The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1915-10-19
WOMAN'S CLUB WORK
Mrs. Lester Warner, Press Manager

that it may be located here at Ocala,
is receiving the attention Of our board
of trade and other public spirited
citizens. it may be of interest to re-
call some of the incidents that have
led up to the establishment of this
institution, and the influence our Fed
Grated Woman's Club had in the mat
ter.
I think the public is we'll posted on
the notable mismanagement Of our
boys industrial school at Mariana,
but perhaps few know that up to
about two years ago Our delinquent
girls were detained in the same de-
plorable condition.
It was not until a committee of
women, of which Mrs Hooker was a
member, visited Mariana and made
public the awful condition of the
place lit was not worthy the name of
SCHOOL,, that the board of state insti-
tutions simply turned the girls loose
with no place in the state provided for
them. Some were taken by the Chill
dren's Home Society at Jacksonville,
of which Mr.. Marcus Fagg is secre-
tary. Others were cared for by va
rious charitable organizations, and
some were sent to the Industrial
School of Georgia.
Mr.. Fagg, always alive to the needs
of dependent children, kept track of
that almost without exception the
ones who were sent to the industrial
school and taught useful occupation
as all of them are-have made good.
l think it is Judge Lindsey of the
famous juvenile court of Denver who
says there is no SUCH ching as a bad
child. Being left subject to bad in
fiuences they get into bad ways, but
the good in the child is readily
brought out by right surroundings
and influences.
One of the good offices of the Wom-
ans Club is to take up just such ideas
as these and use it's influence to bet
ter conditions, wherever the public
good of women, and especially chill
dren, is concerned.
Our Florida Federation has for this
purpose a large legislative depart
ment, consisting of a central commit
tee and district committees scattered
over the state. This committee, of
which Mrs R. A. Burford is a mem
Der, working with local legislators,
succeeded in getting law through
the last legislature setting aside $780,,
900 to procure land and erect build
ings, and $4,000 for maintenance up
to June, 1917, for separate indus
trial school for girls. The only won
der is that it had not been done years
before the Woman's Club came into
existence.
Some of our public spirited citizens
are offering the necessary land to
have the institution located near
Ocala Some may think this would
be of doubtful advantage to our city,
but as it will be wholly apart from
the city proper, and located on large
tract of land, it would be strictly a
community by itself. Then, viewed
from the point of the best interests
of the school, in many ways Ocala is
an ideal location.
Mr.. McRae, commissioner of agri-
culture, who with Governor Tram
nell and Superintendent Sheats, Wis
tied the property north of Ocala offer
ed by Mr.. Seymour for the establish
ment of this school, said that they
would rather locate the school where
the people of the town are in sympa-
thy with it, and also that they would
much prefer to have it located where
there is a good, live Woman's Club.
Surely. the conditions that existed
at the boys school could not have en-
dured as long as they did at Marian
ma if that town had been favored with
well organized Woman's Club.
Section Z of the new law, providing
for and governing this girls school,
states that the superintendent shall
be woman and reside in and devote
her whole time to the school; also
that she shall be woman of expert
ence in the management of such in
situations, or have had especial train
ing in constructive social work
Section states that the term of
commitment to the institution shall
be indeterminate, dependent on good
conduct and moral improvement and
advancement The board shall make
just, but liberal provisions whereby
continued excellent department shall
entitle the inmates to conditional pa
role and final dismissal.
1t will be seen that a school con
| Quoted in this way and open to pub
lie inspection, and also under the
watchful eye of the Woman's Clubs Of
Florida, cannot be otherwise than q
reform school in the fullest and best
sense Of the term.
Ocala ought to be not only willing
but proud to show the state what ar
| ideal institution she can supervise
for the best welfare of F1orida's I'm
fortunate girls.
VI