The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1908-12-17

young olGen means HDerGy GOO closely
| akin to license. Girls do not resent
the restraints of institution life as
do boys, but as a rule take kindly to it.
Escapes or attempts at escape are fire.
quent at the boys school but rare in
deed among the girls, and when their
time comes to leave there is always
sadness mixed with their Joy.
Many times have reminded a girl who
was looking back toward the School
with tear dimmed eyes that the time
comes when all girls must leave School
and go out to make their way in the
world, and that while regret is natural
they must face the new life bravely de-
termined to make an honorable place for
themselves. / have observed, and some
what to my surprise, that girl rarely
seems ashamed to acknowledge Mitch
ellville as her Alma Mater until someone
makes her feel that it should be her
disgrace. Some of these girls after
ward go wrong of course, but it is not
because they do not know what is right.
Those who go out to clean wholesome
surroundings usually do we'll; but what
can we expect of a girl who came from
bad conditions and returns to the same
environment? Those who do not return
to their own people have situations
found for them before leaving the school,
and if paroled they are looked after I'M
til the age limit is reached and they
pass beyond our control, but never am
glad to say, beyond our sympathetic
interest. One of the greatest needs of
this institution today is to have state
agent who can give all her time to the
paroled girls. She should have head
quarters there where she might have
full and free counsel with the superin-
tendent. She should know the girls by
face, name and nature, for by such in
innate acquaintance only can she learn
to be truly their friend and be able to
give the best and wisest help when they
are paroled under their care. | sincere
ly hope that the coming legislature
will make provision for such an agent,
for under the present arrangement it
is impossible to do the work that ought
to be done. If the good work done in
the school connot be followed up on the
outside, there will inevitably result
great loss to the state.
Last in our list of state institutions
comes our state orphanage at Daven-
port known as the Soldiers Orphans
Home. This is not now home for sold
iers' orphans only, although it was
started as such, and grew out Of need
created by the civil war. Soldiers and
sailors children are admitted between
the ages of one and fifteen years and
are supported by the state. Any other
destitute child whose legal residence is
in Iowa may be admitted also between
the same ages, but one-half their sup
port must be paid by the county from
which they come, whils the state pays
the other half. At the present time there
are more than 500 children living in the
Home, the majority of them being boys.
The children are grouped in cottages
with ~ to 80 in cottage, the boys on
one side OF the campus and the girls on
the other. They take their meals in
congregate dining room in the main
building, and attend the same schools.
have visited a number Of institution
homes for children and nowhere have
found one so large any better conducted.
All sanitary conditions are carefully
guarded and physical defects in chill.
dren looked after, while the dietary is
OF the best. We have excellent schools
from kindergarten, up to and including
the ninth grade. After the fifth grade
the children only attend school half
day, and do industrial work the other
half, yet the progress made in their
studies will measure up we'll with the
children in the public schools anywhere.
When a child completes the ninth grade,
he is ready for any high school, and
some do attend high school after going
from the Home. The superintendent,
Mr.. f. ]. Sessions, does what he can to
guard against notwithstanding the
children, but this can hardly be prevent
ed when many little ones come here as
babies or kindergarten children and re-
main until, or nearly to, the age limit,
of sixteen years.
OF the more than 500 children in the
home only about 35 of them are full or
phans. 4 good many are half orphans,
but the majority of all children come
from homes disrupted by separation or
divorce OF parents. Under the present
law tho state does not have full con-
troll of these children during their min
GRITTY, but authority is given whereby
orphan or deserted children may be
placed out in good family homes. I'm
fortunately there are restrictions or
difficulties even about these, for usual
~ they have relatives who keep in
touch with them, and though they have
no legal right, think we should not
place out the child without their con-
sent. They often interfere, and we
lose opportunities for happy placements.
We have scores of deserted children,
but comparatively few where both par
ents have deserted although they cheer
fully allow their little ones to remain
in the home year after year while they
go about their affairs anmindful of any
other obligation than to write occasion
ally and send a present at Christmas
When the children are old enough to
work, then parental love (?) comes back
as with flood and they must be sent
home, often to Slump down into the
very same wretched conditions from
which the state originally rescued
them. Do you ask if do not believe
in the right of parent to his own child!
| most certainly do, and believe that
the paramount right is to firstI live a
clean, decent life before the child, and
second to furnish him with home and
proper support.
Occasionally this latter duty cannot
be performed, but is it too much to e1-