The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-02-18

ministeTcd for Just causes We do not be-
lievc that Il should be administered as IL
has been done for such small ofrenses.
such as talking 10 each other In line. talk
ing in the dormitory at night. talking TO
each other al the table. for not being COM
petent in sewing patch on a garment
10 specially please the seamstress, for
accidentally spiIling water. breaking dish
IS or making unintentional mistakes. for
not getting the stitches close enough on
clothing, and many Ike petty ofenses
except In extreme cases Corporal punish
ment oftentimes administered for these
small offcnses Is certainly brutal and
cruel, and the regularity with which the
thick, heavy strap Is administered 10 the
children We feel has caused the superin-
tcndent 10 forget tho power of his right
arm, We lind that the boys and girls arr
ofientimes beaten upon the cords of the
wrists with a ruler or strap hard enough
To cause the wrist to swell TO twice its
natural sise. We nnd that the girls have
at times been severely punished for hay-
Ing occasion to uSr The chamber at night.
one Uf the rules Of this establishment Il
that they Ar" allowed 10 90 in body &C
different hours OF th, day 10 tho outside
closet, hut after n'ciuck at night under
no consideration, except Whrn sick. are
they allowed to obey tho calls Of nature
until ! O'Clock. Any violation Of this ri"
causes 70 severe punishment with strap
10 the grl who violates it. and when the
physician of tho Institution was made
aware of this inhumnn rule he az once
pronounced it cruel and u crime against
nature The children are oft~nIim.s wnip-
ped hhck and blue for petty Offenses. W.
tnd that the male sup, rintendent at dlt-
lsrrn times has punished the girls himself
bS raising their dresses and administer
ing strokes with leather strap.
We recommend to YOU that In the fu-
ture tn. mntrou or female employees alone
b, allowed To administer punishment to
the female inmates of this home"
we hnd after careful Investigation that
one Of the girl inmates, by the name Of
He'll was sick and for complaining OF
such sickness she WAS severely punished,
The next day she was removed to the
hospital and treated for diphthcria. and IN
few days she died, The physician OF tho
institution Informed us that the death was
caused hy heart failure. In this conncr-
tinn We lind that many OF the inmates.
who have at different times complained
of Illness. and whom We are satisfied
werr justified In their complaint have
been seriously whipped. While there are
eases of fcigncd illness. in which the Of
fender should receive punishment, We be-
INt lldt llf eases OF fouplhlui NNNF
not been thoroughly investigated aud
/ they have been too readily punished for
I such complaints, Al two different times
have children been accidentally struck
over the eye and forced to carry black
/ mark Tor DAYS
/ AT different times when the boys have
/ complained Co the trustees. who We hold,
had perfect right 10 receive their COM
/ plants. they have been severely punished
FOR 80 doing. one instance being when
/ they asked for better food.
The whip IL not the only instrument
used for punishment hut ofteuiimes tho
superintendent has used Il wooden lath,
and at one time with his bare hand hrav-
ily slapped for slight disobedionce.
which caused marks 10 remain upon the
hoys face for several days.
I'VE believe that the superintendent al
] lows too much power to n certain teacher
named Estrp, We have Investigated the
/ actions of this teacher and most warmly
/ recommend that be at once he discharged.
/ one favofitc mode administered by thls
/ teacher II 10 throw silver dollar at the
/ boys, and in one instance the missile
struck the hoy and caused a cut on his
head, from which the blood fiowed freely.
This samc teacher In open school. ac-
/ cusod Inundated and made fun OF hoy.
. hllinllA ulll fpT UU NnUhtNtbl fflnt
/ For boys who attempt To escape. the
mode of punishment u In placing
/ shaoklcs upon their feet la several cases
| feeping them on from two To six months.
at All times. not even removing them az
| night. In tn" psnitcntlary this might he
| necessary hut your committee believe
| That In reform school it IL inhumun and
| unjust, The fdvorito position In which
| boys are placed when whipped Is To force
| them Hat upon "A barrel his coat having
been removed when he II at the mercy
of the chastiser. The most unjust punish
mrnt that has been administered l.. In
our opinion In the cases Of ignorant boys
who cannot read being whipped for not
| being able TO commit verse of the I,ble
to memory. or in failing To learn their
Golden Text. II has seemed to VS. impUs-
| sihlo FOR them. in their ignorance. to learn
such verses as required, and We believe
| that this rule should be eliminated. In
| this Institution there are many simple
| minded boys. who. IN their ignorance.
! make mistakes. Some allowance should
h. made for them, YET they are looked
upon the same as are thos. OF u more tn
tclligent mind, and " anything. because
of their ignorance they are punished morc
| severely.
In conclusion We recommend that the
! superintendent salary be reduced from
sl15 per month 10 STA per month; that a
| record u" kept of each violation OF the
rules and the punishment administered
] therefor and the dates Of same and the
name OF the employe who administered
/ punishment.
"Wealso recommend the abolition OF the
above unjust ana iuhuman rules. We are
perfectly satisfied that the suspicious and
rumors of criminal intimacy IN the school
arc unjust to the trustees. manager and
| rmployps.
wv" recommend that th' mouth pads
that are placed upon the girls mouths To
restrain them from talking h, dispensed
| with, as W. believe II Is barbarous and
| should not D" permitted IN an institution
| in IN. great commonwealth of Montana.
| We md that the best of treatment is
I given 10 the inmates during srknrss. and
\ nrmly believe that no Improvement could
b, mad" in this particular point.
| We recommend Tor the girls depart
mont a number Of bdthtuhs. abolishiug
the system ~ causing the girls to bathe
l In common wbshbowl~,
/ w. believe that the trustees and the
I people of Miles Ity are not cunvcrsaut
I with the true facts regarding the punish
mrnt ut the reform school and We most
! heartily recommend that the board OF
! trustees be- more rigid that they admins
I ter more authority and as much as possi-
hlr specify all the workings OF the tnsti-
| tuition
We recommend that the rules be PRINT