eating the pork but
that he did enjoy eating the bisteoca, and
he set the visitors and pupils alike in a
roar by adding that II was the Tenderloin
bistecca that he so enjoyed eating.
But Frankie, though he stands at the head
Of his class, is no more a long haired grind.
He has a pretty wit. Once in the course Of
the exercises teacher said 10 frankie, NJ
faccia una demanda." ASK me something)
Quick as a fash frankie responded, 'Signor
laugh had subsidized teacher objected that
10 ask him for 10 cents was not 10 ask a ques-
ton but to make a demand.
Money Is Eddie Kelly's weak point in
Italian, and Just before it was his turn to
answer questions his hand shot UP and he
asked teacher II he couldn't pass the water.
Teacher unsuspectingly said yes. and Eddie
was saved. Barney Dietsch, who sits next
TO him and who got those questions about
money, didn't think 80 much OF It. So he
stuck a bent pin in Eddie's chair. but Eddie
found the pin before he sat down.
Just for that" he whispered to Barney,
Il won't let you look at my sore thumb
no more
Jaw, come on said Barney, Il didn't
mean nothin'.'
We'll, you do it again and I'll tell
"Tattletale, tattletalel' jeered Barney in
a whisper. Further talk along this line was
prevented by teachers asking Barney II
he was married. He said that he was mar
ried and that he had four children, two
boys and two girls.
OF course all this perfection was not
without effort. There was a time
when teacher used TO ask the boys II they
could see the cat and they would respond, II
they could remember how II went 81, vedo
il gatto.' But progress was rapid and 1t
long before teacher was asking,
'Avote il Gbro verde di vestia n%onna1'
(Have you the green book OF your grand
by Barney or Frankie mo, ma no Pom
vecchio di milo zio.' mo, but | have
the old umbrella Of my uncle,)
But the course has been more practical
than these examples perhaps have made
il seem. For example, II any member Of
the class should hereafter be stopped in
the street by a bewildered Italian immi-
grant who asked how to get to Brooklyn
he would be able TO respond, And II any
Of the class Is stopped and asked:
Come 81 va al quartiere ltalisnoY' he
hereafter will not think that an attempt
TO borrow money is being made, but will
direct the inquirer how to get to the Italian
Just before the graduation exercises
fall Of them in Italian, by the way were
concluded a rain squall came driving across
The square against the sohoolhouse win
iows. With cries Of interest the pupils
about the windows with teacher
and there ensued a lively impromptu con-
yersation about -diluvie,' in which all the
boys participated, apparently without the
east effort. II Just showed that education
,an be made practical.
Then the bows shook hands with teacher
md promised TO be good during vacation
Ind not TO forget their studies, and soon
he old schoolhouse was deserted and the
,ilence was broken only by a solitary blue
buzzing against the window pain.
Will the boys return TO school in the
That all depends on what the
line gods OF war tell Gen. Bingham. But
ct the Black Hand In the meantime do a
little bewarinR.