Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-04-04
The Industrial Home School.


sIONERS.
The following communication was receiv we'd
al the Office OF the District Commissioners
yesterday:
APRIL Sd. 1876.
Hon. Commissioners Of the District Of COl,smbid:
Gentlemen: We have noticed with surprise
the communication of Col. Timothy Luoey,
commissioner of the Washington asylum,
recommending that the aims house property
in Georgetown, the occupancy OF which you
generously granted one year ago TO the In
duStrial Home School, be set apart as q re-
foTmatoTy institution for prostitutes. We
admit the necessity of such an institution
but respectfully protest against having an
Industrial institution of far greater import
ance TO the community at large supplanted
by an establishment for the support and re-
form of confirmed prostitutes, the number of
which would be reduced to an unuotiCeable
minimum were industrial schools, such as
the one we represent, plentiful throughout
the country and properly encouraged by
those in authority.
1t is a well established fact, that prostitu-
ton is mainly the result of an inability on
the part of girls to learn suitable trades TO
make them self supporting and independent.
The lowest forms of prostitution 1.-THE only
class which can possibly be effectively
reached by correctional and reformatory in
situations as suggested by Col. Lubey), can
far more effectively be pTeuerted by indus
trial houses for the children of the poor, the
friendless and the outcast, such as the one
we have maintained.
Our Institution is not an experiment. 1t
has been in operation over eight years, do
ing its work quietly and perseveringly, and
struggling against difficulties known only
10 those engaged in the work. During that
time iI3 children had been received and pro.
Vided for, and we can refer to numerous
young men and women who are earning an
honest living that received their jra educa-
ton and help from our industrial school.
such is the institution, the only one OF its
kind III the District now in operation at the
Georgetown almshouse, which 1t is proposed
TO divert from It's present purpose, the pre-
ventive OF idlenesS and crime, to that of an
Institution for its punishment and reform
We ask your honorable body TO examine the
subject well before you act in the premises.
Removing or palliating the effects of prOsti-
tuition will not remove the cause. Attack
the primary cause OF crime, and you will not
be called upon 10 spend large sums in tenn
porarily removing its effects.
See 10 II, that every girl in the District of
COlrmbia is afforded an opportunity to at
tend school, and be trained To industry, no
matter how friendlesS, how Impoverished her
natural guardian, or how mrch of outcast
her parents. Secure the enactment OF laws
that shall effectively eradicate all forms of
Nagrancy Smong the young; see 10 il that
laws are placed upon your statutes that
will compel parents negligent of the
future OF their children, TO submit TO
having them made useful citizens by
the state of Its industrial schools,
where raiment and food, useful instruction
CAREFUL attendance in sickness, a1d the
beneht ent influences of home are accorded
70 every inmate. on nave q reform school
for boys who have been guilty of misde-
meanoTs and crimes, where they are trained
To Usefulness and industry. To enter there
Implies some violation OF laws. To leave
there carries with IL the stigma of some mis-
deed; but what have you TO offer to the large
number OF children of Outcasts, the children
OF the sick and destitute to the friepdIess
waif; nothing but what the exceedingly
limited means and efforts of the Industrial
Home School has offered; neither the orphan
asy lums, or reform school, or almshouse
meet these cases.
The child of the drunkard and Of the prosti-
tute is to be piJied even more than the or
phan. The honest child of sick and destitute
parents, unable to furnish 1t with proper
clothing TO attend school, or the means to
learn trade, should certainly be equally
well provided for by the state as the child
bat enters the portals of a reformatory insti-
tute on account of crime.
We therefore appeal TO your humanity, to
your sense Of jus lice. and to your discern
ment OF the truly useful, whether 1t would
De charitable, right or wise, to turn out the
children now under our care, In order TO
MAKE room for another establishment, while
crime alone shall entitle to admission. We
not only make this app cal, not to dispossess
the Industrial Home School of the District
honorable body to supplement our efforts by
an appropriation OF SIX Thousand towards
increasing the effectiveness OF the institu-
ton, and by securing the enactment of APP
proprtate laws which shall extend in useful
ness.
GSigned John Hitz, president; j. l.. Black
ford, secretary; Walter :. Cox; in benalf of
Inc Board OF Managers Industrial Home
School of the District of Columbia.