Meade County news., 1914-10-01
IN ONE SHORT
YEAR KANSAS
HAS REFORMED
State Administration Lifts the
Orphans from an Unsan-
itary Condition.
FORMER DANGEROUS LIVING
CONDITIONS ARE REMEOIEO
Pretty Little Story Of How Atchison
Institution Was Relieved Of Un-
clean Surroundings in Only
Twelve Months.

Emerging from the din OF polite.
and factional strife in Kansas thi:
year is a pretty little story of how
the state administration has, with lit
tie cost and lots of common sense anG
humanity, provided for the homeless
cllldren under public care, a home Of
comfolt, happiness and health.
The story centers mid the activity
of the board of control and the super
ntendent Of the Orphans Ho:ue al
Atchison. In one Year this institution
aas been lifted from a place o. chill
and uncleanliness, to surrounding OF
c0nveniences and care for the many
unfortunates of child age. ..
A little more than a year ago Mrs.
e. K. Burns, a 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 it was in deplorable shape.
Sanitary conditions were not what
Kansas mothers would allow for the
surroundings of their or their neigh
bors' children. 1eaky 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:
When | entered upon my duties
under the board of control it was fol.
lowing an almost unprecedented sum.
mer of heat and drouth. 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 a neg
lected appearance There was want
of discipline with many of the heads
as well as 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 we're in disorder,
due to excavating for 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 mems
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
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 new sewer.
The floors were broken and sunk
en-, being insufficiently strong to re-
tain the weight Of the tubs that in
many instances were upside down.
The walls we're in such a state OF de-
cay that they were damp and open,
the plastering being largely a thing
of the past. After a heavy rain the
children waded in water and were sub
ject to the discomforts and dangers
arising from such conditions.
The toilets were in state almost
past using.
For many years the water question
has been serious one, Many thou
sands of dollars have been spent in
digging cisterns and wells-never sat
sfactory-and finally resulting in a
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 anc
yet at much less expense
Through the aid of the Atchisor
Elks' club, the orphans home has in
stalled a motion picture machine ant
regular entertainments are given fol
the benefit of the 200 little tots wht
are confined in the Atchison innstitu
tion. Suggestions for changes and i'm
provements are pointed out in Mrs
Burns report The Improvement
made under her administration wert
from the regular funds set aside b.
the 1918 leg islature, which we're in thu
main even smaller than the funds pro
vided for the institution in forme
yearh