Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-04-27
STATE OFFICERS
DESTROY CHAIRS
Head of Board of Administra
ton Explains Changes
at Geneva School.
ADMITS ROUGH TREATMENT
All Matters Complained of Corrected
or Removed, Rock Island At
tOrney Is Informed.

L. Y Sherman, president of the
board of administration of state char
liable institutions, has addressed the
following letter to Attorney P. H.
Wells of this city anent the Geneva
school abuses:
Springfield nl-Dear Sir: Your >
ter Of March 26. 1911, came during the
writer's absence. 1 returned to the
office Monday, and have acquainted
myself with the matters connected
with the subject of your letters, COM
pIeting the examination yesterday.
The state charities commission,
through its executive secretary, Nh.
Brown, investigated the subject mat
ter of the complaint The state civil
service commission, through Mr.. Moul-
ton, its president, and the board of
administration, through Charles Vir-
den of its visitation of Children's de-
partment, did likewise. These several
authorities examined the matter, visit
ing the institution and hearing the
testimony of Witnesses. After their
Investigations, with which the board
was made acquainted, the board,
through certain of its members, went
TO the institution and fully informed
themselves of the question. After
these several Investigations by the
foregoing authorities the board mem
bers destroyed the straight chairs
on the premises. If you. yourself,
wish to pursue the subject there is
abundant oral testimony of witnesses
who will be able to describe the chairs
which you mention in your letter.
These chairs were destroyed by the
boards order after the foregoing in
vestigations. The board abides by its
act. All the matters complained of
which required action have been cor
rected or removed. Such directions
have been given to the officer in
charge as we trust will prevent any
severity in the discipline
hereafter. Our records are open here
to your investigation and we wilt be
glad to give you any information you
wish. either here or at the institution. /
Yours truly,
BOARD OF ADMINISTRATION.
By L. Y. Sherman, President.
AN OFFICIAL ADMISSION.
In commenting On the above Mr.. /
Wells said: This explanation, al |
though rather belated, is nevertheless
welcome. 1t is an official admission |
that abuses have existed at Geneva, |
as charged in the affidavits of Minnie |
Hobert and Emma Petersen. and states |
that steps have been taken to put a |
stop to at least portion of Mrs. |
Amighs system of discipline. But |
1t does not state what will be done in |
regard to continuing Mrs. Amigh at the |
head of the institution. If these |
abuses have gone with the full knowl- /.
edge and consent of Mrs. Amigh her
self. and apparently they have, for |
she claimed credit for the invention of ,
these straight chairs she should be 1
as a person wholly unfit
to have charge of an institution OF |
this kind. If abuses have existed at /
Geneva without her knowledge and |
consent she should be discharged as
l understand that Mrs.
Amigh is a woman more than GO years /
Of age. and that she has been at Ge-
neva about II years. a change of
would in all events seem
desirable She viii doubtless be con-
piqued because these
straight chairs her pet invention,
nave been put out of commission, and
will be totally out of sympathy with
any new system Of discipline which
he board may see fiji TO establish. She
mas been in charge a. Geneva long
enough. Her days Of usefulness there
would seem to be over, and a younger
woman, with more modern ideas,
should be put in her stead