Grand Forks daily herald., 1914-09-18
REF0RNATORY IS
SHOWING STRONG
Report Indicates Generally
Healthy Condition at
Reform School.

Bismarck, N. D., Sept. lS.-One of
the interesting belongings to the state
is the reform school at Mandan. By
referring to the report Of Superintend-
ent Brown to the board of control
which has been filed with the COVER
nor some idea of the work done at
the institution may be gained.
There are 76 innates-63 boys and
1s girls--:ranging in age from years
to 20. They are compelled to attend
school four hours each day and to
perform certain amount Of work.
During the past several seasons they
have raised thousands of bushels Of
grain and vegetables. as well as meat
animals and poultry. For employ
ment the children have everything
which is to be found in normal life
outside the institution. For outside
work they have the farm and gardens
in the summer time and the caring of
the grounds, erecting buildings, build
ing stone wall and everything neces-
sary in the upbuilding of new
school.
New Buildings.
In building operations of the insti-
tuition the boys are trained to do all
kinds of work which belongs to that
trade. They manufacture the cement
blocks, do carpenter work. assist in
wiring, heating and plumbing work,
painting, etc. During the past year
they have built a root cellar 20x60
feet, with machinery shed over same;
nave done large amount of work in
completing a dairy barn: have built
about 400 feet of retaining wall six
feet high from boulders gathered from
the farm; have made concrete blocks
and completed the walls of the boys
cottage 40x60 feet: have manufactur-
ed and laid $50 feet of 1s-inch drain
tile. and in the work shop have made
all the window and door frames, stair
work, etc, for the new building. Be-
sides this they have raised enough po-
tatoes and other vegeta bles, besides
iced for stock for home consumption.
Build Dyke.
The boys have built dyke to pre-
vent the back-water of the Heart riv-
er from flooding the school grounds;
have hauled over 1000 loads of earth
from the bluff for the fill; have clear
ed out underbrush and undesirable
trees from the park and worked them
into cord wood in the amount of about
30 cords They haul fuel, put up ice
and care for the stock in the winter
steam laundry is maintained, as
is also tailor shop. where clothes are
made and repaired.
Certain hours in the day are given
over to amusements and recreation,
when the boys play baseball, football,
go swimming or skating or indulge in
other amusements agreeable to the
season. A brass band has been main
tained for several years. and an or
chestra has been organized for the
girls.
Guests9of legislature.
During the session of the legislature
of 1913 the members invited the in
mates of the school as their guests
for day at TIP capital city. They
spent most en- jbya bic day. the mem
bers contributing to the fund to bear
all expenses of transportation and
amusement.
In closing his, report to the board,
SuperintendentEBr calls attention
to the fact <ynt the appropriation
should be raised p! trifle in order that
insurance, repaiy and some new fur
niture may be, ,purchased. He also
calls attention tb the fact that there
are boys over IL years of age who be-
long in the penitentiarv instead of the
reformatory for the reason that they
are incorigable at times and have a
very bad effect on the younger boys.
He suggests that the board Of control
should be authorized to make the
transfer any time they find it neces-
sary to the better interests of the in
stitution.