The herald., 1897-04-21
MANY OFFICERS CRITICISED
SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT IS
ROASTED BY THE JURY
Suggestions Regarding the Whittier
State school--Work at County
Hospital Commended

Smith in department one. The jury ma:
gone more extensively into the various
city and county offices than in many
years. the work has been done thorough
Iy and several officials are roasted to
turn. The following is list of the mem
bers composing the body:
Sherman washburn, foreman; Johr
E. Platter, secretary; Benjamin A. Break
ey, Cyrus Brown, Wesley Brumell. John
Burns, Charles A. Corfinan, c. A. Gar
diner, J. #. Jennison. c. NJ Parker, Niles
Pease, George H. Pike, r. B. Russell
Fred w. Stein. VIM. F. j. Strowbridge,
Elihu Smead, Edwin ]. Vawter. Jas. o.
yosburg, ]. w. Wolfskill. The report is
up to January of the present year.
WHITTIER SCHOOL
The Whittier reform school is spoken
of as follows in the report:
The attention Of the grand jury was
early called to the Whittier state school
by the adverse reports in circulation con-
cerning it's management. committee
of this jury paid visit to the institu-
ton soon after we were impaneled and
later the entire body inspected the school.
We have also examined some OF the
officers connected with the institution
in the hope Of discovering the source of
the evils which confessedly exist and
suggesting some remedy for the same.
We find the boys department in good
hands and we believe that the hundred
or more boys committed from this county
and the hundreds sent from the remain
der of the state are learning valuable
lessons and are being trained in habits
of obedience and industry which tend
to make them good citizens when they
shall have completed the terms for which
they have been committed.
The needs of this department OF the
school are not adequately provided for
as to the facilities for instructing the
boys in the various trades, and consid-
erable sum of money could be profitably
expended in increasing these facilities.
In our opinion new buildings could be
erected at a moderate cost and largely
by the labor of the boys themselves,
which would add materially to the eff
cheney of the school and the successful
carrying out of the purposes for which
the school was established.
The condition of the girls department
Is far from satisfactory to us, and we
deem it a duty to the citizens of the
county and the state that the facts as we
fird them be fully made known. A state
of characterization exists in this depart
ment that practically defeats the objects
for which the school is maintained, and
we believe that the cause OF this lies
mainly in the endeavor of some of the
trustees to foist upon the school sys-
tenn of management and discipline
which will stand the test neither of ex-
perience nor common sense. mawkish
and sickly sentimentality that would
proclaim to the pupils that all corporal
punishment is abolished surely has no
place in an institution of this kind. The
lack of control of parents over their
children is the prolific cause of the
school, and it is matter of the most
profound regret that such system of
government and discipline is being sup
ported by some of the trustees as viii
result, in our judgment, in inevitable de-
feat and failure. 1t is system which We
believe to be totally false in theory as
we'll as a deplorable failure in practice.
While we believe that love and kindness
have place, and a large place, in secur-
ing good discipline and control, yet we
also firmly believe that misdirected ana
perverted love and kindness and conse-
uuent lack of control lead to the ruin OF
many and become to them most bitter
curse.
We think the powers of the superin-
tendent relative to the employment of
subordinates should, by act of legisla-
= 10 no
perience of similar institutions has DEM
onstrated. This is the only one of the
state institutions where the power Of
the superintendent is so limited and we
believe that much greater efficiency
could be secured by its enlargement.
Believing that the discussion of the
removal of the school to another part of
the state, as contained in the special re-
port of one of the trustees, to be ill-timed
and unwise, we wish to enter our most
emphatic protest against it, the reason
given for such removal, involving, as it
does, so much expense, seems to us in
conclusive, totally unsatisfactory and
puerile.
COUNTY HOSPITAL AND FARM
These two charitable institutions of
ragged the earnest attention and interest
of the grand jury during the month Of
their service The facilities for the care
of tho patients and inmates at each in
stitution are taxed to their utmost. The
training school for nurses connected
with the hospital. we believe to be a
move in the right direction, and the in
creased facilities for skillful surgica!
treatment secured at no great expense
promise the best results to the unfortu-
mates needing such care.
The county farm gives evidence Of be-
ing in good hands. The grounds and
buildings are attractive and well kept
and reflect great credit on the super
intendent The productive capacity OF
TIE farm is steadily increasing under its
present management and the added reve-
nue. from orange groves now coming into
bearing and from the land recently pur-
chased and brought under cultivation
will in the near future afford material
relief to the taxpayers. We note with
hearty approval the plan of the board Of
supervisors of having the business in
terests of both institutions under one
management and control, believing thai
IN this way only can the highest eff
cheney and economy be secured.
The occasion seems a proper one to
ear q tribute Of appreciation to such