The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-03-21
GIRL IS TRAINING SCHOOL
Some Misapprehensions with Regard to
This Project Discussed.

G1hL = TRAINING CHOOL
Some Misapprehensions with Regard to
This Project Discussed.
To the Editor of The Journal
There appears to be some confusion
in the minds of those who have been
considering the pros and cons of the
separate state training school for girls.
At least there seems to be diversion
OF attention from the main question
at issue and the substitution of ques-
lions which are concerned, not with
the system, but with the management,
about which, so far as the present off
GERS are concerned, there can be no pos
sible difference of opinion. The result
in many cases has been that people who
have visited the school for the purpose
OF investigation have confined their in
vestigation to the efficiency Of the man.
agement and have come away with no
enlightenment whatever upon the i'm
portant question of the welfare Of the
two schools in their relation to each
other and the problems involved; nor
OF the merits of the present combined
system at Red Wing, as compared with
the separate system as it exists in other
states which have had the same prob
lem to solve and have solved it, not
only to the extent Of having separate
schools for boys and for girls, but of
separate cottages for the different
grades and conditions Of girls or of
boys.
If the visitors could have informed
themselves concerning the advantages
OF system which would admit of
proper classification and segregation
they would have made the discovery
that the important question is moral
and is concerned with the psychological
condition of the girl, which is the
handspring of her conduct.
1t is is not necessary to prove the exact
number Of feet in the distance between
the girls school and the boys school
when one knows that the girls school
never ought to have been placed there
at all: Nor is it important whether
the girls and boys notice one another
when they meet at chapel in the main
building, probably not-girls and bows
are not liable to notice one another
under similar circumstances, as we all
know from personal experimentation
whether in the majority Of cases they
succeed j., in communicating. Such details
are immaterial when what we do know
is, that they try to communicate.
Until those in favor Of the changes
and those opposed can concentrate
their attention upon the same kind OF
facts and distinguish the difference be-
tween facts which affect the moral con
dltlon Of the school and facts which dc
not they can never come to an under
standing. = n"
. Experience has shown that delin
quent girls are out of place in a school,
to which delinquent boys are also com
mitted. This is the system now en-
ployed at Red Wing. The girls school
is a block and a half from the boys
school in a location remote from every
object Of human interest except tho
boys school. The building is not suit
able for the reason that the girls
training school has double problem tc
meet. 1t has not only to care for the
girls who have to learn to do right, but
to Scare for the girls who have to I'M
learn the wrong, to undo the habits OF
lifetime, not only instill into theil
minds pure thoughts, but drive out the
impure, to reform and regenerate in
mind and body, and at the same time
carry on successfully it's preventive
work in the right forming of the
younger or more innocent girls. The
necessity Of separate cottages and oil
the care of the girls for a length Of
tune commensurate with the nature OF
their Individual nd requirements is OBJ
yyious., The hospital for crippled chill
dren furnishes suggestive illustration
Of a guiding principle. Those children
are kept until they are cured That il
what we want the girls training schoo
to do for our delinquent girls, Who ar,
morally crippled-to place them unde
conditions that are favorable and Their,
to teach them how to redeem them
selves, morally and physically; or. t
their delinquency is due to insanity O.
degeneration, protect them from them
selves and from endangering others b,
giving them proper medicine and sur
glcal help, and not give them up unit
we have exhausted every resource, in
cluolng generous contributions Of hope
love and patience. =
or four cottages capable of accommo
dating twenty or thirty girls in a cot
tage-such a school as they have at Lar
caster, Mass, where they have nov
seven cottages and where the girls ar
being taught in a way that vii
strengthen them to resist the tempta
lions that are sure to assail them afte
they have left the institution and b
those who realize that before they ca
become discreet citizens many Of ther
have battles to- fight and enemies t
conquer that will require all the hel
the state can supply. !
1t was because he realized that thi
institution should provide home infIr
ences the superintendent Of the schoc
at Red Wing, in his last biennial report
advised a separate school for girls. an
we honor him for having offered tn
recommendation, as we do in no les
degree the chairman Of the board O
control, who Endorsed the recommends
1ton.
/ In 1908 the State Federation Of Won
en- s clubs took action on the situatio
and appointed a special committe
4 to draw up petition to be presented t
the legislature, asking that an act b
i passed establishing "an Industris
1 School for Girls, which shall be separat
wholly, in a different town, from til
4 present training school for boys, an
4 that the appropriation made be ,lare
enough TO provide ground for farm wor
and for separate cottages for the V:
rious grades, with facilities for indu
trial training, and we especially as
that this school be under the contr,
and direction of women,
Il This petition has been signed, n,
only by the members of women s club
but by influential and thoughtful me
all over the state, including all of tl
district judges, all of the probate an
municipal judges in st. Paul, Minneal
pills and Duluth as well as in MANY {
the other towns.
TT ia tn hn honod tbaf o,,r lor;sIo ~,