serve to promote the welfare of the institution
as well as for training the individual, it devolves upon the
superintendent and matron to have ready suitable work, and all the tools
and materials necessary to execute it, when the students are ready for
assignment.

This work includes the chores morning and evening, the preparation of
the fuel--about twenty-five cords annually, first in the timber and
then at the woodpile--the cultivation of the farm and garden, the
harvesting of the crops and the care of the stock, all of which may be
termed necessary routine work.

In addition thereto there may be permanent improvement work, such as the
clearing of new lands for cultivation and enclosing them with good
fences, the repair of old and the erection of new buildings and the
manufacture of articles of furniture or comfort, for the better
equipment of the many rooms in the buildings.

A plain statement of these two kinds of work will indicate to nearly
every one the prime importance of endeavoring to accomplish as much
improvement work as possible each term. There is now more of this
improvement work pressing for immediate attention than possibly may be
done during the next three years, but it needs now to be contemplated,
intelligently provided for, and then executed as speedily as possible.

SAWING WOOD, A PICNIC

Saturday forenoon has come to be recognized as the special fuel or
timber day of each week. It is a busy and bustling day for all. For this
day's work two dozen boys are organised and equipped with axes, a
splitting outfit, four crosscut saws and the mule team. The axe men are
divided into two squads, the axe men or stumpers who cut down trees, and
the trimmers who trim the trunks and large branches. Three boys are
assigned to each crosscut, two of whom are expected to keep the saw
running steadily, while the third one, who is supposed to be resting,
carries a light lever and, with the weight of his body raises the log
under the crosscut, so it will not bind the saw as it goes through it.
By taking turns at the saw and lever, the hardness of this work is
greatly relieved, and it sometimes is surprising to see the amount of
work, done by the small boys, when they have "a mind to work." If the
logs are large or the saw runs hard, it is not unusual for them to
couple together and merrily make the running of the saw a four-handed
affair. The superintendent, or one of the older boys acting as a
foreman, goes b