The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1907-08-01
IN ITS NEW HOME
Indiana Girls School Has
Been Given Commodious
Quarters.
Distinct Step In the Progress of the
State Toward the Care of Youth
full Female Offenders.
A Wise Reform Which Has Been Ef-
fected Through Action of Repub-
Iican Legislators.

The new Institution Is located near
Indianapolis and will be a model. 1t
Is constructed on the cottage plan,
with excellent sanitary arrangements
and provisions for the welfare of the
unfortunate inmates. There will be
no opportunity whatever for them to
become contaminated by association
with woman criminals, as there was
under the old plan by which the girls
school and the woman's prison were
under the same roof and the same
management
The new institution will mark dis
tinct step in the progress of the state
toward better care of the women and
girls who violate its laws. Not only
will the girls school be a reformatory
that Is expected to accomplish great
reforms eventually, but the old build
ings occupied by the girls school will
be used as a house of correction for
women under a law enacted at the
recent session OF the legislature.
This building will be used for
women prisoners in county jails who
are behind the bars for some trifling
offense. 1t will enable the state, how
ever, to segregate the women prison
ers from the men in the county jails
and do away with conditions that have
been a shock and a disgrace to the
state for many years. The house of
correction will be made ready for oc-
cupancy within a short time.
These reforms in the care and treat
ment of the girl and women prisoners
was made possible by the policy of
the last two Republican state admins
trations, which has consistently ad-
vocated separate institutions for
them. There was strong opposition
for long time to the plan on the
ground that it would cost the state
too much, but the wisdom of it finally
prevailed and the Republican mem
bers OF the legislature were enabled
to obtain the appropriations with
which the improvements were made.
1t is said that the new institution will
be one of the finest of the kind in
the country.
Children Are Helped.
Among number of important laws
concerning charities passed by the
last Indiana legislature were several
relating to children. The most no.
table of these perhaps is one provid-
ing a uniform method by which chill
dren shall become public wards so
as to be dependent upon the county
for support. Heretofore this las been
In the hands of different public off,
GERS, but in future no child can be
made public dependent in any coun-
ty except by the Judge of the Juvenile
court. Only on the order of that
court can any child hereafter be le-
gally supported by county unless
1t is now a public ward. This law
defines dependent and neglected chill
dren. 1t provides that the board of
children's guardians of any person
may without personal expense bring
the case of such a child to the atten-
ton of the juvenile court. In every
county but Marion, containing the city
Of Indianapolis, the circuit court acts
In that capacity. Investigation will
be made and record kept. To in
sure promptness the case may be
heard either in term time or in va
cation.
Punishment for Neglect.
The same act provides that in case
Of willful neglect of duty on the part
Of parents or other persons having
control of a child decreed public
ward. the penalty shall be a fine in
any sum not exceeding $500, to which
may be added jail or workhouse
sentence. The sentence may be sus.
pended and the offender released upon
probation.
another law makes desertion of
wife and children felony and in the
case of the desertion or non-support
of children, authorizes the Judge to
suspend sentence and impose condi
tons. Under another law each child
In an orphans home or other GUS
todial institution is to be educated at
the expense of the community where
It has legal settlement. These laws
do not unfavorably affect the statutes
heretofore in force relating to the
state supervision of dependent chill
dren, boards of children's guardians,
juvenile court and truancy. but rather
several of them are strengthened by
them. The Board of State Charities
with the assistance of the attorney
general has prepared uniform blanks
and uniform court records to aid In
carrying out the provisions Of the
children's laws.
NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION.
No 1884.
State of Indiana. Marshall county. SIS:
Notice is hereby given that the I'M
dersigned has been appointed Exc
crtor Of the Estate Of Matthias Reat-
tv. late OF Marshall County. Indiana.
deceased. Said Estate is supposed to
be solvent.
]. w. Beatty.
July 30. 1907 Executor.
A. E. Wise, Atty.