The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-08-19
VERMONT INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL
Great Work Being Done There For
Boys and Girls.

Oh btNeldl oCCdSiOua, Deen asked 10 |
write some facts concerning the SCHOOL,
for some OF the papers.
About seven years ago the manage
ment, under the control of the Penal
Board, started program of remodel |
ling buildings then on the plant and
building additions throughout. This
program was pushed nearly to com
pletion when the fire of 1914 made it
necessary to start over again and also
made it possible to lay the foundation
for a modern institution The last
fiscal year, July 1915 to July 1916 is
the first year during these seven in
which the school could be said to have
functioned normally. This being so,
| it seems to be the part OF wisdom now
through your columns, TO give the pub
| lie the facts.
The new buildings while not elabor-
ate, are adequate and comfortable. The
| childrens' homes are light and airy;
equipped with comfortable dormi-
tories, dining rooms, congregate base
ments and reading rooms with ade-
| quate libraries and games. The read
ing room is an innovation in institu-
ton life and is not found in many of
the modern institutions.
The population has increased from
daily attendance for 1907 and 1903 of
1876 to a daily attendance the first six
months of 1916 of 270. The institution
buildings have increased from three to
ten beside power house and pump
| house
\ central hdating and lighting plant
has been added which supplies heat
for all the buildings and light is pro-
duced on the place for buildings and
| streets
1900 gallons of water is pumped
daily and steam is kept constantly
on the fire pump. Power and steam
are provided for laundry, sewing room,
etc. Coal water and light in 1907 and
1908 for three buildings totaled about
$4,000. Coal, water, light and power
for 1915 and 1916 for eleven buildings
| aggregating nearly 100000 Gu. #. OF
space cost about $4,000.
a modern hospital has been estab-
lished second to none for its size; a,
| chapel and gymnasium have been add.
ed which have claimed the approval
| Of all who have seen and used them:
new campus which will meet all re.
quirements for many years is being
| constructed at the present time by the
boys and officers providing foot ball.
base ball and track facilities. as well
as an out door play ground for the
small children
a graded school system has been In
augurated AMI an educational atmos-
phere developed which is just about to
blossom into promise for the future
This year two OF the girls from the in.
stitution will be taking training as
nurses in two Of the state hospitals:
one OF the girls goes back to the second
| year at Mortified Seminary. North.
field. Mass; two OF the boys enter
Mount Hermon at the same place; one
boy has just finished four years appren.
ticeship course IN the Central Vermont
Railway shops and starts course in
the Wentworth Technical School. Bost.
on; one girl enters Middlebury Col.
leee: between fifteen and twenty will
be in attendance at the Vergennes City
high school doing second. third and
| fourth year work. while over twenty
viii be doing freshman high school
work at the institution school. The
cisth grade class which prepares for
the high school work will also be large
An honor system has been establish.
ed which has developed the spirit of
individual honor to the point where FIVE
Of the six cittages during the last year
have been unlocked except the room
where the food was kept In the boys
cottages the night Waterman goes
through the dormitories four or five
times each night but between these
trips, with their cloths and shoes 10y
their bed side, these boys are at liberty
TO get up and leave the building at any
time restrained only by their sense of
honor The girls cottages are as open
as those OF the boys. During ten
weeks Of the year 1916 the sixth cot.
tage was run wide open although II is
not intended that that should be so.
When two boys presumed TO leave that
cottage IL was closed again. but Of the
five cottages Just spoken of containing
from 100 to 2i0 children at different
times during the year only two belled
their claim to honor by leaving the dor
mitory during the night
The spirit of cooperation Is present
to the extent that. during the year OF
construction succeeding the fire when
new buildings were being built. IN,
boys and officers. beside doing the or
binary work earned $4,000 from Oh,
contractors and completed construction
F., work, the labor cost of which was esti
. mated by contractors at over $4,000
Some OF the most competent judges IN
, the United States OF institutions oI
this tyne visited the school during IN,
last year. Their statements ON lcavnl
Il were most nattering to the hoart
which has outlined the school policies
and managed it's AFFAIRS.
In point of food clothing. housing
education. rocial and religious adyant
ages. the school need not fear cumpar
T isou with any school In the east. TIL,
( industrial development received 80
we're check at the time OF the fire an,
a will not ho able TO attain former pro
< portions again until room for the sam,
8 Is provided Barring this one rcatur,
s which can be amply provided for will
/, The cost of about $40 per capital I'm
). school OF this size, the school Is fuuc
4 tioning along all different lines In