THE ORPHANAGE NEWS LETTER.
to plan and make useful articles for
tlie home it is not the intention
however to teach this kiud of work
so much as the mote practical, such
as how to plan ami erect buildings.
The hoys take great interest in the
work, but have labored under a dis
advantage t ins year as the hour for
this work comes after dark four nights
in the week. An etlort will he made
to so arrange the schedule next year
that this wo; k can he given in the
day time l hen instruction can he
given to the s na. er hoys as well, at
present it is only given to the larger
Difficulty has been found in net
ting the material with which to work,
as we have to li ;ve it shipped in from
tile States. One order was hist ex
cept one plank. The native lumber
is too sott and too full of knots to
work well. Hut in spite of these dif
ficulties the bovs h ve ripped out and
planed strips from it sufficient to
pannel the school rooms. These
strips will he stained and will add
imuh tu the Already neat appear
en»*e of the school room. The bovs
arc competing for a prize that has
been offe ed for the best work done
bv the close of the school year.
J. R. Minis
The Primary Department
In this department we have about
thirty-five pupils, fourteen of whom
are native children, and are not at all
regular in attendance. One cause
being the numerous hoi days of the
Russian Church, of which they are
all members The remaining num
ber are from the Orphanage, and a -
tend regularly. The ages of the
children range from six to thirteen
As is the case in all schools some of
the children are quite bright and
studious, consider itrg the homes from
which they have come ami their very
ignorant parentage, and really seem
eager to learn and know about things,
especi . 11 y those things pertaining to
the outside world from which they
are so completely isolated; while
others are careless and indifferent.
Lwondra Sqvort/soff a hoy of thir
teen. is deserving ot special mention;
seemingly he is trying to learn all he
can, and make the most of his oppor
tunitit*s. There are several other
promising pupils, among whom are
John Perrin, Nancy Matbison. Titi
ans Fotsman, Kitty McConahay,
Annie Sexton and little Kate I>obro
vvolski (Haby Kate ) It would be dif
ficult imleed to find iti the States the
same number of children who are less
quarrelsome in their play together
than these; and their behaviour, and
courtesy in the school room are ex
cellent.
Some of the children are quite
bright at times in their quick ans
wers When asked, not long ago.
what the result would he if one of
them should scratch or mar the new
desks? Phil Dohrowolski. with his
thin little voice immediately piped
out: “The consequences.”
The school building is situated on
rlie sen beach, so the children amuse
themselves during the play hour by
gathering shells, sea-weed, sponges,
etc. We have quite a collection of
sue h things, and wish that our friends
iti the States might enjoy them also.
It requires patience, * nd one must
not I t easily dis« -ouraged in doing
school work here, hut these qualifi
cations are quite as necessary in
teac hitig in the States. Iam pleased
with the progress my pupils have
made.
Mahjoria P MALAl Till k.