New-York tribune. [volume], June 05, 1904, Page 3, Image 19

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HOI SE OF REFUGE T(niOv T EJ]ROM RANDALUS ISLAND.
JfOXK CARRIED OX BY THIS INSTITUTION FOR REF
ORMATIOX OF JUVENILE DELINQUENTS,
The day« of th* oIJ House <■'* Refuge on Ran
tt-'. - ' a: " rp Bothered. Owing- to the action of
tte •*• ty T -is year in authorizing the s< 1. ction
of a s-t- ■- r!l< * country within a radius ■-? fifty
jjjj;.. rf Sew-York City, where better classification
. {i.^ ::,T!.<:- > '■-. bad *.ie old, vinecJad build
4^3 which have ha«i a part in the lives of more
than '■■■'"■' thoosand boya win. In the course of
j^o or three four rears, cither ■•• razed or
giver, ever to sntae other use.
■jTr.:> it has bevr. reported that a -:••-- for the
-ew Btsts Home which i- ; to .--upplant the House
~, js^' .^r- ha? been four.d or. Long Island, any site
BVG.'' — a ' :': ' '• u!1 hT the Assembly at its next sp«
»ion. Tne i»w site, it is expected, will contain
one th'r.isar.c acres, which will give the inmates an
c r'~r" •• "- work at isrJc&ltiire as well as
industries. Wnen the House of Refuge is
r&r: . :^,> by tha terms of the deed by virtue of
v- dl !t occupies part of Randall's Island, the
pygperty l everts to th» city. The future use of
&t uttipci'ty has r.rt been decided upon, but it has
yes Hisjgsted that the ground, thirty-six acres,
wo aia rf Of great service as a yark.
jj^v f the beys who have spent the ejgbtaea
& t&RF* mt B Htfli l ** l * Uea.ll the usual length of
itifT.~c^ look back upon their life on Randall's
jslari v.:r. tea DaCS ot thankfulness, and return to
rier tha olu v•■ !»■*■ with the ram* sensation*
tlat an c.d "frr.-id" goes back to his alms, mater
i* con-.mencpTr.er.t time, to sit on the fence about
the campus cr.c© more.
Frcm time to time Omar V. Sage, the superin
tendent. la ipproeuched by men who ask if they
may see the building and the grounds. If asked
their reason, they explain that they are greatly
Interested in the work done by the House or l " the
•chocl, ar.d would like to see how it is conducted.
Pwhajs as tier walk through the small, octagonal
■maty, wtth its new equipment of guns, looking
business U'ne in their glass covered racks, they let
fall scrae remark s;;-:h as. "Why. there has been a
marked change m this room, has there not" 1 con
firming the- impression that has been In Mr. Sage's
mind al". the t;mc that this is ar.oiher of the old
•'boys."
Recently a man who had pasrei I ••» meridian of
life, tad rrrtatnTy look'Hi as if life had not been a
failure in any sense of the word, went over to the
Island on the tvg which, in the command of a
patriarciial pDot with flowing beard, vexes the
placid waters of the Harlem every fifteen mln
uates. ar.d walking across the fresh green lawn to
the wide portal Of tha ;r.j!t- dotneu building, asked
for the ■Bperhztendent. In the course of his con-
Tersatior.. be remarked: "I was here fifty years
ago. My number was seven. I am now the treas
urer of the county m which I live, having previ
ously beer. City Tteea .r -r" A later examination of
the record p:^v>i his statement regarding I.la de
ter.tion '.r. tr.i Hous* to be correct.
It would be jossiole tor "boys" much older than
this BBS ts ratnra w;-_-. recollections cf lif* on
BandaJJ's Island, as the BoctCTJ for the forma
tion at Juv-,.;: I ■ ..:. ;aents In the City 'if N>«-
Tnrk. which holds the property and conducts the
mattl ■' w;ts chartered, in 1524. and several of
the an ;.-£•= now in use are fifty years old. it Is
M-d mat tnt- House of Refuge was the llrst re
formatory mstttotSon tor youths ia this country, if
tot in the world. At pn sent the big hive ha 3 a
pcpuiatlon of about eight hundred and fifty boys.
one h^n<ire<i girls and fifty officers. Instructors and
atteL'-_. 1 h • -•• eace sga cf the Inmates, is «?v
esteer. years, as minors may be committed at any
age uider eighteen and retained until t;.' y ..-■i
r«ren-y-or.e. The population is a. s!:ifur.g one, and
Is practically fer.tir»rly changed within a period of
wo ream The inmates are supposed to r-.mai:: at
least seven ty-eig lit w^eks, but by a syst-m of 'om-
IMltltlllll it is possib.Q for ■. boy or girl to secure
freedom within a period of fifteen and one-naif
months. The termir.atior. o" a boy's stay ..- deter
mined by favorable marks en hib record, TS being
requirea.
a beehive could present no scene c* greater ac
tivity t::a- th<- grounds and buildings of th.? House
of Rerij*- From 6:15 a. m.. when every boy 031
elaliy throws back the sheet on his neat whit«
metal bedstead, bounces out and moves toward the
bathr'xjr::. until the electric switch leaves the dormi
tories :r. '.La rkr.t-s = at & p. m.. bod;«-3 ar ! mlr.'is are
kept bosuy *"|'f^ I:- useful action. It lb a mir.l
*ture toiv:., conducted on the military plan. Every
thing goes by clockwork, even the Jaws of %■•■■•
boys at (ha breakfast table and the baseball bats
«.t the pay periods. Th<s schedule contains th»
word* "bathroom** and "play" four times each, and
also the v. rda "work." "•choor* and "military
c-ill." ;," ■ opportunity is c : *"' % " for I<i!<-::os3. With
the exception cf the moments of play, they are
•ltber engaged m l»-am5r:? some trade or in echoo*.
A lar proport of the work of the institu
tion is fl r.<z :,y ;m boys ar'J girb- as a p;irt of their
Jastruct:.in Each boy is obliged to y.arn Quite
trade ar.d tht-r-» are facilities for leamtag wood
<*rvlrjr. :-^.^■.'.:;,^'. carpentry, Bhoemaklng; tail
omig, btacksxnlthlng. printing, toe :naking, piumn
!s«. brlckls-Tlag; tewing cooking, baking and
lß.'Jß<i*-r A:i the w »rk of this sort is done by the
boyr»r.. |Irlj The bakers Stsnlay their mgenulty
la Matteg ivu^'r. liito odd shapca. makir.g appe
tirinr lugar iooktea, such as every Ne.\-K;.g
i*Tider rerutrr.> r& ucless a part of '.is education
las bsta *»gt*+*»4 sadly, and as for gir.gerbre.^d,
Its oc ..- when It is drawn from the great ovens la
enour to ti-mpt the moat moral to become bad ex
•"RPi^s for tha boys by committing petty larceny.
The tailors desipn, cut and make the clothing for
the beys, whfla the girls do the Bame for them
selves as w<-;; v oomg :.t-ajly all the laundry work
for thf er.t:r<- institution. The shoes ar» made and
cobbling if done by tnot>e working In this cla»=ri, and
th» ne^psser: carpentry work is performed by tho
«<jvar.-<».i *.:i the carpentry class.
No boy is thrust Into any trade for which he has
so aptttod* '.' ..• nI ■ eaten the active work of his
"*■*■ dor::)' •■:>. thx? yout^i is entered in the art mar.
i*; ar.! aktyd Mmmmm f lir-re they are watched at
thtir ■wirk. v.lth the idea of gaining boom i ;ea of
th* trad" or Beenpathm for which bey are best
2 tt'i!. Afler tr.r^fc months they are assigned to a
tr *i*-. It has bees observed tiiat the nationality
fiisplavir.g the grratpst artistic ability is. as one
tolthr gueys. tht- ItaHnn. A story is told of how
one boy's artistic tendency was discovered, which
frr.ir.ds or.r cf the tale of ,!/j«'s discover^' of
Giotto x ability.
Mr. Sfirr*- t.-r.- day was walKing through the quar
antine house, in which the n<~w arrivals are kept
for two weeks. When be dissevered a freshly out
I»ce in tn» woodwork- It was evidently the work-
O^^ship of some one possessed o an artistic ln
■Caet,
"W'to M this?" esJcud Mr. Sage. There was no
J^eponso from the boys, who were evidently fearful
that knoariaoga wootd result i.i some sort of pun
i»ain;;.t. At last one responded, "Michael An
telo." This proved to be no attempt to screen
the perpetrator bthlrd a play on the name of the
freat worker in plastic urt. but the name of one
tf the boys then in quarantir;. .
"I did not ask with the idea of punishlns," said
Mr. Sage, "but because it was so good."
It u-jia readily been what this boy's bent was,
«su at the recent exhibit. several pieces of his
*"■"* *<r«s shown, and lie was called upon to ex
hibit the ambidextroua method of freehand draw
*** taught.
■a t->y leave* the lnntltution unless he is as
■Ol of a position to which he can go as soon as
■• erasaee the Harlem. His training in the trades
■ -:^cieut to interest him In a regular occupation
L ■" fit him lor taklnj: the place of helper In them.
L
Some of the designers are able to earn $15 to $18
a week. Every incentive Is given the boys to be
oome Interested in the Institution and in the ac
complishment of something worth while. Those
whose conduct and work hp.ve ix-en such as to earn
favorable marks for two consecutive months are
promoted to thr» "honor class." Blue ribbons in
dicating this Unction fluttered all --.ver the pa
rade ground the other afternoon when an ex
hilV-m drill was given. Judging from one of the
incidents of the exhibition, not all of the ribbons
belonged *■- the wearers.
One of ihe members of the band who had not
won one of th*- really coveted badges was ob
served to be wearing one.
""i'ou did not get one of the badges, did you?"
asked one of the officials of the youth.
"No. but most of the fellow* in the band had
them, and I thought as we are to be on ex
hibition I ouprht to have one, so I borrowed it."
Pride in the institution la secured by athletic
competitions and ma,tch games of basketball and
baseball with outside Teams. Owing, It Is believed,
to the military regular!*:- of the Ufa of the com
munity and the whoJesomenaas of the plain food,
the teams win a big r .jortty of the games. It is
a proud day for the boys when the band which
the boys recently orir^nlzeU themselves marches
HOrSE OF REFUGE BOYS AT DRILL.
across the parade ground In Its khaki uniform
playing, the bandmaster displacing his skill by
twirling: his baton about his head anil ether parts
of his body In a perfectly bewildering maim*-.
After the boy? leave the institution a parole.
agent keeps track of them for a time In. order to
help thorn to take advantage of the training they
have received.
As the State has appropriated 5175,000 for this
year's work, a sum larger than has been appro
priated previously, tt is expected that there will be
no ground for the criticism of the lack of variety
sad quantity In the '->od and quality of, the cloth
ing which mopped <. -t last year, resulting In two
investigations and the decision to remove th» insti
tution ■ i^ewhere.
MAY FINISH MOROCCO.
The Perdicarh Kidnapping Seems
France's Opportunity.
With a formidable American fleet lying oft Tan
gier and the State Department actively working for
the rr lra— of the American citizen, [on PerdleartS,
whose kidnapping "■;• the Morocco tribesman some
what resembles the recent adventure of Miss Ellen
Stone among the Macedonian insurgents, thi in
cident is rapidly assuming important international
significance. Of the state of anarchy existing in
Morocco and the menace that It constitutes to the
citizens of every civilized nation dwelling than, the
few details about the actual kidnapping that are
hHi fining '■ leak out from unofficial sources for-
Bisk) a good index.
The scene of Mr. Perdl<~ans's kidnapping was
Just beyond the walls of Tangier, within Wight of
the, European coast. Hare, on tha side of a moun
tain, he had built a beautiful villa, and In this.
Aldoun. or Tlace of the Nightingales, as he
named it, he only recently entertained Princess
Liouise of Scfaleswlg-l and a party which
In sluded the American Consul Genera!, Samuel R.
Gurr.mere.
Years of residence In this •■■'la had brought a
sense of security, even In the present time* of
tribal dl?ordrr. But on the evening of May 11 Mrs.
I -:: arls was startled by art ; from the ser
vants' quarters. She Imagined nothing more seri
ous than trouble r.mong •••* domestics but aa the
erica grew loudw. Mr. rerdlcarls and his stepson.
Cromwell Oliver Vaxley. rushed to the scene of the
disturbance and burst into the servants' quarters,
where they were confronted by a band of armed
Moors, woo were binding a n-.ar. servant. There
m a brief Btrugg!<* between the household and
the Intruders, In which the women endeavored to
aid their husbands, but were knocked down, and
a aeoood later, Ralsull, the brigand chief, sounded
a elgriil whistle, and, '.ike the magic call of Rod
erica: Dhu, it brought In a band of supporters,
who had been surrounding the house. In another
moment the Moors had bound Mr. Perdlcarta and
Mr. Varley. and. mounting their prisoners on
Uutat-P. made off In th* darkness.
The English housekeeper, at the first disturbance,
had rushed to the telephone. BO close are Africa
and Fu-ipe is: this region of telephones and ban
,'•'• and announced to the terrified "Central" that
the house bad been attacked by robbers. As **•>.
■<\as in ■ taring the operator to inform the American
Consul. RaJsuU burled her to the floor and smashed
the telephone. The message. however, reached
Consul General Gummere. and. accompanied by
narda he hastened to the scene. Long before he
nr-'vec however, the band had lied, carrying their
prisoners into the mountain region, Into which they
boast r;o Christian ever penetrated save as a
captive or slave. Here, well treated, but threat
c-ned with dea-th If their ransom Is not paid the
prisoner* are confined under guard
Hit while th' Moorish government remains pow
er'e-s and Inactive, the Emperor almost a dose
prisoner in his palace. ring the attack of his
rfbellioua chiefs, other forces are at work which
may result in Important political consequences.
The assurance received by the State Department
that France would "use Its good offices" to secure
..... release of the prisoners is believed by many
to for^caat the long expected assertion of French
auaerainty over Morocco. That the kidnapping of
an Imertcan citizen should result In the extinction
of the Independence of a country that, excepting
•Jtysslnis, claims the distinction of being the only
territory of Importance In Africa unappropriated
by Europeana would be an odd coincidence.
Although Immediate Interest attaches to the fate
Of Mr Perdicarl?, the action of France, made prob
able by the recent Anglo-French convention which,
in the words of the British traveller. Walter B.
Harris writing from Tangier, "makes possible the
:y D ttkniaation of Morocco by France." ope:is up
an interesting field of conjecture. That the "French
lhoul | regard the American representation to the...
to intervene in the affair as a tacit recognition of
the Anglo-French compact is not strange. That ac
ion b» the French government should result Is
probable in the extreme, and this situation nat
urally «recta interest toward the North African
N«ion that the French call "Africa Minor.
For several hundred miles the eastern frontier
Of Morocco, for the most part unmarked, adjoins
that of Algeria, the most prosperous of the French
colonies the home of more than four hundred and
twenty 'thousand French citizens, and the station
of nearly sixty thousand French troops, Including
the famous "Foreign Legion." Moreover, for the
last ten y-ars the French have been dispatching
expedites down Into th. desert south of the Atlas
Mountains and of Morocco, and occupying tha oases
on the caravan routes formerly subject to the
Emperor of Morocco. Igll. Figuig and Atn salah
have all been seized in thl* fashion.
But the real base of any operation from Algeria
against Morocco lies In the strategy railroad run-
Xi along the whole frontier from the Mediter
ranean to the desert, ami Bending off branches at
important points toward Morocco. Along this line
are Tlem-en and Sidl Bel Abbes, flourishing Euro
pean cities, with barracks and magazines fully
eruipped for the expedition into Morocco, so long
the dream of the FVer. '-African soldier. Supple
ment'ng this purely strategical railroad Is the lino
.NEW-YORK DAILY TRIBUNE. SUNDAY. JUNE 5. 1004
leading from Tunis, opposite Sicily, to Oran. facing
the coast of Spain and permitting the concentra
tion of all the garrisons in French North Africa,
Moreover. at the present time the French are
building a short line from Tlem^en in the direction
"f Fe Z . the capital of Morocco, which will pause
for ton present at Lalla Magnate, on th exact
frontier. From the end of this line to the resi
dence of the Ems ror of Morocco is less than
two hundred miles.
But before the French employ their army to
rescue Mr. Perdicarls it la probable that they
Win have recourse to other potent means in their
hands. For many years there has been a steady
stream of Frer.-.-h s<-!d into the coffers of the re*
bellioua Moor! chiefs, who maintain a semi-in
dependence of the Emperor. The French had an
unpleasant experience In fighting the tribes of
Morocco many years a^o. when Abd-el-Kader. a
famous native chieftain, defeated many of their
marshals and finally received the decoration of the
*■' ■* of Honor in recognition of the estimation
in which his foes hold bis bravery.
In return for their largesse, the French have
received the support of many of these rebellious
chiefs, and it is r ported that the kidnapper him
self, Ralsuli, owes allegiance to Ba FHmar.a, one of
the most powerful of these French allies. Not until
pressure on this sale lias been exerted are the
French likely to take warlike steps, and it Is not
unlikely that a. is pressure will suffice, but, if mili
tary force is necessary, It Is the opinion of mili
tary critics that it will come from this Algerian
side, rather than from Tansi'-r
Interesting in this regard is the history of the
French occupation of Tunis, holding precisely the
same relation to Algeria's eastern frontier that
HANDIWORK OF THE HOUSE OF REFUGE BOYS.
■ -t to the wenterr Conditions strongly
resembling n at the presort time
I in Tunis -' . tdenly and without
■ fron
ra Algeria and : In the bar
'■- r of ■ ' Tunis
FVance nUng to the local
. '.ir pre
text, for the Itaila I ;-'r.'m-h; -'r.'m-h of (
for th< ■
cellerlea of Eur< ■ that 1 ir.ro would
some Sdoro Now that the Angto-
Krer.:-h convention :;.is r^r- | objection of
Great Britain, ih-> Pel I I Ident rr.ay load to
a similar t;xi-'-''"tion.
HOW TO MAN THE ARMY.
runt lnued fpnm flmt pug*.
which I have referred above, Is shown by its
recently announc <\ determination for a whole
sale rrcjuction of the militl and volunteer con
tingents, and the commission ha.s '-rely ai"t»>d
In accordance with the ideas of the administra
tion In recommending the raising by conscrip
tion of a force of about 3 •••••<> men for home
defence, with twelve months' continuous service
with the colors, followed by a few weeks' at
tendance at the manoeuvrea during the two or
three years afterward, pointing out that It
would cost considerably less than the present
militia system.
The officers of the English militia as now
constituted are a fine body of men, being as a
rule compos* of country gentlemen devoted to
fjiortH, '''it who do not possess sufficient mili
tary experience to impart any adequate train-
Ing to th<? men under their command during the
few weeks that they are with the colon each
year. Tho rank and file, I am sorry to ptate.
are composed of the very acum of the male popu
lation. For. of course, the better class of those
willing to enliat enter the regular army, and
it is only what remains th.it takes service In
the militia. The estimation in which the lat
ter is held by the masses is best told by the story
of the old woman in some county town, who.
being brought before the bench nt magistrates
and duly sentenced for some trifling offence.
addressed the presiding magistrate, a colonel
of the militia, to the effect that it was true
that her husband had been hanged, that her only
MAP OF MOROCCO AND ALGIERS.
Showing how handily the French railway lines in the latter country would lend themselves to an
Invasion of ths former
eon was doing- time m a penitentiary and that
her daughter had run away with an -convict,
but. she added, with the most withering sar
casm, "Thank the Lord. I niver had a relation
In the milishy:" Another characteristic story,
which Is likewise/ told of the militia, is to the
effect that on one occasion a couple of detec
tives from Scotland Yard appealed to the com
manding- officer at a regiment for permission to
attend his Inspection of the corps, as they had
reason to believe that a criminal for whom they
were searching had taken refuse In its rr.nks.
The colonel readily complied, and tnia the two
detectives to follow him up and flowu the line.
They eyed each man narrowly, and finally
stopped with a rather puzzled expression on
their faces, at the extreme «nd of the rt™ht
wing, before an elderly man with several stripes
of long service and food conduct on his arm.
"Why. surely," whispered the colonel, "you have
got nothing against that man. He ia one of:
the veterans of the regiment. What makes
you look at him so hard?" ""Why. sir," replied
one of the detectives, "i: Is Just because- he is
the only man of the entire regiment whom we
don't happen to know."
The rank ar.d file of th*» volunteers are In
finitely superior, consisting mainly of jmung
men of the upp»"' < asses, pos
sessed of education, fund of sport, and frlad to
devote some of their spare time to soldiering.
Their military training amounts to about a
fortnight or so In the year, and, while some of
them are splendid shr.ts. they cannot be re
garded as a properly trained rr.'.'.'tajy force.
Their officers. I may add, instead of being
country gentlemen and raer. of wealth and
leisure, as in the militia, axe more often mer
chants and shopkeepers, and of an inferior so
cial status, therefore, to the holders of commis
sions in the reg-ular army and milttla, & fast
which they are made to feel cruelly.
The English government will not be obliged to
appeal to Parliament to secure the enactment of
a law instituting conscription. For then* is one
already In existence, although few persons are
aware of the fact. It Is. however, suspended by an
art of Parliament, which Is passed in the expir
ing" days of every annual session of the national
legislature. Were the passage of this so-called
"suspension act 1 to be omitted any year, either
by design or unintentionally, the ballot system
of conscription would once more come Into legal
force. According to the terms of this law. the
Sovereign in Council— that is to say, the Kin< in
conjunction with the Privy Council has th*
right to call upon each county of the United
Kingdom and Ireland for a certain auota of
men between th* ajres of eighteen ami thirty
for military service, on the understanding that
the latter Is restricted to Great Britain and Ire
land, as '■•••;: as to Malta and <'<■ iraltar though
not to South. Africa. India, or anywhere else
abroad. The quota would be furnishe'l accord
ing to this law by means of ballot, anil the per
sona exempted from : the latter would be peers,
parsons, articled clerks, only sons of widows and
people medically unfit. The only amendment
that would be neede to this statute would be
the extension of the period of service, which,
under Its present terms, provides for nix months
with the colors In the first year and two
months for each of the succeeding five yeara,
With the large majority which the government
commands, and with the certainty of th» sup
port of so many of '.>- leaders ft the • Opposition,
there Is likely to bf but little difficulty out
making this slight change In th* existing law,
the suspension cf which is now bound to cease.
EX-ATTACHE.
AT GARDEN CITY. LONG ISLAND.
Garden City, Long Island. June i (Special). -Not
for some (rears have so many well known people
been stopping her" as this week. Almost all the
desirable rooms have been taken at the Garden
City Hotel for the remainder of the season.
Interest among- the lovers of outdoor sports has
been centred in the doI tournaments. The events
were th.- finals for the Meadow Brook Cu;is and tho
crack four of the Meadow Broelc first team were
pitted against tho clever four of the Country Club
of Westcbester. who, by the repeated aggressive
work of the Long Island team, were finally com
pelled to lower their colon by 9' 2 go;<ls to 8.
The commencement exercises of the Cathedra]
School of St. Mary's for Girls, which Is attached
to the Long Island Episcopal Diocese, will he held
on June 7, and that of St. Paul's, for boys, on
June 18.
The golfing events that were held on the links
of the Garden Cltv Club 'or the metropolitan cham
pionship brought out some clever play, and many
spectators daily followed the players around the
comae.
COLUMBIA'S COMMENCEMENTS.
THEY HAVE A HUMOMOUS AS WELL AS A PICTU
RESQUE AND AN MPORTAXT SIDE.
Now is the hot an.! humid time of year when
thousands of fond relatives flock to see tieir young
folks enduring the peculiar joy of commencement.
which, as every one knows, is an occasion of im
portance almost equal fee baptism or marriage. Of
an the ceremonies of this kind that take place in
New- York, the one managed by Columbia rm.er
slty is perhaps the most imposing. The partici
pants range from :he callow undergraduate to the
venerabli statesman or scientist who receives :\n
honorary degree, and Include ean.'.idn'es from "the
three sexes — men, women and school teachers." On
one day President Butler turns out enough doctors,
lawyers, engineers, architects and instructors to
enlighten a new continent.
The algna of commencement at Columbia begin
about May 1, when the seniors of Barnard. Colum
bia and Teachers College don their acadsssai suits
Of solemn black, and nobly endure their gowns and
mortarboards throughout the hottest days of the
term. Whoever instituted this custom has been
cursed by many a self-conscious boy as he writhes
under the Jeers of the lower class men. who call out
across the campus, "Hi. Bill: Hold up the train:"
Some youths bear their gowns with an air, strid
ing haughtily across the campus with one hand on
hip to display the lons pointed sleeve, while the
breeze Irflates the gown to sail-like size. Others
pretend, to be totally unconscious of th» foolish
garb, and play baseball regardless of the flying
folds. The Barnard senior Is happy In her gown
until she has to enter the precincts of Columbia.
It takes a stout heart to walk demurely through
the library as If she had on nothing unusual, amid
the winks and nods of the Columbia sophomores.
Another harbinger of commencement at Columbia
Is the singing. Whenever the seniors have a few
moments' time between classes they practise fare
well songs for classday. At any time, on any
staircase, they are likely to burst Into melody.
No matter how secluded may b« one's lecture
HOUSE OF REFUGE BOYS ANSWERING THE DINNER CALL.
room on the Columbia campus, the sound of male
voices Joined In a chant of excruciating pathos ta
*ur» to penetrate It.
An unfailing symptom of the parting; close at
hand Is the applause given to instructors. For a
week before his farewell remarks a popular pro
fessor Is applauded whenever ha stops to take
breath. No amount of frowns or pleading at the
end of the hour can keep the class from giving
three cheers for tiietr favorite which fairly make
the doors rattle.
The Barnard seniors are less explosive in senti
ment. They show no sign* of emotion until ta*lr
instructors remind them that their next meeting
will be at the final examinations. At this a. neat.
weE ordered clapping goes the rounds, and a long
line forma before the professor's desk, where each
student awaits her turn to murmur shamefacedly
how much she has enjoyed the course.
In the m:ddle cf May coma two weeks of exami
nations, when tho air Is tense with subdued excite
ment and taere is little noise on the 'Acropolis of
New-York." In the library are gathered pale, per
uplring stidents, cramming for the ordeal. Senior*
are "craw'in" wid apprebeaason,*' as Mulvaney
would say. when they think of the possible disgrace
of being plucked at the last moment.
Toward Mem' rial Day farewell dinners and
luncheons are held by the graduating classes, gen
erally in some hotel, where even the waiters grin
at the old college Jokes and "grinds" which are
raked up and applauded for th>* last time.
It is a college tradition that on the ■l^g; of
..lass day a baseball match sh.ill be played between
the faculty and the seniors of Columbia. It is very
kiad of the faculty to tmmolat^ themselves in this
way. since they almost always get beaten, and rr.u^t
suiter muscular pains for a we^k afterward. One
eminent member of the department of classical
philology plays every year, though he la afraid of
the sight of a ball. When he holds the bat he
squats close to the grounii until tha ball has passed
safely over his bead, after Which he rises ar.d as
sumes once more a sportsmanlike attitude. How
ever, the faculty have ardent backers in the- Bar
nard students, who cheat for them, not for the
seniors.
Class .Jay Is now a separate occasion from com
mencement proper. In the beginning of the whole
leremony, m the good old days described by Mark
Twain In 'Torn Sawyer." commencement exercises
began with recitations, like "Give Me Liberty or
Give Me Death," and ended with "original com
positions" on the subject of " friendship. '" "Memo
ries of other Days." ate But there is a marked
tendency nowadays to do away with BSBtfaaeataßly,
and Columbia, substitutes for that quality a scath
ing wit. which Pl&yi over the members of the class
relentlessly.
To be sore, the exercises lieglll sedately enough
with the salutator] address: the valedictorian dis
plays some of the old traditional pompousnesa in
his miniature bai. "alaureate sermon on the b^n-'flt*
Of education, and the poef contributes a dash of
3«-ntimtMitallty in his familiar refrain of "Farewell,
Columbia, farewell." But the characteristic note
of the entertainment ia struck by th' 1 class humor
ist. th« ill iii lon orator.
This genius bestows on each member of th« class
an alleged appropriate gift, accompanied by a wit
ticism on tha victim's personal peculiarities. Some
times th>» wit of the presentation orator holds up
a senior with seme prominent foibl.' to be an object
of derision to the audience, and his aunts, cousins
and non-related worshippers wince for him as he
receives tbe gift with a bravo attempt to grin.
But as a rule the Jokes are harmless and good
aatured, such as hansing OB the tallest boy in the
class a sign reading. "My mother washed me with
Wool Soup," and on the shortest boy the sign, "I
wish mine had."
I 'la.^.. statistics nre another aoaice of mirth. A
Vote is cast by the seniors as to which Of their
number Is the most popular, the worst tempered,
the bei dressed, the greediest, the tea -•. and
so on. through dozens of fan'.tst:,- eharactertstlei
Imagine the f.ellr.Ks of a proud mother who has
brought her friends to observe the triumphant
graduation of her "Jimmy." who has had "ever so
many honors thrust upon him." shea she hears
that by a unanimous vote of th.* seniors "Jimmy"
has .an named the most conceited m.vi in his
class.
Of course, there is yew tree and Ivy planting on
class lay. Ob the Columbia can:. new as tt is.
you may frequently trip over little tombstones
In the grass, bearing the Inscription, "Planted by
the class of - " la most cases the inscriptions
outiiv.- the yew. which dies early, as the result of
hasty ; anting
Barnard and Columbia, being, as very Barrard
and Columbia student will eagerly assert, "entirely
different collet hold separata class (lays. But
as many of the faculty and friends of the university
attend the festivities of both institutions, the pres
entation orators from each, college used to hold a
consultation over the "grinds" in order that there
might be no repetition of Jokej. But now they con
sult no more, and this is the reason why:
Some years ago a Barnard and a Columbia senior
were frequently seen walking together. When olasg
day drew near, the Columbia presentation orator
told the orator of Barnard that he was going to
present the friendiy Columbia senior with a couple
of spoons. The Barnard orator turned pale. "Please,
please don't!" she said. "It would be dreadful to
have such a thing referred to." The Columbia ora
tor felt that he had been on the edge of a moral
precipice, and promised that be would omit the
painful tor' 1 "- cbtSS flay he presented no table*
ware, though he felt that It would hava ea his
highest hit. Then ha went to th. Barnard exer.vs* s.
What were his ffelir^a when tho Bassard orator
calle 1 out tho girl scr.ior <>i tne Uttdvt tuur-, .m^i.
amid shouts of applause, presc m^tl her with two
spoons.
The- class day dance la perhaps the only Ball "
where the ugly, the awkward and the shy si^st
have a good ttee. If a boy bss l:!vah> qualities
IMddon under a snubby not>ed or spectacled ex
terior, some mor» dashing cymrade rr.uy extel those
Bidden virtues aa the pretty girl whom h« 'ir.es
Wtth him, so th.tt BBS beams upon the plain youth
as on a noted genius. Who has not felt the "lacrt
mae rerun-. ' on beholding at a party the wistful
line of wallflowers? But there are no wall Sowers
at a Earaanl dance. The ugliest girl .!ancea through
eeetj two-step, because about a month beforehand
she asks all her friends to give her a dance wtth
the men whom they expect to brir:?. Thus the>
dance orders of every one are completely ftlleii,
the youths are moved across the dancing floor Lk»
pawns, toward whatever girls their kind hostess
has chosen for them. I:: vain do the young men
attempt to consult their eyes in choosinsj x partr.» r.
Dialogues Like this often ensue between the Barnard
senior and her escort:
"Say, who'd that pretty girl over there?"
Barnard senior, very coldly: "Sadie Pratt.**
"Introduce me. won you?"
"There's no use bothering, you haven't a danc*
with her "
"Oh. haven't I?" very dolefully. '"Who's this
Alice Dawes you've put down for the first extra?"
"She's that girl In pink over by the pillar." i.3C!aa
Daw<?s Is a cheerful monster weighing about two
hundred pounds.)
Escort (controlir-jg himself): "Not a beauty. Is
she?"
Senior (severely): "She's a very clever sir!, Fr-d.
and a great friend of mine. I want you to be very
nice to her."
And so Fred !s rA?*> to her. and assai Daw-.. ;^i
to bed the next morning- with a heart that never
fluttered so much before.
All the types of the little world of eoHeaja rrar b<»
seen at the class day dance, Here is the dapper
stripling of fashion, who knows he appears to best
advantage when sliding •haul m his "..-it pumas;
there his prototype at Barnard, carry tr. s se-.-rai
bouquets and dividing a dance Into t an „, at the.
request of four admirers. Here is a g-.rl "grind -
who has worked passionately ever sine* she began
to win prizes In the srraminar school, now preparing
to taste merriment a: the eleventh hour in a:, -ven
ing dress of excessive modesty; there hi the male>
nscluse. who has never danced before, eanertr.* on
the ladles 1 trains, with a baa . smile. H-re !s a
member of the faculty leaning comfortably against
th* wall, assuring his Bar-.arU pupils tha: his
dancing days are past. there !s the "college
widow." ever lovely, who has been to class day
dances since before the memory of the oldest
gradual- present. Her* is. aa altmma, who has
taught school for two years, faekfas rarher faded
beside her pir.k fa -d partrer et sixteen; there a
popular aaaaaaoaa who fairly reehl Cross so much,
handshaking. These an mndredi aaSka them be
gin dancing gayly a: 9 p. m. smd are still dar.cin
dorre-ily at 3 a m.
Perhaps the -r> 7-r^nr: who does not enjoy class
day Is the senior presides: of Cnlumbla. : . has.
probably riser, eaxtj to Join In the baseball trame.
with tn* faculty; ha 3 made speeches durtna] his
luncheon, hag chased the seniors together for Jlass
day exercises, ma.de the opemr.? addvaaa 'here, and
come early to the dance to see tha: everything i»
ready. By the time the flr<« guests arrive a»BS)
ba seen, with already rumpled bad and eu&, ahout
ing to (ha vlce-pr-sld»nt to put sorre DBB !r. (ha
g:rU* dressing room. At intervals tftirirsg tha d3.r.c<»
he leads class cheers, ar.d not until dawn. wh«r»
the last strasslers have g <». does he hwsa (ha
ballroom, leading his mother, who has b<~n a pa
troness and has sat on a camp chatl flat seven
hours.
The climax of these ceremonies is comment- siiiaaa
day. The schools of Philosophy. L«.w. aßSOctasi
Engineering and Pedagogy together with -he irus
tees. professors and guests of the m %■■»-*!:•- a -a
assembled in the big circular library of Columbia,
wher.-« they march la a stately eejaasado proces
sion to (ha gymnasium, where the degrees, are con
ferred. Th* candidates for the d-jrre© of Bachelor
of Arts are crow . in the basemen;. wher<» they
fr-t and champ until the word to march. The plac»
is filled with stamping and scraps of sons such as:
C£««r. ch»»r. ?he*r. for old ColombU.
£•>«"■ •;: !*«vs. she, > ut ,f V.ihi.
« a«n tr.« sun haa »unn to reat
In Ui« bo»cia of th« wist «tc
■When the procession, headed by the Cohaahhi
seniors, swings out Into the — "»"|fc* ever] BBS be
comes solemnly self-conscious under tha >y«s of
the spectators and the click of eam.>ri3. TBS Bar
nard girls are the. next bu.!v aftes the. Cotemhhl
seniors— a lons way after, aince the two collegia
have an aversion even to appeartr.^ to be good
friends. "Slower.'" hisses the Barnarl marshal a
her line; "keep a good distance between us:"
Sometimes a group of Columbia ahsds. <?he*m
for Bamax'l as the girls go by "Who are thosa
boys?" aaanaaani the Barnard president in :.
retary's ear. 'Freshmen, you may be sur«." is the
cynical reply; "they haven't beep, taught the eti
quette of Columbia."
Barnard takes a g*r.::!r!- pleasure !n beholding
the millinery of tho faculty ant} trustee", aa ther
climb up a* the ssstfeeaa Tho br-.'.linn: lil-^-lay of
color m the aeadSSßSa hiicda cheers t.^^m darhaj
the long speeches of the day A *i_rh „* delight
greets th« appearance of BUhop Potter in rs. violet
cassock, a red g^wn with pink sleeves, sad a p-irpla
mortarboard tx=st>l!e«l with gold,
When all the caadkaCes are assembled In the
gymnasium, the chaphiin says a prayer, and the
president of the unrrersity maXes a s::eech— tSs
only no generally hearii. tiwin^c to th*> poor acous
tics of the building. The president's speech 13 al
ways calculated to penetrate to the highest cillery
in the gyamaa and to the lowest Intellect .a the
audience.
The rest of the exercises nasaal of many speeches
by the deans- of the colleges. ai-ccmnani>»tl by a
popping up and down of the candidates mentionee\
sad the rather more lnter*"s:ir.<? coutecrmg of hon
orary degrees, By far the be3t part of the pr
iramrre hi the last number, w. h en the thousands ot
students and quests rise to tr-»-ir *e^r and sinsr very
slowly. "My Country. 'T?3 of Thee. ' Whtai tho
building trembles with the sound of voices, mingled
with the triumphant trumpet and the. heavenly
harp, the senior thrills with the elation of beins *
unit In that great whole— tha aaxvexstrj;
AFTER THE WAR.
From i
The Jap badk triumphed. The baffled Muscovite
had asked fnr terms. After some negotiation the
status of Ma: -hur'a and Corea had been hi mil
upon. "But." aaia the Japanese diplomats, "there
must be an indemnity."
"How much*" said the Russians.
•Ten thousand million yen."
"Preposterous!" said the emissaries o? the Czar.
"We are willing to pay for the coat of m war.
but wo will die in the last ditch before we will
allow you to stick us with the cost of the ante
bellum, stationery!"
Nevertheless, Japan b-»in«r firm, the erstwhile
haughty Slav was forced to accept her terms.
3