The San Francisco call., 1909-09-26

by making a plot in which he has de-
signed one of the California missions
with something akin to cement. In
the same material he has lettered ''Por-
tola.' Bits of gardens, not more than
few feet square, are laid out by boys
who might easily develop into intelli-
gent IL not scientific landscape garden
ers. In one miniature garden plot. wire
protection is given the baby plants as
they come up. The possibilities of this
sand lot is unlimited. Then. too. there
is planked yard where hangs a punch
ing bag. the particular delight of the
boys large enough to use it.
At one end of the sand lot, the boys
have a theater, formerly an old wood
shed. and here are prepared some of the
entertainments that are occasionally
repeated in the assembly hall. COM
modious structure, the one. recently
built on the grounds. It serves all pur-
poses. 1t is the chapel for home serv-
ices; II is the kindergarten early In
the day and the sewing school later.
Clubs meet there Friday evenings. 1t
takes the place of the assembly hall in
the lost Sansome wing. In the thea
ter in the yard. a great variety of
impromptu plays are given. and the
cleverests of shadow pictures. The
Scenery and posters are done by one
of the boys who will not fulfill his
promise if he does not do distinctiyely
good work along these lines when his
asylum days are over. 1t goes without
saying that there are baseball and
other teams. in short that these fortu-
nate orphans have all the fun and
sport of normal boyhood. In their enter
tainments and. In fact, all their aspir-
ations, the boys have the help and ad-
vice of Bruce Porter and Charles Bent
ley. In fact, the Bruce Porters" and the
- ~rAw rnA EnI
against each other in hotly con-
tested games Bruce Porter meets
the boys every Friday night. and at
Christmas time had them produce a
play of the yuletide. Another stead
fast friend of the boys Is Rev. Joseph
Worcester.
sLast summer all the boys of the
county near Guerneville. 1t was main
tained on military lines and was SIM
gularly successful. fund Is being
developed which will buy permanent
country place for the summer III all
goes we'll. 1t was started by bounti-
full bequest given by Mrs. Ann G.
Swain, a manager OF many years. The
place. If secured. win be named In
memory of her.
loyal friends Some members of the
board of managers and outsiders give
much time to them. teaching them 10
sew and looking after their happiness
and interests generally. The girls have
q yard to themselves with a fine play
house with its open side to the yard
and comfortably protected from the
wind. Here are all the evidences of
girls handiwork. In the yard are. the
swings and "teetering" boards and
.see- saws" and other things dear to
the hearts of little girls. One Of their
chief pleasures lies in planting and
caring for sweet peas.
The question of school was one not
SO easily settled in the early days.
There was no public school near
enough for the children to attend, con-
seouently a school was established
within the orphanage. This was con-
Quoted so well that the managers did
not feel, as the years went on and pub
lie schools were built near them. the
necessity for sending the children to
them In point of fact, the managers
were so solicitous for their wards that
1t Was not easy for them to come to
the conclusion that 1t would be better
for them to go out and mix with other
children in the public school. No de-
pendent children have been more
guardedly reared than the thousands