Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-05-19
Annual Report Tells Of Its
Condition and About Inmates.
Report Of Industrial School for Girls
Shows Many Improvements.
Inmates Have Deposits in HalIoweII
Savings Bank Which Aggregate
Se31o1.

, School for Boys and the Maine Indus
= trial School for Girls have been ISSUED
and they contain much that is of ill.,
terest 10 those who like to keep in
formed as to the progress Of the wor.s
of reforming boys and girls who have.
started on a wrong course in life. The
. report Of the school for boys is the
fiftieth annual and contains the re-
suits of the years doings at the school,
as told by the superintendent E. P.
Wentworth, and the board of trustees
From it the following information is
gathered
| Since the school was opened there
have been 241S boys received, which is
not so bad showing for the boys of
Maine, considering that the school has
been in existence for so years. On
November 80, last, there We're lat boys
i'll the institution, which was n gain
OF one from the same date in 1902.
During the year there had been COM
mitted to the school Al boys, eight who
were out on leave had returned and one
who had run away, prior to the close
| of the year 1902, was returned, making
q total of so received at the school dur
ing 1903. During the year Al were al
lowed to go on trial. three were dis
| charged one died, three were remand
ed and one allowed to go becaucs of il
legal commitment.
Hy the table showing number Of
commitments and departures. per
month. together with the number of
| boys in the school each month it is
| seen that the average number in the in
stitutiOn each month was 145, and that
the largest number of commitments
was in September when nine were re-
ceived. or the II boys committed five
were from the Supreme court, the re-
maindar being sent by municipal
courts and trial justices. OF the cities
and towns Portland and Oldtown head
the list. each having sent five boys.
Table No. s. which shows the length OF
time which the boys who have been
discharged from the school since 1877
We're held there. show that the average
which each boy has been confined has
been two years and five months. or
the Al committed last year % were for
larceny, three for truancy, five for be-
ing common runaways, two for as
| sault one for malicious mischief, three
for breaking and entering, one each for
cheating by false pretences and for "
. ing common pilferer. There We're 80
: Maine born boys committed during the
year. four foreign born, the rest hav-
ing been born in different states of the
Union. The age of the youngest boy
committed during the year was eight,
the oldest Is. -
Stone foundations vera put in for two
new cottages last year and the build
I. ings will be erected this year. Each
cottage will be of n size sufficient to
1 | ~ TO nd
The old barn which was built in 1855 is
8 to be moved distance Of about a
thousand feet thi. spring and thor
oughly repaired. A splendid new
,, stone foundation was built for it last
q fall, and one for Il COW barn. 1t is eX-
= pected that these repairs will have been
completed by the beginning Of the COM
:, ing haying season.
A map has been prepared OF the
: school grounds which shows its
- topography location of all buildings,
- fire hydrants. roads and play grounds
BY the report of the Maine Industrial
= School for girls, as made by the
- trustees and matrOn it is shown that
the value of the estate owned by the
institution was increased during 1903
a. from $4,000 to $4,000. In all there are
/, IS acres owned by the institution. of
" which IS are suitable for cultivation
10 five are woodland and 10 for pasturage
,e the rest being occupied by the buildings
e of the home.
lie During the last year in order that the
l. safety of life and property at the school
r might be the better secured, kerosene
le lamps have been superseded by cleo
Of trio lights and an electric FIRE alarm
& system has been Installed. The alarm
" is, also. connected With the door of
ie each room and is so arranged that the
Il opening or closing of the door rings a
bell in the superintendent office
where an annunciatOr which shows
lie what door has been moved. is located.
'e The personal property of the home,
y as inventoried November Is, 1903. was
N 50. 1899, against s7,333.76 the preceding
"a year.
'e At the time the report was made
ie up there were 143 girls in the home flv.
u. less than the previous year. OF these
~ 70 were in the halls. 81 were in outside
u. homes. OF those in outside homes AZ
.. were receiving wages, the remainder
- were working for board, clothes and
Ne school privilege. During the year one
~ girl under the charge of the institution
y died. In 1903 there was admitted to the
II home 16 girls. 13 were released by com
~ ing of age, five We're permitted t.
10 marry, one was adopted. and one re-
- leased to her parents.
" The report says: "There are M
sc fences about the grounds: the doors arr
=. quite generally unlocked; girls go ant
III come about their work and out of door:
II. at recreation hours with a freedom
g which seems remarkable to 4 stranger
: And yet during the past year none have
e attempted to run away from the schoo
~ itself. Only two, who were out IL
VI homes have attempted to do so.''
St The girls under the charge of the In
Sn stltution who are out at work are al
nc lowed TO save their wages above wha
''e is required for their clothing. An ac
y, count is opened for them in the Hal
~ lowell Savings Bank by the superinten
~ dent and this money deposited there
- The superintendent retains the books
n surrendering them to the girls upor
w .ha;r ralcasa from the school, At pre-