The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-10-30
BACK ID SO|L"
 FOR HE JEWS Rabbi's Wonderful Work Among Poor Boys TAKEN FROM THE SLUMS And Given Four Years In Agricultural Training-Moving Picture shows
 Given for Their En-
 tertaiuuent
 
TAKEN FROM THE sLUMs

Henry Slutskin in Springfield Republican.
 The Rev. pr. Joseph Krauskopf of Ger mantown, Philadelphia, Pa, one of the
 best known of American Jewish rabbis and whose expert knowledge of certain problems in education has been made use
 of by the United States government vis- ted Russia about 15 years ago and while there met Count Tolstoi. In discussing the land question both men agreed that the problem of the ghetto and the slum could be solved only through agricul- ture. This conversation planted the seed
 that was ultimately to germinate and blossom into the national farm school, a non-sectaran institution founded in 1896, whose mission is the encouragement of agriculture among those who would otherwise be condemned to life, or rather existence, in sweatshops and foul envl- ronment
 All creeds are honored at the school
 and the religious services, at which min-
 isters of various denominations are ln- vited to address the students, are non sectarian However, the predominating
 element in the school is Jewish, and that
 Is quite consistent with the ideals of the founders of the farm school, who are themselves of the Jewish race. The Jew, it is felt, is suffering because he has been compelled to pursue vacations dlstastelui to himself and to others and incompau- ble with his original character, more than for any other reason. The purpose or the school is to lead him back to the lire he was wont to lead when his race was at and otf a l. ready under the new conditions he has proved himself as zealous as any in the pursuit of agriculture, once the path has
 been lighted for him and cleared Of oo-
 stacles.
 Lands Set Apart
 In Doylestown, village not far from | Philadelphia, 363 acres of land have been
 set aside for the exclusive use Of the laus who go there to learn how to pecoine healthy, intelligent, prosperous farmers, with all the dignity and education of the other professional men. They have the
 best instructors to be procured, are sup
 piled with all modern equipments; 20 me horses give each lad an opportunity 10 blow The boy, after a two, three UT four-year course, as he may choose re- ceiyes a diploma that recognizes mn aS an expert. scientific and practical farmer. The boys are taken from among the poor' out of the ghettos and slums, away rom the influences that must inevitapiy stun. and corrupt their lives; they are cleaneo' clothed fed, housed and given the finest training money can procure and sent away men that any nation may be proud of. Pupils enter on their own appica- ton and only grammar school traihihs Is demanded. What is insisted upon more than anything else, however, IS heaith' enthusiasm for the work and good char acter, and if at the end or the SIX months period of probation poy IS found unfit he is sent home at ms own expense. Tuition is entirely free and student who is very needy is given free scholarship which provides not only TOT gratuitous tuition, but also lodging, clothes. food and all other necessities. Lead Healthy, Industrial Lives The courses given are similar to those at all good agricultural colleges ana are meant to train the lads in all phases or farm life. A few of the subjects are:
 Soils, fertilization, bee culture, agricul- tural bacteriology. agricultural chemis- try. agricultural literature, animal hus- bandry, rural economies and law. In ad- dition to this, however, in order to in spire the pupils with a desire for cul- ture other than that of the soil, arith- metic, English literature and history are taught. All studies are pursued both in their practical and theoretical aspects The work is hard and it may be ob- iected that there is not enough opportuni- ty for recreation; but the students ma time to maintain a library and an athletic association They rise at 5:45, retire at and lead a healthy, industrious country life.
 The boys work all the year round, in. the summer naturally doing practical work. and in the winter pursuing their studies They have 2S days of vacation during the year, and are at liberty to take them whenever and however they please.
 We accept no pay whatever we have an income, and depend entirely upon that When boy offers to pay his way through we suspect one of two things; either he has a romantic impulse that will soon die and end in indolence, or he is ill and his parents want to send him there in the hope that the work in the open may cure him. We are not san itarium; we take healthy, ambitious poor lads and fit them for an existence they could never attain without our aid. You know the boy that has any money will study law or medicine or any of the great and useful professions. He wants to be president or governor; he isn't con tent with the ambition to be tller of the soil. The boys are all active and in tensely interested, only, l must say. at times they are little lonesome. How- ever,. I spend the whole month of July with them, and then give them a nov ing picture show every Wednesday. invite all the farmers in the vicinity to join us, and then we have quite social event. You know. the farmers need that sort of thing; they need a social impulse to unite and stimulate them.
 Lads Are Very Poor
 '.The sad thing about 1t Is that these willing lads are so poor. They cant af- ford to wait for a. vacancy, and SO they get some miserable job and are lost to us for good. How I wish we had enough room and means to accommodate every single soul that knocked at our doors. But at present we cannot maintain more than 80 boys Our income is only $30,000 annually; $10.0OO from the state of Penn sylvania, s640O from the Jews of Phila- delphia, and the remainder we are obliged to beg in B and $l0 notes. Un- fortunately we have no help from any persons outside our, own vicinity. and yet we are by no means local institu- ton. People must be laborIng under a false impression. We shall not be satis- fled until we can accommodate 250 boys and have 1000 acres to cultivate. By next to t1a