The herald., 1895-11-28
THE GIRLS DEPARTMENT
BY Miss Il. S. Matchin.

In the girls department there ere at
present about sixty Young girls. Since
the opening of the school one hundred
and ffty-four pupils have been received
and cared for. More than half have been
discharged. They come from the courts
committed AS ''incorrigib e'' and de-
PRAYED, 'incorri gible vagranCy , gener-
ally at ages varying from 10 to II.
OF the sixty here now in the care
of the institution twenty have 10
mothers. The world seems to be the
wrong place for motherless girls, bat
lamentable as it Is in too many cases the
mother herself has been the primary fac
tor in her child's downfall. Fathers and
guardians who should be the natural
protectors of innocent girlbood come in
for a share of this responsibility.
1t is the intention OF the management
to break up the physi mental ana
moral conditions which these children
bring here and substitute a more whole
some attitude toward life in general, and
fit the girls for career of usefulness and
self-respect. The scheme of education is
two fold. Common school work uhere
the ordinary English branches are taught
much as they are IN the public schools
OF the state with notifications, and the
industrial departments where the girls
learn to do by dong house work, cook
ing, Laundry work, plain sewing and
tailoring. The girls do all the work nee
eSsary 10 tne carrying On oI tDe eSlaDIlSH-
ment and more too. The entire product
of the tailor shop and probably halt of
that from the seaDstresses goes to the
boys departenmt. Each department of
the work is in charge of woman who
is responsible for the work and girls in
her charge. 1t is the aim to train every
girl in all the departments, thus fitting
her for com petition with trained workers
outside. Ia the meantime she is well
fed, decentlv clothed, well and safely
sheltered and all the activities of ner life
carried on with great regularity. There
is very little sickness among them. Their
morals are carefully watched. Night and
day they are never alone. There is little
opportunity for concentrating conditions.
Very little chance for the girls to educate
each other except by Unconscious tut
ton" There will be still less in a short
time when the smaller girls will be
placed in separate building and COM
munication with the older girls entirely
cut off.
As to the quality of the girls COM
mitted here they are found TO have eyes
and hands, organs, senses and affections,
hurt by the same Weapons, healed by the
same means, warmed and cooled by the
same summer and winter even as other
children. Susceptible to kindness, re-
sponsive to rational treatment and as
general thing full OF good intentions.
And while the work with them is not
always successful and discouraging ton
denotes n anifest themselves this is what
is attem pied to be done for them: These
helpless, irresponsible children are taken
from a life of dlssOlnteness Gin many
cases incorrigibillty covers the one I'M
pardonable sin in womankind) and they
are red, clothed, sheltered, educated and
trained for life until they are Is years
old and then they afa sent TO the outer
world and there is where the responsible
ty OF others negin. What have they for
them? 1t will not do for respectable
womanhood TO stand aside and look ask
ance AT these girls, receive them with
suspicion and disrespect There are too
many of another sort waiting and watch
ing, ready to befriend ana destroy them
ready to undo the costly and careful
work of years. Poor economy to support
and educate a child for half a dozen years
only to send her back where shs came
from. Old associations are deadly snares
and the weakest place in this work is the
connection of tho school with the world
outside. Before there car be success with
any considerable number there must be
some sort OF effort on the part of women
outside to work intelligently and sympa-
thstically with those laboring here. Just
how is the question, but in some way the
status between the school and the world
must be bridged over before the work can
command the success so much effort de-
serves.
On the whole as to this department the
tone of the school is higher. The man.
agement has improved with experience
and time. And finally there is a woman
representative on the board of trustees
which is the first step toward accomplish.
ing wholesome relations with the world
OF women outside who should do that
part OF tho work which cannot be done
here betriend and encourage the girls
WllIe thew IRVING tO eata b1io
themselves in life on an honorable and
self-respectipg basis.