Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-08-05
'|RE ORPHANS HONE
Biennial Report Of Superintendent
Glass Of the Orphans Home at
Davenport Published.
Important Recommendations Regard
ing INDECENT Children Are Made
-Favors State Care.
Thinks the State Should Pay Ali
Expenses. Instead Of the Coun.
ties Helping.

port OF the Soldiers Orphans home was
received by the board OF control yes
terday from Superintendent NJ. T. Gass.
AT the beginning of the period there
We're In the institution 2SS boys and 1893
girls of whom 1877 were maintained on
account of being the children of soldiers
and 1870 for other reasons, by the coun-
ties sending them. AT the close Of the
Iperiod there We're present $50 boys, 1856
Igirls; 26O of them were children of SOL
diers and 1856 were supported by coun-
tiles. The total enrolment for the pc
Rod was 707. The small reduction in
attendance was almost wholly in the
lease of soldiers children. The number
Iof both classes cared for during the
biennial period was only IL less than
flor the preceding biennium. The home
is conducted with great care, the design
being to furnish SO far as possible the
best influences of a home The school
is an excellent one, with strong corps
of teachers.
The different policies Of the counties
toward their poor children forms the
occasion for an interesting section of
the report. OF 1875 county children 10
the home. 100 come from five counties,
Scott, Polk, Mahaska, Madison and
Lee. Only forty-two counties support
any county children. In this conne.-
ton Mr.. Gass says that counties fire.
.|quently send children to the reform
schools who ought to be sent to this
home simply because the county must
pay for them. He enters a vigorous
protest against this policy. which is
calculated to throw many innocent
children among the more depraved
classes. who ought to be given the adj
vantage of the better class of institu-
tons. In many states this practice is
forbidden by laws which do not allow
children under II years to be sent to re-
form schools except for felony. Besides
this. many counties keep their poor
lchildren In poor houses, when they
fought to be sent to the home. The state
lof New York has adopted the plan
which Mr.. Gass approves. MIR. Gass
recommends strongly that tbs state as
sumo the entire responsibility for the
maintenance of county poor children.
so there will be no excuse for mpecuni-
Gus county officers to send worthy but
NEEDY children to the institutions in
which they will be surrounded by bad
influences. If the state is unwilling to
lassume the entire cost of maintenance
under this system, it might pay halt
A and require the county to pay the re-
mander. This plan he does not ap.
|prove, however. believing that the state
should pay the entire bill. If 1t We're
Iinaugurated it is certain that half the
benefits of the home would not be en-
4 joyed by the poor children of a half
4 dozen counties.
During the past year the per capita
lcost of supporting children has been
\ s103.03. Giving credit for supplies on
slhand at the beginning of the year, this
lamount is raised to slo5.S1.
i The general health of the children
has been excellent The schools are
lorganized on a basis which makes them
j exactly parallel to the public schools
+ of the city of Davenport. for the first
nine years, or up to the point of en-
tering the high school The older chill
i dren are engaged daily in some indus
trial work in addition to their studies
The rule is to have them one-half day
in school and the other half at work
The boys are employed on the big farm
caring for the stock, in the carpenter
|. shops, paint shops, engine room, an6
about the grounds; the girls in tailor
j ing, dressmaking, the laundry and the
cooking school. The girls are taught
the full routine of preparing and serv.
ing meals, and do it every day.
Taking up the needs of the institu-
ton. Mr.. Gass says that a chapel should
be built, containing an auditorium fol
amusement purposes. 1t would cos
about s1,5oO. The home also needs NOR,
, land, SO that more of the children car
!. be employed In farming, and also il
order that a larger herd of cows may b,
kept He asks $4,000 for this purpose
and predicts thatit would be an actua
ECONOMY to the state. because of thu
increased value of products that would
be assured. Another $1,000 is asked
to enlarge the cottages on the grounds
Steam heat is needed for the cottages
which would cost $500. More furniture
, cement walks and large COW barr
are other items. aggregating $4,000. .Ad
, ditons to the library are much needed
and $500 Is asked to make them AIS,
better boilers and boiler house, and I
contingent fund of SO 600.
. NEW CHURCHES AT MANSON.
Methodists and congregational SO.