The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-30

and surprise We not only received their
hearty endorsement. but generous check
with their best wishes for our success"
"All of which must have made you and
the boys very happy" l suggested. "and
l suppose you Immediately set out to ar
range your programmes
Which isn't always an easy task" said
Professor Henley. II have always tried
to make the programmes given by the A.
B. I. S. band popular and effective, at the
same time holding the selections to strict
ly classical music. The boys must be
educated to like the best music, and we
do not waste our time on ragtime or
| things Of that sort"
80 you find that the boys are very
much interested in their work." l in
quired.
They are greatly interested in it." said
Professor Henley. I'VE have 40 members
In the band, and with all the odds we have
to overcome we have done remarkably
good work. You see. after boy has
studied and done his regular work at tho
school 1t leaves him very little time for
practice-maybe an hour or so a day. and
that, of course, is very little time to give
to any musical instrument. However,
they make the best of it, and we have
some really talented musicians among
them
do you teach them as well as direct
II have a very fair knowledge of nearly
all musical instruments. although 1 only
play the trombone" said Professor Henry,
"and the only instruction the boys haze
give them
"I think the band is one f>the greatest
assets of the school, don't your" asked
'It Is really the greatest asset" said
Professor Henley proudly. I'VE can take
the band anywhere and represent the A.
B. l. s. with credit We can't take the
printing press or the carpenter shop or
any one of the departments to town and
exhibit to the public just what we are
doing in those lines, but the band is diff
ferent. 1t Is always ready to go and
play"
Besides being a splendid diversion to
the boys who are members of the band"
| suggested, music Is such q congenial
sort of tie with all the other boys and
must give them great pleasure as WELL"
Music is the great leveler," said Pro-
fessor Henley, ''and brings people to-
gether when everything else falls You
take some of our boys out at the school
who are not wayward boys, but orphans
fine young chaps dependent boysl They
have the finest sort. of instincts and
everything that is beautiful like music
and that sort of thing appeals to them.
These dependent boys as well as the
others have right to all that any
other school affords BY an act of the
legislature providing for the Boys Indus
trial school, the dependent boy is cared
for. The school takes him, educates him,
teaches him trade and turns him out In
the world a man. The wayward boy. the
boy who plays 'hookie,' who lives in
streets. is provided for to greater de-
gree than most people understand. While
there is no compulsory educational law,
there is law whereby this boy may be
educated at the school-a law which a
great many people are not cognlzant of.
So that all classes of boys are eligible to
this institution, and aside from the hum
drum. every day life of the college boy,
we endeavor to inject some diversion.
some pleasure into the daily routine. not
the least of which, believe, Is the band,
in which every member of the school (2S0
students) is interested, whether they are
members of the band or merely auditors"