Omaha daily bee., 1906-07-13
WORK OF DETENTION SCHOOL
eOOd,shOvfne Made by Krs Heller on the
First Anniversary.
THREE HUNDRED CHILDREN CARED FOR
sixty Little ones Hoe Been Provided
with Private Holmes Dur-
ing First Twelve
Months.


Yesterday was the Anniversary Of the
I opening OF the county detention school at
275 South Tenth Street and Mrs. II. H.
Heller. the Superintendent, has formulated
a report covering the work Of the FIRST
twelve months. The school has been ope-
rated in connection with the juvenile court
and has provided a home for children in
the custody Of the court until private
homes have been found for them.
During the year 300 children have been
cared for ranging In age from years TO
15. OF the 800 about one-fourth were boys,
but the girls put in a proportionately longer
time in the school than the boys. There
are now twenty-five children I'm the home.
When the school was FIRST opened the
building was poorly equipped and the help
was not adequate to the needs Of the
children, but the county commissioners
have provided literally for the school and
now Il is said to be one OF the best in
the country. 1t has been praised by a
number Of prominent juvenile workers who
have visited It. y
When the school was opened year ago
Mrs. Heller. a male assistant and a cook
constituted the entire force. There are
now nve and the commissioners have made
provision for six employees. the superin-
tandent, male helper, children's nurse,
q Junior and a senior assistant and the
cook. All OF these assist in teaching the
children and in experimenting them.
Homes for sixty children.
During the year the juvenile court with
the assistance Of the school,, has found
homes for about sixty children. This part
of the work is considered very important
and considerable attention is paid to It.
The court and the superintendent have been
assisted by volunteer assistant probation
officers who have been given the super
vision Of children. Some OF these are
members of the woman's club others are
business men who have shown an interest
IN the work of strengthening out delin-
xrquent children. Each one of the volunteers
s asoted to- become responsible for one
child This system has proven successful
and probably will be enlarged during the
coming year, A need is felt for more
Catholics and Jews to volunteer for this
work. IL is always the purpose of the
court 70 place children in the custody OF
persons of the same religious faith.
one OF the most important things accom-
plished In the opinion OF Mrs. Heller is seer
IN the changed attitude OF the public anC
the persons coming in contact with thu
a school toward It. The people generally. sh,
says. have learned that the school Ia to b,
taken seriously The parents too, are gain
ing confidence in the institution and ar,
now inclined to work with the authorities
when at first they showed hostile attitude
They are ,heginnins TO feel that the cour
intends to do the right thing by their chill
dren. --t.-.
Instance of Parents In way.
Only one instance is cited in which par
ents went so far as to assist their childrei
to escape from the school This was in tn
case of John Patterson, who slid down tn
water. spout after elambering down tn
steep roof and escaped with his parents
who took him to South Dakota out OF tn
jurisdiction Of the court - Jar
The prejudice apparent in the neighbor
hood at first is also giving way The PEG
pie living near the school at first objecte
TO the presence Of the children, but this,
is said, is no longer true. The public a
large Mrs. Heller believes, have come {
appreciate the work the school is doing.
IL is the aim. of the superintendent
make the school home for the children
and 20 this end IT is organized very niue
like a home. Everything that would give
the atmosphere Of a penal institution
avoided and the children are controlled a
much by personal contact as possible. The
are required to do dishwashIng and otht
housework ana are taught the simpler KING
of sewing. They appear 10 take conside
able pride in helping to keep the home
good order. Mrs Heller is of the opinio
II is no more difHeult to keep the childrs
from defacing the property OF. the scho
than it would be II they were normal scho
- chldrens She believes there has not bee
child IN the institution who could not |
greatly helped by coming in contact wit
good men and women. Many OF them hay