The Baraboo news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1884-1911, 1910-06-16
LITTLE JOURNEY
TO COUNTY FARM
WHAT IS BEING DONE TO RE-
EDUCATE THE PATIENTS
OTHER WORK.

long hill just south OF ReedSDurg?
Over that road many a Wanderer has
found his way to the great farm owned
by the county where he could have
care and comfort. II is fine road all
lie way up, there being an unbroken
forest in places and the roadside lined
with ferns. Fate has decreed tn at
this road to the county farm must be
abandoned but no doubt the new way
will be easier of grade and just as
pleasant.
All things must change and new
innovations have been on the program
at the county farm since the present
superintendent, G.. Christensen, has
been in charge. 1t is hoped that the
story of little journey to the farm
will be of interest as all in the county
should know of the institution where
many people are cared for. Mr.. and
Mrs. Christensen have been in charge
about two years and are doing much
to make the place self-Sustaining and
in the re-education of the patients
living there.
In the first place the great farm has
been Overhauled and the buildings
Civ en- rejuvenating. The floors and
walls have been made as sanitary and
attractive as possible. Nothing es-
capped. From basement to attic there
has been a mighty welding of brushes
and there was no end TO the war on
dirt and germs of disease which are
often credited to public ms titutiOns.
The fields have been 4aid out anew
and one section has been set apart for
an agricultural demonstrating plat.
The same thing has been done at Men
dota, Oshkosh and in Vernon county.
Here it will be shown what can be
done in the way of breeding corn,
growing alfalfa, raising high class
oats and other produces. Mr.. Chris
tensen obtained samples of corn from
different parts of the county and these
samples have been planted and the
results are awaited next fall. When
the stalks have ripened and the ears
turned golden, all the farmer folk will
be invited to come to the farm to en-
JOY a picnic and see the results. G.. p.
Norgard, assistant professor of agron-
omy at Madison will be there and talk
instructively of the grain grown.
Working In Stone.
Stone is always needed on the farm
ana one day Mr.. Christensen made an
investigation. He found an excellent
quarry and much rock is now being
obtained for the foundations of the
new buildings to be erected. Patients
do most of the work, about one per-
son being hired to look after the job
True there is no great hurry, the OK
team and the men laboring leisurely,
but in the end the result can be shown.
Great cords of fine rock are now ready
Tor the foundation walls.
Water to be used at;the buildings is
pumped into a tank on the side of a
hill but the pressure would not be
sufficient in case of a fire. Work is
being done now on reservoir on the
top of high hill and when completed
the water can be thrown to the top of
the highest buildings. The reservoir
is 200 feet long, IA feet wide and II
feet deep. The bottom and walls will
be of solid rock and the same material
will form the arch. A faithful old
wind pump will fill the cavity when
completed.
About the farm and in the buildings
the patients do nearly all the work.
The men and women in charge are on
the pay roll but every hand that is
able is found something to do. They
plant the corn, care for the fiocks, cut
the hay, pick the strawberries, Iprepare
the meals and often help to care for
each other. They make busy content
ed family. There is no keeping be-
hind closed doors but all are permit
ted to go about their duties and enjoy
the sunshine and the flowers. For
recreation the feeble walk down the
long lane to the shady hillside where
the robins sing.
The cold storage is so constructed
that the ice is placed inside but once
a wear. Here the meats and fruits are
kept and the work of the dairy goes
on. The laundry is an interesting
place, in the old fashioned way the
clothes being pounded in barrel with
stick.
Re-educating the Insane.
Recently a new idea has come to the
superintendents of state and county