The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1916-04-18
COMMUNICATION
Final Report Of children's Home Com
mittee of Knox County Pomona
Grange

N~N-
of expense, in order that it may be
made dry 1t is true that the old
buildings are located near by, but
there are none of the old buildings
that are worth repairing. The roof
on the barn is past repairing, the sid
ing is in bad shape, and what is of
new building. Though the buildings
were placed near the spring, they are
making no use of it, having drilled a
well to furnish a supply of water for
the home. There are good building
sites on this lit acres: one exception
ally good site on the north side of
the road on dry ground, Ia mile near
er Mt. Vernon, and IA mile nearer
school; hence your committee must
emphaticaliy condemn the location of
the home on the farm.
The home is located on the south
side and q rods from the road. The
buildings are described as follows:
One main building as 1-2 by 81 feet,
with wing on either end 25 1-2 by
63 IL feet. 1t seems to be located at
random, neither square with the road,
with the other buildings, nor with the
world. From the rear it looks like
a low, squatty building setting in a
mud hole. AS you approach the build
ing you come to an uncovered porch
with a reinforced concrete floor over
a part of the porch. To the right is
an opening in the porch which we
will call deadfall. 1t is 6x10 feet
with 10 #. in. drop straight down
on a cement floor. And the only pro.
lection is two iron ratings, one IA in.
above the floor of the porch, and the
other about II in. above the first. To
the left is q receptacle or a hole in
the floor in which to throw coal which
feeds the fires in the boilers in the
basement. Still to the left of this
hole Is the cornerstone of the build
ing with the names of the three com
missioners inscribed on the stone.
Now, it is no wonder that the cellar
is damp when we consider that under
this open porch is a part of the base
ment. Then, as we enter the build
ings, to the right and left are the
rooms occupied by the superintend-
ent; then hallway to right and left
the right hand one leading to boys
rooms, their dormitory, toilet, etc
The hall to the left leading to the
girls rooms, their dormitoryies, tot
let, etc.
Now as to basement, the central
front Is used for coal bins, engine
room, etc. To the left is the boys
playroom to be used by the boys in
bad weather and in this room is q
maple floor laid in concrete. AS one
walks over the floor, the water comes
up between the boards. And the walls
In the basement were damp all ovel
and some of the cement walls were
wet with water seeping through them
| Then to the left is the girls play
room for bad weather, and in thl!
room the windows are for the mos
out of alignment of any found in tn,
| building. And some of these window
| frames were more than an inch on
of plumb and we found but one win
dow in the building that was plumb.
Then the kitchen and dining room
are located in the basement. In tn
basement overhead are four iron o
steel girders. They support the foo
above These girders rest on tn
brick wall, one end of each girder /
supported properly, but the other en
rests directly over a window abou
eight or ten inches between the to
of each window and the end of eac
beam, and one of these is giving ava
already.
The supper story or attic is not fiji
ished except that a floor is laic
While the main part of the building
covered with slate, the slate has no
been graded or put ON properly. henc
there are cracks under the slate TO
the snow to blow in. The roof wou
have been good one had it been pu
on properly
In the dining room are three table
l-2 feet by 10 feet, good, substantia
and well-fnished, but made for grow
up people There are 2S high stool
such as you might see in Il restaurant
with no backs. Neither tables no
chairs being ht for childrens use,
on the uneven floors in the coz
and engine room, the water was tw
inches deep in places. The drainag
system was not working right, Their
we're two pools of water in eyideuc
one about half full and the other fu
of water The reason for those "
could not find
II would appear that every one thu
| had puytbinp IN do with the builuiu