Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-04-03
Environment Of the Industrial
Schools at Mitchellville and
Eldora Most Uplifting
NEW COURSES OF INSTRUCTION
Little Idle Time Left Now to the Boys
at the E'dora School = Reserve
Ground Has Been Abolished - Sup
ply Of Boys Available for Farm Ser
vice is Small.
Special 10 Tim.s-Republican.

Special 10 oTimes-Republican
Des Moines, April 3.-According to
Miss Glare Lunbeck, agent of the
board of control, in finding homes for
the children in the state institutions, 1t
is no longer a calamity for a child to
be sent to the Mitchellville Industrial
school. Immediately after making TINS
statement she qualified it by stating
that she was thoroughly aware that
it was a serious matter for child
to have been in such condition ana
in such environment where 1t is neces-
sary that it be taken from its home
and placed in the state institution, but
the environment of the industrial
school is such that Miss Lunbeck from
her experience with it finds that there
is seldom anything but good comes to
the child after it Is placed there. Miss
Lunbeck finds that many OF the girls
on leaving the institution now are
really homesick to go back. Ihey
learn so much, have such good treat
ment and the environment is so pleas
ant and elevating that the girls after
remaining there short time become
attached to the place and to the other
girls and the instructors.
Miss Lunbeck, like many Others
who have come in contact with this
class of work, is thoroughly convinced
that many times the parents are more
in need Of being punished than the
b}c q ihoSpd nlrt1v
the principle that children pretty gem
orally are what their parents make
them and where the child does not
become incorrigible thru the training
1T. receives from Ignorant parents It
becomes so in many other cases be-
cause the parents are naturally VIC
ious themselves. What Is true of
Mitchellville is in many instance true
of Eldora. There are very few boys
or girls that do not soften under the
kindly treatment they are given at Ell
dora and Mitchellville and discover
that 1t is much better to be decent and
observe the golden rule. There is a
belief quite prevalent over the state
that the Eldora and Mitchellville
schools are merely graduating lot OF
criminals. Those who are in posi-
ton to know claim that there Is moth
ing further from the truth. Occasion
ally youths are sent to these schools
who have passed the formative state
and need to be reformed. With that
class there is not the same success.
Some times they are reformed and
some times not. This class is more
often heard from after they leave the
institution from the fact that they get
into trouble again, while the SUCCESS
es settle down in life and live quietly
as good citizens but attracting little
attention about it.
Since the new courses OF instruction
in brick laying, stone mason work,
harness making, printing and the like
were added to the Eldora school the
bows UP there have had very little idle
time on their hands. They will go
skating in a group with an instructor
of the school or go hunting, and of
course play ball and the like. But
the time they have for play is now
limited so that they occupy it with
strenuous play. All the rest of the time
they are in the school room. working
at the trade they are learning or in
LlG 1uIIllly, WHICH AoSSSt AhSe.iAo SAASJ
are at the cottage where they are as
signed. Formerly when the number of
trades taught were limited it was inn
possible to find something for every
boy to keep busy at all the time 1t
was the custom then to send boy to
what was called the reserve ground.
This was large play ground in the
custody of one or two officials OF the
ground. The boys were there so much
of the time that they were really In
idleness and it is claimed that more
meanness was Matched on that ground
that at any other time. This ground
has now been abolished.
There is at this time a very great
among the farmers of the state for
bows from the Eldora school. But the
supply available for farm service is
small. 1t is the custom of Miss
Lunbeck in finding homes for boys or
girls to place them where they will be
contented. 1t has been found that the
contentment of the child is one of the
chief factors in making good citizen.
If the boy is willing to go to farm all
right. and good, but if he desires to
stay in the city it has been found bet
fer TO let him do so. The city people.
however, do not seem to have learned
that when they want a good, bright
bov to work in bakery. harness shop,
tailor shop or in any other of the num-
erous trades taught at Eldora, they
can very frequently secure such thru
Miss Lundbeck.
The census work being done by the
executive council is less than day be-
hind the amount Of work on hand. For
A. time the executive council was sew
eral days behind. Then it caught up
till it remained one day behind for
some time and now this is being less
ened. Secretary A. III. Davidson
believes this is partly due
to the fact that the auditors
are holding back the cards in the