the saloon when he should have been attending school. The Ruth’s were ordered
to send George to Saint Mary’s Industrial School for Boys in the city of Baltimore.
Operated by the Xaverian Brothers of the CatholicChurch, St. Mary’s was a training school for orphans, delinquents, and other poor young boys in need of help. More than eight
hundred boys, ranging from the age of seven to eighteen, lived and studied at St. Mary’s. Discipline under the brothers was
strict. The boys were told what to do and when to do it. The students, who referred to themselves as “inmates,” all slept
in dormitories and were not allowed to leave St. Mary’s without supervision.
Young George arrived at St. Mary’s on June 13, 1902. Its imposing gray stone buildings and high wooden fence made it look
like a prison. George didn’t understand what St. Mary’s was or why he was there. When his father escorted him to the school
office, said good-bye, and left, George (the foul-mouthed, tobacco-chewing street urchin) suddenly discovered he wasn’t so
tough. Alone and afraid, he began to cry.
Fortunately, the Xaverians understood young boys like George. They knew such boys weren’t bad — they just needed someone to
pay attention to them and provide them with some direction, discipline, and love. They tried to provide each boy with aneducation and a skill that would eventually allow each of them to earn a living and become a good, responsible citizen.
George was kept so busy at St. Mary’s that he didn’t have time to get into trouble. All the boys awoke each morning at six,
attended church, ate breakfast, and then spent five hours in school either learning academic subjects or studying for a trade.
After a two-hour break for lunch and recess, they spent another two hours either in class or, if they were over twelve years
old, working. Before dinner the boys were encouraged to play sports. They were then allowed to read for forty-five minutes
before going to bed at 8:15. They attended school five days a week plus a half day on Saturday. After church services on Sundays
they were free to participate in school sports, play in the band, and take part in other similar activities.
At first, George hated St. Mary’s. No one had ever told him when to get up in the morning, when to eat, what to wear or do,
or when to go to bed. After all, he had always done as he pleased before, and now suddenly the brothers were telling him what
to do every minute of the day.
Each brother was assigned eight or ten boys to watch over. Brother Matthias, the head of discipline at St. Mary’s, was assigned
to look after young George Ruth. An enormous man who stood nearly six and a half feet tall and weighed nearly three hundred
pounds, Matthias looked as if he could break a person in half with his bare hands.
But Brother Matthias didn’t use force. He was firm, but gentle and patient. Although the boys called him “the boss,” they
weren’t afraid of Brother Matthias. He treated each student with respect.
Brother Matthias took a special interest in young George, who could neither read nor write and had no idea how to behave properly.
Ever so slowly, George began to respond to the attention. No adult had ever taken an interest in him. He began working hard
at school and at his trade, shirtmaking, just to make Brother Matthias happy. A word or look of praise from Brother Matthias
made George feel proud.
Brother Matthias loved baseball and was a good player himself. He wowed the students at St. Mary’s by hitting long fly balls
while holding the bat with only one hand.
George loved playing baseball, too. Nearly every afternoon, he played pickup games and practiced batting. On the weekends
he played for several teams run by St. Mary’s. These teams were made up of players of different ages from the various shop
programs and dormitories. Some of the teams represented St. Mary’s against other institutions.
to send George to Saint Mary’s Industrial School for Boys in the city of Baltimore.
Operated by the Xaverian Brothers of the CatholicChurch, St. Mary’s was a training school for orphans, delinquents, and other poor young boys in need of help. More than eight
hundred boys, ranging from the age of seven to eighteen, lived and studied at St. Mary’s. Discipline under the brothers was
strict. The boys were told what to do and when to do it. The students, who referred to themselves as “inmates,” all slept
in dormitories and were not allowed to leave St. Mary’s without supervision.
Young George arrived at St. Mary’s on June 13, 1902. Its imposing gray stone buildings and high wooden fence made it look
like a prison. George didn’t understand what St. Mary’s was or why he was there. When his father escorted him to the school
office, said good-bye, and left, George (the foul-mouthed, tobacco-chewing street urchin) suddenly discovered he wasn’t so
tough. Alone and afraid, he began to cry.
Fortunately, the Xaverians understood young boys like George. They knew such boys weren’t bad — they just needed someone to
pay attention to them and provide them with some direction, discipline, and love. They tried to provide each boy with aneducation and a skill that would eventually allow each of them to earn a living and become a good, responsible citizen.
George was kept so busy at St. Mary’s that he didn’t have time to get into trouble. All the boys awoke each morning at six,
attended church, ate breakfast, and then spent five hours in school either learning academic subjects or studying for a trade.
After a two-hour break for lunch and recess, they spent another two hours either in class or, if they were over twelve years
old, working. Before dinner the boys were encouraged to play sports. They were then allowed to read for forty-five minutes
before going to bed at 8:15. They attended school five days a week plus a half day on Saturday. After church services on Sundays
they were free to participate in school sports, play in the band, and take part in other similar activities.
At first, George hated St. Mary’s. No one had ever told him when to get up in the morning, when to eat, what to wear or do,
or when to go to bed. After all, he had always done as he pleased before, and now suddenly the brothers were telling him what
to do every minute of the day.
Each brother was assigned eight or ten boys to watch over. Brother Matthias, the head of discipline at St. Mary’s, was assigned
to look after young George Ruth. An enormous man who stood nearly six and a half feet tall and weighed nearly three hundred
pounds, Matthias looked as if he could break a person in half with his bare hands.
But Brother Matthias didn’t use force. He was firm, but gentle and patient. Although the boys called him “the boss,” they
weren’t afraid of Brother Matthias. He treated each student with respect.
Brother Matthias took a special interest in young George, who could neither read nor write and had no idea how to behave properly.
Ever so slowly, George began to respond to the attention. No adult had ever taken an interest in him. He began working hard
at school and at his trade, shirtmaking, just to make Brother Matthias happy. A word or look of praise from Brother Matthias
made George feel proud.
Brother Matthias loved baseball and was a good player himself. He wowed the students at St. Mary’s by hitting long fly balls
while holding the bat with only one hand.
George loved playing baseball, too. Nearly every afternoon, he played pickup games and practiced batting. On the weekends
he played for several teams run by St. Mary’s. These teams were made up of players of different ages from the various shop
programs and dormitories. Some of the teams represented St. Mary’s against other institutions.
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