Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-11-20
HUMPHREYS fXONfRA7.
Ed BY BOARD,
CONTINUED from First Pase,.

tutions Of this kind. There has been
for some time an assistant superintenJ-
ent. who has acted as the head Of one
Of the families in addition to his duties
as assistant superintendent.
II find from the evidence that in
what is called the spud house the heavy
tug strap with which the Greer boy
was beaten has been hung up for a
long time and has been the usual
means Of Furnishing children engaged
in garden work. This implement was
a brutal and barbarous one in my
judgment. Superintendent HUMPHREYS
denies having had any knowledge Of
its existence. There are several other
straps that have been used to punish
children which are In my Judgment CT
such a nature as to inflict unnecessary
pain. Mr.. Humphries disclaims any
responsibility for these implements al
so.
Should Discharge eubordinatss.
"In my judgment, based upon the
evidence that have both heard and
read, the bandmaster of the school has
been guilty of infl:cting cruel and un-
necessary punishments and should be
summarily discharged. l believe that
the assistant superintendent has failed
in his duty and that his usefulness as
an officer of the institution has been
outlived.
"In my Judgment Mr.. Humphries is
not a man who would be unkind to the
children, but I think he has failed in
his duty in that he has permitted pun
ishments to be inflicted by his sub
ordinates in two or three instances
that cannot be countenanced. He
should have insisted. before any severe
punishment was inflicted, that he
would be consulted. He should have
had knowledge Of the means through
which punishment was inflicted. His
failure in this regard in my judgment
cannot be countenanced. am aware
that he has been overwhelmed with
other duties and that his position has
been an onerous one. do not be-
lieve that he is man cruel in his
disposition because the main evidence
shows absolutely to the contrary. but
this neglect on his part upon these
important matters. to my mind, cannot
be approved or overlooked by the
board.
I'm my Judgment this board should
stamp the seal Of is disapproval upon
the bandmaster and assistant superin-
tendent and summarily remove them.
believe the attorney general should
be requested to take part in any prose-
buttons growing out Of the abuses in
the institution. think that the best
interests of the state requires change
In the management and a thorough re-
organization of the official force at the
institution, also a thorough revision of
the rules governing it. l believe this Is
in the interests of the state and of the
institution itself.
Should Call on Legislature.
II also favor, and hope the board will
agree with me in the matter. that the
defects of the institution should be
clearly presented to the next session
of the legislature so that measures
could be taken to remedy the evils,
protect the dependent children of the
state without throwing them in CON-
tact with the criminal element amongst
our youth. and means provided for a
reform school based upon modern lines
to take care of the incorrigibles.
II present these views in desultory
way as the conclusions to which ! have
come.
I'm this connection ! would suggest
that a great deal of the trouble that
has been experienced in the institute IN
has grown out of the fact that the Of
fetal force has been almost entirely
composed of non-residents. The reason
given for this is that the pay provided
for these officers is not sufficient to
enable the management to obtain Of
ficers who are residents of the state.
If such is the case the system should
be changed, so that men and women
really interested in the future Of Idaho
might occupy these positions instead
of strangers who are brought from
other localities. change in this sys-
tenn will do much to correct the evils
that have grown up.
JAMES H. HAWLEY,
Governor and Ex- Officio Member