The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1893-11-04
4 MODEL institution.

a Model institution.
The other day Mr.. and Mrs. q. r. Tinan
of Kimball came over for a visit with
their friends in the Industrial school.
We made their stay as pleasant as posi-
BILE. They were shown through all the
departments of the institution. Thev
saw the boys and girls at work, at play
and at their meals and in the school
room, and of course had the best of |
facilities for arriving at a correct con-
clusi0n with reference to the practical,
every day workings Of the State Industrial
School. Mr.. Tinan is the editor of the
kimball Graphic and gets out one Of the
best weekly papers in the state. Your
visit, kind friends, was very much enjoy /
ed. Come again.-Plankinton Mail
And thereby hangs a tale.
While the state recognizes the neces-
sity of penal institutions-commonly
called penitentaries-for the confinement
of the vicious element of society and COM
uon humanity provides asylums OF retreat
for those of diseased minds, there is a
certain and no inconsiderable element
OF our population which neither mercy
nor justice can reach. Ever since the
time Of Adam and Eve the world has had
its incorrigible boys and girls-and the
weakness OF humanity in general leads
to the conclusion that it will always be
so. 1t is ian important institution, there
fore. that has for its object not only the
control but the betterment and advance
ment into a purer life those of the rising
generation who have unfortunately &C.
quired or inherited traits OF character
detrimental not only to themselves but
to the state at large. And it speaks we'll
for the young state of South Dakota that
one of its first acts was to build within
Its borders a pleasant home for its way
ward youth that they may grow into
manhood and womanhood useful and
honored citizens.
But all this labor of love and patriotism
would come to naught il at the head of
such an institution were placed a super
intendant and matron inexperienced in
such work aud not naturally endowed
with those trials of character which make
their duties more a labor of love than
means of a livelihood. Ever since the
writer knew c. w. Ainsworth intimately
and his estimable wife through others he
has felt that both were doing noble work
at the State Industrial School at Plank
inton. (The statutes designate the in
stitution as the State Reform School, but
Mr.. Ainsworth naturally abhors the idea
of sending his wards out into the world
with a Reform" plaster on them aud
substitutes the more pleasing word "In-
dustrial.'D A visit to the institution, as
briefly told in the clipping at the head of
this article, more thoroughly impressed
us with the splendid management Of this
institution.
What strikes the average visitor first
is that notwithstanding the widest liberty
given the inmates of the institution, the
number Of those who attempt to escape
is so small that it cuts no figure what
ever in the management and is the very
least Of Mr.. Ainsworth's troubles. The
luSklUullOu AU" ldS o. ullthVCS VI Wl1ASD
go are boys and 90 girls. The day we
were present nearly all of them except
the girls were in the fields completing
the fall work. In most cases the boys
were unattended by any employee of the
institution and there was nothing to
hinder any one or a number of them from
mounting a horse and skipping out.
But no such thought seems to enter their
minds. Most OF them seem to identify
themselves with the institution after but
a few days and take pride in it and its
( management. Mischief always finds
t some work for idle hands to do, and to
the visitor it seems that Mr.. aud Mrs.
Ainsworth's success largely lies in keep
ing all hands busy from mcrning 'tiil
night. 1t is not unnatural to presume
Y that most of the youths sent to the school
have spent many years in idleness either
t through choiceo or by the leniency Of their
parents or guardians. When not at their
+ studies they are given some employment
' at the school, and this together with the
clean quarters, pleasant surroundings
!, liberal and wholesome food and kind
treatment has a tendency to completely
alter their dispositions. Thew go abou,
: their work with the utmost cheerfulness
= and the visitor imagines himself on SOM
magnificent farm where many hands are
= employed rather than at a genuine re
form school filled with what are supposed
5 to be awfully wicked boys and girls. Ii
u one field a half a dozen boys were plow
. ing, and although no one was near then
one would think they were getting SIS {
Il furrow, the way they turned up thu
ground. Over in another part OF tn
n grounds a large number we're gathering
the onions, %cabbages, turnips, carrots ant
other root crops. One lot of boys wer'
e helping get a root cellar in readiness
d Then there were boys to care for the driy
ing horses and wagons and carriages
others to see to the pigs and the chicken
a and the COWS. We went out to look q
d the stock, and many a farmer in thi
ID country would coyet the many fine ami
mails on the farm, especially the pigs
d Mr.. Ainsworth seems to dote on pig
If There were big pigs, medium pigs an
little pigs till you couldn't count them
" In the pigery were about q doze1
70 brood sows and something like seventy
five or a hundred little pigs. Outsid
n was a big drove OF shoats. This, to-
after about 800 worth has been dispose
Of this fall. The same order and cleanl
o ness that prevails everywhere on tt
Is premises extends to the quarters of IL
porkers. 1t is II beauty OF the plac
is the order that prevails all over the farn
40 and the splendid care that is taken
H. every implement, utensil OF article b
longing to the institution.
H. The printing office is. of course, an ii
:. tprpStjnp feature. e%sOeciallY to the visit