The evening times., 1899-12-12
URGED BY YHH 9RUSqEHS
Legislation for the Benefit Of the
Girls Reform School.
Proposed Changes Concerning the
Institution Set Forth I'm the Annual
Report-A Desire to Change the
Supervisory Power Vested in
the Commissioners-AY Years Work.

The annual report Of the Board Of
Trustees of the District Reform School for
Girls for the fiscal year 1899 has been SUBJ
mitted to the Attorney General. The at
tention of Congress is called to the neces-
sity of certain legislation for the benefit
of the institution. 1t is suggested that the
appointment of the school officers be vested
in the Board of Trustees. with the approval
of the Attorney General, as is the case with
the Boys Reform School. AT present the
supervisory power is lodged in the District
Commissioners. f
1t is further said to be desirable that the
classification Of the institution in appro-
prialion bills and other legislation be
changed to Prisons and Reformatories."
rather than remain under Charities and
Correction
In regard to this subject the report says:
"A charity is rather one of the various
agencies which alleviate distress by med
ical treatment or by providing a home. or
which educate and train, such as hos
pital. or a home, or a school for feeble
minded children. Practically, too, a char
ity involves the idea of an institution
which is wholly or partially matter of
private initiative and not entirely depend
ent upon the State. But the prison or re-
formatory excludes all Of these ideas. and
while the latter word is less harsh in de-
gree of its applications than the former.
they both involve the idea of punishment
and disipline, the reformatory dealing with
those whose chance for restoration to use
fulness need not be viewed as entirely lost,
or who are just at the threshold of the
downward path and may be prevented from
starting along it. There can be no ques-
tion that this school is in the latter cate
gOry.''
The question Of age at which girls should
be admitted to and dismissed from the
school, is brought to the attention OF Con-
gress. At present girls are admitted up
to the age of eighteen years and dismissed
at twenty-one. Ii is the desire of the
trustees to secure legislation whereby the
age Of admission will be reduced. In con-
nection with this the report says that one-
third of the girls in the school are be-
tween eighteen and twenty-one years of
age, and most Of these have been there
four or five years. Some OF them have
been out on probation once or twice and
have been returned because they will not
work in their places as they ought to do
and will not keep themselves and their
clothing neat and clean without constant
supervision.
In retaining such girls in the school,"
the report continues, many children who
might be benefited by the care and train
ing are, of course. kept out. 1t is believed
that many Of the girls who are quite will
ing to be supported at the school until
they are twenty-one years old would work
as they ought in the places found for them
if they knew that instead of being sent
back 10 the school they would be sent to
Jail or the workhouse after they reach the
age of eighteen years. No girl is or should
be finally released or honorably discharged
from the school until she is abe to earn
an honest. respectable living, and this
would be the case in many more instances
than now exist if the girls had the spur
to duty lying in the consciousness OF
greater punishment than return TO the
school if they fail" ... ss---
The number of inmates In the school at
the close of the year was twenty seven.
During the year five girls escaped, three
of whom were returned but the other two
were not found. Six girls were released
to their parents or placed with private
families on probation.
One girl, mentally deficient. and requir-
ing much care and oversight. was returned
to her parents because she was not a prop
er subject for the school, the father prom
Using to provide good home for her. When
admitted she had been in bad physical
condition, and was treated at the Freed
mans Hospital for several weeks. where
her health improved. The physicians did
not consider her mental condition suffi-
ciently pronounced to admit her to an in
stitution for feeble minded children. When
delivered to her mother the latter protest
ed against receiving her. saying that her
daughter had been sent to the school to be
taken care of, and she had her other chill
dren to look after.
The general health Of the institution is
said to have been very good, most of the
ailments of inmates being of trifling char
acter and not requiring the patient to be
confined to her room.
The estimated appropriation needed for
the maintenance Of the school during the
coming fiscal year is s14. .425. This includes
the salaries of the officers. The cost Of
for the previous year was
$40, ,725. To this is added SIS 900, the cost
for the erection of an additional building.
OF the $1l,425 estimated for the coming
year. s3,100 is for Improvements on the
present building and for furnishing and
equipment for the new building