The herald., 1896-12-31
ONE OF THE TRUSTEES TALKS
Mr. w. G. Patterson's Review Of the San
Francisco Conference
Apparently the Contemplated Change
Between Glen Ellen and Whittier
Will Not Be Accomplished Soon.

w. c. Patterson has returned from San
Francisco, where he went to attend the
conference called by Governor Budd Of
the trustees and superintendents of the
Whittier school, lone reformatory and
the institution for feeble minded at
Glen Ellen
Mr.. Patterson was seen yesterday and
interrogated as to the outcome of the
conference. He said:
Really, am quite indisposed to dis
cuss matters pertaining to the Whittier
state school. and for several weeks 1
have positively declined to be interview
ed with reference to the affairs of that
institution. 1t has already been kept be-
fore the public almost ad nauseam.
II have not been inclined to attach
very great Importance to the recent con-
ference at San Francisco.
"The governor called together the
trustees and superintendent of the
the Preston school of industry at lone,
and the Whittier state school.
His object seemed to be to discuss
various matters pertaining to these
schools before the completion of his
message to the legislature. The most
important suggestion made by him was
that the boys from the Preston and
Whittier reform schools be transferred
to Glen. Ellen; that the girls depart
ment be removed from Whittier to lone,
and that the feeble minded be transfer
red to Whittier. The governor also sug-
gested that some of the incurables now
at Glen Ellen be placed in one of the
asylums for the insane.
There is, in my judgment. some merit
in the latter suggestion. AS to the
wholesale changes in the various insti-
tutions, they do not seem to me practic
able.
"At the conference the sentiment
seemed to be Sixteen to one" against
his proposals. At the governors re-
quest, Senator Preston and Mr.. Mace,
trustees of the lone school, and Mr..
Bank. superintendent, together with
Superintendent Coffin of the Whittier
school and myself, visited the school for
the feeble minded at Glen Ellen. That
institution has good buildings, beautl-
full location and a large tract of land.
The school is apparently very well con-
Quoted indeed.
1.-THE buildings We're constructed for
the special uses to which they are now
put, and to adapt them to reform school
purposes would require extensive and
expensive remodeling. and BESIDES
OlHeT DullulHSS III duulllOT WOulu De re-
quired. While the lands pertaining to
that school are extensive and pictur-
esque, the area of ti!lable soil is compar-
atively small l have not visited lone, so
cannot speak of that school.
1.-The buildings at Whittier are, in my
opinion, by no means suited for the re-
quirements of the school for the feeble
minded. 1t is true that more land is
needed at Whittier, but have as yet not
been able to figure out any economy to
result from an adoption of the changes
suggested by the governor.
81 quite agreed with the statement of
one of the Whittier trustees that the
girls department of the reform school
should be in separate locality from any
other institution.
1T was suggested by some one up
north that the state owns site at San
Jose, where the school for feeble minded
was started, which could be well used as
a loca ton for reform school for girls"