Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-11-29
OTHER STATES AA[AD
Minnesota's State Institutions
Surpass Those of Iowa in
Industrial Features.
Board of Control Expects to Put
Iowa on a Better Basis
Soon.
Judge Kline Talks Of Condition
Of Public Wards in Sister
States.

II
features Of the state institutions of Min.
nesota surpas's those of Iowa, as {
rule said Judge l.. G.. Kline, of the
state board of control, who has just re
turned from an inspection of half the
Minnesota institutions. Minnesota is
ahead Of us on that point. On others we
1 surpass her. AS soon as the board car
secure the money, it proposes to place
| the industrial features OF the Iowa in
stitutions upon better basis. Money s
the fundamental need in this work.
Il have brought back with me num-
Der of samples OF the soap that is made
at one of the institutions there. Persons
who pass thru that institution come
out soap makers, a skilled occupation
which commands fair wages. The quail
| ity of soap that is made appears to be
the best. and at any rate is not adulter-
ated. The cost of the machinery is not
so large as the shop expense. Both toilet
and laundry soaps are made. The bind
ing twnie factory is not running at full
capacity because of the lack Of materi-
al, 1 understand. / did not visit Still
water, but l saw the warden.
My visit to the. Minnesota institu-
tons has helped to determine me in ia
yor Of better developed industrial facil-
tiles for the wards Of the state who are
institutional inmates. We far surpass
many OF the Minnesota institutions on
our provisions for giving the inmates
amusement and instruction in music,
for instance, and these things are re-
garded as large factors in restoring the
unfortunates of all grades to normal
conditions.
AT the conference of corrections and
charities, Mrs. WEIGH. wife Of the super
intendent OF the insane hospital at Fer
gus Falls, read a paper on subjects Of
interest to women in connection with
vited her to read a paper before the
state institution superintendent on
Dec. 10.
Minnesota has no reform or so-called
industrial schools, having instead a
state training school located at Red
Wing. Boys and girls both are educated
here. It is an industrial school, in fact.
1t differs from the schools at Eldora and
Mitchellville in that it employs a wom-
an who Is an agent to watch the deyel-
opment Of the children who leave the
institution. She goes with them to their
homes, after they leave, discovers the
sort of people with whom they will live,
keeps minute track Of them as to their
conduct and progress, and exercises, in
effect, parole over them. The system
costs about IS, 600 year. The state is
amply repaid by It. In Iowa there is
nothing of this kind, altho there should
be. In this state much of the money
spent in this class of work stands a
chance Of being utterly lost. because the
state abandons the girls and boys 1t
gives q partial education and then turns
loose, while there the money spent is
made fruitful because the benefciaries
remain under the watchful care and
help of the state.
Minnesota has three insane hospitals
and two so-called asylums recently
opened. She has more insane people
than Iowa. independence now has 1000.
which is more than any hospital in this
state ever had. One of the Minnesota
hospitals has 1900 and over inmates.
THE inclusion Of the educational In
stitutions under the management Of
both board Of control and q separate
board of trustees has led to inevitable
conflict Under the Minnesota law the
board Of control has charge Of the finan-
ces OF the schools and educational insti-
tutions, so far as buying supplies is
concerned. But the trustees Of each in
stitution have control over the teaching
force, number etc, and the salaries
paid. The educational institutions were
included in the law in an effort to kill
the plan, but 1t failed, and the supreme
court is now deciding whether the title
to the act is broad enough to take in the
educational institutions. A decision Is
expected soon.
THE board Of control there is meeting
whit the same problems and discourage
ments that the board here met with
The same class of detractors exists
there as in Iowa. The same misrepre-
sensations are made And similar sue
cess seems to be attending the admins
tration of the board as to the institu-
lions generally.
zone noticeable thing about the Min
nesota institutions is the number OF
Iowa people one finds connected with
them. The secretary Of the board of
control was an Iowa man. Several of
the superintendents and assistant SUI
have lived in Iowa at one
time or another"