The Elbert County tribune., 1906-02-15
RULES FOR GIRLS
REFORMS IN COLORADO STATE IN
DUsTRIAL SCHOOL.
HOPE TO END OUTBREAKS
New Set Of Rules Adopted-superin-
tendent Given Large Authority
Committees of Employment and
Recreation.

| Denyer-H the new set OF rules
| drawn up by the board of control of
| the State Industrial School for Girls
at it's last regular meeting is strictly
adhered to, it is hoped that trouble at
the institution will soon be thing Of
the past and the school will become a
credit to Colorado. The rules. accord
| ing to the records, are the only formal
written ones ever adopted, and by pro-
| viding remedies for all the evils that
| have affected the institution so long,
supply many much-needed reforms.
The most important of the reforms
| set forth are those relating to the en-
| ployment and recreation of the girls
| Among the eight committees provided
| is a committee of employment, whose
duty is to devise ways and means OF
properly keeping the inmates en-
ployed, especial attention being given
| to the domestic industries and all
| branches OF housework. To CON-
| mittee of recreation the planning of
| healthful pleasures for the girls when
they are finished with their daily tasks
| is entrusted.
Another committee is called the
committee of farm, which Is to see
| that vegetables are planted in season
| on the grounds of the home, and a
farmer employed to cultivate them.
| The instruction of the girls Is given
| over to the committee on education
| and all paroled cases comes under the
supervision of the committee on pa
| roles, which is supposed to keep in
| touch with all inmates who leave the
| school on parole.
Exclusive management over the af-
fairs of the institution and authority
! over the employees is given to the SUI
| perintendent To her also is commit.
ted exclusive charge of all matters re-
| quiring discipline, but a safeguard
| against any arbitrary or tyrannical ac-
ton on her part is provided for in
| section which states that she must
| make specific reports to the board of
| control of all cases requiring excep-
| tional punishment or physical re-
! straint." According to the rules, 1t is
! the duty of the board to uphold the su-
perintendent in her management and
| IL she acts contrary to the wishes OF
| the majority of the board she must be
advised, and if she does not then con-
form to its orders. she shall be dis
| missed. One of the duties of the SUI
| perintendent, expressly stated, is to
| know that the eatables given are of
good quality, sufficient in quantity and
well cooked. She must also see that
| every inmate is kept busy and is given
1 a thorough common school education
| and training, particularly along lines
| that will lead to making her self-sup.
porting. She must also send monthly
| reports concerning the temperament
and tendencies of every new inmate
and thereafter report monthly with re-
spect to her opinion of the girls pros
poets of improvement in character.
Each girl on her admission is to be
examined by physician appointed by
| the board. Religious instruction is not
| made compulsory. Religious instruc-
ton may be given girls on Sunday by
clergy of any religious denomination"
is the way the regulation reads.
The part of the new rules considered
the most important by the members of
the board themselves is that dealing
with paroles. No parole, it is provided,
will be permitted by the board unless,
in its opinion. the girl in question has,
since her confinement in the school.
become so reformed that Il parole is
| warranted.
Another section reads as follows:
mo girl will either be permitted to
leave the institution within eighteen
months of admission or be paroled at
any time or go home or return to the
environments from which she was
committed to the school, excepting for
very exceptional reasons" Paroled
girls who are supplied with places of
employment must entrust to the super
intendent all their earnings except 81
n week to be kept for spending money.
If any girl escapes from the place to
which she is paroled she forfeits to
the state part of this reserve fund and
must indemnify the state for the ex-
pense caused by searching for her.
During the agitation aroused by the
serious outbreak in the school last
summer the methods in vogue at other
Industrial schools in the country We're
frequently quoted by those not in ac-
cord with the manner in which the
state school was being conducted. The
custom at some places of rewarding
the wayward girls for good behavior
was particularly commended.
This is one of the innovations that
lis going to be tried by the present
board of control of Colorado's irstitu-
ton The daily behavior of each girl
is to be marked according to merits
or demerits. The superintendent is
made the sole Judge of the marks and
must advise each girl at least once
month of her standing.
Undue criticism of the board of con-
troll as whole by the actions of any
one of it's members is warded off by
this section: Members of the board
of control are not permitted to discrim-
mate or take special interest individu-
, | ally in any girl or girls and are hereby
prohibited from receiving in their
, charge any girl or girls on parole"
Members are also prohibited from
, making promises to the inmates and
from incautiously or indiscreetly con-
, | versing with them.
Miss Rooseveit's Birthday.