The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1914-06-27

Boston. The Farm and Trades school
Ill on Thompsons island, Boston harbor,
which recently celebrated its centennial
"a anniversary, was the result.
IL This school has done remarkable
III work and has set the pace for all in
49, situations Of a like nature which have
been established in various parts of the country.
The first meeting to effect an organization for this
school was held on March 81, 1914. Boston was then
but a town. In 1t we're boys bereft by death Of one
or both parents. and outside of the work carried
on by the various charitable organizations, no ade-
Quate relief was available.
In the beginning the management provided princL
pally shelter and food. An asylum was established
In the West end. Boys from five to twelve years OF
age were gathered there, and were sent to the pub
lie schools for education. Six years later larger
quarters were secured at the North end in the for
mer residence of the colonial governor, Sir William
Phipps.
the boys, following the custom of the day, were ap-
prenticed to farmers or tradesmen in other parts of
the state, and there the responsibility Of the school
for the time ended.
Meanwhile another institution was organized
which conceived its object to be something more
than providing shelter. 1t felt the boy, to attain
better results in manhood, should receive industrial
training. That was the Boston Farm school, which
In 1882 secured a charter. In a few months the sum
Of $4,000 was raised in Boston for the school and
Thompson's island, containing 157 acres, was bought
for sc, 000.
Two years later the asylum at the North end sold
its property there, and, making a union with the
Boston Farm school, removed to Thompson's island.
For nearly three-qrarters of a century the name was
the Boston Asylum and Farm school, and agricul-
ture formed the basis Of the educational system.
With an isolation that made conditions almost
ideal for carrying out its purpose, little attention
was attracted to the school, and It quietly pursued
its unique work as a private school for worthy bows
of limited means.
About ten years ago. more truly to describe its
present functions, the name was changed by the
legislature to the Farm and Trades school.
The school is supported by e~ndowments, tut
ton fees and subscriptions. Its vested funds
amount to nearly $250,000, but the income from
this source and tuition leaves a deficit Of nearly
$4,000 a year, which is made up by subscrip-
tons. Tuition fees amount to about $4,000 a
year. The annual expenses are about 10000.
Provision is made for 100 boys, whose eligibil-
ity for admission requires them to be between
ten and fourteen years of age, of good moral
character, in fair INSTRUMENTATION and who are
not lower than the sixth grade in grammar school.
recommendations are required from the family
physician, a clergyman and from three or four
persons of recognized standing in the Immunity.
Admissions are made four times a year. Only
boys whose recommendations are satisfactory are
admitted and. If on trial, a boy proves to be I'M
htted for the school, he is not allowed to remain.
After admission the school furnishes everything
needed for the boy-clothing, shelter, subsistence,
medical attendance and trade opportunities and
moral discipline.
The school aims to fit the boy for higher pur-
suits, and, upon completing the course at school,
to place him either in a higher school or in a
position for which he seems adapted.
AS the general farm work necessarily In
cluded some instructions in certain trades, and
as carpentering and painting and the island loca-
ton permitted practical instruction in the use
: and management of boats, the first enrichment of
the curriculum occurred In 1857, when a brass
band was organized and has been in existence
since.
1t is said to be the Oldest boys band In the
country, and is one of the distinctive features of
the school.
In 1882 the educational system was greatly
b~roadened by the erection and equipment of
Gardner hall, which contained a printing ONCE,
manual training outfits and Woodworking lathes.
Here the first sloyd lessons were given, 30 far
as known. in this country.
Interest In, these several branches was greatly
stimulated. and the school course was so changed
as to permit almost daily lessons in carpentry
and printing, while ordinary school work still
continued.
Today instruction is given on the following sub
Jects: Preparation Of the soil, planting Of seed.
cultivation, harvesting and rotation of crops, cul-
tivation of fruits and care of orchard, setting out
and caring for trees and shrubs, testing and se-
lecting seed, mixing Of chemicals for fertilizers,
meteorology, vocal and instrumental music, sloyd,
mechanical drawing, cabinet work, wood turning,
carpentry. b~lacksmithing machine work in metal,
printing and binding, painting, cobbling. onice
work, the handling of boats and the whole realm
of household duties.