Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-04-17

ping, would have tendency to refine
her in any appreciable degree.
GIRLS INUNDATED.
l do not know what testimony Iela-
tive to the general condition of af-
fairs, OF as to specific acts of cruelty,
this committee received from the girls
themselves. 1 felt from the first that
very little could be accomplished by
questioning those girls who had been
the victims of crueltS, and who were
still inmates of the institution, as
they would be so thoroughly intimi-
dated that they fear to give any Jes-
timony derogatory TO the institution
lest vengeance be visited upon them
after the ladies had departed. | have
in my possession a letter written by
Mrs. Amigh to Minnie Hobert, after
the girl had made her story public. In
that letter Mrs. Amigh states that a
certain disgraceful and scandaIous
fact IN this girls life will now have
TO be made public. since Miss Hob
ert had made her charges public. The
letter was merely a threat, intended
TO intimidate Minnie Hobert and to
awe her into silence. If Mrs Amigh
would write a bulldozing letter of that
kind to a girl who had left the insti-
tuition, in an effort to silence, it IS
but reasonable to suppose that she
would resort TO more drastic and
strenuous methods to silence those
girls who are now under her dominion
and immediate control there at &C.
neva.
The committee also says There
are pianos in some of the cottages.
Minnie Hobert, in her AFFIDAVIT, makes
no mention Of pianos, but does say
something about there being rubber
hose" The rubber hose. however.
is vigorously denied by Mrs. tmigh,
and rubber slipper" Is subs rItuted.
Whether or not the dulcet stra s. from
the pianos were intended p i balm
for the wounded feelings of he rub
Der hose" or rubber slippe." victims
Is g question that must be left entire
ly to the imagination. AS to the educa-
tional facilities, to which the commit
tee refers. 1 am well satisfied from
Minnie Hobert's affidavit, that n ad-
dition to the regular courses in the
curriculum she was given "post-grad-
uate course" as well.
STATEMENTS INCONsIsTENT.
In conclusion the committee report
states I'VE are very proud that Hi
nois has provided such a place for our
delinquent girls; It means that 500
girls have been taken off the streets
and can be fitted for good. useful wom-
anhood" Yet earlier in this same re-
port 1t is stated, as l have before
quoted, I'VE are fully satisfied that
the girls have been cruelty treated in
extreme cases" Taken together these
two statements sound strangely In
consistent. What is there to be proud
of In the fact that girls have been
treated cruelty in extreme cases? This
committee does not publicly deplore
the fact that such cruelty has existed,
but simply endorses the institution as
q whole.
However, at all events, some good
has been accomplished. The straight
chairs and the strong rooms" have
been abolished, at least for the pres
ent. Corporal punishment is to be re-
strieted to the strong right arm of
Mrs. Amigh herself, and Miss Comp
ton, Miss Baldwin and Miss Gray will
be relieved of the strenuous duty of
applying the rubber hose" or rub
Der slipper, whichever 1t was that
was used, the evidence upon that
point being conflicting. And no doubt
Mrs. Amigh and her assistants, for
little time at least, will be somewhat
"a raj Hu1 oil 10 t1nn
manner In which they treat the In
mates of the institution. II they re-
vert to the old practices. some other
girl. at some future time, when releas
ed from Geneva, would be liable TO
tell tales out Of school,, just as Min
ME Hobert and Emma Petersen have
done. ! do not thing the Geneva au-
thorities look forward with any de-
gree Of happy, eager expectancy TO
recurrence OF another shaking up of
this kind l am glad TO know that
the food is now well cooked. whole
some and in abundance. / also trust
that the growing plants" will thrive
and flourish during the summer
months, blossom like the rose of Shar-
on. and continue to exert their "refin-
ing influence upon the inmates of Ge-
neva.
GOVERNOR STILL SILENT.
l do not know whether or not this
Will be the end OF the matter. 1 am
still awaiting the reply Of Governor
Deneen, and also Of the board of ad-
ministratiOn- concerning the reasons
for destroying the straight chairs" so
quickly. I live in hopes that I may
some day hear from these gentlemen.
Doubtless when 7 do. I shall hear more
nice things about Geneva. Beautiful
flowers viii be blooming. Little birds
will be singing in the tree tops. And
the sweet girl graduates of Geneva
who have completed all the courses"
will be singing paeans of praise to the
dear old state OF Illinois for providing
them with such delightful school
and such beautiful environment in