The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-05-20

fiNLS " TIA SI'HFeSt-6 hfHOI
AGAINST THE DETROIT HOME
OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD ARE
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF COM
MlTTEE.
For several years the Sisters in
charge of the House Of the Good
Shepherd, Detroit Mich, have been
subjected to great annoyance and
abuse from certain individuals who
spread abroad all sorts Of false state
ments about the community.
A few weeks ago request was
made through the Right Reverend
Bishop Foley Of Detroit, that an in
yestisation be made as to the truth
or falsity OF these charges by the
State Board of Corrections and Char
tiles
The State Board Of Corrections and
Charities was represented at the in
vestigation by the following named
distinguished citizens of Michigan,
who composed the investigation com
mittec. Rt Rev. John n Mccormick
of Grand Rapids, Protestant Episcopal
| Bishop of Western Michigan; Morgan
j. Jopling of Marquette; William H..
Loutit, Mayor OF Grand Haven, and
ex-Probate Court Judge Steward Han
| ley of Detroit.
The report of the State Board was
made only after a hearing was held
| in the Hotel Statler, at which critics
OF the institution were heard, and this
hearing was followed by an exhaus-
| tive inspection OF the institution it.
self
The inspection included a thorough
investigation of the building, its heat
| ing, lighting, ventilation and safety,
the solitary questioning Of a score Of
| inmates chosen at random, study
OF the discipline, health and spirit OF
| the inmates.
The Investigators find that the
spirit 1of the house is remarkably
cheerful, that there is no corporal
punishment, that there is good food
and recreation.
The report in part is as follows:
Friday, April %, the entire Board
and the Secretary called at the House
Of the Good Shepherd, without notice,
! to make this inspection, and the ma
| jor portion of the day was spent in
this work Fall and complete oppor-
| tGnity was given them to inspect the
records, examine the inmates, and
| visit all the buildings and depart
ments. A score or more Of tho in
mates chosen at random by the mem
| beTS of the board, were examined pri-
| vately and apart from anyone cen
nected with the institution on all
matters that were pertinent to the
| inquiry at hand. The records Of all
| the inmates, indcXed and classified,
were also turned over for inspection.
| The Board also had access to and eX-
1 amined the mercantile accounts for
| the foodstufs consumed by the in-
| mdtHSt 4" t''nnr1 ,""Gt''" D. h"f 900. --,Fr
The total number of inhabitants
arc 507, classified as follows: Profess
ed Sisters, 81 Magdalens, 48; Pen
itents, 1875; Juveniles, G5; and Preser-
Yates, SO. The three latter classes
come within the Jurisdiction Of
this Board. The Penitents arc girls
ranging in age from Is to % years,
CT Whereabouts, who have been way
ward The juvenile class ranges in
age from 10 to 16 years, or there
abOut5, and consists of those children
| who were unmanageable at home, or
-Who were brought before the juvenile
| courts OF the State, but whose delin-
qucncy was not sufficient to warrant
| placing them with the former class.
The Preservatcs are little children,
| who either are orphans or who were
neglected at home The Pcnitents
who are under II years of age and the
Juveniles are placed and kept i'll the
institution only by their parents or
guardians, or by order of a court, Pen
! tents, q years and over, are there
voluntarily, except a few feGble-miHd-
ed young women, placed by their law
full guardians. The three classes are
kept separate at all times.
Every room in the institution was
| carefully inspected and found to be
almost immaculately clean. This ex-
| animation Included the beds and bed
ding, bath rooms and toilets, food
storerooms, ice boxes and clothes
closets. Sanitation and ventilation
was found to be excellent, except in
one room where a ventilating shaft
was suggested by the board. The work
rooms were bright, roomy and airy.
1.-The discipline was excellent, while
the attitude of the girls was most
cheerful. There is no corporal pun
ishment Of any kind. The most Sc
we're punishment, by common consent
] OF al the girls interviewed, is to