Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-02
SCHOOL FOR GIRLS.
Annual Report Of the
HaNOWeN Institution.
Also Report Of Enforcement
Commission For 1906.
Both Submitted to the Governor
and Council Wednesday.

and officers of the Maine Industrial
School FOR Girls, which was filed with
the Governor and Council Wednesday,
shows that the number of girls now
in the custody of the Scnool is 154 an
increase of II over last year. OF this
number 81 are inmates of the buildings
and 81 are out in homes under some
form of probation. The number CT
commitments and the number Of
wards is steadily increasing. Of the
number committed during the year y
We're born in Maine, one in Nova
Scotia, two in New Brunswick and one
in New Hampshire.
The inmates We're sent from the fol-
lowing cities and towns Auburn, one;
Bowdoinhanl, one; Belfest, two; Ban
gor, two; Bristol, one; Brewer, one,
Bath, one; Columbia Falls, one; Dex-
ter, three; pennysville, one; ELS
worth, one; Edmunds, one; EastpOrt,
one; FoXCroft, one; Fort Fairfield,
one; Gray, one; Houlton, one; Lewis
ton, one; Newburg, one; Portland, two;
Parkman, one; Rockland, one; Water
vile, one; Wells, two; Washington,
one.
The real estate, which at the time
the school was adopted by the State in
1889, would be valued at $4,000 would
row be conservatively appraised at
$4,000. On the buildings there is an
Insurance of nearly $4,000.
In their report the trustees say:
1.-THE increase in the number OF CON-
mitments may be expected to continue
and even to become more accelerated.
Al, hoy.
of girls in them exposed to peril Will
multiply and as the moral safeguards
in society. both rural and urban, grow
weaker, the number of the delinquent
and defective classes is sure to in
crease. The action of the last legis-
lature in taking from the towns the
last trace of the burden OF supporting
the girls committed to the school Will
tend also to swell the number of COM
mitments Many thrifty town has
hesitated to assume the expense of 90
cents per week previously involved in
sending girl to the school, and mas
preferred to let her stay upon the
streets or become an inmate OF the
town poor farm. Now that the las.
particle of expense to the town has
been taken away, almost the last OBJ
stacle in the way of easy commitment
has been removed.
Already the capacity of the school
is taxed to the utmost. There are now
81 inmates and the normal capacity is
81 This excess is made possible only
by using the rooms ordinarily designed
for hospital purposes or for guests and
by putting two or more girls together
in these larger rooms. 1t is Obvious
thai the State will soon be called upon
to provide suitable accommodations.
Tie opening of school for the feeble
minded will relieve the situation con-
Siderably. but GoubtleS.; no; enough to
obvia.c the NICE ssitv of providing
anothe- building in the near future.
''As in previous years, the health of
the girls has been remarkably good.
There have been no epidemics. There
have been some sickness. but not so
much as would be expected with the
same number of young people in ordi-
nary family conditions. The evidence
of the years is strengthening that the
conditions surrounding the girls in the
Industrial School are conducive to
health. Good air. good food good
water, and a proper routine Of life pro-
mote and preserve the physical well
fare.
1--WE have reason also to believe that
the social and moral conditions sur
rounding the inmates Of the school are
good. for good results become apparent.
as the young women are finally re-
leased and so out to take care Of
themselves. During the last year,
several former inmates, who are now
wives and mothers in well-to-do and
respectable homes, have visited the
school; and there are many more SUCH
worthy women in our own State ana III
other states. who do credit to any in
stitution and are a blessing to society.
The officers and trustees cndeavor to
keep track of all who go out from the
school and to follow them with kindly
interest and sympathy.
ut would be good policy for the
school to have more land for farming
purposes Especially is the need felt
for more pasturage. While a school
for girls may never undertake extern
sivc farming operations. yet it should
keep a sufficient number of cows and
hens to furnish its own milk and
cream. eggs and poultry.
THE dairy and hennery should also he
used as n part of the outfit for the in
dustrial training given to the inmates
of the school To know how TO keep
mems and to care wisely for the products
of the dairy would he Of inestimable
value to large proportion of the
young women of the state who are to
be home makers and care takers"