The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-04-23
Half Truths In Journalism

Readers Of this paper, who have
followed the discussion regarding the
industrial school and the public state
ments of the superintendent of the
institution, with which statements the
Standard has taken issue. are invited
to read the following in some Of the
state papers:
"The new dormitory for the girls
at the state industrial school in Yer
gennes is nearly completed and will
be ready for occupancy in few
weeks. The building is a substantial
brick structure, the main part being
81 by 25 feet with an ell part 2S by
20 feet and will accommodate 30 girls.
The building has been constructed
along modern and improved sanitary
lines and will be a fine addition to
the state property There is a large
cement basement and on the first floor
is reception room and parlor, din
ing room, 80 by %, kitchen, etc. On
the upper floor each girl will have a
small sleeping room to herself and
when the building is completed, it will
be an important step in the work of
segregation of inmates, which Super
intendent Barss hopes to carry out
! more fully in the future. The build
| ing will be heated from the big boil
ers in the main building, by means
of underground pipes run through a
tunnel the same as the other build
ings. The employees of the school
assisted by the boys performed a
greater part of the work on the build
ing, including all the plumbing and
cement work"
1t will be remembered that Mr.
Barss has stated, as we quoted last
week, that the girls department al
the institution contained So girls in
a building fitted to care for 80 com
! fortably, while at the time this state
ment was made, there was nearing
| completion accommodations for 80
girls, making total accommodations
for 50, with So to be provided for I'm
der these circumstances the Standard
is confirmed in its belief that there
has been no occasion for the sensa
tional reports regarding the institu
ton originating with Superintendent
Barss and made the basis of adverse
comment by the outside press. i
likewise substantiates the last report
of the board of penal Institutions re-
earding conditions at the industrial
school
The foregoing news item will, it is
safe 10 say, escape the eye Of the me
tropolitan newspaper man, who was
quick to see and give widespread pub
licity to the sensational statements
put forth by Mr. Barss
That it has, no doubt through mad
vertence, been overlooked by the
Rutland Herald is apparent, for we
find that paper in its issue of Mon
day asserting that lin the girls de
partment there are accommodations
for 80 who could be cared for comfor
tably; as matter of fact there are So
herded in together haphazard" The
Herald makes this statement without
qualification. at the very time thai
rooms are being opened more thar
sufficient to provide accommodations
and insure segregation
II is just such half truths and mis-
leading conclusions as these against
which the Standard protests In thu
case of the Herald. apparently, they
are made through lack OF accurat,
knowledge in the case of others it i,
the desire for sensationalism or no
toriety. 1t is the Hearst style o.
publicity which the great bulk o.
right thinking and healthy minded
people had hoped was on the wane.-
Enosburg Standard.