The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-08-21

the board should be confined to matters
OF business management.
out-of-DOor Exercise.
n large number OF the witnesses
called bv us expressed the opinion that
the girls were being ovcrworked In
the fields. and that they were given
tasks which were improper for wo
men We went into this very thor
oughly, and are of opinion that the
best results with girls of this class
can be accomplished only By abundant,
strenuous, out-of-door exercise. Tho
inmates OF this home, II must be re-
mcmbered, are not normal girls in any
sense OF the word. Mentally deficient
In most cases. neurotics and sometimes
nymphomaniacs, nothing is as we'll cal
culated to restrain them as hard physi-
cal exercises. And by this we mean
not merely athletic sports and light
work. such as house service, but actual.
field work In this view agree all those
who have made this subject study, as
is well evidenced by the decision of
the Philadelphia House OF Refuge when
II removed to the country in order to
give the girls work on tho farm. AT
the New York reformatory for girls
bedford Hills) the same principle is
pursued. There is. of course. Il limit
TO this. No girl should be worked dur
Ing the midday hours OF hot summer
days, and no girl, In our judgment,
should be made TO follow a plow. But
hoeing in the field, and the lighter
farm labor Is not only proper. but
necessary. We are aware that those
who know little of the character Of
these girls will argue against such
work from sentimental reasons, but
this cannot shake the wisdom OF the
policy as exemplifed in every success
full reform school for girls in the
country.
IT.
Our investigation disclosed the fact
that there is no manual or vocational
training at the home beyond the rudi-
ments Of plain sewing. cooking and
washing. We found, also, that the
school had been opened last winter
but that when mutiny OF the girls
drove the teacher away. successor
was not appointed. This means that
with the exception OF the religious
training given the girls by the matron
and of their out-of door work, nothing
is done for the training of the girls.
This IL Fundamentally wrong. These
girls are the wards OF the State, com :
mitted because they have been SHINING
or sinned against, and for their well
fare the state Is responsible. They
should not be kept at the home until
they are eighteen and then sent out
Into the world without funds, without
friends and without training to make
their living. Inevitably, in such cir
cumstances. they are in serious dan
ger OF returning TO lives of sin. To
protect them the State should certainly
give them an education and vocational
training that will be useful and re-
munerative.
We found that ar attempt had been
made TO give the girls manual training,
but that this had been abandoned for
lack Of funds. We must earnestly urge
| its adoption and stand ready 10 rec
ommend TO the General Assembly ap-
propriation therefor. But we would
call attention to the fact that the
character OF the inmates must be kept
in mind in any system OF manual train
ing that may be introduced. Many OF
the girls, as will he explained, are
feebl minded and will need permanent
custodial care at least until they have
passed the child bearing age. For this
reason, they should be given manual
training of a type that Will be useful
to them in an institution for the feeble.
minded. The brighter girls can be
given different training, the purpose OF
the whole being adequately to fit the
girls for lives they must lead.
| Good Order Must he Maintained.
! Evidence was before us that on sew
eral occa sions in the past. the inmates
| CT the home became incensed and were
beyond the control OF the matron, to