Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 56, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 March 1911 — FARM TO SAVE CITY YOUTH [ARTICLE]

FARM TO SAVE CITY YOUTH

Pittsburg Begins Odd Municipal Experiment in Training Boys for Better Citizenship. Pittsburg, Pa. —An odd municipal experiment in training for better citizenship has begun to this county with the purchase of 900 acres of farm land, on which 500 boys, all wards of the Juvenile court, shall be taught close to nature, to become good men. A committee of prominent citizens, led by David B. Oliver, formerly comptroller of public schools of the city and a brother of Senator George T. Oliver, originated the idea, and, aided by the county commissioners, is carrying It out Mr. Oliver, who Is one of the wealthiest men to Pittsburg, has found that frequently the "bad boys” make the best mep, and be is giving his time and money to the project, which really marks a new step in the care of Juvenile court children. The only noteworthy Institution like It Is at Industry, N. Y., but that is a state Institution. On the land, which Is thirty miles from Pittsburg, will be built cottages which will accommodate twenty boys. A bead farmer will look after the youngsters. The present plan for the home is to build a central colony of five cottages around machine, carpenter and blackspilth shpps, where boys who want to learn trades will be grouped. Removed, however, from this central group will be fifteen other cottages. They will be occupied by boys who want to be farmers. It Is not the Intention to segregate the boys, but to keep them apart as much as possible. Half of each day will be devoted to school and half to work. Of course, s time will be set aside for playing. To still further carry out the family idea there will be a number of school buildings constructed at different places on the farm. Each of the school buildings will accommodate a certain number of pupils. It will be so arranged that children from probably four cottages will, go to each school. Thus the term win corrfspond to a country community and the school houses to country schools.

It Is the purpose of the commission! to keep from the home any semblance; of a reform school or prison, mo thati the children who leave can go out Into the world without any handicap of any kind to the form of a past to live down. The only gujly to the nearly one} thousand acres will be dammed up and there to the summer time the children can swim to the water flowing, from Brush Creek. The swimming to>l® will be shaded by trees on the, slopes leading to It and no sulphur' from mines will mar Its dearness.