Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-17

On state occasions and on Sundays the
dress uniform is worn, which consists of
light blue trousers and dark blue coat and
cap
Crosby S. Noyes. for many years before
his death, was one of the most enthusiast
tic members of the board, and devoted
much of his time to my boys as he
called them in the bigness of his heart.
At the time of his death he was preS-
dent of the board.
The daily life of the boy at the reform
school is as thoroughly under systematic
control every hour of the twenty-four as
that of the naval cadet or the West
Pointer. Asleep or awake the vigilance
is never relaxed.
Order of the Day.
Reveille is sounded each morning at
6 O'clock The boys bound out of bed
and hustle into their uniforms to form
in line by companies, and answer roll
call" Exactly thirty minutes is allowed
ortfbreakfast which is served at 6:45.
Then the boys are given thirty minutes
for play in the open air to get the cob
! webs out of their brains. to speak.
At 7:ia the entire battalion assemblies on
| the parade ground and the details TO the
various shops fields and schools are made.
The battalion is divided in halves. one
attending the classrooms. where instruC
ton in the rudiments of education Is
given. and the other half taking up the
At IL 80 recall marks the end of the
mornings labor and preparations for
dinner are made. which Is served from l.
to ESQ. After half hour of recreation
the battalion again assemblies and the de-
tails for the afternoons work are made.
Those who went to school in the morning
now take the places of the cadets Who
'abored in the fields and the shops. and
vice versa Recall at 40 and supper
from 30 until "a with play until dusk.
finds the boys tired and sleepy and ready
for bed al o'clock sharp.
Throughout the entire day a spectator
watching the boys at work. at play and in
school cannot help but he impressed with
the fact that the general atmosphere of
/ the place is far from that of a prison
or a penitentiary as could be imagined
/ The cheerful, earnest manner in which
! the cadets go about the days work and
| the sincerely joyous ring of their voices
! on the playground insistently suggest the
| query: rs it possible that these boys
realize they absolutely prisoners.
/ convicted by law and compelled to serve
out their time for crimes they have COM
mitted?" And right there is the key
note of the system of the institution.
| The boys are taught to realize that they
are not being punished for their law
breaking. but being helped TO forget that
| they ever stood before a bar of justice.
| The past is done and over with. The
| present and the future / have. Live an
| honest. useful. manly life today-and the
L
summary of the mental attitude desired
| in each boy Ne one ever asks boy
/ why he was sent to the reform school,
and the officers and instructors never al
/ lude to his crime. The new leaf has been
/ turned over and the Old one is kept
| turned down.
A Solemn Mess.
/ Perhaps the most impressive sight of all
| IS that Of the 3eo boys in the big dining
| room. In absolute silence the long gray
| lines march solemnly into the mess hall.
/ with steady military stride. and take
| their places al their respective tables. A
I the signal is given by the instructor in
/ charge. simultaneously 800 pairs OF
! hands cover 800 pairs of eyes and 300
voices repeat in unison simple grace.
/ There is no hurryins through II. no eager
ness 10 get al the food. In fact after the
/ Amen not hand moves for at least
/ half minute Then the boys fall to-
/ quietly and with good table manners
/ Not a word is spoken. Here a boy holds
| up finger and catches the eye OF the
/ boy at the end of his table. That means
/ he wants him to pass the water pitcher.
/ There another lad makes the motions of
| spreading butter OH bread and ii is obvi-
Gus what he desires. Each table has its
own set OF signals. perfectly ineligible
| to the initiated, and the rule of silence is
| broken only by the newcomer. and for
| but a day or SO at that. The food Is the
| direct products OF the 26i acres of land
| which surround the school and II is safe
, To say is far far better than that eaten
| daily by the families of at least - per
! cent OF the boys. Tomatoes and straw