Los Angeles herald., 1891-03-17
THE NEW REFORM SCHOOL.


the sewer question.
THE NEW REFORM SCHOOL.
A Visit to the State Buildings at
Whittier.
Now that the appropriations for the
opening OF the new state reform school
at Whittier have passed both houses
and are in the hands of the governor,
who will undoubtedly sign them, the
work of furnishing the buildings with
all that is required to place the school
in active operation will soon be COM
menced.
Bids have been made for putting in
electrical light machinery and lamps, for
an engine and boiler to heat the establish
ment and to run the elevator, dynamos,
etc., for the machinery and equipments
required for the laundry, for furniture
for the school rooms, dormitories,
Offices, chapel, etc. The lowest bid
received was about $51 900 for the COM
plete interior equipment of the estab-
lishment as above. The bill, however,
appropriates 100000. and the expense
will have to be kept down to that figure.
Aninspection of the main building was
made by US yesterday under the gnid-
ance OF DR.. Walter Lindley, the superin-
tendent. The outsideview Of the edi6ce is
imposing, and the style Of architecture
very pleasing to the eye. 1t is solidly
built Of brick; faced with pressed brick,
and wherever stone is used, the Sespe
gray granite is brought into play with
excellent effect. There are three stories,
besides the basement and attic. The
basement is foored and lined with
cement, and is divided into apartments,
to be devoted to baths, lavatory, laundry,
kitchen, bakery, buttery, closets, etc.
The arrangements made for the lava
tory are great improvement upon the
old wash-bowl lavatories. There are
four iron tanks running the whole length
OF the room, with towel locker and a
faucet for each pupil, where he can per-
form his ablutions from the running
water, thus obviating the possibility Of
contagious skin and eye diseases from
the use by number of pupils of the
same water and towels. The bathroom
is supplied with a large cemented reser-
voir, where the boys can take dip, and
with showers. Lockers are ranged
against the walls, where each boy can
have his change of clothes.
The main floor is entered from the
front by graceful and substantially
constructed porch, with pillars and over
hanging balustrade. This floor is de-
voted to offices for the officers, reception
rooms and spacious and well-lighted
school room. The corridors are wide
and the. floor is composed of marble
slabs. The finishing of the rooms is in
redwood polished and vanished. A
large room at the rear of the building
has been set off for tailoring, where the
boys will learn to make their own
clothes.
The second story is devoted to school
rooms, rooms for the officers, and suite
set off at the east, end for the superin-
tendent and his family. There is also
large work room set off on this floor.
At the west end is the chapel, which oc-
cupies the height OF the first and second
stories. 1t has a gallery for the girls,
and will seat five hundred in the main
space in front OF the chancel. This is a
very neat room both in design and fin
ish, and will serve for lectures, ETC., as
we'll as divine service.
The third story has dormitories, a
large library room, room where shoes
will be made, and rooms for teachers,
assistants, etc. All the dormitories
throughout the building are well venti-
lated and supplied with light from spa
cious windows.
The Arrangement Of the whole build
ing is excellent. The rooms are all COM
modious in size. and the design has left
nothing to be desired in the appoint
ments that are required for the success
full working of the institution. The
power house is located about three hun
dred feet from the rear of the
main building, and the stables are
still further away. Provision has been
made for the wastage of the main
building, and every floor is provided
with closets, etc.
The water is conveyed into tanks
placed under the dome, from which pipes
are led all over the premises.
The house now used by the superin-
tendent will be temporarily turned into
a dormitory for girls until the rest OF the
buildings contemplated in the original
plans are erected.
The superintendent says that the insti-
tuition will be ready TO receive inmates in
a few months, and will be formal
ly opened about the 1st of July.
The grounds belonging to this insti-
tuition have been we'll cultivated, and
good roads have been laid out in all di-
rections. There are forty acres of land
which belong to the state by gift, and
one hundred and twenty acres have
been bonded, Of which the state has the
present use. The soil is very rich, and
trees laid out two years ago are growing
finely. A twenty-acre field of barley is
looking very healthy, and will afford
large amount of feed for the stock be-
longing to the school. Taken alto
gether, this promises to be one of the
most benefcent and successful institu-
tions the state has yet founded.