The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1905-09-09
Saving the Bad Girls.

Saving the Bad Girls.
The Denver papers tell about great scandal in the
Girls Industrial home of Colorado The institution is in
deporable condition The girls brutaly whipped
and badly treated Anarchy prevails An investigation
has been made concerning recent outbreak IN this
called home by the Humane society and the report reveals
many failures and abuses of management.
1t is shown by this report that there is continuous
'strike' going in the home. The girls revolt
of the cre methods These strikes put down by
force Whipping and combining the girls In dark cells
the principal methods of punishment The whipping is
done with rubber hose half inch in diameter and doub
led $50 to make it hurt worse, of the officials
said: EACH DELINQUENT GETS FROM TWENTY
FIVE LASHES UPWARD. The regular punishment is
given just after prayers!
In this ''refomaory school" there rewards of
good behavior The girls not taught to work. They
forced to labor There amusements, recrea
ton What be expected of these poor girls who have
nothing to look forward to- to work for to hope for to en-
joy7 There is challenge to personal pride and no APP
peal to self respect The young women treated like
driven cattle. There is ''fun in being good There
is every nducement for girl to throw herself away
And just here is place for euogy of Of the wises
genest of his times: Five years ago Iowas Indus
trial School for Girls in the condition Of the Colorado
institution "Strikes and mnaways, punished by beat
ings and confinement always occurring. The culm.
nation took place general revolt that included the en-
tire school, Real battles fought between the girls
the teachers Inc girls ran away IN punches
the police force and detective force of Des MONIES
employed in search Of them. man named Miller, who
the head of the schoola political appointee-
hated by every girl The proceedings the shame Of
the state
THEN CAME A MAN. His name is Fitzgerald. He
has brains and heart. He has the sympa vic touch He
knows that girls however bad have affection and good i'm
pulses He knows that their hearts hungry for appre
citation He knows that they need praise sunshine kind
He has patience and pity for their wrongdong,
sorrow instead of beangs. He banished the lash and
preachments He employed good will. He put the girls
their honor. He gave them something to do and re-
warded them with judcious praise.
When this man took charge all the windows of the in
stution had prison bars them. HE TORE OUT
EVERY BAR He caused the state to build cottages for
the girls and them real homes. lie provided kind
teachers who mothers IN these families Instead
of seedlings and whppngs and threats he provided flow
and music Today you cannot tell this reformatOry
institution from we'll guarded girls boarding school,
The result? IN FIVE YEARS NO GIRL HAS RUN
AWAY. And girls who have finished the and gone
out have begged to come backbone! Mr.. Fitzgerald
believes in the refining influence of music Every girl is
taught music of sort The great orchestra gives
cents at the state fair and elsewhere Opeettas and pub
lie entertainments frequent During the forenoons
class rectatons made In the afternoons the girls
provided the salvation of work about the home for cou
pie of hours Then play recreation When not at
work they too busy having good time to think of mis-
chief And let any girl who dares to take advantage of
Mr. Fitzgerald's kindness. She will be boycoed by the
entire school,
Colorado is not the only state that has serious trouble
with its reformaory school for girls Mr. Fitzgerald says
for he knows every other state employs the old prison
idea His work stands out exception. And yet it is
fact that GIRLS ARE MORE EASILY REFORMED
THAN BOYS If the girls is considered hopeless it
is because have made it No girl is wholly bad What
she needs is chance. She needs all the personal liberty
consistent with her good She needs what every
other human being needs-hat which makes life olerabe
She needs to learn that usefulness and happiness go to-
gether She needs to learn that pays be good And if
she has tastes and talents their development will help her
to be good Above ALL the hayward girl needs the warmth
of human kindness.