Evening star., 1897-04-09
GIRLS SEEK TO ESCAPE
Points Brought Out About the Girls Reform
School.
Testimony Given Yesterday Before
the COngressienal Joint Com
mfttee ON Charities.

The reform school for girls was investi-
CATER by the congressional joint committee
on charities yesterday afternoon. The tes-
timony was taken after The Star had gone
to press, and brought to light some in
teresting facts in connection with the in
stitution
Mr. William c. Endicott, jr. president
of the board of trustees, gave the bulk of
the testimony The girls reform school is
supported entirely by public appropria-
tions. and, as declared by Mr. Endicott,
Is more of prison than a reformatory.
The school is located nearly three miles
west of the city, and occupies a large
building, with grated and barred windows.
and partially surrounded by ten-foot
fence, surmounted by five rows of barbed
wire. The girls are confined in separate
cells, and are locked in at night.
Mr.. Endicott said the building, while con-
Structed Tor its present use. is utterly
fit for the purpose. in fact, as he called
it, "a ridiculous building" for a reform
school. He said that in case of fire it
would be necessary to visit each cell and
from being burned to death. According TO
Mr.. Endicott's testimony, there arr twenty
seven girls in the institution, all of them
colored No white girls are admitted.
What is done with white girls who are
eligible for admission to reform school?"
asked Mr.. Pitney.
They are sent to Jail or to the work.
house." answered Mr. Endicott.
THAT Is barbarous" exclaimed Mr..
Northway. Mr. Endicott explained that
some were admitted to the House Of the
Good Shepherd and similar institutions of
a private nature.
Mr.. Endicott said the girls were per-
fectly crazy to escape from the reform
school. Mr.. Pitney compared this state
ment with one which had been made
short time ago by Col. Clay in regard to
the boys reform school, to the effect that
the boys were not anxious to escape. There
were no walls around that reform school
found their condition SO much better from
the life they led at large that they were
glad to stay and last year, out of 12I in
mates only four ran away.
Mr.. Endicott said there had been a great
deal of trouble with the superintendents
and teachers of the institution, principally
due to incompetency. There had been five
superintendents since the school started.
There had been friction with the superin-
tendent of charities, too. Mr.. Endicott
said the school was not as satisfactory as
1t should be. and recommended an appro-
rriation of $4,000 to enlarge the building.
the criminal inmates from those who are
merely nnruy. Some Of the girls are
hardened and most disreputable charac-
ters, eighteen or nineteen years old, and
with these the younger girls are obliged
to associate.
Miss Loring, one of the trustees, said
scme of the girls are very vicious. They
think nothing of striking each other with
red hot irons in the laundry and Of biting
their keepers. She told of one little girl.
who Upon being thrown in with this class,
screamed and cried, asking why she was
put with such people. Miss Loring said
she understood the police judges were go
ing to stop sending young girls to the
place.
Miss Rawlins, a former teacher at the
institution, gave some rather severe tes-
timcny about the conduct of the school.
but Mr.. Endicott whispered that she was
discharged employe. She had been ask
ed to resign on account of lack of har-
mony' with the superintendent Miss Raw
Inns said it was deplorable that the young
girls should be thrown into contact with
the criminals. She knew that this hard
ened them and that they often learned
things they would not have come into con
tact with if they were out in the world.
MIR. EEdicott testified that there are Wis
fting trustees and the place is visited
weekly, except in the summer season.
when most of the trustees are away. Miss
Rawlins said that last year there was only
one visiting trustee, the other one being in
Europe.