The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-02-17
MAKING PRACTICAL FARMERS AND GOOD
 CITIZENS OF BOYS
How the Lincoln Spirit at
 Llincolndale Brings Splen-
 did Results to Young Americans. @
Lads From the City's shad- ows Become Stout Heart ed, Strong Li1hbed Sons of the Soil.

vision of Vocational Training, Depart Ement of Education, Albany, N. r., said as few days ago after visitingsthe I4iri- colndale Agricultural School at Lin co1nda1e, N. Y. Ca few miles west of Danbury):
 ssWhen [ step from. the train at the Grand Central Terminal and above the roar of the city street rise the shrill cries ofsthe latest headlines of European strife, feel that nearby an- other battle is going on-a strife of op- posing forces in great city where al- lies of Education, of Charity, and Of Faith. are battling against crime, dis ease, and poverty. and then think that tonight, up there in the Hills of Westchester county, there sleep little lads who have been taken from the enemy and who, tomorrow, are to lead the forces of health, of industry, and of righteousness.s
 MT. Dean expresses most forcibly. his impressions after leaving Lincolndale. They are akin to the ideas that would | lie dormant under the feeble pen of the casual visitor to this institution.
 Iincolndale is really the old town of Salem renamed because of the insti- tutioI's ecIipsing the town As the town is known by the school, so is the school, known by Brother Barnabas Brother Barnabas established this in stitution some few years ago, and hav- ling wrought so nightly here has been + of work. The present director, Broth Ter Henry, with his a11-embracing smile and his 9dignif1ed bearing of affabf1ity 1 is quite in contrast to the alert, ear nest, energetic, Little General" who preceded him. However, much as one may miss the benign Brother Barna- bas. one feels relieved to find the boys apparently as happy as boys can be under the genial atmosphere of the new regime
 
 which are held in honor of Lincoln,s Day was really more interesting than the usual school boy efforts. The prin- cipa1 features were chorus work and orations. If our high school classes l and even Our college graduates could hear these little chaps at LincolndaIe in their oratorical efforts, many indeed would be put to shame. Never a syI- liable lost. not a faulty accent, never a forced expression,-and all with ease, a graceful bearing, and an intel Iligent understanding and earnest con- 1 ytctfon as to the subject matter pre- l sented.-al this and more are the orators of Linco1ndale Surely the Eyoung Lincoln was never more serious in his strivings with Douglas than { were these youths who told the audi enee about True Liberty "A Manly Fellow and America a World Pow ler''
 Hon. Charles V. Fornes was intro duced to the audience by George Rob inson of Bedford Hills, N. r., formerly president of the board of directors of
 the school. MT. Robinson's few words
 were most cordially received, and all
 were sorry that he limited. himself merely to introductory speech. MT.
 Fsornes gave the boys an instructive
 talk on their great patron Abraham
 Lincoln, which must have been ap- preciated if due attention of the boys
 of the school would so indicate.
 Father Ludlow Speaks.
 . Rev. Samuel Ludlow was likewise . .lrequested to speak. Father Ludlow is an able sneaker having been on tn,
 program of the last Connecticut State Conference of Charities After the exercises, the awarding of prizes oc.
 cured Brother, Henry took occasion to give the basis on which the award:
 age made. It would seem to be z
 model form of government Connect. icut has heard much Of the Junior Re publics, etc, and 1t may be of interes to hear of the LincoIndale Merit Sys
 tenn. In brief it is as follows:
 How the Boys Made Good. The new arrival during the frs
 month is exhorted and encouraged b,
 word and example to be neat, polite
 honest, and industrious. If, at tn.
 end of this time he shows good vil
 and makes progress along these lines
 he is advanced to fourteen marks H 5 then receives the freedom of tn school and is placed upon his honor ' After six months, he is entitled it RI promotion to the next higher grade E itwenty-one marks; but, before he i
 admitted to this grade, he must b + passed upon by the s.stwenty-eight N boys, the tsthirty-f1ve'' boys, the clas # teacher, and the cottage head. There
 fore, if 8 boy is neat, polite honest @A and Industrious he is raised to tNen saf 1Cf hi fc P14 lfc us out, he is encouraged to correct then Fl and at the end of six weeks he ma N again apply for advancement. Wine six months more have elapsed, h
 may again apply for promotion t k the next higher rank, twenty-eigh marks. But 1t is not enough to b
 neat, polite, honest, and 1ndustriou
 to be advanced to his grade; the bo - must also take a real interest in tn
 School, by aiding new boys to acquir n the Lincoln Spirit Nine month a after receiving twenty-eight mark
 student is eligible for advancemer W Ito the sshonor mark which is thil N ty-hve- He is then intrusted: wit H important duties. such as the care N registered IniIch cows, valuable farl VI horses and machinery. Importa1 M positions in the farm and garden aI
 also assigned to him. If thirty M five mark boy makes good for or B year, he is entitled to his diploma.
 However, on receiving their dipIt
 mas the boys are not permitted to al
 cept employment otherwise tha
 midst respectable and refined SUI
 roundings, and their welfare is follow
 ed up. for several years by a systel . of correspondence, etc.
 y The Lincoln Spirit.
 The Lincoln Spirit is incu1cated
 the new arrivals by placing each or = under the guidance of thirty five
 boy, which signifies a boy who hs
 been several years in the School, ar e who has after repeated tests, measu V ed up to the best ideals of man
 conduct, who will perform an LII
 pleasant duty as thoroughly as ol
 that appeals to him, who will not Ii
 steal. cheat, nor. swears be cruel