The morning call., 1895-02-07

necessary. But they will advise that the
board of trustees of the home at Oakland
be changed, the property sold and new
home started somewhere else. The part in
regard to the home controlled by Mr.. Irish
read as follows:
On January 25 we visited the Industrial
Home of Mechanical Trades for the Adult
Blind at Oakland, and we regret the fact that
we cannot make the same commendatory re-
port of this institution that we have of the
others visited. In this case, as in the others,
we took the management by surprise and our
investigation was as thorough as we could pos
sibly make it within the limited time allotted.
We separated, as before, and made personal in
spection of all buildings, shops, outhouses,
stock, supplies, TOOLS appliances, ETC., and in
vestigated the management.
We found the kitchen clean, the stores of
provisions were of good quality and under the
supervision of Mrs. Sanders, the dining tables
were abundantly supplied with wholesome
victuals. The female dormitories were well
kept. The lawns and trees showed skillful at
tention. The old wooden building in which
brooms are made and in which valuable sup
plies are kept is open, cold and disagreeable
place to work in. There is constant danger of
heavy loss to the State by fire.
visit to the male dormitories revealed the
fact that while there were some beds that were
clean, there were others that were absolutely
filthy. The bath and toilet rooms were mostly
in fair condition, but one bathtub was so un-
clean as to be disgusting sight, and the men s
public toilet was in a similar condition to tina t
of q public toilet at a railroad station. The
smoking-room is a disgrace 10 the State. Il has
a cement floor which could not be seen for the
filth, and while the claim is made by the man
js Qllt al 90
once each week, yet the evidence would ind-
cate that it had not been cleaned for many
weeks. Coal for fuel was piled up on the floor,
aud the seats were in q dilapidated and filthy
condition. Many of the inmates seen in the
buildings and about the grounds were wretch
eddy clothed, and were so filthy in appearance
as to be absolutely nauseating and repuisive.
The lowest depraved imbecile inmates of the
Stockton Asylum incapable OF selfcontrol with
drool oozing from their mouths and noses were
clean compared to some of these. There can
be no possible explanations of this condition
of things other than bad management Dis
content relgns supreme among the inmates in
regard to the management. The atmosphere
was rife with petty jealousies, and a system
which we are convinced exists of espionage on
the part of the superintendent was generally
complained of. Practical discipline seemed to
be absolutely wanting. But little attention was
paid TO the ordinary complaints and mur-
murings OF individuals, but q large number O.
the INN ates, including practically all of the
women, were from some reason or another
absolutely afraid to talk to members of the
committee, stating that spies were on the alert
and that many times they had been harshly
treated for speaking the truth.
We found the blind superintendent Mr.. San
ders, an active man of unusual intelligence,
with knowledge OF the business entrusted TO
him that is truly wonderful. Yet he seems to
have incurred the i'll will of nearly all and ter
rorized many of the inmates. We also found
inharmony among the board OF directors, which
has existed for years and appears to be irrecon
cilable.
Reports of inharmony, discomfort and bad
management came to US from all quarters out
side of the institute as well as within and from
members of the board of directors themselves
As previously stated we have given no
credence to the many individual complaints
made to US by inmates and others concerning
the superintendent and the management and
it is the unanimous opinion of your comittees
that Professor Sanders is good and efficient
instructor of the blind, that many blind per-
sons are indebted to him for their ability to be
self-supporting, and that his knowledge of