Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-05-12
ALL SORTS Of BOYS ARE
At C0V|NGTON SCHOOL
Treatment Of Those of Ar
rested Development.
MINDS EXPAND NORMALLY
Institution Now Seeks Fund of $75,-
900 to Enlarge Its Facilities.
Moro Boys There From Richmond
Than From Any Other Place.

Than From Any other Pface.
Many Of the people now being solic-
tied for funds in behalf OF the Gov
ington Industrial School and Farm for
Homeless Boys will naturally ask the
question: What does the institution
aim to do, and how Will ! help hu-
mainly by giving my money TO it,
This question may be answered al
most in one sentence. The school is
sort OF salvage corporation, and the
things il saves are boys-eiG boys and
little boys. motherless boys and father
less boys, bright boys and stupid BOYS
good boys and bad boys. And. note
this, especial attention is given to the
so-called bad boys and 10 those
urchins who appear to be mentally
retarded. for in such apparently waste
material lies the greatest opportunity
out Of what seems to be nothing is IN
deed good work. And that is exactly
what the school does.
1t should be understood. OF course.
that the home. though having mantle
OF charity broad enough to cloak all
humankind, at present lacks the facil!-
ties either for handling pupils of the
imbecile class or youths SO far adj
vanced in criminal delinquency - to
need the sterner treatment OF re-
formatory
But this does not mean that It closes
lite doors on cases Of mild or vareoloid
delinquency" or that it refuses an
asylum to half wits or those more
scientifically known as "morons." Many
OF the more stupid boys who go to
the institution show after few months
that their intellects are undeveloped
simply through lack OF opportunity.
Their minds literally burseon under
proper treatment. and In a year or
two they almost reach the normal.
This means that they arc ultimately
transformed into productive citizens
youths who can we'll take care of them
selves in decent fashion and do their
part in the ecer-buzzinC hive or hu-
Inanity.
But don't misunderstood. The Gov
ington home is not dominated by utili-
tartan principles. 1t has safer side.
i'm which sentiment charity and true
religion reign. Its chief object-an
object from which there is no Swerv-
ing-is to furnish real home to the
forlorn, the destitute, the forsaknn and
the despised. There is discipline. OF
course. and certain mild system OF
punishment, but the rigors of these
hardly exceed those OF the average mill
itary school. Then. too, the punish
nents. such as they are. find an Offset
in the substantial rewards offered those
who are dilgent, obedient. courteous
and dutiful.
Most OF tho boys coming to the
school range IN age from six to thir-
teen or fourteen. So far as their
antecedcnts are concerned they repre-
sent every stratum OF society. though
they stand on common ground in their
need for sympathy, sustenance and
moral support. The cottage system is
employed in handling the seventy five
boys now at the school-that is 10
say. they are segregated according 10
their age. Each cottage is supervised
by a house mother" a matron who
supplies for the nedgelings the wo-
manly touch that is needed everywhere.
These matrons IL one may use a
somewhat parado1ical term. are the
father confesscrs" OF the boys. And
it does the urchins good to confess. too,
Just as 1t does everybody else good.
They have a pretty little syatem OF
stimulating courtesy. kindness and
charity at the home-a scheme some
what on the order OF the Boy Scout
plan. Every kidco is encouraged 10
do good turns" O. his own free Will,
10 his fellow mortals. And then a,
event!de. Just before the sand man"
gets on nj. JOB, the boys one and all.
report The number o. good turns with
which they c:.d!; themselves, to their
respective house mothers On Sundays
,
in t.!z .Szass:h school. Obviously
tA:Es s:s so-c= acco-n-n oda.iag bra;s a.
fhE Institution 20: oae re.. the total
Of "S2os ,--as" ,e2o:tet vas 1900.
He'e = t-s day. .o2t!ae 70 ~hich
al o. tae -Escued oovs. Big and little.
rrs: su52ait: R.s!a. TELL :. ". a.g,
o!eaktas. s4i =. ~ sscord break
fasi 4 u; wo.. assigned a.. 4.
a. ton.-ha:. The boyg IL schoo! and
me othe. hal: &: yo.x}: rc-a!as wo..
hours % :! A. N, when ev.-ybotv
even The lame. the sa,c and In. blind.
must labor; y J.. n - y * extra or
punitive work couyEe; 1918 p ~
dinner; % p. u study an. ,ro-t
reversing the morning CLASSES: 70 :
T. 81 penalty work: % p x re-
creation which during 4: Ieas, sev.a
months ., :he year takes TIE ,orr g.
s1imm:ng: y. -. supper: p II
juniors 70 bed: p. -. Intermediates
70 he'd; p. ". seniors 20 bed
Each boy gets two recreation hours
IN daylight and one after supper, u.
alone the fun they manage to sliD II
AZ other times "
such in br!e,, ls birls eve y!er
o. IN" covington hor-r it's ,nachiner,
hao It's worf Il is now tho ham,
"ooae o. sevcn'y-Hve lads who other,
wise nigh. have been ghittl.qs rn'ar
G'-"eNs Or incor-lcible jalbirds 4
me institution succeeds in ,D;slrs
throughout Virginia the sum o, .TsGno
o. which Richmond is asked "a p,ys
cae-thrd T. VII, b. ab,a 20 .cco,n,,.
cave 100 more Of the tuy~ni.c derc,icr
who 50 sadly reed sympathy ,4e,,,i,
and the ordinary homo co,v,.or.,