Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-04-09
GIRLS REFORM SCHOOL
Urgent Need for an Enlargement of the
Present Capacity.
Saving Young Girls From COntami-
mating Association With
Hardened Criminals.

A movement Is now foot to secure
from Congress an appropriation for the en-
largement of the building and the extension
Of the work at the Girls Reform School,
which has been in operation here this win
ter. The building has accommodations for
only twenty-eight girls, and there is now
only one vacancy. The institution has
proven successful in every particular, and
the persons interested sincerely hope that
Congress will grant the relief that will soon
be asked
The establishment of this school gave the
courts a place where they could send girls,
as before that they had to be sent to the
work house and jail
Under the care of the officers of the school
the girls are given several hours in school
each day, as well religious training, and
they are instructed in household duties,
sewing, and are also to be taught how to
milk cows and do garden work.
| When the present quarters are all filled
the courts will again find it difficult to dis
pose of some of the young females who are
arrested, and who need place like the Re-
form School. rather than be sent down with
the older and hardened offenders.
| The Girls Reform School was opened for
the reception of inmates November 8, 1893,
as was announced in The Star at the time.
The commitments to the school followed
fast, and now as stated. the school is full.
The commitments have averaged one per
week.
The Old Method.
The good effect of the opening Of the
school is already shown by the fact that be-
fore 1t was opened the commitments of girls
to the work house averaged eight per week,
or over 400 per annum. In 1856 167 girls
were committed to the work house, and
since then there has been steady increase
until Tor the past three years there have
beer more than 400 per annum committed,
where as ex-Commssioner Douglass ex-
pressed II, they met with the ''viest asso-
cations" few days ago Chief Justice
bingham had his attention called to the
fact that the school was nearly full and
that soon return to the old methods would
De heces~a and he promptly wrote the
Attorney General, suggesting that the
school ought to be enlarged. He wrote as
follows:
Pushing Girls Down.
1 am informed that the girls reform
schooi, which was opened for the recep-
tioh OF girls on November 8. 1893, has now
twenty-six inmates. and that the CAPACITY
OF the school Is twenty-eight. If the pres
ent rate OF convictions keeps up this school
| will be full within a short time and tho
old method Of sending girls convicted of
crime 10 the work house and Jail will have
| to be resumed.
ION March 3, 1890, the subject Of the
| girls reform school was before Congress-
and l addressed a letter to Representative
| Milton Delano of the House of Representa-
| tives and said:
! g The justices of this court have con-
| sidered the proposition and are unanimous
| ~ OF the opinion that provision for such a
| reformatory In this District is imperatively
| demanded.
| Annually hundreds Of young girls come
before the courts in this city, charged with
| oHenses more or less serious, usually those
VINO are without any proper or efficient
re ttnf,
| proper auspices, might be hoped for If
punished. they must be Imprisoned to min
gle with felons of every grade, with a GER
| tainty that their moral status will only he
degraded thereby. If released from the
particular charge preferred they are turn
| ed loose to pursue their downward course
| to utter ruin.
| "'What is needed is that the law shall
| provide that all such girls shall be placed
| in an institution where they can be, con-
trolled and disciplined. be taught good
| morals and at least the elements of an
education, learn to work and acquire in
| dustrious habits. Such institutions else
where have proved successful well for
girls boys
| I'm 1886 the number of girls committed
! to the work house was 1871. and there has
| been a steady increase. until now the num-
Der averages over 400 per annum. 1t is
evident to my mind that there can be no
! proper administration of criminal law in
| this District until provision is made to care
| for girl criminals in such way to lead
|
| I'm the past the number of habitual
criminals has increased in far greater pro-
| portion than has the population, due large
| ly, no doubt, to the fact that when punish
| ed they are made worse and turned out
to contaminate those with whom they
| come in contact.
Il respectfully suggest that Congress be
| asked to enlarge the accommodations of
the school so that at least 125 can be ac-
! commodated."
The Attorney General has also received
| letters from Judge Miller of the Police
| Court, United States District Attorney Biz
! ney and Maj. Moore, chief of police. Mai
| Moore says: There is marked decrease
| in the number of arrests Of girls since the
| school opened"
Mrs. Mary T Matthews, who, as a men,
Der of The Nineteenth Century Club, took
| great interest in procuring legislation for
| the establishment of the school, has been
| superin tendent since the school was opened
| She undertook the organization of the
| school at the unanimous request Of the
board of trustees, and has shown great
| executive ability and energy in organizing
and getting the school in running order
| 1t is understood that she now desires to be
relieved of her duties. thinking that now
that the school is fully organized and
| equipped and in running order she ought
to be relieved, and has rendered her resig-
| nation, but yet the board Of trustees
| has not accepted 1t.
The Attorney General will request Con-
greSs to make an appropriation, available
at once, that will be sufficient to enlarge
the school, Mr. w. c. Endicott, pardon
clerk of the Department of Justice is pres
I ident of the board of trustees, and Mrs.
| Dr. Stowell Is secretary. Mrs. Enoch Tot
ten and Mrs. James A. Bates have been
active in their efforts to get the school
established, and are now members of the
board Of trustees.
T,,.,v Ca 90