Mower County transcript., 1915-01-13
WHAT THE STATE IS DOING
FOR THE UPLIFT OF ITS :
10000 CHARGES. ~-
Prepared by Miss Miriam E. Carey,
Supervisor of Library.


the most are not the happy, prosper
Gus people. They are the poor, the
lonely, and the unfortunate. Many of
tions and are taking out books and
from the fourteen differ
ent libraries which may be found
there. These folks read 314,618 books
and periodicals from August I, 1912,
to July 81, 1914. That means an an
nual circulation of 157,3o8.
How much did they read in Man.
kato, St. Cloud, and Virginia in the
year 1912? These three Libraries to-
gether circulated 10000 volumes.
Why is it that more reading is done
within the walls" than outside: One
reason is that part of every day is
spent by almost everybody shut in
from the more active duties of life
What is the easiest way to pass the
time when one is shut in? Why, in
reading of course We all do it and
so do the inmates of the state institu-
tions, only they do three times as
much of it as we do.
There are 28,4o8 books in the gen
eral libraries of these institutions,
and they are shelved in the most at
tractive. best-lighted and most acces-
slble places that can be secured for
the purpose. The Libraries in most
of them are open every day the year
round. Of course the books get hard
usage but it is seldom that they are
abused. Even among the insane this
is true. But books wear out and must
be mendcd, rebound and replaced,
and new books must be added, just as
in e> cry other live library. There are
binderies connected with the state
prison and the reformatory, also at
the school for the deaf. These added
by binding 1896 volumes during the
past two years to their respective IL
braries.
The inmates select their own books
from the shelves in most of the insti-
tuition libraries, but at the prison and
the reformatory it is necessary to
have printed catalogues from which
the men make out order slips in their
cells. They have had this privilege
for years in Minnesota, but at the
present time in the great state of
New York they are trying hard to
of the men at Auburn state prison for
the first time.
Books have real value which is not
affected by any outward circumstance.
lhey are Just as good in one place as
lanether. hat makes them ipdispens=
able in institutions where tile intrin-
sic value of thing must be consider
Ell.
There are few other things in the
world besides books which are u11-
changed in value by outward condi-
tlons. One of these is music How
about music in institutions? Be sure
| it has not been overlooked. In the
several hospitals you will find pianos
on many of the wards, and the ma
fjority of the institutions have bands
! orchestras, and choirs. Have yor
ever heard the feeble-minded children
sing? Or the prison band play? Or
the girls choir at Sank Center chant:
All this helps out wonderfully, but
best Of all, perhaps of late years we
have Photographs and victrolas tc
penetrate to the very remostest cor
ner of the biggest building-not toe
}blg to be carried around, and not toe
delicate to be handled.
What else is there which appcals
to almost every human being and does
not change in value with environment!
Flowers and plants belong in this
category, and you will find them dis,
tributed through the institutions, moi
only for ornament but because thei,
|beauty has definite effect in calming
and cheering.
Then there are the movies" Nov
ing pictures in shut-in places have
brought more happiness than an,
other invention, and in the state O
Minnesota they are a great feature.
! For four or FIVE years moving pic
lures have been in occasional use OF
holidays and at other special time
i'll several of the state institutions, bu
within two years eight of these hav,
tdecided to add the ''movies" to thei
permanent equipment. The picture
are shown at intervals ranging from
two or three times a week, as. at tn
Rochester State Hospital for the In
sane, to several times year at tn
fSchool for the Deaf in Faribault. Th
}St. Peter Hospital for the Insane ha
la plan for sixteen Of twenty show
tduring the eight or nine months of tn
|year The Boys Training School a
! Red Wing uses them every ten days
land the State Reformatory at ST
! Cloud twice month, and twice
Iweek at Saltwater.
The pleasure the moving picture
afford the whole population of an in
stitution cannot be over-estimatel
|Oficers, employees, and inmates ar
highly entertained, refreshed, and Civ
len something different to think abou
1.-The following are so1i1h of the. com
tnents on this phase Of the subject:
I 1T is the. best amusement that w
have ever attempted in our institu
Itioll, and brings out from 50 to 60 pc
cent of our patients We think til
|results are highly beneficial. As CON
|pared with dances, we find the mo1
ing pictures reach a much create
number of patients DR., Kilbourn,
. Superintendent Rochester State Hos
lpital for the INSANE.
III T. INVENTIONS
III If you have On idea Of 3 new me-
p g.