The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-17
THE REFORM SCHOOL.
superintendent Charlton Says Mrs
DriscOII's Charges Arc Untrue.
.ciaI to the Indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal
PLAINFIELD, Ind, March 1G.--Your cor
respondent at this place has read the state
ments in the Journal, furnished by Mrs.
Anna Driscoll, q discharged housekeeper at
the Reform School, who appears to have
visited every newspaper office in the city
and also the State Board of Charities. In
her statement in Sundays Journal she
makes four charges which, according to
Superintendent Charlton, are untrue. The
superintendent was asked If he discharged
Mrs DriscolPs husband because of his re-
fusal to punish boys.
Il did not" said Mr.. Charlton. '"That
statement is not true. On Dec. / allowed
her husband to go to Indianapolis, and he
returned in such condition of intoxication
that discharged him. The train conductor,
brakeman and all the passengers of one car
were witnesses of his condition The follow
ing passengers were witnesses: ]. w. Coop
er, proprietor of the Progress; Mr.. C. F.
Odell, manager of the Kelley Institute; Os-
car Hadley, township trustee; A. G. Cox,
chaplain of the school, and others
Now, in regard to the statement of the
boys wearing the same clothing winter and
summer" was asked.
Eyes, they do. When came here the boys
son. abolished that and now they wear
jeans all the year round Overalls are worn
over the other when the character OF the
work requires it. This precaution was to
protect the health of the ooys In regard to
the statement that boys are only given cof-
fee once q week, that is true. If we had
more milk would not have any coffee used
at an. - -. o,,ara. - o.,,o,t, t.a,, ore
false That is daily charged by discharged
employees against all reform schools and
prisons. The greatest care is taken to pre-
vent improper punishrnents. Punshments
ent with good discipline. AS to boys as
sembling in chapel each day at noon. it is
or Saturday evening and on Sunday. Mrs.
Driscoll further says we make nc effort to
reform boys. The greatest care is taken to
get rid of improper employees, and the dis
missal of the Driscolls is proof of it. AS to
the charge that sixteen employees were dis
charged in the past few weeks. this woman
is the only one. The average time of serv-
ice of lady employees is nearly eight years.
and of male officers from six months to
form School men, the survival of the fit
test is the rule. Inefficient ones drop out
after a trial, but the successful ones re-
main: As to the cooking, 1t Is the very
best
In refutation of the charge made by Mrs.
Driscoll that the salary Of superintendent
Charlton is more than other reform school
superintendent. it is less than four-hfths
of the reform school superintendent or the
country ard less than the heads of our
prisons and presidents or the three state
colleges. Mrs. Driscol.. Mr.. Charlton says,
was discharged for incompetency and evil
dent hostility to the school. AT no time
was she satisfactory. When her husband
was discharged. as an act of mercy, super
intendent Charlton told her she could stay
the remainder of the winter
Superintendent Charlton says he courts
investigation of any and all charges against
the Reform School. He claims that the In
diana Reform School is equal to any in the
world He is, he says, carrying 1t on Tor
the boys, and does not expect to meet the
approval of discharged employees.