The herald., 1897-02-26
WHITTIER GIRLS GO NORTH
A Disturbing Element Will Be
Removed
THE TRUSTEES ALL PLEASED
One Matter on Which the Board Was
Unanimous
Trustees Patterson and Mitchell Tell Why tho
Change Was Desired-Some More
Refsrms Promised

'That is one thing our whole board of
trustees was harmonious upon," said
Trustee W. c. Patterson Of the Whittier
state school, when asked yesterday for
an opinion on the passage of the assem-
bly, bill which will cause the removal Of
the girls from the Whittier institution
to Santa Clara. II have from the first
favored the taking of the girls from
Whittier to some place where they can
be by themselves, and filling their places
here with boys. I favored taking the
girls to Santa Clara, as will be done By
act of legislature The governor former
ly had a different plan in view, as indi-
Gated in his latest annual report, but
he afterward changed his mind to con-
form with the views of our board. We
have from the first believed that 1t was
not right to have the girls and boys both
at one reformatory institution, though
their respective buildings are nearly a
mile apart. 1 became aware some time
school demanded just such a change as
is to be made. AS I said before, the
board of trustees was unanimous in ia
vor of the change, and our board is not
often unanimous. Beyond the fact that
we wished the change and advocated the
passage of the bill, I know nothing
further, except what learned in this
mornings Herald, that the bill had been
passed by the assembly"
What does the board propose to do
with the building to be vacated by the
girls?" was asked, to which Trustee Pat
terson replied:
"It is our plan to devote that building
to the smaller boys-the little fellows
whose tender years make 1T desira BILE
they should be isolated from the older
and more hardened inmates. We have
in view a number of important improve
ments, which will be inaugurated as
soon as possible"
TRUSTEE MITCHELL IS PLEASED
Mrs. Adina Mitchell, another trustee
of the Whittier school, was seen and
asked about the legislative act. Trus-
tee Mitchell was joyful over the an
nouncement that the bill had passed.
"It Is right in line with the recommen-
dation embodied in my special report
to the governor" said she. IT favored
the transfer of the girls on economical
grounds and for other reasons. In my
report I called attention to the fact that
taxpayers are being burdened unneces-
sarily without compensatory benefit by
a number of reform and penal institu-
tions scattered over the state, that
could be economically consolidated.
then expressed my opinion that the
Whittier state school and the Preston
school of industry should be consoli-
dated. as the site Of the Whittier school
is insufficient I then thought the two
institutions should be combined and To-
Gated at Eldridge, where the home for
feeble minded children is. The site at
Eldridge is all that could be desired for
an industrial school, for there the state
owns 100 acres of fertile land that could
be cultivated with profit by the reform
school boys and cannot be utilized at
all by the feeble minded now at the Ell
bridge home AS the Whittier lands
include only 160 acres to accommodate
the 400 boys and the "a girls. I was in
favor of removing the inmates to the
north and bringing the feeble minded
down from Sonoma county In my re-
port, as you see. I suggested the re-
moval of the girls department from
Whittier to lone, and the establishment
there Of a separate institution for the
care of female delinquents from 12 to
81 years of age. The experience at Whit
tier shows 1t to be mistake to attempt
the reformation of both sexes under the
same management.
''The plan I then outlined was not
carried out, owing to the objection
come to this southern country. do not
TO letting their feeble minded youth
come to this southern country do not