Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1898-08-17
school. and Winnebago seems to have
q good many Maynard girls to be cared
Given a Practical Education.

school, and Winnebago seems to have
good many Maynard girls to be cared
for
Given Practical Education.
Inc education Is practical: the girls
learn the plain branches; they study
history. geography and hygiene. They
are fond of singing, but no time il
given TO the study of music. The play
grounds are small; there can be but
little exercise for the girls, though thev
are Kept at work most of the time TT
occurred to me gymnastic exercises. set
10 music, would be very effective si-s
version. A system OF exercises Is per-
fected which furnish most effective
benefit to every part of the body. ana
the mental diversion ~ said to be con-
siderable. There is no hired helm about
the institution. Each girl Is detailed
Tor three months to certain work: ii
may be the kitchen. dormitory. laundry.
etc. There are special teachers of cook
ing, iaundryihg and sewing. the effect
being to make the girls so proficient
Shat the homes In which they are placed
VIII appreciate their services. The low
wages which the girls are willing To
accept aids them in finding places.
The mornings being spent liz practical
work, the afternoon is devoted to the
school rooms. There are occasional
periods for recreation. as In any board
ing schooli and there are prayers morn
Ing and night. I asked the superinten-
dent what part religion played in the
redemption of hayward girls. Her
answer was suggestive
1--WE endeaver to live religion before
Them - sentleness, industry, purity.
eheerfulness and to show the Chris
tan spirit. These girls are emotional
there is no trouble in stirring them up,'
but it is soon over" The girls are
dressed alike-,a simple blue and white
bingham.
A Tour Through tho buildings.
The superintendent took me through
the buildings, carefully hooking the
doors behind us as we went In one
room we saw twenty-seven of the lit
TEST girls In kindergarten, with
loving teacher They had been out in
the park. No hayward children these.
but orphans or homeless. Some of
them We're negroes. They gathered
round their teacher fondly, and the pet
was baby girl of years Her father
was killed in a drunken brawl and the
mother was q drunkard. None of that
suppressed, automatic, sad childhood
one too often sees in an institution.
The dormitories were well ventilated. I
saw thirty tooth brushes In rack
how many of the inmates ever used one
before they came! There were a lot
or Intermediates" girls from 12 to IT,
gathered about a sewing teacher, all
at work. Some one reads while they
work. The cooking teacher has fifteen
in a class On the blackboard was a
chart of a "critter," it being made
clear where each kind of meat comes
from A butcher comes before the class
with whole carcass and cuts 1t up by
way of example. In the kitchen of
one of the buildings we saw girls pre-
pairing the supper: in another building
they were seated at the table In the
newest building (RusselD each girl has
a room to herself. Some of them were
tastefully decorated with pictures. etc
The girls took great interest In their
surroundings. ! noticed one room-the
occupant had done nothing to beau
tify it.
She troubles us a great deal" NV
escort said; "she has tried twice to
escape
The American flag and war pictures
were in evidence. In the sewing rooms
800 "fascinators" (shawls) are made
weekly for a Wholesale knitting con-
Germ; and custom laundry work is done
for the city.
Imbeciie school Took Twenty-Eises
The inestimable benefit to the state
of the new institution for imbeciIes at
Chippewa Falls is shown by the fact
that twenty-five of this Milwaukee
schools children have been removed
there. In some instances young women
are sent to the w, c. T. u home in
Eau Claire or to an institution in Chi
cago, where their children are born. the
mother returning to the Industrial
School for Training.
Work among the ciaes OF dnfortunates
to which Mrs. Bland and her associates
have set themselves must be discour-
aging in many ways 1T would be-"
she said, IF we did not love to heib
these unfortunates,"
She added thoughtfuily. YES, fallen
girls can be saved if we can get them
soon enough. But there was a vein of
sadness in her voice. She was think
ing of the endless stream of those who
will come to her and longing that bv
the diligence of parents, by law-some
how, the stream % sin might he
checked at its source.
ORLANDO BURNETT.