The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-03
What the Berry School jor Boys Is Doing

The same thing is true of the wori, in truck gardening, landscape garden Ing, farming, stock raising and all in dustrial features of. the school. If 5 boy only has reasonable amount of ability and determination he leaves the school with the means of succeed ing in country life in the broadest way. Berry school means for it's boys to succeed in the best sense.
 Mechanical Department Mechanical training is necessary part of farmers training. The almost universal use of machinery makes nec-
 essary some knowledge of mechanics. For this reason mechanical work is a
 part of the course at Berry school A cabinet shop Is furnished with 1c
 double work benches, made by the stu . dents, and with the necessary tools
 for cabinet work. Tables, chairs, desks and other articles are made and repaired by the pupils. In the mill room are lathe, band saw, planer. circular saw and jointer A modern blacksmith
 shop is provided for instruction and is
 equipped with 13 forges of different kinds, hand operated blast, tongs, nam
 mers and small tools.
 Other departments are a printerv and a repair room. Most of the buildings have been erected by the boys and much of the furniture has been made | by them Some of the buildings they have erected are the smaller cotta ges. where the boys live in groups. A Day at Berry School The active day at Berry begins early At o'clock the kitchen fireman Is up and builds the fires in the ranges. A half hour later the cooks and the morning squad go to their work. The latter milk the cows and take the milk from the barn to the dairy house be- fore breakfast
 In the meantime the full l-tinie boys who are working one term to pay for their tuition, have risen, eaten their
 breakfast and have gone to work by 6 o'clock. The students are up at 5 and have breakfast at 6:30.
 Al o'clock the real work of the school day begins. It lasts until in the after noon. with intermissions for chapel and for dinner. The school day is divided into three main divisions, two coming in the morning and one in the afternoon. During two of these divisions each stu dent is attending classes, and during the third he is occupied with industrial work. Many of the students have assigned work at other times.
 From until 5:30 is recreation period. There are games, exercise in the gym nasium reading and other recreations for those who are not on duty.
 Supper is served al 5:30, and is followed by evening prayers On school days an evening study period begins at 6:30 and continues until 9:10. During this time each pupil must be in his room studying. The next 20 minutes is a recreation pe- riod From 9:30 to 10 is silent period. and at 10 lights must be out. This is the schedule from Monday night to Saturday night. On Saturday night the study pe- rod Is omitted Usually the boys gather around the piano after supper on Satur- day and sing. Later the literary societies meet and when there is a fifth Saturday night an entertainment is usually given.
 On Sunday a brief prayer service Is held in the dining room, immediately after breakfast. Sunday school is at Il o'clock, dinner at l. church service at f. and Bible study classes, Y. M. c. A. meetings and other services as the pupils elect are held in the late afternoon.
 On Monday the schedule is again diff ferent. Industrial work occupies tEe morning. In the afternoon there is no required work, it being free afternoon, when the boys may have games or what ever they like. The school work begins on Tuesday.
 The Berry Spirit
 All this is the part one can see. but the part that cannot be described is the spirit at Berry school, the transformation its at- mosphere, it's work and It's study make in the students. One cant say in words, what it is to take boys life that would
 be starved and narrow and hard and make 1t fine and strong and happy and useful; what 1t Is to change boy with no chance into big, clean, worth while man. That Is what Berry school does.