Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-12-26
Marked Improvement in Private
and County Insane Asylums
Since 1901
RESULT OF NEW REQUIREMENTS
Great Interest Taken in Stock Judging
School at Ames-Telephone Case
Where Line Was Declared a Portion
of the Real Estate Will Be Carried
Higher.
necial to Times-Repuhlican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, Dec. 26.-As the
result OF the efforts of the
state board of control persistently ap-
piled there has been vast improve
ment in the conditions which surround
the incurable insane who are kept in
the county and private asylums of the
state of Iowa. A little over year ago,
the board acting under the law newly
provided, adopted certain rules and re-
quirements for these county and local
asylums where 500 or 500 of the insane
are kept. There was a loud outcry
against this at the time and the dec
laration went forth that the board was
trying to close up these institutions
that the state hospitals might be more
than filled. In few instances the eff
forts of the board to bring these local
institutions up to higher standard
met with open hostility. But the board
that only few OF them have been
closed, all others having made such
changes as are necessary. An inspec-
ton is made twice each year OF all
the asylums. Each report shows inn
proyement over others A few days
ago the board received a letter from the
chairman OF the county board in a
county where one of the poorest
equipped asylums was located stating
that new superintendent was to be
elected at the January meeting and the
board will then bring their asylum up
to standard. AS matter of fact IN
stead of depopulatfng the county asy-
lums they are better filed and have
more inmates now than ever before,
and the state hospitals are nearly full.
The board pursues the policy of letting
insane persons return to their homes
on parole where there are relatives
who will agree to care for them and
1t is recommended by the hospital SUI
perintendents. Some two or three hum
dred are out all the time. and this Is
q big saving to the counties of the
state. Since the board went to work
at this July /, 1898 it has passed on
1,677 applications for parole or dis
charge. In the past year and half
the board has paroled 3SS persons and
extended paroles for 242 persons. The
board strictly has no legal right to in
dulge in the paroles, but attention was
called to this in one report to the leg
islature and the legislature was asked
to legalize it, >but nothing was done.
The practice is found to work with
excellent results, as about Z out of 10
are found to be all right at their for
1ner homes But the whole system of
paroles and discharges brings upon the
board vast amount Of detailed work
essential to the management of the
state hospitals and county and pri-
vate asylums.
The greatest interest is being taken
at the present time in the stock and
corn judging school at State College,
Ames, next month. Professor Holden
and Professor Curtiss were in the city
a few days ago in consultation with
persons interested in this subject. They
report that never before have there
been so many inquiries in regard TO
this school and from so many differ
ent sources indicating general re-
vival of interest in the subject. The
people have become thoroughly aroused
over the subject and are ready to give
the able leaders in scientific agricui
tural study at the college their hearty
cooperation. 1t was different few
years ago when the college people
found it very hard to get up any inter-
est in any of the practical things they
were proposing. But the good work
done by the college in the past is bear
ing fruit The work of the students
at the international live stock shows
has attracted attention all over the
country. Now that the work of bring
ing up the seed corn has been taken
hold of in earnest that subject has
an equal chance with fat stock. Sec
retary Simpson, of the state agricu.-
tural department, said in regard to this
matter:
1--WE are receiving many inquiries in
regard to the corn and stock judging
school and contest. 1 understand that
additional premiums have been offered
in these judging contests by agricultur-
al newspapers and by persons inter-
ested. I know that other states are
envious of Iowa in the matter of hav-
ing such work done At other state
colleges they have good men at work
along these lines of practical agricul-
ture, but in no state have they men
who stand out conspicuously like Hol-
den and Curtiss. 1t is largely because
of this fact and the progressive work
which has been done at the college
for number of years that Iowa is
taking front rank in the matter of
advanced agriculture, I feel that every
citizen of the state should take pride
in what is being done at this time
Despite the general rule that poor
crop season follows a wet season in
Iowa, good crop is anticipated in Iowa
next year. 1t is regarded as almost
certain that there will be much snow on
the ground before the winter is over.
AT the same time the ground is filled
with water and Is in the best possible
condition for spring. Never before In
the history of the state has the Des
Moines river at this point been so full
OF water at Christmas time as this year.
The water flows in a great stream 4oo
feet wide and three or four feet deep
over the old dam In the river. There IS
probably twenty times as much water