The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-08-09
Pronounces Bon Air
Methods of Train
ing Good.
MORE TALK ABOUT
THE EGRO BOSS
Again Tell About Girls
Working Under the Direction
of Beverly Banks, but No
Testimony to Show
He Was Disre-
spectful.

Not only has the health of the girls
shown phenomenal improvement, but
certain amount of labor in the fields
in the absence of vocational training
has proved TO be the most beneficial
method Of dealing with them. accord
Ing TO the statement of DR. John Il.
Fisher yesterday morning before the
State Board OF Charities and Corrcc-
tions. which is conducting an investi-
CATION into the conduct and manage
ment OF the Virginia Home and Iu-
dustrial school for Girls at Bon Air.
The meeting. the second open session
since the investigation started early
last month. was held in the hall of
the House OF Delegates. and the ex-
animation of all witnesses was con
cluded in less than four hours. After
studying the transcript Of the record,
the board viii prepare its formal re-
port, which Will be presented TO Gov
crnor Mann for approval
Two distinct lines OF examination
were conducted. The meeting opened
with the taking Of testimony of Il
number Of persons who at times had
worked around the school and had OBJ
served various things which led to
charges being made against the ad-
ministration Of the institution. Fol-
lowing this the financial conduct Of
the school was gone into. While no
nisappropriation Of funds or dishon-
esty was hinted at. il was shown that
u
formerly been in vogue. but that under
the present administration there was
no complaint.
Negro Boased Girls.
AS in the first session of the investi-
CATION, 1T was shown that the negro
Beverly Banks. had control over the
girls while at work in the fields. There
was no testimony to show that Banks
had acted in a disrespectful manner to
his charges. except that one witness
told of an incident in which the negro
sharply reproved n girl for not obey
ing an order promptly and moved to-
ward her in a threatening way. His
conduct. according TO the majority of
the witnesses. would not have been
Objectionable had he been white
As TO the work of the girls Charles
b. Brown. the first to testify. made
the most damaging statements He
told OF installing 800 pound machine
1T the school. and of Banks ordering
him to let the girls do the lifting
This would have been hard for men
he stated: and was not such as should
be done By women. Later Banks put
the girls TO work saving and cutting
wood. The logs which they were forced
TO lift 10 the carriage of the saw were
extremely heavy and the task was diff
iicult- Witness did not offer any OBJ
Jections TO their working, but did not
think IL right.
and member OF the state Board Of
Health from the Third District, has
been with the institution for more than
Two years. He is strong advocate
OF a vocational school for the training
of the girls, hut does not see any harm
in working them in the fields in mod
Grafton. He examines each inmate
when she is admitted, and although
the majority were suffering with dis
ease when they entered the home their
health soon shows wonderful improve
ment. He is seldom called 10 the home
more than once in three months to
treat a case of illness.
Does Not Approve of hanks.
The inmates on the whole are ex-
cellent specimens of womanhood He
has never noticed any indications of
overwork. nor has he ever treated any
or the girls for any Complaint that
would arise from overwork. Asked
whether he believed Banks a fit moral
person to have over the girls. DIR.
Fisher replied that no negro would be