The Washington times., 1921-07-31

than enough to supply the tables of
the institution.
There is a wonderful watermelon
patch and the volunteer workers
for this portion of the farm are al
ways many. There also are fields Of
ripening cantaloupes, hundreds OF APP
Pile, peach and pear trees, as well
as other fruits.
The dairy houses a herd of over
100 cows. and here the youthful work
ers shine. You can't find lad at the
school who doesn't claim to be the
champion mixer there.
OF course there are chickens. hun
dreds and hundreds OF them. And
then there are the porkers.
housed In a great barn-like building.
Three times day, group of young
sters show up there and do their ut
most TO crafty the remarkable
apetites OF these animals.
School Self-sustaining.
II can easily be seen that the Ma
tional Training School is self sustain.
ing. Food. clothing. furniture. shoes
and even building materials are all
produced by its own workers. Moth
ing is bought on the outside and moth
ing is sold on the outside. Every
thing produced or grown are used
within the confines Of this little
community and it's citizens can laugh
at the high cost OF living.
Very often in the late afternoon
concerts are given by the School Band,
consisting OF twenty-four trained boy
musicians. Upon these occasions the
school cadets, which include every
youngster OF the institution, don their
natty blue uniforms. go through Sc
ries of drills and military evolutions
on, the parade grounds. They are
taught military knowledge by finished
instructors, who won their spurs AZ
members of Uncle Sans fighting
forces.
Baseball is a favorite sport among
the boys. Regular games are played
between organized teams and the play
ers put up some snappy exhibitions
OF the national pastime. Football and
tennis also provide recreation and eX-
ercise in their proper seasons. Many
indoor games are INDUCED in when
the weather precludes outdoor sports.
Sport Ban Discipline.
When a lad breaks any of the rules
of the school he is disciplined by hav-
ing. the privilege of joining In these
games taken away from him for q
limited time. He is usually pretty
careful in observing the regulations
after that.
The boys are housed In several large
doimltories. Each Of these buildings
contains about 200 beds or the upper
floor. The lower floors are devoted
to chapel, where the boys attend
services each morning and evening.
The building IS in charge of a matron
and a man monitor.
The mess halls are models of neat
moss and cleanliness, Tho food
served Is wholesome and nourishing.
1t consists of plenty of fresh, home
grown vegetables, fresh meats, newly
laid eggs and all the sweet milk that
fellow can drink.
There are some wonderful appetites
brought to the table and all OF them
are satisfied.
Parole System.
The school maintains a parole sys-
tenn and at certain periods of the
year Mr.. Sterling appears before the
board of parole with applications for
the release of some of the boys. II
the applications are acted upon IA
vorably, and they usually are when
recommended by him, good positions
are found for the boys on the out
side. Their progress Is carefully
watched and they ara helped over the
rough spots with kindly advice and
moral support.
And so the tough kid" of a few
years ago finds hiIdseIf a hustling
young man filled with an ambition
to carve out future or honor and
success.
1t must not be thought that Mr..
Sterling and his co.yorKers have an
easy time of II in qualifying these
boys with the attributes that are so
vital to their future-. Far from IT..
Many of them are svnt to the Nation
al Training School for serious viola
tons of the laws. They come from
all parts OF the United States and only
their youth saves them from long
sentences in prison. Where the boys
are Bent to the school from the Dis.
trict of Columbia, the homes they
came from are visited and the parent
or parents Of the errmg ones are as