Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-20
LACK OF ROOM EMPHASIZED
BETTER FACILITIES WANTED
BY REFORM SCHOOL BOARD.
Institution for Care of Girls Con-
stantly Occupied to It's
Full Capacity.

When one girl is admitted to the re-
form school for girls another one has TO
be let out to make room fr the new
conner
This is the theme OF the report OF the
institution to the Attorney General signed
by j. Nota McGiil, president of the board
OF trustees. The document is brief, but
it embOdies Il very strong appeal for a
new building, and states incidentally
that for five years the board has been
presenting this same phase Of the in
stitutioil's needs with no results.
! According TO the report the school will
De able 10 do only slipshod reformatory
work il IL las to turn out u partially re
formed girl every time a new inmate is
admitted. Unless releases can he made
solely on merit, the directors feel that
the institution VIII be wasting a lot of
effort AS t stands now, there's no way
to keep the inmates until they are thor
oughly reformed unless the doors of
ingress are barred and no new girls are
admitted until there is room for them.
Capacity of the School.
The capacity of the school is seventy
nine, and the average attendance for
year has been just that number. At the
beginning of the year there were seventy
six girls in the school, just three less
! than the capacity. With ffty-five COM
mitments therefore, it was necessary to
parole fifty-twO girls. Two other places
were secured because of the necessity
for sending two inmates to a hospital.
With the growth Of the District of
Columbia there have been more commit
ments TO this school The fifty-fve girls
committed last year represented an in
crease Of twenty-One over the year
previous. The report states that lat
present the newcomer is forced to as
sociate with the worst girls I'm the
school" Neither is there any provision
for caring for girls who need to be
isolated from the others. but by means
of a new building, the directors say, they
can overcome these difficulties.
Only Place Of Commitment.
The reform school for girls is the only
be incarcerated. The law provides that
the board OF trustees may refuse to re-
ceive more than can be properly cared
for. yet the boards sentiment on this
subject is echoed in the statement of the
report. I'VE feel that possibly less harm
may follow a premature release than a
efUsal to receive one who has never
been under the influence for good which
surrounds the daily lives OF those at this
school,
At the same time the board feels that
this course of action will have to end
very soon. as the commitments are on
the increase and at the present rate the
commitments and premature releases will
resemble a quick marching procession, in
one door and out the other. The officials
have been forced to sacrifice the space
formerly used as a hospital, and should
any malady break out In the schools
there would be grave trouble
Hope for New Building.
The appeal is stronger than usual and
the board believes that this time il
will get the money for new building
The members have gone far as to make
tentative plans. These contemplate the
erection Of a heating plant common to al;
the buildings Of the school instead of 8,