Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-07
in fact. I know they will make no mis-
take In giving her employment.
VERY respectfully.


Member Board of Trustees
'Girls Reform School OF the District of
Columbia.
ut was not my intention to comply with
the demand for my resignation. but to force
dismissal, and reasons for 1t, but the con-
ditions in hitherto well-disciplfned insti-
tuition became so unbearable that resigned.
LAS my name has been mentioned over
and over again in connection with the riots
at the Girls Reform School, both before
and after my resignation. with devious
ness of misstatement not at all agreeable.
l desire now to make a plain statement of
facts with regard to that outbreak which
ought not to have occurred and which would
not have occurred had those responsible for
the discipline of the school had any knowl-
edge whatever of the inmates or any con-
ception Of the racial characteristics of the
girls with whom they had to deal.
THE new superintendent arrived Novem-
Der /. Two days later during my alb
sence from the institution. in attendance
upon one of the girls at the hospital, five
of the inmates of the Girls Reform School
ran away. Two of the girls were brought
back to the institution on the day that they
ran away and the third one the next day.
I believed then. and do yet. and SO stated
to the investigating committee of the board
OF charities, that the cause of the riot which
followed day later was the harsh treat
ment Of Hattie, an afflicted little colored
girl who was brought back to the 1nstitu-
ton in irons on public street car placed
in the underground dungeon. with the irons
yet upon her wrists and kept there all night
in this condition, with single blanket be-
tween her and the hard floor. Hattie was
a bad girl. undoubtedly, but she was small
and delicate. and the girls resented this
form of punishment. In the evening their
resentment eliminated in very disrespectful
treatment of the superintendent every time
she made her appearance or they heard her
voice about the building.
"At the teachers meeting that evening.
which was called by the superintendent for
ne licot csir ha hoe
method of punishment for their misbeha-
vior of that afternoon. she stated that she
was going to keep all the girls locked in
their rooms the next day on bread and
water diet. 1t should be understood that
all the girls are locked in their rooms at
night. each girl having her own little dor
mitory When the superintendent Mrs.
Burrows, announced her decision there were
four of the old teachers who at once ad-
vised against this method Of punishment.
Knowing that the doors Of the dormitories
were frail. and knowing from past expert
ence that it would be impossible to keep
the girls in their rooms If they made de-
termined effort to get out, l personally pro-
tested against this procedure. Mrs Bur
rows had stated to us that her reformatory
work was confined to year and half of
experience as subordinate with Scand1-
navians and Italians on RandelPs Island.
In which very few negroes had ever been
confined, and we older teachers instinctiveiy
felt that she did not understand the charac-
with We frankly and fairly stated to ner
what we believed would be the consequences
of this character of punishment.
Gave Her Reasons.
when entered such an energetic protest
against locking the girls in their small
rooms all day Mrs. Burrows asked me why
I thought it would be unwise. l replied that
In single instances at different times during
my services in the institution girls had been
locked in their rooms a punishment and
had smashed the panels out Of the doors
and freed themselves. AS l have stated.
the doors were of the frailest character
they have been doubled since. l told her
that If she undertook to lock such large
number of girls in their rooms, as they were
already incensed against her. they would by
concerted action smash the doors down ana
we would have serious trouble. Mrs OBrien
was the last one to make any suggestions In
the matter to Mrs. Burrows, and her pro-
test was even more energetic than my own.
Mrs. o Brien. like myself. had been many
years in the institution. and we knew the
inmates compositor does his case.
Mrs. Burrows rejected our friendly adj
vice. and with the remark that she would
keep the girls locked In their room, and
that she would be on hand In the morning
to see the bread and water served, broke up
the conference. Mrs. Burrows was not on
hand the next morning. but the riot was.
and it came about just exactly as the Oldest
and most experienced teachers of the fnstt-
The story of this riot has been told in the
public press, and the part played by Mrs.
o Brien and myself in connection with the
quelling of it. After Mrs. O'Brien and got
the girls in check and rushed them into the
school room I locked myself in with them
while Mrs. O. Brien went to notify the SUI
perintendent of what had happened. 1t was
more than an hour before Mrs. Burrows ar
rived. accompanied by three policemen, hav
ing telephoned to the Georgetown station
for them and waited for their arrival. Mrs.
Burrows made but the one appearance In
the school room while l was on duty that
day. and that was when she came in with
the policemen, and it looked for a few mo-
ments as though the girls intended to mob
the four Of them. The superintendent. &C
companied by the police. left the schooi
room after a stay Of perhaps half an hour.
during which time the girls were insolent
both to her and the policemen. who declared
themselves powerless to do anything.
Getting Beyond Control.
ct must confess that both Mrs. O'Brien
and myself were glad when the super
intendent left the room. the girls were
getting beyond our control and we felt that
trouble might break out almost any mo-
ment. From 7:30 am. to pm, with two
brief exceptions, I remained locked In that
school room with all those girls. One of
the exceptions noted was when I left the
room and went to Mrs Burrows. after hav-
to pretty fair behavior and promise to beg
pardon of the superintendent and submit to
such punishment as she might wish to mete
out to them.
Locking the girls In the school room.
went to the upper floor of the building and
begged Mrs. Burrows to come and accept
the apologies of the girls. I told her that
they appeared to be repentant and / be-
Heved that she could now do something with
them. Mrs. Burrows refused to go; said she
had not time, and l had to return and put
the girls off with excuses for the non-ap-
pearance of the superintendent
This made them ugly again and think
1t was right there that the superintendent
lost her grip. II she had gone to the girls
when they asked for her. believe that the
riots and escapes, which have been numer-
Gus since. would have been avoided. The
girls became very restless. but had learn
ed in q long experience as musician at the
institution that music has charms and a
most remarkable effect upon unruly girls l
went to the organ and played their favorite
marches, and soon they were winding In
and out through the aisles Of the schoo!
ROOM and the last ugly tempered one hao
yielded to the influence of the music l
kept them marching without stop for fully
two hours until the spirit of evil in them
was pretty we'll quelled and they were
physically worn out.