The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-10

little change in the original bill estab-
fishing this institution either speaks
well for the wisdom and foresight of is
founders, or is an evidence of the in
difference of those in charge of it's in
terests. The greatest wisdom cannot
foresee and provide for the needs and
contingencies in the growth of any m
terprise. Experience sometimes makes
clear what the profoundest wisdom cam
not fathom without its aid 1t might
be well to ask the next legislature to
make two or three changes that would
prove beneficial to the home. l will
mention one now, that it may receive
your thoughtful attention before the
converting of the next legislature, viz:
a law for
The Admission of Children.
The present law makes no provision
for this. l have received several letters
from county attorneys and other off,
GERS, calling my attention to this defect
of the law. In every case when they
failed to find the desired information
in the statutes, it was necessary to
write to me to ascertain how to pro-
coed to get a child admitted. The To-
cal board also prepared blank applica
tions. These require the signature of
the chairman of the board of county
commissioners. The law does not
make it his duty to inquire into the
merits of the case. The rules of the
board of trustees are not mandatory
There is a temptation to dispose of the
matter in the quickest way possible and
that is to sign the application. The
law should define. as clearly as possi-
BILE, who are entitled to admission
Then it should designate some one in
each county G had thought the county
superintendent of schools would be the
tn A
ascertain the facts and certify them to
the superintendent of the home.
The school.
The school building was completed
and ready for occupancy about the
beginning of this year. This gave US
the room and facilities that our school
work had long needed. In fact it had
become a necessity. We had only one
teacher until the first of March, and
hence the school was too crowded to
get the best results. We had teachers
from the first of March until the first
of July, when school was dismissed
for three months vacation. [ re-
tanned only one teacher during the
summer. School reopened October /,
with two teachers. We have Sc chill
dren of school age, AZ in the first and
and fifth grades Our teacher in charge
Of the primary grades also give the
older nursery children kindergarten
lessons
Our school work is now quite sat
1sfactory, and We aim to give it a
prominent place. Our teachers hold
tirst-class certificates and have had
normal training. I feel that our school
will compare favorabiy with the pub
lie schools of the same grade, in
equipment, facilities and thoroughness.
| have sometimes been asked if our
school was under the state board Of
education; some have suggested that
it should be. 1t is certainly part CT
our public school system, whether
formally recognized as such or not I
am not sure that it would be wise to
put us under another board. There
may be such thing as too much super
vision.
I submit the following statements,
showing in detail the statistics, max
ing such as many be necessary in eX-
PLANTATION of each table:
Table No. /.
Number of children in home Dec /,
1898. 80: admitted during year, "a;
placed in homes with friends, 81; died.
1: returned to the home. 8: total in
mates Dec. l, 1S99 105; increase per cent
for the year, 31A.
Table No. 2. ~
SH0WlllS' luI1lDtf vi cHlFuFen ItceiNeu
from Sept. 26. 1894, to Dec. /, 1890
Males, rs; females, "a; total 1879; placed
in homes or returned to relatives, IS:
discharged as self-supporting, 2; deaths,
4. Reorganization: Total number adj
mitted, 1879; indentured or returned to
friends, IS; discharged as self-support-
ing, 2; deaths g by aceidenD, 4; re-
turned to the home, 10; present number
of inmates, 105.
The per cent of increase has been
nearly three times as great as it was
last year. This probably does not mean
that there are that many more desti-
tute children, but is due partly, at
least. to the fact that the institution is
becoming better known and counties
are seeking more and more to obtain it's
benefits. There have been only two
deaths from sickness since the opening
of the home. These We're both infants
with incurable diseases when they were
brought.
Table No. 3.
Showing number of children from
each county since opening of the
home.