The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1914-10-09
State Administration Lifts the
Orphans from an Unsan-
ltary Condition.
FORMER DANGEROUS LIVING
CONDITIONS ARE REMEDlED
Pretty Little story OF How Atchisen
institution Was RelisVed Of IN
clean Surroundings In Only
Twelve Months.

year Is pretty little story OF now
the state administration has, with lit.
tie cost and lots Of common sense and
humanity, provided for the homeless
children under public care, home OF
comfolt, happiness and health.
The story centers mid the activity
of the board Of control and the super
lntendent OF the Orphans Home at
Atchison. In one year this institution
mas been lifted from q place OF chill
and uncleanliness, to q surrounding OF
cUnveniences and care for the many
untortunates Of child age. ac
A little more than year ago Mrs.
E. X. Burns, y motherly and whole
hearted soul, took charge OF the state
orphans retreat at Atchison. Owing
to lack OF appropriations. probably,
and to the whirl OF busy politics, the
home had been overlooked. In many
ways 1t was in a deplorable shape.
Sanitary conditions were not what
Kansas mothers would allow for the
surroundings Of their or their neigh
bors children. Leaky sewer pipes,
swayed floors, unused bathtubs and
filthy water constituted some Of the
unsanitary evils.
Mrs. Burns looked over the children,
then looked over the home.
She took up her plea with the state
administration. The local lodges In
Atchison also listened to her story.
And now
If Kansas has done nothing else in
the last year she has provided for the
fatherless and motherless boys and
girls Of the state warm, comfortable,
homelike institution-one that will In.
still new life and health into the fu.
ture citizens of the state,
Let Mrs. Burns tell of some Of the
conditions as written In her biennial
report to the board OF control: sF
When | entered upon my duties
under the board Of control 1t was fol-
lowing an almost unprecedented sum
mer Of heat and dronth. Vegetation
Of every kind was burned and dead
and the surroundings here were no ex-
ception. The garden held virtually
nothing to eat and 200 children and
many employees to feed
THE entire place presented & neg
lected appearance. There was want
Of discipline with many Of the heads
as well IS the children. showing the
need Of attention and correction.
These, together with many other I'M
portant questions confronted US. The
houses were without lights the greater
part Of the time, save for oil hand
lamps, especially dangerous where
children are concerned.
Our heating plant was entirely
gone, The grounds were In disorder,
due to excavating for a broken sewer
pipe. The odor from this was almost
intolerable. The sewerage through the
entire place was equally as objection
able. The leakage from the mons
lavatory above the children's kitchen
came down the sides of the walls BE-
hind the range where their meals were
prepared. The septic at cottage 4
was useless and the sewerage ran
above ground. These defects have
been corrected, the former by steel
ceiling, the latter with new motive
power and q new sewer
The floors were broken and sunk,
en-, being insufnciently strong to re.
tain the weight OF the tubs that In
many instances were upside down.
The walls were In such q state OF de-
cay that they we're damp and open,
the plastering being largely = thing
Of the past. After heavy rain the
children waded in water and were sub
ject to the dlscomforts and dangers
arising from such conditions.
THE toilets were in . state almost
past using.
For many years the water question
has been a serious one Many thou
sands of dollars have been spent In
digging cisterns and Wells-never sat
isfactory-snd finally resulting In q
pipe line to the river from where the
water was brought wholly unfiltered.
Water used for both drinking and
cooking purposes had to be boiled. As
they pumped only at stated intervals,
water used for bathing and flushing
was gotten as opportunity afforded,
We are now connected with city
water, no limitations as to usage and
yet at a much less expense"
Through the aid OF the Atchison
Elks' club, the orphans home has in.
stalled a motion picture machine and
regular entertainments are given for
the benefit OF the 200 little tots who
are confined in the Atchison innstitu.
tdon. Suggestions for changes and i'm.
provements are pointed out In Mrs.
Burns report. The improvements
made under her administration were
from the regular funds set aside by
the 1918 legislature, which were In the
main even smaller than the funds pro-
vided Cor &a i9S;jtNf'oR N l0fHeE