Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1916-08-25
FINE STATE INSTITUTION.
Whate State Industrial School Does for
Boys and Girls-Equipment Good and
Advantages Many.

Advantages Many.
During the last year there has been
considerable discussion in some of the
state papers regarding the fitness of
the Vermont Industrial school to re-
ceive homeless children and the super
intcndent has on several occasions been
asked to 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 remodelling
buildings then on the plant and build
ing additions throughout. This program
was pushed nearly to completion when
the fire of 1914 made it necessary to
start over again and also made it pos
siblc TO lay the foundation for 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 nor
mally. This being So it seems to be the
part of wisdom now, through your col
umns, to give the public the facts.
The new buildings, while not clab-
crate, are adequate and comfortable.
The children s homes are light and
airy; equipped with comfortable dor
mitorics, dining rooms, congrcgatc base
ments and reading rooms with adequate
libraries and games The reading room
is an innovation in institution life that
is not found in many of the modern in
situations.
The population has increased from a
daily attendance for 1907 and 1905 of
1876 to a daily attendance the first six
months of 1916 of 27O. The institution
buildings have increased from three to
10 besides power house and pump house.
central heating and lighting plant
has been added which supplies heat for
all the buildings and light is produced
on the place for the buildings and the
streets. Fifteen thousand gallons of
water is pumped daily and steam is
Kept constantly on the fire pump. Pow
er and steam are provided for laundry,
sewing room, etc. Coal, water and light
in 1907 and 1908 for three buildings
totalcd about $4,000. Coal, water,
light and power for 1915 and 1916 for
II buildings, aggregating nearly 100000
cubit feet of space, cost about $4,000.
a modern hospital has been cstab-
lished second to none for its size;
chapel and gymnasium have been added
which have claimed the approval of
all who have seen and used them; a new
campus which will meet all requirements
for many years is being constructed at
the present time by the boys and Off
GERS, providing football, baseball and
track facilities, as well as an out door
playground for the small children.
a graded school system has been in
augurated and an educational atmo-
sphere developed which is just about
to blossom into promise for the future.
This year two of the girls from the
institution 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, Mortified,
Mass; two of the boys enter Mount
dermon; one boy has just finished four
years apprenticeship course in the Cen
trail Vermont railway shops and starts
| n course in the Wentworth Technical
school, Boston; one girl enters Middle
bury college; between Is and 20 will be
in attendance at the Vergennes City
high school, doing second, third and
fourth year work, while over 20 will be
doing freshman high school work at
the institution school. The eighth grade
class which prepares for the high school
work will also be large.
An honor system has been established
which has developed the spirit of indi-
vidual honor to the point where five of
the six cottages 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 clothes and shoes by
| their bedside, 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 cottage was
run wide open, although it is not in
| tended that that should be so. When
two boys presumed to leave that cottage
it was closed again, but of the five cot
tagcs just spoken of, containing from
| 10 to 240 children at different times
| during the year, only two belied their
claim to honor by leaving the dormi-
tory 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 the boys
Iand officers, besides doing the ordinary
work, earned $4,000 from the contrac-
tors and completed construction work,
the labor cost of which was estimated
| by contractors at over $4,000. Some
| of the most competent Judges III the
| United States of institutions of this
| type visited the school during the last
year. Their statements on leaving it
| were fattcrinp to the board which has
outlined the school policies and managed