Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1892-01-14

BY prompt action this can be done In season
to enable IL to take such action as may DO
deemed necessary for the proper care of those
now outside the hospitals OF the state.
Through answers TO q circular letter adj
dressed TO the auditors Of the several countesI
learn that these now number 500, of whom
sixty-six are private patients maintained with
out public expense, while many Of the others
arc provided for In the poor houses OF several
Of the counties.
That some different provision for the care Of
those thus provided for should DO made as
early as practicable Is apparent, but that II
should be made with q view TO the reduction
Of expense as far as IL consistent with the do
tatcs Of humanity, 10 also imperative.
Industrial schools.
At the close Of the last biennial period there
werc 40l boys In the school at Eldora and lit
girls at Mitchellvlllc,
Applications for the release Of children
from these schools are constantly being made
10 the governor by parents and guardians and
often by those who are entirely qualified 10
care for their own.
1t was my first impression that in every
case where the cause e. compliment was iu-
corrigibility such requests ought - be granted
This sccmed TO me duo the parents whose
natural right II Is 10 control their own child
ron, enjoy their society and the fruits Of their
labor, and equally due the state because Of
lessened expense that results from tho dis.
charge OF any one Of these inmates. But l
was told by those In csarge OF the schools that
under their rules child, II perfect In deport-
ment, could earn his way out In little moro
than year from the time OF commitment,
and II they were Sd to believe they could 90
discharged through executive clomency tho
discipline OF the schools would be greatly I'M
paired
Through the courtesy OF the superlntendents
learn that the inmates now ut Eldora have
becn confined follows.
One more than nine years.
Five over eight and less than nine years
Nine over seven and less than eight years
Ten over six ana less than seven years
Twenty-three over five and less than six
years.
Forty-four over four and less than five years.
Forty-three over three and less than four
years.
Seventy-onc over two and less than three
years.
Eighty-ninc over one and less man TWO
years.
Nlnety-four less than one year
OF the 40l boys confined at Eldora go were
| committed on the charge OF incorrigibility,
| 8S for yagrancy and l43 To- violation "a
| some one OF the penal laws q the state.
One hundred and twenty-four are confined
| In the school tor girls ut Mitchellyille and
| have been detained rs follows:
| Ono over eight years:
| Three over seven and less Than eight years.
| Five over six and less than seven years
Ten over five and less than six years.
Eight over four ana less than i've years.
| Fifteen over three and less than Tour years,
Twenty-ninc over two and less than three
| years.
Thirty-one over one and lsss than two years.
Twenty-one less than one year
OF these II are committed as incorriglble,
s for vagrglcy, and the remainder, 4S In
number, Tor criminal ofenses. have classed
number who we're committed Tor offenscs
which do not amount TO o violation OF penal
statutes because ! think vsgrant child Is not
on that account alone criminal.
1t is said By those In charge Of these schools
that inquiry often develops the Tact that In
mates committed for incorfgihility and va
grancy were actually guilty Oh Vioiatlon OF
criminal laws, but were committed on charges
Of this character 10 avoid the odium OF the
| crimes Of which they we're In fact guilty.
1t is, however, as q general rule true that
the offenses Of which these children are guilty
| are OF petty nature. 80 shgnt, indeed, tbat
| II they wero adults the extreife penalty which
could be imposed would be Inc OF BOO and
thirty days confinement In jail, and even THIS,
| IL indicted TO the full extent Of the law upon
mature men and women FOR many OF the OF
lenses for which these children are confined,
ment.
| 1t Is to my mind question OF tho gravest
| doubt whether radical change ought not TO
be made in the present methods OF sentencing
these children, and also in the rules of the
schools providing for their release.
am satisfied beyond doubt that In many
instances parents and guardians take advant-
age of the law as Mt present administered,
and send children TO these institutions Tor tho
simple purpose Of being relieved OF the care
and expense Of their support often, have no
| doubt, honestly believing that they are proper
In ,iaht 70 paar md cd "A n
| For this the state 10 largely responsible. II
has as much as possible undertaken to conceal
| their real character by relieving them, even In
name, Of everything that would tend to
| characterize them as penal In their nature and
by giving them the apparent position OF edu-
catonal institutions maintained at public ex-
pensc.
| / believe this TO be wrong. Parents and
| children alike should understand that these
are places for the vicious children alone
That 10 be sent there is disgrace both TO the
child and his family. That while there his
surroundings are necessarily bad. That bar
! ring his teachers and attendants his associates
| belong always to the vicious and often to tho
criminal classes.
do not believe any child should be sent to
these schools simply because he Is incor-
| rigible.
i have found as a rule upon inquiry of par
cnts who have caused their children to be so
| confined on this charge that the child's real
offense consisted in his playing Tuant when
sent to school, or that they would run away
from home and mingle, as they express 1t,
WIN -oSd poys OF gao st nais Ia e,eI ~
10 nave iaSorsu uhaei se -
SEM 70 one Oh 'hcse plsees '1oi ,.s :, ,rtHo
moutu oe 80, H. "a ~ . a,ace ~ nj, the
sne VI ~. - . 20 go. sabnis wbaro anv nov
| a., ,,iri coniS and onc-tenth as many yjcious
| children assembled together. All familiar
with the management of these institutions
VIII readily ooncedo the devotion OF onicers
and teachers TO the work assigned tnem, ana
yet In spite OF everything possible 70 De done
these places are prisons instead Oh schoois,
from which nearly every inmate yearns 70 DC
! released with all inc intensity Oh Childish ue-
sire.
would change the law SO tnao no child
could be sent to one OF these institutions until
he had violated penal statute OF tne stute.
| would make IL the duty OF tne court py Wnlcn
he was sentenced 10 disunctly s,ate IN its
judgment the precise onense Oh "nieh ne ~
guilty: ,,,..
| In all cases OF hrst onense WOULD rcquiTe
the court TO fix a time beyond which the cnllu
could not be confined ana Would give q Inos'
liberal discount from THIS 1of gooo conuuct;
So far as present inmates are concerned I'D
| every case where they are colnrnlJteO LOT in-