Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1903-12-24
IFH DAKOTA. THURSDAY. DECEMBER "a 1908
FEEBLE MINDED SCHOOL,
New Bsildiags For Same at 0effton-
Bot Still Lacated at
Ja0estoWn.

Bot Still Lacated At
Jaaestown.
The Grafton News and lTimes, and
other state papers have been printing
a description Of the new building for
the feeble minded just completed at
Grafton, together with pictures of the
officers, trustees and others, including
Senator Cashel, through whose efforts
the town has secured the building.
The structure presents very fine ap-
pearance and is credit to the well
known architect, Geo. Hancock of Far
go. The general dimensions of the
building are l76xl20 feet, three, stories
high, with high basement. The
building is constructed of cream
colored brick, trimmed with Kettle
river sand stone. There are two
square towers forming the main en-
trance that serve as ornaments and
add character to the building. The
plan Of the building provides :for ITO
inmates including officers and attend
ants. The office and reception room
are on the first flour, also teachers
room, assembly room with stage,
school room sc. DOrmatories are on
the second floor with closets, baths and
clothes rooms. There is every con-
venience for an institution of the
kind. The building is steam heated
and complete in every detail. Its
cost will aggregate about 100000.
A history of the legislation connect
ed with the erection of a building for
a Feeble Minded Institute at Grafton
is interesting in several particulars.
In the first place the Feeble Minded
Institute of the state of North Da-
kota is located by the constitution at
jamestown and has never been chang
ed. 1t will require an amendment to
the econstitution, legally adopted by a
svote of the people, to make such
change, and it is supposed thata vote
on, such amendment will be had at
the next general election, In 1904.
At the time North Dakota became
a,state, Congress gave $4,000 for q
peDitentiary and the location for such
institution was made at Grafton. The
secretary Of the interior afterwards
bought, 40 acres of ground for the site
for such peniten ary. Th ere being
already another penitentiary ia the
state. at. Bismarck ample for all pre-.
sent ard furture purposes, state
Senator Cashel of Grafton conceived
the, idea OF changing the location Of
the feeble minded institute from
jamestown to Grafton. To do this
required the passage Of an amendment
to the constitution. A proposed
Iamendmsntfor this purpose was pass
ed by two, wo,legislative assemblies, those
aflS93 andls95 and put to ayote ofthe
people to accept or reject. The voters
rejected the proposed change by a
decisive vote. The idea of establish
inganOther state institution was not
favored as the present state hospital
and feeble minded institution could
care for the feeble minded Of the state
with Tar less expense than il main
tanned in a separate institution.
Senator Cashel was not discouraged
at the expression of sentiment but
again introduced his proposed amend
ment at the next session OF the
legislature. 1t passed but became ino-
perative because it was not afterwards
properly advertised as the law direct
ed BY the, then, secretary Of state. In
1901 Mr.. Cashel again introduced the
bill for an amendmert and it passed
the assembly and also passed the last
session in 1908. 1t has yet to be voted
on by the people before ite become
adopted as an amendment to the state
constitution.
But in the meantime the Cashel bill
for a proposed amendment carried
with it an appropriation OF some
$4,000 for completing and maintain
ing ateeble minded schtAol at the town
Grafton, as we'll as authority for the
appointment of trustees who were also
authorized to build such q building.
Gov. White signed the bill which pass
ed at the last session, appropriating
the money after cutting the amount
to about S55, 600.
The papers around the state are
describing the new building at Graf
ton and making the announcement
that a portion of the patients from
jamestown would be transferred to
Grafton In a few weeks. In the
mean time Senator Hansbrough Sc
cured the passage of an act through
congress diverting the money appro-
priated for . penitentiary to the use
of a feeble minded institute at Graf
ton.
From the above sketch Of the his
tory Of the feeble minded school it
vuill no aeon that tho location annrn.