El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-11-21

products which they can grow by irri-
cation This year they grew a thous-
and pounds OF friioles on the farm.
They have a gasoline engine and pump
to raise the water. one Of the boys
operates this like an expert.
The grounds. like the class room,
dormitories, dining room and kitchen
are kept scrupulously clean. and this
takes considerable time. The walls are
also kept in good repair. the irrigation
and storm water bitches have to be
cleaned and the sod on their banks at
tended to, and the chickens, turkeys
and pigs also have to be cared for, so
that there is always plenty Of work for
the big boys during the morning, while
the little ones are In school
In the afternoon the little ones are
made 10 do the lighter work, such as
picking up papers, spraying the grass
and carrying in the fire wood. When
the afternoon session Of school is out
all the boys have to go to the laundry,
Wnere they must remove their shoes and
wash their feet Later they play ball
orI marbles On Saturdays every boy
Is lined up and given a dose Of salts
and made to take a bath. A big cement
tank is constructed in one room OF
the wash house where they can battle
either have plunge or shower. Twice
a week they have to wash their cloth
ing and iron It. Their lockers are To-
Gated In the laundry house and here
they keep their clothing. In the dor
mirOries they also have lockers but
while they sleep at night. When they
rise IN the morning, they make up
their beds-except once a week, when
the beds are all aired-and. folding
their nightshirts, lay them on top Of
the Counterpart as the beginning OF
the days work
Since the school was built-the main
structure IS a big three-story white
rock building-the boys have made
upmp house and several other build
ings, including the laundry, the bake
mouse, where tneV can bake 100 loaves
at a time and bake twice a week.
pump house and several other build
ings- They have also made brick
enough TO lire the sides OF many OF
the walks.
To keep the mites away from the
chickens and turkeys. the boys have to
WhiteWash the fences and chicken
houses about once a week They also
nave to keep the cOWpens clean and
the hogs must be looked after IN
summer, they are taken out on the
san Pedro river into the cottonwood
JnlckeIS where they camp for week
or so and cut the winter supply Of
WOOD This Is then hauled in and
stacked properly and later cut into
stove lengths for winter use and for
cooking.
On. Sundays the boys have no work
20 90 and they are permitted TO put on
their Sunday uniforms, which are olive
drab wool During the week, they
wear blue cotton overaus and shirts
and the olive drab CAP.
There is a carpenter shop and a shoe
shop IN the institute and many OF the
boys are taught considerable Of these
trades. The shoemaker IS regularly
employed. and like the cook and the
farmer, has help from the boys. The
farmer also does the carpenter work
ana gives the boys what instruction he
Is able to give, but the institution is
handicapped in the one important re-
specL that II aIIords the boys very little
opportunity TO learn useful trade. The
INSTITUTION itself is conducted in
splendid manner and the good that the
boys are receiving from it is almost in
conceivable but there is a lack of tech
nlcal training that would help to
Iurther lit them for useful lives So
fas as educating them in the ordinary
branches Of schooling. in teaching
them to be men, dependent upon their
own efforts, and putting them on their
nOnOr and teaching them its value the
school is a splendid success; it gives
the boys all that it could be expected to
give without any method Of applying
the trade crafts But the school needs
either an appropriation for machine
and carpenter shops. or it should be
moved as has often been suggested, to
farming community where the bows
can get instruction in agriculture and
can do more TO help make the instftu-
ton self sustaining The governor and
the state officials have recommended
Its removal to a farming section but
lnasmucn as Arizona is not as largely
farming state as il is a mining state
and a state affording employment to
mechanics, it would appear to be the
best system to leave the Institution
where 1T IS and install shops and teach
the boys trades. The soil where the
school is located. being on a mesa, IS
full Of gravel and not overly prOduc-
tive even when enriched. The people Of
Benson do not wish to lose the insti-
tuition and therefore hope that the state
viii make an appropriation for shops
and arrange to teach trades to the
boys.
Erected some years ago, the building
also needs an overhauling. It is not
steam heated and il has no plumbing.
The territorial legislature has not i'm
proved the place because there has al
ways been a question of whether to
abolish 1t or enlarge it. The next legis-
lature will be asked to do one or the
other. The boys are comfortable, but
they are not getting the full benefits
that they should get.
J. F. Mahoney. the superintendent,
and H p. Doherty, the first captain,
are in favor Of removing the institu-
ton TO some place where farming can
be carried on. Their idea is that even
If the crafts are TO be taught. il would
be better to have a good farm in con-
nection, to help make the place self
supporting. Prof w Fl. Lee, instructor,
also favors charging the activities Of
the institution. Mr.. DOherty. who Is