Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-11-19
Bids Fair to Become One of Most Important Orphan
AsyIums For Boys in tn United States; Lads Taught
to Do Things Which Will Profit Them in Actual Life;
Now so Youngsters Being Cared For

US NuTeu tut
and also assist in the kitchen, dining
room and laundries.
From ~ to 1S"
The 90 little fellows at the school
at present range in age IRON 4 to 13
years. From the age of 4 to years
the boys are taught kindergarten
work; from to years they are
taught primary work and from years
until they become Is, when they are
no longer wards of the school, they
are in what is termed the Main De-
partment, made up OF grammar and
nigh school courses. The boys in the
kindergarten are taught by Miss
Carrie Simmons, the boys in the pri-
mary department are instructed by
Miss Ruth Beam while the boys in the
upper grades are taught by George
+. Copenhaver, the superintendent OF
the institution. who is ably qualified
for the place. Mr.. Copenhaver, before
accepting the position, was a teacher
for ten years and was formerly man
ager of farms in Juniata county and
in Hershey. He instructs the boys in
farm work, manual training and aca-
demic branches.
Within the near future Mr.. Hershey
is going to erect new dormitory on
the school grounds and in 1t Will be
housed the 90 boys who at present
| have their sleeping quarters in the
| birthplace of Mr.. Hershey. In anti
cipation of the construction of the
new building the boys are all astir.
They are busying themselves making
useful articles for their rooms and
already they have made the twenty
| beds which they will occupy The
youngsters, the oldest of whom is 8
years, made the beds themselves, saw
ing out every part and putting the
various parts together like expert car
penters. Each boy will also make
chairs, a table and bookcase for his
room. In the woodshop. playthings
are also turned out and the boys have
! just completed a score of sleds which
/ they will use on the hillsides when
the snow falls. Toy barns have also
| been constructed and they are pat
termed much after those erected dur
| ing recent years on the Hershey
! farms.
\ Tour of the School
The boys are the most interesting
little fellows to be found any place.
When a reporter called at the school
he was met by two of them and when
it was learned that superintendent
Copenhaver was busy at the time the
lads. each about 10 years old, in
sisted on taking the reporter through
the school. The lads first took the
Telegraph man into their gymnasium
and told him about the various sports
in which they indulge. Then the
schoolrooms were visited and the boys
! busted themselves showing the visitor
| the work done in the schoolroom, eX-
planning how arithmetic problems
were solved and displaying hundreds
of specimens used in the study Of
commercial geography. Drawing, too,
and painting, are among the schools
valuable assets and it is not likely
produce better work.
| Back there's where we go 10 get
hurt said one of the little fellows,
as he pointed to an enclosure in which
was a dentists chair and a case of
dentists tools. The lad explained that
every few weeks a dentist visits the
school and looks after the teeth of
the children and sees that they are
| properly cared for.
| In one section of the school is a
store, miniature. of course, but it has
| its counter and on It are scales and
liquid and dry measures. The boys
explained that part of their course of
study is to learn the value of things
and also to economic. When the
store per1OQ arrives eacn lau is given
a certain amount of money" card
board currency, in reality, but the
pieces are the exact size of American
currency and the value is printed on
each. The lads go to the store and
| purchase various articles which in
clude anything from sugar to matches.
of course the real articles are not in
the boxes. Manufacturers. on request
have sent hundreds of empty labeled
packages to the school for use in the
store. Sand is used for sugar. The
boys who act as storekeepers must
make out sale slips and must keep the
books of the store, make change and
be courteous to the customers. BY this
method the lads are taught tho value
of money and how to make change.
Youngsters who are not out in the
world and who do not know how to
handle money find difficulty in taking
care of their funds when they are
Obliged to look after themselves and
1t is Just because of this that the boys
fare given the store" course. Natural
ly some of them have a desire for