Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1897-01-20

1850 students, and a library of 13 900 books
rms institution has an income of S3S, 200 oi
which, for the year ending June 80 1896
S4,l46.69 was received as fees from the
model department special classes and ir-
regular students One hundred and eighty
i've children are instructed in the model de-
partment, which is utilized for training pur-
poses. Ninety counties are represented al
the institution During the last ten ars
11,O1S pupils have attended the State Nor
NAL school, coming from ninetv-four coun-
ties. Last year there were students from
Twelve other states and territories Two
thirds of the present attendants are ladies'
The board of regents urge that the law
providing for the recognition of State Nor
maj scnool diplomas for cities of the first
and second classes be made so specific that
tnere could be no question in the minds OF
anyone as to their legality as teachers GER
uhcateS. 1t occurs to me that the state
owes 1t to itself to see that this is done. If
after all the money expended, the gradu-
ates of this institution are not fitted to teach
any or our common schools the institution
is failure. We know that our state nor
mai ranks high among similar institutions,
that its students are as eficient curriculum
as liberal, its instructors as proficient as any
or It's rivals; therefore, its diplomas should
De as good, at least, as the certificates issued
DY the county board of examination.
The board of regents ask that GER
! tain improvements and additional room be
| CuUtT the Qedu educational
| institutions recommend that it would bet
| ter serve the interests of the people to es-
| taoIlSh an auxiliary normal school in some
otner portion of the state, rather than to
erect more extensive buildings at Emporia
The State Penitentiary.
The penitentiary contained 991 prisoners
June 80, 1896. OF these seventeen we're
women For the fiscal year ending June 80
| 1896, the expenditures of the institution
| were S151 ,60O.29, the earninfis S14S. 80.
The report of the warden, board of direct
ors and oft1cialS contains an exhaustive
| treaties on the expenditures and necessities
OF the institution. But few realize the mag
| nltude OF this institution or the careful at
| tentlon which it should receive from the
| legislature in order to keep it abreast of in
| st1tut1ons of the same kind in sister states
AT times in our history this has been a self
| supporting institution. At other times it
mas been considerable of burden to the
, taxpayers of the state. Like all other insti-
| tutlonS Where manual labor is performed,
| the state prison at Lansing makes the best
| showing when times are good, money
| plenty, and the worst during hard times.
| The output OF coal from the penitentiarv
mas been its principal source of revenue
| yet ttnere is sentiment in portions of the
| state against utilizing this coal except for
| state institutions. In another portion of
| this message certain recommendations are
! made in regard to the surplus after the
/
| Juogment, at this time, is as far as we can
| go on the line of correcting the placing of
| coal mined by convict labor in competition
| with free labor If it could be SO arranged
| lhat instead of producing SO much coal,
| other manufactures could be established
| which would not compete with the free
| labor OF the state, it would be better than
| our present system. There are certain rec
concentrations made by the board to which
| your attention is directed. The principal
1 n 200 CCif tics
| more cells for the use of prisoners and addf-
| t1onal clothing for convicts.
| Reform School Criticisms,
"If there is any institution in the state
| which is open to criticism, in my Judgment
| the Reform School for Boys, situated in our
| capital city, is that one Not that I would
| charge incompetence upon its management
| or employees bat from the fact that it is i'm
| possible to reform boys in idleness. The
| miniature man is constituted that he
| must have something to employ his mind
| and hands or else he will invent something
| Tor himself. An old proverb, of doubtful
| origin, says: Satan always finds work for
| idle hands to do and if this be true, and 1
| accept it as as true, think his satanic mai
| esty is quite likely 4 visitor at the Reform
| School.
| Il am informed that when this school was
| established the object sought was to take
| the errlng boys and lead them to a better
| and higher life. In order to do this they
| should be taught trades and made useful
| citizens. For some reason unknown to me
the legislature has failed to make appropri-
| atlons for buildings and mechanical appa-
ratuS tor carrying out this idea. True
/ drill master has been employed and the
] boys are being trained in the manual of
arms Tor the life of soldier. l cannot
| agree with the superintendent'S report that
TINS Is proper and right. My experience is
that nine out of tea boys who go astray do
1 tnTOnDh NF
cheap literature, wherein bandits highway
men, blood and thunder and gunpowder are
promlscuously mixed. Any training which
! they might receive in the line of creating
Dioooshed and CORY war inculcates the same
lued IN the INSIDE that brought them there
from the outside. In nv humble Judgment
| they should be taught and instructed in the
line OF a peaceful citizenship, rather than
that of soldier and war
L recommend to the Legislature that if it
| is thought impracticablc to furnish appa-
ratus suitable for teaching them trades.
that additional appropriations be made for
the hutchinson refOrmatorv, and that the
boys be removed there, where thev can have
the influence brought upon them that will
lead them in the right line. A continuation
of Dick Turpin and Jesse James ideas inside
the walls of this institution will not reform
the boys, and, while it NAV hold them in
restraint for the time being and relieve So
clety OF their presence and influence vet
Judgment will not be improved to any great
extent
The Hutchinson Reformatory
ITO reform the erring and make good citi-
zens of young men and boys who have been
LED astray is one of the noblest works in
which men engage. With the view of doing
this the reformatory at Hutchinson was
established by the legislature in 1885, was
made ready for occupancy in 1895 and
opened with thirty of the least hardened
criminals from our state penitentiary. The
report of the board and nv knowledge of
the institution lead me to believe that il has
proven success and 10 solving the problem
of what to do with the young Criminals who
are started on a career of crime. The rooms
now completed are crowded to their full
capacity, and the board of directors are
asking tor an appropriation to complete
certain portions of the building SO thati
can be used to accommodate other inmates
This Will neceSsitate more help, and in nv
Judgment, the requests should be granted
The Board o: Agriculture.
In its past in our history the board of
agriculture has been Il matter of public de-
rision, but in later years, in the hands of
competent men and men who have taken
deep interest in the matter, it has become a
matter OF state pride and much benefit to
the agricultural portions of our state. The
reports of this office have not only received
concentrations from the press of the state
Dut nave been accepted as good authority ON
certain matters in our sister states AS
large portion of our citizens are interested
IN agriculture. deem it right and proper
that this board should receive due consider
alton at your hands, to the end that Kansas
may nave the advantage of the experience
OF others and along the different lines which
success or7r ~ :,