Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-12-15
SAY IOWA LAW
C0NPELS PERJURY
Heads of State Institutions IL
lustrate Pressing Need For
aWoman's Refolmatory
ACCUSATION is WELL FOUNDED
The Law is Such That In Many Cases
the Only Way to do Justice by Way.
ward Children is For tho Parents to
Commit Perjury Regarding tho
chiId's Age.

Commit Perjury Regarding the
Child's Age.
Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, Dec. Is. - The state Of
Iowa not only Invites but virtually
compels perjury in certain cases, on
the part of those who love their chill
dren and desire to do best by them.
Such is startling accusation made,
in round about way, at the quarterly
conference of heads of institutions In
this city yesterday. 1t was an accu-
sation made by those who are in the
best position to know.
Superintendent +. p. Fitzgerald. Of
the Mitchellville institution, referred in
a paper he read to the lamentable fact
that there is one class of persons for
which the state of Iowa has never
made any provision, and they are quite
as much in need as any other. This
is the class Of girls between the ages
Of 16 and 21-glrls who need restraint
and moral training, but who are by law
shut out of the state industrial school
and can only break into the penitenti-
airy by committing some overt crime.
Miss Lundbeck, the state home finding
agent, referred to this fact also, and
pointed out that it had come within
her knowledge that persons were ac-
tually admitted to the state institut-
ions who are above the legal age and
this is accomplished by perjury on the
part of some one. She referred to the
fact that numbers of girls are sent
outside the state, generally to private
or sectarian institutions anywhere. Mr..
Fitzgerald recalled an incident of a girl
who was entered at his institution as
Is years old and yet he was fully sat-
isf1ed she was at least Is when admit
ted, yet he could have no proof of It.
The law was such that in many cases
the only way to do justice by maynard
children is for the parent to commit
perjury in regard to the child's age.
and no doubt this is done In many cas-
es. 1t is due to the fact that thus far
the legislators of Iowa have refused to
provide for the woman's reforrnatory
which was established some years ago.
In the same connection discussion
arose as to the teaching of the chill
dren in the state industrial schools
Miss Lundbeck referred to the fact that
in same states there was an actual de-
FNr :, n rsv~1c fNvr1,N NOV
from the state industrial schools, and
they find employment more readily
than others because 1t Is known they
are rightly trained and skillful. This
followed similar suggestion by Col.
Drake Of the Eldora school. Miss
Lundbeck hoped the time would come
when this would be true in Iowa. She
would emphasize the fact that at the
industrial school for girls they should
be taught how to become good house
keepers. Superintendent Fitzgerald, at
this juncture, pointed out that while
the fact may not be known generally
it is true that every girl at the Nit
chellvillle school Is Taught how to be
q i1ousekeeper. Every one must take
lessons in baking, cooking, sewing, and
all domestic services Of that kind.
Visitors come to the place and see an
orchestra furnishing fine music and
they ask why 1t would not be better
for the girls to be in the kitchen rath-
er than at the piano. They forget, or
do not know, that the music is but in
cidental, and that back Of 1t all is the
steady teaching Of domestic science
and how to be good housewives. SUI
perintendent Fitzgerald Is great be-
lever in the use Of music at tnstitut-
principal thing.
An interesting side discussion took
place at the conference on the question
Of the influence Of certain physical
defects on children. DR.. Morgridge, OF
the Glenwood institution. presented
paper in which he treated of the sub
ject from the standpoint Of the sc1en-
tist and referred to the great need of
examination Of the eyes. for instance,
SO that defects Of the eye may not
dwarf the intellect. John Cownie, of
the state board, voiced protest a.
gainst the fad of opticians employed
by the public to inspect the eyes of
school children. He believed 1t was
only a fad and that the public had no
business looking after the eyes Of chill
dren in school. He referred to an in
cident which he used to score optic
fans and oculists. A number Of pris-
oners were asking for spectacles and
an effort was made to secure the SER
vices of an oculist to. examine them.
The best that could be done was to
hire one at $50 a day. He regarded
this as extortion, and 1t was in line
with much OF what Is being done. He
believed that the fad Of having ocu-
lists examine the eyes Of school chill
dren was in the nature Of q graft
It is really shame that the meet
ings like the ones In Des Moines this
week, relating to agriculture, horticul-
ture, forestry, parks. and other SINH
lar subjects, are not better attended
each year. This year, for instance.
most excellent program has been CIV
en- at the various meetings. Any far
mer might gain much valuable infor-
nation by attending. In the farmers
institute the papers on transportation
and on stock breeding were all very
fine. Two men came over from ILL
nois to talk Of breeding and raising
cattle and hogs and they are the very
best men in the business in the coun-
try. The horticultural and forestry
meetings were filled with good things.
One who attends these meetings comes