Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1909-05-20
BY ALBERT o. Ros,
THE INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL AFFAIR


A question that is more serious than
tempest in a teapot" has recently
been brought to the attention OF the
board of control through the charges
which have been made against Prof.
Fitzgerald, superintendent of the
state industrial school for girls at
Mitchellville, the sum and substance
of which is that he has been guilty of
undue familiarity with several of the
inmates of that institution. These
charges have been refuted by the girls
and the investigating committee APP.
pears to be convinced that there is no
foundation for them, yet for all that
there has come forward many who are
advocating the dismissal of Prof.
Fitzgerald and the appointment of a
woman to take charge OF the institu-
tion. Should this action be taken the
wisdom of it is open to question.
The inmates of this institution are
fallen women and incorrigible girls
them. They are hard lot to manage
and it requires considerable skill TO
bring them under subsection even to
the extent OF obeying the simplest
rules of the institution without resort-
ing to what the people OF the state
would deem brutality. To this Prof.
Fitzgerald has not resorted, yet he has
won the respect and confidence OF all
the inmates to On extent that Is sur
prising to all who can realize the diff
ficulties surrounding him and the po-
sition he occupies. Now the question
may be asked, could any woman do
as we'll as Prof. Fritzgareld has done?"
There are two classes of these unfor-
Inmates. each as separate and, distinct
from each other az night is from day.
II here is the positive wanton who goes
astray in spite of all the efforts that
could be exerted to prevent it. This
class has no respect whatever for any
member OF their own sex unless she
may be a trife lower than herself In
degradation. In the parlance OF the
street, "all women look alike to her."
This class requires the strong will,
stolidity and determination of man to
control them, for 1t is only such who
possesses these requisites for whom
they have any fear or regard, which
are tho only two elements they have
any knowledge of. The other class Is
that which is made up OF those who
have been driven to their present con-
dition through stress of circumstances
and those who have become the victims
of misplaced confidence and have been
led into evil without any desire on
their part to do so and who would
give almost life itself to escape from
the lives they were forced into by their
first misstep or by the dominant mind
which controlled them in their weakness
This class is not beyond reformation
and kind and sympathetic treatment
and a chance to hide their shame in
honest employment at living wages is
what they seek and wish for. This
class could be governed by kind and
sympathetic woman who had the desire
and strength of character to undertake
the work for the good she might &C
complish for the unfortunate members
of her sex who were placed under her
care and one who was endowed with
mental strength sufficient to overcome
the interference OF others OF her sex
who think they know it all but whose
experience consists Of what they have
heard at some club meeting or draw
ing room discussion.
These two classes have been recog-
nized by Prof. Fitzgerald and have
been separated from each other as
much as possible by him with the best
of results. His humane treatment of
the unfortunate women has been mark
ed and constant and his understanding
of their frailties and temptations has
greatly aided him in controlling them.
1t has taken years OF study and effort
to give him the insight into the duties
of his position he has obtained and
the results show the success OF his
method OF treatment and management,
and to make change at this time in
the management Of the institution
would seem like lack OF wisdom on
the part of the board OF control, the
members of which have found nothing
wrong with either Prof. Fitzgerald or