Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1914-09-15
REFORM SCHOOL
HEAD REPORTS
Work Of Institution Is on Eff.
cient Basis, and Good Work
Is Done.

One Of the interesting institutions
belonging to the state Of North Da-
kota is the reform school at Mandan
Brown to the board Of control, which
Brown to The board OF central, which
has been filed with the governor,
some idea OF. the institution may be
gained.
There areS76 inmates, SO boys and
Is girls, ranging in age from s years
to 20. They are compelled to attend
school four hours each day, and to
do a certain amount Of work.
Raise Much Produce.
During the past several seasons
they have raised thousands of bush
els Of grain and vegetables, as we'll
as meat animals and poultry. For
employment the children have every
thing which is to be found in normal
life outside the institution. For out
side work they have the farm and
garden in the summer time and the
caring for the grounds, erecting
buildings, building stone wall, and
everything necessary in the upbuild.
ing Of a new school.
Building Operations.
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 ce-
ment blocks, do carpenter work, as
sist in wiring, plumbing and heating
work, painting, etc. During the past
year they have built a root cellar 20.
BY SO feet, with machinery shed over
it; have done a large amount OF work
IN completing a dairy barn; have
built about 400 feet of retaining wall,
6 feet high, from %boulders gathered
from the farm; have made concrete
blocks and completed the walls Of
the boys cottage 40x60; have manu-
featured and laid $50 feet OF 1S-inch
drain tile, and in the workshop have
made all the window and door
frames, stairwork, ETC., for the new
building. Besides this they have
raised enough potatoes and other
vegetables; besides feed fer stock for
home consumption.
Built Dixie.
The boys have built a dixie to pre-
vent the back-water of the Heart riy-
er flooding the school grounds; have
hauled over 1900 loads of earth from
the bluff for the fill; have cleared
out underbrush and undesirable trees
from the park and worked them into
cord wood in the amount of about 80
cords. They haul fuel, put up ice
and care for the stock in the winter.
A steam laundry is also maintain
ed, as is also a tailor shop where
clothes are made and repaired.
Amusement Features.
Certain hours in the day are given
over to amusement and recreation,
when the boys play base ball, foot
ball, swimming, skating, or ether
amusements which are agreeable to
the season. A brass band has been
maintained for several years, be-
sides an orchestra for the girls.
During the session of the legisla-
ture of 1913 the members invited tho
inmates of the school as their guests
for a day at the capital city. The
members contributed to defray the
expense of transportation and amuse-
ment. They spent a most delightful
day.
In closing his report to the board,
Superintendent Brown calls atten-
ton to the fact that the a%ppropria-
ton should be raised a trifle in order
that insurance, repairs and some new
furniture may be purchased. He|
also calls attention to the fact that
there are boys over Is years Of age
who should be in the %penitentiary in
stead Of the reform school, for the
reason that they are incorrigible at
times and have a very bad Influence
over the younger boys. He suggests
that the board Of control should be
to make the transfer any
time they find it necessary to the
best interests of the institution.