The Grit-advocate., 1905-08-25
TROUBLESOME GIRLS
At STATE INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL
Girls Severely Criticised by Com
mittee Of Humane Society.


Girls near this city were the occasion
of complaints being laid before the
State Humane Society. which ap-
pointed committee to examine into
conditions at the school. Their report
is lengthy document and is severe
in its criticism of the management OF
the institution. 1t is signed by James
H. Pershing, r. NJ. Colder and E. X.
Whitehead.
/, The report deals at length with the
general feeling of disgust and mistrust
which the public in general holds
against the school and contends that
this is one of the fundamental reasons
why the school does not prosper. 1t
holds that save for half dozen eXcep-
tions the girls are not bad. but are con-
fined in the school because of various
reasons, one of which Is failure to be
provided for by parents. The report
also dwells at length with outbreaks
which have occurred and states posi-
lively that the superintendent had
knowledge of intended outbreaks, but
took absolutely no precautions to pre-
vent them. In speaking of one out
break of which the management had
foreknowledge the report says that
"The only reason the officials can give
for not attempting to prevent the out
break was that they were not sure
who would lead the gang that was TO
run away" The report further states
that some of the girls are knocked
down and roughly handled and are
beaten over the head with revolver
by male guard, and that after the
outbreak all were put in cells. Besides
this they were numerically whipped
and put on short rations, in many
cases their bodies showing black and
blue marks as big as a hand seven
days after punishment had been ad-
ministered Five girls who ran away
were given fifteen strokes each with
a piece of rubber tubing one-half inch
in diameter and with one-quarter-inch
aperture The tubing was six feet
long and doubled twice, 80 as to
make it hurt worse" as the officers
said. The girls who took part in the
strike and ran away were given twen-
ty-f1ve strokes with the same tubing.
This whipping was administered 1ust
after prayer" on the night of August
7th. Two other girls, who were sick at
the time, are still held in cells and
will be punished when they get well.
The report finds:
"First-That the whipping was un-
necessarily severe both as TO the in
strument and the punishment inflicted.
"Second-That there is no apparent
system or purpose il the methods en-
ployed except to preserve discipline
by force and fear. that all moral in
fluence had been turned into demor-
alizing influence.
"Third-That the location Of the
property of the school is admirable;
that the garden lands and orchards
ought to and would, under proper man
agement, produce all the vegetables
and fruit the school can consume and
that sales could be made from the
dairy and farm products, after having
furnished the school with all its needs.
"Fourth-That hard work, if the
girls were allowed to perform it. would
go long way toward Strengthening
out the trouble.
''Fifth-That the business manage
ment of the school should be changed
at once so as to prevent the present
deficit of 5000 a month.
"SiXth-That all Of the i'll feeling,
lack of sympathy. nsubordination,
severe punishment, destruction of
property, runaways, idleness and in:
creasing debts and all other details of
failure and neglect are, in the opinion
of your committee, caused by incompe-
tepcy and mismanagement.
"Seventh--In the opinion of your
committee, the school almost entirely
fails at the object of its creation and
rather than continue as it now is
might better be done away with.
1T is the opinion of your committee
also, that present conditions at the
school undoubtedly come within the
law forbdding injury to children and
that unless other means are taken to
remedy them it is both the right and
duty of your bureau to take whatever
steps are calculated to do so.
The committee recommends:
"First-That the school be placed in
charge of mother or superintendent;
/, wise and kindly woman with a
mother heart and mother appearance;
that she be told to get helpers of her
own kind for matrons and teachers.
"Second-A capable and energetic
level-headed business manager should
he put in charge of the business af-
fairs of the place at once.
"Third-Immediate action should be
taken to install the improvements pro-
vided for by the Legislature.
"Fourth-The arrears from the sew
eral counties should be collected
promptly.
"Fifth-The system of parole should
be changed so that parole and release
from the school should be dependent
upon fitness alone.
"Sixth-Corporal punishment should
be abolished and solitary confinement
rooms, not cells, installed.
"Seventh-Constant, systematic and
various work should be given the girls,
part of this outdoors.
"Eighth-Varied and ample amuse
ment and recreation should be prO-