Evening journal., 1910-02-11
FERRIS SCHOOL CHARGES
ARE NOT SUSTAINED

is hardly necessary to say that We deeply
felt this deicacy of the task imposed upon
us. We desired the fullest ventilation and
correction Of abuses in the management
Of the school If there were such as was
claimed in Mr. Handy's open letter to
President Lea and an absolutely fair and
impartial weighing Of the testimony
brought out by the lawyers on both sides.
We were confronted too with the fact that
many Of the witnesses on both sides We're
personally interested and liable to person
al bias
Ii has therefore been necessary to con-
slider we'll the characters Of the different
witnesses and by what their statements
were supported TO obtain q correct result
from their testimony and give Il its actual
value This we have endeavored carefully
and impartially to do. We find that most
Of the charges brought were in relation 70
the larger boys under our care some Of
whom have now left the institution. There
we're charges Of cruel corporal punishment
for infracticns Of discpline--for immoral
conduct-for characterization and for run
ming away or attempting TO run away.
The officers were also charged with be
ing cruelty Indifferent to the comfort and
need OF the boys-such as forbidding them
to have proper supply OF drinking water
when working III the fields and other sim
liar matters One Of the most serious ac-
cusations was that OF inhumanly treating
boy after he was caught making an at
tempt 30 run away.
In this last case we have sifted the evil
T dence both of principals and eve witnesses
Of whom there were many, and we cannot
hnd that the boy was in anyway badly
hurt, as he went to work very shortly af-
ter the occurrence, and according to the
testimony Of many Witnesses suffered but
little discomfort-at the same time we
think the stick used by The officer was not
proper instrument for correction and
should not have been resorted TO except
in self defense. Instances have arisen and
that recently where an officer would be
entirely justified in using any weapon he
could find to defend himself from a muir
derous attack made on him by boy with
4 knife or pistol. But we doprecate any
corporal punishment until the case has
been laid before the superintendent and
passed upon by him.
Another matter which was testified tc
at length and which was one of the prin-
cipal charges was the use Of chains or
boys, who had run away a number o.
times or attempted to do So As explained
to the committee the chains were not 4
cruel punishment for they are quite light
and only served to prevent running at full
speed.
We find the whipping complained Of wal
done with a sash cord or part OF a hitch
ing strap or driving line. and was admin
istered IN the usual manner and not on th
bare flesh The evidence varied greati
As 70 the severity ard nuani,er ef stselses
we cannot discover that It was undui
severe.
AS 10 the charge Of insufficient driukin
water we find such instances were infre
quent IL they ever occurred and that ther
was no indication on the part of the Of
fcers to make the boys suffer from thirs
during work
The officers OF this institution arc con
fronted with very difficult problem
there is not boy under their care VIII
has not been committed for some Grim
serious or mining and very many hav
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