The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-08-21
Report of Investigation
Filed With Cover
nor Mann.
TWO CAUSES
FOR COMPLAINT
Investigators Declare That Negro
Should Not Have Been Over
seer; That Books and Ac-
counts Were Improperly
Kept-Matron Giving
Excellent Service.

The report OF the State Board Of
Charities on the condition of tho vir-
ginia Home and Industrial school for
Girls, at Bon Air. was presented to
governor Mann yesterday afternoon by
Rev. s. C. Hatcher, president Of tho
board
Two criticiems Of the management
OF tho Institution were made. together
with a number of recommendations.
She members of the board were Inani-
NOUS in condemning the practice of
placing a negro overseer in charge of
the Sirt5 engaged in field work al
though the statement was made that
there was no criticism of the char
acter of Beverley Banks, who had
been a faithful and efficient servant.
The board also condemned the Slip
shod manner In which the books and
accounts OF the home had been kept
up to recent date.
The Report.
The report in full follows:
His Excellency, William Hodges Mann.
Governor of Virginia
Sir,-As directed In your letter Of
July to the chairman of this board,
we beg to state that we have made a
1ull investigation of the Virginia Home
and Industrial School for Girls We
met first at Bon Air on the 18th OF
July and took the testimony OF various
witnesses, including that of number
OF the inmates of the home. On August
We continued and concluded the hear
ing In the hall of the House of Dele
gates at the State Capitol. In the ag-
gregate we examined thirty-six wit
nesses, whose detailed testimony is
herewith transmitted.
AT the outset we wish to mako II
plain that our powers in respect to this
home are strictly limited by the acts
creating this board and by the act CIV
ing State aid 10 the institution Under
the act which provides for the estab-
| lishment of the Board OF Charities and
Corrections, we are confined to duties
which are strictly "visitorial and advis-
ory. This means, according to the
construction placed upon the act by the
Honorable Attorney General that we
have no authority to demand of any
institution receiving State aid any re-
form or Improvement. however much
the same.is needed. We can merely re
port our recommendations and findings.
In the same manner. when called upon,
as in this case, to investigate the
condition of any State institution,
we have no authority to enforce our
hndings or to do more than suggest
needed changes. We make this prelimi-
nary statement lest there may be mis-
understanding as to our failure to act
before this hearing was had.
Our most careful investigation has
failed to disclose anything radically
wrong with the home. its officers or its
management. We have found condi-
tions which should be remedcd. and
we have found evidence OF several mis-
takes of Judgment; but we have seen
nothing of nature calculated TO shake
the faith OF the public in general cffi-
cheney of the work being done at Bon
Air On the contrary. we have found
many evidences of consecrated and sue
cessful work which should strengthen
this institution in the good opinion OF
the public.
Conciscly we state at the outset, our
most important criticisms, which were
two In number. namely, that the board
has made mistake in employing col
ored help on the farm, and that the
books of the institution have not been
kept In accordance with the standard
sot by the State Accountant for all in
stitutions receiving State aid
In respect to the first. we are Of
Continued on Ninth Page.)