The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-09-08
SAVING THE bad GIRLS

The Denver papers tell about a great
scandal in the Girls Industrial home
of Colorado. The institution is in a
deplorable condition. The girls are
brutally whipped and badly treated.
Anarchy prevails. An investigation has
been made concerning a recent out.
break in this so called home by the
Humane society and the report reveals
many failures aad abuses of manage
ment
II shown by this report that there
ia continuous strike" going on in
the home The girls revolt on account
OF the cruel methods These strikes
are put down by force. Whipping and
confining the girls in dark cells are the
principal methods OF punishment. The
whipping is done with rubber hose
half an inch in diameter and doubled.
so as to make II hurt worse" as one
OF the officials said. Each delinquent
gets from twenty-five lashes upward.
The regular punishment Is given Just
after prayers.
In this 'reformatory school" there
are no rewards for faithfulness or
neatness, or good behavior The girls
are not taught to work. They are
forced TO labor There are no amuse.
ments, no recreation. What can be ex.
pected OF these poor girls who have
nothing to look forward to, to work
for, to hope for. to enjoy? There is
no challenge TO personal pride and no
appeal TO self respect The young
women are treated like driven cattle.
There is no fun in being good |
There is every inducement fos a girl !
TO throw herself away.
And slst here is place for eulogy OF
one Of the wisest, gentlest men OF his
time: Five years ago Iowa's Indus.
tral school for girls was in the con
dition of the Colorado institution.
Strikes and runaways, punished by
beatings and confinement. were al.
ways occurring. The elimination took
place In a general revolt that included
The entire school Real battles were
fought between the girls anu the
teachers. The girls ran away IN
lunches and half the police and Jetec.
i've force OF Des Moines were EN-.
ployed in search for them. A man
named Miller who was at the head of
he sehool-a political apDointee- was
laied by every girl. The proceedings
we're the shame OF the state.
Then came man HIS name is
He has brains and heart.
ie has the sympathetic touch. He
nows that girls. however bad. have
neotion and good impulses. He
nows that their hearts are hungry for
He knows that they
eed praise. sunshine. kindness. He
as patience and pity for their wrong
Ding, sorrow instead of beatings. He
anished the lash and preachments.
ie employed good viii He put the ]
iris on their honor, He rave them
to DO and rewafded them
'ith iudicious praise. :
When this man took charge all the I
indows Of the institution had prison {
ars over them He tore out every
a.. He caused the state to build cot
'ges for the girls aud gave them real
ONES He provided kind women
,aehers who were mothers in these \
imilies Instead Of seedlings and =
hippings and threats he provided a
overs and music Today you can not =
N this reformatory institution from I,
well.reeulated g.rl1 boarding school a
The resoltg In five years no girl I,
rs run away. And girls who have n
aished The course and gone out have v
sgged 10 come back -homel Mr.. v