Evening journal., 1922-01-23
IMPROVEMENTS
AT BOYS School
Former Ferris Directors
Find Reform Work Pro-
crossing
KEEPING TRACK
OF YOUNGSTERS

both physical and morally, have .
been made and are being made at
the Ferris Industrial School Mem
bers OF the old board of trustees OF
the school, when it was operated
privately. visited the institution on
Saturday and after being shown
through the school. including the
living quarters OF the boys. and the {
new barn. etc. expressed them
selves as highly pleased with the
way in which the school is being con
Quoted. George f. Marx, superin- 4
tendent. invited the members OF the +
old board 1ut to the school and per-
sonaliy conducted them through the /
institution. Twenty-Five persons +
which included members OF the old .
board. some members OF the pres
ent board and other visitors made
the inspection.
Notable among the improvement /
to the boys living quarters are the
new dining-rooms in both Lincoln .
Cottage where the Negro boys live.
and in washington Cottage where
the white boys live Heretofore the
boys have eaten in one main dining
room. located In the main school
building. When the new dining
rooms are finished each SGT OF boys
will eat in their own quarters. The
boys are making the Improvements.
AS soon as the rooms are com
plete 1t is planned to convert the
old dining halls into an infirmary. /
Recently IL was necessary when one
81 the boys became stricken with !
scarlet fever to house him in the /
superintendents house. in this way
subiecting them TO infection.
Another feature Of the institution
Is that virtually all products that
can be used for foodstuffs are raised
on the farm This includes pork.
bacon. beef: all kinds Of vegetables.
poultry, eggs etc. With the aid OF
Instructors the boys furnish MOST OF
he labor for the lighter farm work.
A COW barn is a recent addition TO
tho schools modern equipment. A
score OF Holstein COWS furnish all
the milk the institution can use, in
addition to milk for feeding a herd
OF 81 pigs.
an amusing incident was told the
visitors by Mr. Marx. Up until
short time ago there stood near the
81
Following the installation Of more
modern water system q was decided
TO pull the old one down, a task
which was easier said than done as
the sequence will prove. After Sow
eral repeated unsuccessful attempts
by farm hands and some Of the boys.
TO pull the structure down. the con-
tractor which had charge Of build
ing the new COW barn nearby. said
he thought the tower could be RACED
by dynamite This was done but out
side OF a small hole in the side OF
The tower. little damage was done
Finally a farm hand told one of
the boys. Joe Raikeis. that n he
took down the tower Mr.. Marx
would let him leave the school. Joe
first ascertained from Mr. Marx II
ne had made suck a promise, and
was told that IL he tore down the
tower ne might leave the school.
Joe Immediately Communicated all
boys who were not working and with
chisels and sledge-hammers had the
tower down in four weeks. thus
earning his freedom. The walls Of
tkis tower were two feet thick and
Of red brick.
Following the tour OF the
1school the visitors were en-
tertained at buffet lunch
con by Mr.. and Mrs Marx After
this. a discussion was held. during
which Mr. Marx and DR. John Ball.
one OF the present members of the
board asked the old members their
opinions of further improvements to
Al.
points brought up at the discussion
were That a better method Of
Keeping track OF all boys who have
been discharged from the school be
instituted. Il IS planned along this
line TO find out just what becomes of
each boy. and whether he makes
good or not. There are at present
SO or 60 boys on parole who are Wis
tied regularly by W. H. Wingate,
parole officer Of the school.
The new hospital was discussed
by Or Meredith I Samuels and tEs
proposed plans outlined TO the Wis.
itors George b. Miller. former pres
ident OF the State Board Of Educa
ton suggested that something b'
done about furnishing a swimming
pool He said it was possible tina
he might be able to get the Whining
ton Rotary Club interested in tn
pool He said some Rotary Club
in the west have been building pool
for boys Industrial schools.
Mr.. Marx explained another nel
feature Of training the school no,
affords. brass band. enabling tn
boys TO study and learn TO play
wind Instrument. Although the ban
has been organized only five week
the boys play very creditabiy. Fror
present indications they promise I
be quite a musical organization. ]
has been many years since tn
school had a band. II was pointe
out that aside from the pleasure
boy will get in being able to pla
an Instrument It is also a form q
vocational training.
Alfred ID. Warner. Jr., presider
Of the Chamber Of Commerce re
commended that the manual train
ing room be kept clear OF an WOO
scraps and other material tn;
would be apt to catch fire Oths
visitors who gave brief talks e,
pressed themselves as pleased wit
the way the school is being cor
Quoted were W Harold Smit
Charles p. Wilson. Of Dover; w.
Inderied who was secretary Of n
Old board Of trustees for fftes
years: Edward r. Mack, Mrs. Hem
H. sckson superintendent % II