The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1889-02-14


Sparta, in this state. Such persons as
have contributed and others friendly to
this public charity will be pleased to
read statement Of the location and i'm
provements Of the place, furnished By a
correspondent of The Milwaukee Sentinel:
Situated ia northeasterly direction
from and lying just on the outskirts Of
the city OF Sparta Is a group OF hand
some buildings which constitute what
is known as the State School for De-
pendent and Neglected children, es-
tablisned by the legislature of 1885,
aud for the maintenance of which the
Legislature appropriated $4,000 imme-
diately, and again on the increasing de-
mand for more room, $4,000 for a
main building aud other necessary
structures in 1887.
The location is on regular tract Of
land embracing about l65 acres lying
between the La Crosse river and the
city, possessed Of every desis able adyan-
tage, rich soil, pure water, good drain
age, and surrounded by one of the finest
landscapes in the state. The buildings
which comprise the institution are eight
in number the main building, FIVE cot
tages, laundry and engine house, and
the stab es. The main building and
five cottages stand in a nearly regular
line, a reasonable distance apart, and
face to the west, fronting ON the city.
10 the rear Of the cottages IL the en-
CINE and laundry building, the high
and wIde-mouthed chimney Of which is
hid from genera view by the buildings
in front At some distance to the rear
Of all other buildings are the stables,
surrounded by a grove which concoals
them until a near approach
The main building, largest Of all,
consists OF basement, three and onefialf
stories Yhe front and main entrance
is directly facing lho terminus OF
FrankHa street and the whole structure
is a prominent object from far down the
street. Entering the building one
comes directly into large vestibule, on
the left Of which ID the general Office
opening from this to the rear is the SUI
perintendent's private Office, now as al
ways occupied by the Rev. r. I. Rob
erts. TIE greater part Of the first floor
is occupied by the children's dining
room, large apartment opening both to
the trout and rear Of the building. Be-
low is the basement divided into bakery,
children's kitchen, sewing, room and two
storI-rooms. On the second floor is the
main assembly room, finely flushed and
well furnished. The third story is Civ
en- entirely. to apartments for officers and
employees Of the institution The build
ing entire, as are all others, are heated
by steam and lighted by gas. The cot
tages, so called because built upon the
Cottage plan" are mainly Of red brick
finished in the most modern style Of
architecture. and with their quaint en-
frances, odd trimmings aud stained
glass prescnc very handsome and
homo|lGe appearance, quite contrary to
the usual prison-IiGo aspect OF charitable
institutions Every building issupplied
with water on each floor furnished from
the water tower standing directly in the
rear Of the main building, it in turn OBJ
tanning its supply from one Of the ever
flowing arte8ian wells for which the city
is so famous.
So much for the shelter provided for
the homeless waits Of the state. AS re-
CARDS lhe work Of the institution the
st tistc3 show the achool to be opened
On the 1t day Of October, 1886, and
the first child received in November Of
the same year. 343 children have been
received since, 1870 Of VIII I'm have been
found permanent homes about the state,
leaving now 204 inmates, only twenty
short of the entire capacity Of the
school. This large family Of youngsters.
whose ages range from 3 to IL years,
are taken care Of in system which is
most admirable. Ali are classified ac-
cording TO age and advancement into
separate families, each Of which has a
separate cottage as its home and is gov
erDed by matron. On the first floor
Of each cottage is the school-room, fur
nished with all the apparatus of a regu
lation school, and here is taught 1.-The
vounp idea how to shoot There