Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-05-17
GIRLS INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL.

Utility lNDUNlhlAL NU1UUL.
At the annual meeting for the elec.
tion of officers and managers for the In
dustrial School for Girls, held on Thurs
day, May 10th, the annual report of the
secretary was read as follows: @ .F
1.-THE year that has just closed has
been one of varied experience for the
Delaware Industrial School for Girls.
1t opened with the brightest prospects,
the school having been moved into the
beautiful new home which had been SO
carefully planned and SO we'll built that
there seemed nothing to be desired in
| the way of environment and comfort
for the girls. But with the new pos
sessions came new cares and RESPONSE.
|. bilities. The management, which had
seemed adequate in the old building
occupied by the school, was soon found
| to be Inadequate IN the larger building.
The care of the house required more
labor, and, as it was not thought expe-
dent to increase the number of officers,
executive ability in the superintendent
| was necessary, in order to arrange the
work so that it might be done by the
\ girls themselves and yet mot Interfere
with the proper amount of study and
instruction in other departments Under
these circumstances it was thought adj
visabe to make change in the manager
menU of the school.
"A new matron was selected who. I'M
fortunately, had not occupied similar
position before, and therefore was not
fitted for the work that oansto hor
in this school. This was felt by the
girls as well as by the board Of man
ayers, and resulted in bad feeling on
| 80 erir ruhirh aynreSga6
itself in discomfort and pnruly behavior.
This short period of Dissatisfaction
was terminated by a change 10 the
system of management of the school and
the selection Of an admirable corps OF
officers, which is as follows: 6uporin-
tendent and teacher, Mrs. K. s. jack
son, steward, Henry jackson; sewing
teacher, Mrs Emma S. Y. Alley /; kitchen
matron, Miss Rose March. A detail of
WORK has been so arranged by tho
super intepdent that all is done system
atically and regularly by the girls
themselves in an order Of progression.
Each girl, upon entering the school,
! is given laundry work, then chamber
work, next sewing, and. finally COOK
ing. In addition to this there ia tho
real ion. s31i 9i4i
J 1.-The steward, Mr.. Jackson, is also a
! trained horticulturist and will cultivate
the garden with the assistance OF the
girls, SO that all necessary vegetables
may he raised on the grounds. In the
sewing room all the clothing that is
, needed has been made by the girls and
{ also an outfit for each girl on leaving
/; the school. Regular sessions of school
] have been conducted by Mrs. jackson.
and the school room has been supplied
with hooks. Two hundred books OF
fiction recently donated by friends of
the school make the pleasant library
most attractive spot for leisure mo-
Q ments. Work in the kitchen and laun-
dry has progressed under the instruction
Of Miss March and appetizing meals
: are prepared by the girls. The admis-
+, sion committee now hold weekly meet
!. ings on Monday afternoon at the
!, school, and feel that this change is a
great help to them. They have also
o been much aided by the experience and
T, suggestions of Mr.. and Mrs. Jackson
J. "With all the improvement in method
and surroundings, it IS matter of great
Q regret to the board of managers that
d the number of commitments have
been so few. The beginning. of the
!, year found "a girls in the school; at the
end of the year only 10 are resident,
y In two years seven girls have been com
!. mitted to tho schuol. This Is o mattel
J. for serious thought
e "The Delaware Industrial Schoo
for Girls is State institution, sup
r ported in part by the State, In part b,
l. voluntary subscriptions it is ready y
Ia receive girls from all over the State; j
I'd is well-fitted and equipped with mean
and teachers to care for and train q
!. lenst so girls in the common schoo
1t branches, in housework, laundry WORK
sewing and cooking. The house is large
:. airy, comfortable and perfectly adapte'
I'd to the work; the grounds are ample b
give employment in gardening aud yc
1. leave space enough for the many outdoo
I'D games that have been supplied b
friends of the school.
IN 1.-THE moral training of the girls
I'd not forgotten. Every Sunday afternoo
a religious service is held in the sohocl
h conducted by a minister Of the gospt
I'D or BY some earnest layman, and ever
evening is devoted by the supurinten
dent 10 reading, singing and talkin
with the girls. More than this, "
believe that the tone of the school
tv high in its character and that dali
=. intercourse with the officers in chara
n is helpful in raising the standard (
ed morals among the inmates.
~ sin order to continue to help I'll
i girls so trained in the school, the Ell
4, deavor is made to place them In sue
he homes as may be beneficial to the
and as far away as possible from OIL
~ associations. Encouraging reports CON
rd to the managers from a number I
ed girls now 10 homes secured for then
oh and watchful care over them is mail
We tanned by visits and correspondence.
,Ie sit is the earnest wish Of the boal
In CT managers that this school may !
the means Of bringing to better u
many more girls by giving them ii
n desire to lead an honest and pure iii
ia and also q means of livelihood, or
HI that they may be upheld and helped
E this desire by all those who in al
# way can influence such girls to pla
Nj themselves where they may be helr,
HA ;n+o +ba b;phar lifo -