The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-11-22
HIRE ALL HELP.
DR.. Clark Proposes Reform in
State Institutions.
Would Have One Civil Service
Board Employ Attendants.
THE ILLINOIS PLAN.
Thinks 1t Could Be Pr0fitably
Adopted in Kansas.
Doesn't Want Violent Idiots
Sent to Winfield.
THE ILLINOIS PLAN.

I. w. Clark, the new superintendent
of the state school for feeble minded
youth at Winfield, wants the state to
establish at Topeka a civil service
board, to examine all applicants for
positions in all state institutions, and
furnish employees to the various insti-
tutions on request.
This theory is directly in conflict
with the idea Of the superintendents of
most of the others state Institutions,
who think that the new board of con-
troll law giving each superintendent
absolute authority to employ all his
own assistants is just what it should
be. DR.. Clark, on the other hand,
wants to take this power out OF the
hands of the superintendents, ana give
it to a state civil service board
The plan proposed by DIT. Clark IS
the one adopted by the state of IlI-
nois, and some other states which are
trying to take state institutions out of
politics.
At the present time the civil service
movement in Kansas is not an un-
qualified success The penitent1ary
board the reformatory board and the
board of control each make their own
civil service rules for the instltutions Ions
under their respective charge. The
result is that the board of control has
gone further in cutting out political
contributions than have either the
Denitentiary OF the relornlalOly- IL -
said that the state penitenuary en-
ployes contributed $1,000 to the Re-
publican campaign fund in the recent
election, while the employees at Osa-
Watornie asylum contributed only , I u
The reason for the difference is said to
he that the board of control has made
it impossible for employees TO be dis
missed for not contributing TO polltical
funds.
rd of Wn1Cn
printed today
that confronts the superintendent IN
the -nanagelnent Of his institution IS the
retention Of sufficient help. and the enl-
ploynent of those who possess hlgn
standard of efficiency. Boards may con-
troll. and legislatures may aIproprlatss
b1rt the s-Ipc rim UeT1SHf must ne pIoNlu-
"a with a sufficient mum Der of employees
The present method OF obtaining nelp
could be made more satisfactory Thal
the service may pc inpFoFea, eLe tt,t tLsit
service law should be amended so that
an employment bureau would be es-
tahlished at Topeka, and that the poard
would receive the applicat tions ana nave
examinations, and establish an elglDie
list from which to certify to the super
int andent the nam.e ct the most capaDie
applicant for the appointment Inc
should be the sole Judge
of the emplOye as to ntness ana merit
for promotion"
The superintendents of the state nos
pitals for the insane have been urging
that the violent idiots, those whose
cases are hopeless. should be trans
ferred to the Winfield school. which
should be enlarged for this purpose Dr.
clark also takes issue with the other
on that proposition.
Dr. Clark says that his institution
should be enlarged to take in all fee
Bile minded. and idiots, regardless OF
age and that the name should De
changed to School and Home for Fee
bic Minded He would have all the
harmless idiots new kept at county poor
farms transferred to the Winfield home.
But he says that it is a very bad plan
to include the insane. or violent idiots,
with the harmless idiots. Dr. CLARK IS
willing to take all the harmless idiots,
mn he doesn't want the violent kind
The report shows that the average num-
her Of inmates Of the Winfield school dur
ing the past two years was 364. The num-
her Of colored pupils is 1S. There are t5
inmates who can read and write. and IS
who can not feed themselves; 80 are Grip
Dles and 10 are deaf and dumb There are
81 counties of the state represented in the
institution The report is illustrated with
a large number of interesting halftone
cuts showing the boys and girls at tho
eobc.oI in fhptr various school rooms.