Evening star., 1915-01-26
PRAISE Of SYSTEM
At THE WORKHOUSE
Comment by DR.. Bowerman on
the Conditions and Ad-
ministration.
SAYS THE INSTITUTION
HAS GREAT RESOURCES
Will Become Self-Supporting Under
Present Policy, He Believes.
Statistical Showing.

trict OF Columbia, situated az WV
quan, Va. comes from party OF four-
teen Washingtonians who. headed py
DR.. George F. Bowerman, librarian o'
the Public Library. made trip OF IN
spection to that interesting place yes
terday.
The visitors were particularly I'M
pressed, said DR.. Bowerman this morn
ing to a representative OF The star
with the thoroughgoing way in whicn
W. H. Whitaker, the superintendent
has built up the plant on scientine
basis into big business proposition
administered in a manner that does
both the District and himself credit
The party included Mrs. Ernest T.
Bicknell, president of the Monday Even. +.
ing Club; DR.. Bowerman, vice preslaehl
of the same organization Miss CARA
partment Of the Public Library. and
Mrs. Bowerman and her class IN
sociology composed of ten girl pupils
OF the Colonial School. as follows: Inc
Misses Miriam Williams. Dorothy Geor-
gen, Katherine Davis. Glorietta Pixie
Katherine Schultz. Frances Wiiliams'
! Edna Kohlman, Katherine Matcham,
Isabel Polk and Ruth Pierson. Iney
were met at the Union station by MI.
| Whitaker and were his guests for the
day.
Promises to Become self-Supporting.
That the time will come when the in
stitutfon. through the development OF its
own resources, will be more than self
supporting, Is the declaration OF the
librarian. Tangible indications OF this
| already exist" he said. For instance,
the superintendent's house cost. we
| learned, about $500. 1t is worth 1880
that is, it would have cost the government
| that much if built by outside people. But
owing to the fact that the inmates not
only crush stone and make bricks. but
produce shingles and keep sawmill run
ming the year around, it was built Tor
| the lesser sum. In the same way, new
| barn cost $4,000, but is probably worth
nearly four times that amount.
Another thing we noted with interest,"
he continued, 'is that the construction OF
extensive and expensive masonry or brick
buildings which might later become un-
suitable or obsolete has been avoided. The
style of light frame building. usually one
| story in height, has been adopted, with a
consequent reduction of loss in case they
must some day be replaced or remodeled
| They are, however. comfortable. adequate
and heated and lighted from a central
plant.
"In less than five years Supt. Whit
taker has certainly done great work
| on the 1.1O0 acres of old tobacco land
| covered with second-growth timber on
| which the plant is located. His idea Is
! ultimately to supply milk, eggs ano
! other farm produce to the other Dis
/ trict public institutions. Not only has
| he built up the productive quality OF
| the land, but manufactures have re-
ceived a large share of his attention
| The plants biggest activity is crushing
| stone for the District roads. but 1t is
also making about 5000 bricks day
| and is supplying all those needed for
the new Central High School 1t Is
| also building its own fleet of barges
for their transportation to Mashlngs
mules. sixty cows and about 1000
chickens.
Cleanliness and Comfort Noted.
What particularly impressed US was
the cleanliness and comfort of the
place. and think I am safe in saying
that 80 per cent of the visitors are
far better off physically and mentally.
as well as morally. than they would be
in their own homes. There is library
and recreation room to which the Pub
lie Library sends some 5000 with
drawn volumes a year. They are used.
T found. to surprising degree, and
they include pretty good literature. too.
The superintendent disapproves OF out
door recreation other than wholesome
work. for several excellent reasons.
"There is hardly a bolt or a bar on
the Mace and the cells, of which there
are about a dozen, are seldom occu.
pied. But they are there in case Of
need. as is the right to use corporal
thinks necessary for emergencies. al
though he very rarely avails himself of
it. The drivers who transported US were
all prisoners. but neither they nor any
less uniformity of garb' but 1t was
not at all conspicuous
what prevents the prisoners from
running OFF, was a question put 10
"One is the inaccessiblity of the
placI." was the reply, "and the GER
tainty that should a man leave he
would invariably . be returned: .snin Inc IN
have to be served sooner or later. and
thew may as well get them over with
OF course, the greatest hindrance is
the fear OF losing the good-conduct
"The fact, however. that there are
men there called 'thirty-third- degree
men" because they have previously
served thirty.two terms. pointed out
\
she 'ndeterminate sentence and the
narole. The superintendent should have
the authority to keep a man there until
he Is at to leave. That authority ought
largely to prevent these cases of re
peaters."
Comments on the Food.
I'VE we're there all day and before
leaving we ate In the prisoners dining
hall of the food prepared strictly for
them. but little before their supper
hour. Occoquan. by the way. has its
own ice-making plant for cold storage
purposes.
"tJow was the food?" was a natural
oueation, and the answer was:
"Well, several. including myself, took
second helpings. ! think that answers
II Satisfactorily. We had beef stew,
notatoes, etc. and they were excellent"
"It was a most impressive visit to
,,s all" concluded DR.. Bowerman, "and
one that should by no means be omit
tod .by any one interested either Off
cially. sociologically or personally, in
the place and the work Mr.. Whitaker
is doing"
oners at Occoquan. including about
forty women. They include petty Of
tenders Of various sorts, Migrants,
/, ,I~ohnliea dYuR users and nersops