The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-11-26

or have the appropriation discon-
I tinued.
9. The statement says. The home
receives females under it's own rules
much older than eighteen and some
of them married"
The committee on admission ana
dismissals has never knowingly, &C.
cepted a girl over eighteen years OF
age, nor has IL ever. with It's knowi5
edge, accepted one who was married.
II is true that a court committed
the McNemar woman. who, as was
afterwards claimed. was married. She
deceived the court and the commit
tee unwittinrly received her upon the
courts commitment papers
A Challenge Answered.
3. The statement AYERS that unless
society is protected, and some OF these
girls reformed, the school has no
excuse for it's existence" That IL
true, and If the board cannot snow
that both Of these things are accom-
plished ITO reasonable extent, II
would moi seek to continue the home
There are thirty nine girls, who have
been taken from the streams OF So
ciety-which some OF them were poi
Iuting--and segregated In one place
A police Justice said, why talk about
one nuisance when they were many
nnisances before they were COM
mttted,"
Again, real reformation has taken
place In the lives of some OF the
girls OF the nine who have been
raroled since the board adopted the
placing-out system. only one has
broken her parole. The other eight
are living Industrious, moral lives
and have the confidence and com
mendation of the homes In which
they are living. Surely these results
justify oil the time, worry and ex.
pense bestowed upon this institution
4. After classifying into four groups
DELINQUENT girls, the statement goes
on to charge the home with being a
"house of horrors" because the girls
are not classified.
To call the home "a house Of nor
rors'' in to show the prejudice which
the authors OF the statement have
against the institution. We submit
that no impartial or fair minded per-
son, who visits the institution, will
approve such language, 1t has been
the aim If the board To classify the
girls as quickly as sufficient dorml-
tories could be secured, We have re-
Gently completed a new dormitory
tNHt Will permit an }uGofl pltlG tA4LS~
sification. As soon as funds are avail
able, this classification viii be worked
ont, according to the ages and degree
Of criminalIty OF the girls. We would
appreciate the help of the Bon Air
Citizens association In working out
this classification. and we hope that
when their passions and prejudices
shall have subsidized, they will see that
the home has made real progress and
will lend helping hand to make 1t
all that II ought to be.
An Tncorrent Statement.
g. The statement AYERS that the
girls have been practically turned
loose upon decent, self-respecting
community, without discipline or con-
troll of any sort. This statement Is
absurd upon it's very face. While out
breaks have occurred, they have not
been frequent and were of a sporadic
nature One or two girls. whose
splendid records Justify the confidence
which has been imposed in them, have
been allowed to go TO the station on
errands. These girls are TRUSTEES
and no one can come forward and
say that they have violated the con-
fidence imposed In them. With these
exceptions, the girls are always ac~
companied by the matron Of one or
her assistants, and are not permitted
to leave the premises. They are UNI
der better control today than they
have ever been in their lives. The
citizens make the mistake of taking