The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-07-13

fore II va tnksn charge of BY Mrs.
Light were unutterably horrible. al
most beyond Ahe1ief. Stories Of de-
experiences could hardly 20 were told
stand Il shs esfart 81 TIE seard 81
'ssiftetott g sksx the sitrsa.sssed g.
society and a. the only hope to save
the girls from fhamselves.- The condi-
ton OF many Of the girls who had been
reared In slime and BROUGHT up with,
knowledge Of God was described in
loathsome detail, sS.
The marvel, thought the probers
sasrea ha as th nc
still having a small spark which might
one day be famed into living con-
science And the experts In sociology
DR.. James Buchanan and Mrs. Light
with whom DIR. Ennion G. Williams.
State health commissioner agreed
testified that the, only hope TO effect
cure where cure was possible was
exercises and a daily regimen of baths
and prayer and play. Exercise to
physical exhaustion was advocated as
the only scure for the mental depra-
witty of some Of the inmates.
Girls Ran Wild.
Immediately following Mrs. James
Buchanan as matron, and before Mrs.
Light came. the institution was in a
nearly hopeless condition. The girls
ran wild. Once, testified r. S. Chris
tfan. a resident of Bon Air. they satu-
rated brooms with kerosene, and using
them as torches, tried to set the build
ings afire He was called to the in
stjtution by Mrs. Buchanan, but was
absolutely helpless until the arrival
of some Of the members of the board
from Richmond. Mrs. Reed. a teach
er, was employed at the institution.
She remained a month She was so
afraid of the girls that either Mrs.
Light or her assistant, Miss Lizzie
Knackstedt. had to sit In the room
with her, and Beverly Banks had to
sit on the doorstep. When Mrs. Reed
went away the girls stoned her buggy,
calling to Mama" to get out of the
way because they did not want to
harm her. Since that time, however,
there has been no disorder.
Mrs. Light, who has been in rescue
work fifteen years. and in sociological
work for twenty-five years. told of
the condition of the girls received into
the home and of the constant vigil
ence she had to employ over the new
inmates TO keep them mentally and
morally clean. She sat up through
long nights praying with them and
watching over them. and prayed in
her room alone for guidance in work
ing out these girls salvation. What
she has done and the problem she
has daily to encounter. as verified by
other witnesses. would hardly be be-
Iieyed by those who have never
probed into the depths of moral sin.
White Woman Accompanies Girls.
The story as developed and .uncov-
cred by the Investigation yesterday
does not concern itself with the fact
that a negro was employed on the
farm to oversee the girls work A
white woman goes with them daily
into the fields and remains with them,
and the negro can be dismissed today.
though it would be hard to fill his
place at n salary of s35 month. The
story is not that the girls labored in
the open. blowing and hoeing corn
They IKE it. and are not overtaxed,
and 1t is their only hope. II makes
no difference that they went out bare
footed. They prefer to be shoeiess.
though there are shoes for ALL and
sometimes Mrs. Light has TO make
the girls put them on.
The story as uncovered yesterday
Is Of a woman who has immured her
self with these girls in the hope Of
tanning the sium bering spark of soul
to the hope of salvation. 1t is the
story of a needed and needfuI work