Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-07-28
w omamly Use
for Waste Time
BY ADA PATTERSON.

be amused" There is great deal
to be. done that will be far more abb
sorbing than any mere amusement.
To this Miss Mary Wood points the
way. Miss Wood is the chairman of
the Social Service committee of the
Civic Federation and in that capacity
she has at her own expense, and for
the public good, visited most of the
jails and hospitals in her state. She
says other women should perform
like service, and gratis, for the public
good.
For selfish reasons alone women
should visit the institutions in their
community" said Miss Wood, a tall,
fair haired woman with much of the
charm of manner of her native south.
For selfish reasons alone, every
woman should show this interest in
local public institutions. Few know
that $l00,000000 are paid every year
for taxes in the state in which l live,
$l0,000000 of that in one city alone.
We have right, and | should think
everyone would want to know, where
those taxes go. how they are used.
Part of them are used for the main
tenance OF public institutions and ev-
cry householder has a right, and
should have wish, to know in what
manner they are conducted. An hon
est, conscientious official will be glad
to have the interest and cooperation
of the women of his town. The dis
honest ones will be held in check and
the fear of outraged public sentiment
planted in their hearts. The institu-
tons are open to the public. i would
suggest that before making the visit
you familiarize yourself with the rules
at least SO far as visiting days and
hours are concerned. A housewife
can readily understand how visitors
at all or any hours will disarrange
and derange the best ordered home,
and an institution is a home on a
vaster scale.
But there is a broader, better rea-
son for visiting the institutions than
the mere purpose of watching the out
lay of taxes. 1t is the claim of hui
manity upon every individual. 1t was
an event that happened in a large in
stitution that challenged my attention
to set my conscience to work three
years ago. An old man who had been
paralyzed was boiled to death in a
bath by careless or vicious attendants.
| read of this occurrence and took an
in the Investigation that fol-
lowed. 1t was found that the work of
bathing the helpless paralytic was
given to three TRUSTEES" who were
tired of their task. Well show him.
they said one day and turned scalding
water into the bath tub. The poor old
man died within an hour.
This seems so inhuman as to be
Yet it happened. The
was exonerated be-
cause he said he had so many inmates
in his charge he could not personally
all the work. Two of the
murderers were sent to Jail, and nearly
everybody forgot the incident. For
tunately such incidents are probably
rare, yet there should be none. A
keen personal interest in, and frequent
visits to, an institution would create
an atmosphere that would prevent
such brutality. Business and profess
sional men seldom find time for such
visits. Some women can find great
deal, and their moral support will be
of great assistance to good official
Most of these officials are overworked
and they would welcome the calls, CO.
operation and tactful suggestions OF
women.
I'm my tour of the institutions
learned that at one reformatory they
never washed the bed linen, but used
it until it was impossible to use it
longer, then burned it. Think of that
waste and of the filth that condition
suggests. Don't you suppose that il
the women of that town had beer
occasional visitors to that place nc
such horror or uncleanliness could
have existed?
my visits to public reformatories
disclosed a fact that should encourage
all women to work for their sex. That
is that contrary to the usual idea that
the women of that town had beer
one of the great agencies for uplifting
proves, by its records that
80 per cent, four-fifths, of these
women are reclaimed,
Another discovery that is worth
consideration, is that OF
the class of women, 80 per cent, more
than a third, are mentally defective.
In them is a lack Of the moral
stamina that every woman needs
They are moral irresponsibles. This
opens a wide field of conjecture and
study as to how to prevent the com
ing into the world of large pet
centage of the unfit, or, having ar
revived, a proper care Of it.
Nearly all of the remainder OF
these unfortunates have reached that
nearly hopeless state, because OF
economical conditions. Girls fall into
evil always because they cannot earn
a living wage. Knowing this at first
hand, for seeing is believing, the
woman will return from a
visit to such an institution convinced
that something must be done, and
what it should be.
1.-THE intelligence of women has
been increased three-fourths by par
ticipation in women's clubs. Study of
public institutions will stimulate
thought and humanity to an incaicNl-
able decree, and the results will be
welcome and amazing.
Its the most dreadful thing in
the world to be bored" said woman
in lace gown. Lest she telephone,
call upon, or otherwise poster some
busy women with her plants, ! pass
on this counsel of a useful woman.
Which following. no woman will be