The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-03-25
POOR PLACEF0
KIDDIES TO LIVE
DR.. De Vilbiss Passes Judgment
on Orphans Home.
1t Has Almost Everything 1t
Should Not Have.
LACKS ALL The ESSENTIALS
Children Look Scared and Sit
Open MOuthed.
Twenty-One Sleep in One Bad
Iy Ventilated Room.

State officials have changed their
minds regarding the pollcy Of sup
pressing reports concerning condluonS
in state institutions. This week the
state board of health voted 70 nlde
reports from the newspapers cover
nor Camper has overruled the declSloh
and report concerning the Atcnlsoh
State Orphans home was given 10 the
newspapers following a statement IN
the State Journal concerning the
health boards action
Dr. lydia DeViIbiss found many IN
pleasant and Objectionable conditions
at the AtchisOu home, her report
showed She found sanitation and
ventilation were bad She found that
the children in the home looked
scared and tnat strong doors from
the kitchen perm Gated rooms occu-
pied by the inmates she touho
broken toilet bowls and leaAlhs
faucets. torn window shades, chairs
with broken bottoms, pictures half out
of their frames. lack OF care ana
discrimination in the decoration OF
rooms and walls and large mum her
of apparently defective and teeDIe-
minded children.
Twenty-one children sleep in one
room with five and half windows
available for ventilation. And the
windows We're closed when DR.. DeNll-
bliss visited the home. Ventilation ana
bathing facilities needed immediate
attention, the report sd4Q. LIZ D- IL
bliss found but two bath tubs and four
bowls provided for the dormitory.
There are 1875 inmates Of the home
and more than 20 officers, teachers
and attendants.
Baths in Basement.
At IL O'Clock in the morning Dr.
DeVilbiss found a boy in bed suffering
from blood poisoning He had no at
tendant. He said he had not received
his breakfast.
Baths for boys are in the basement,
two floors below their rooms. Cement
walls and dirty floors are uneven and
broken
Dirty and filthy overaIls we're worn
by the boys while they MIXED the
COWS There was a decided lack OF
milk at the home when Dr. DeNllplSs
made her visit. Some cows had been
condemned as tubercular and killed,
the doctor was told.
Sitting rooms provided for the chill
dren lacked even the sem blance or
comfort or beauty. These sirtins
rooms are in the basement A few
broken chairs, old benches. with no
pictures TO relieve ugly grey stone
walls. are the comforts Of home as
provided in the sitting rooms for the
children. Up stairs, large rooms, well
ventilated and lighted by rays Of sun
shine are the offices and rooms of the
superintendent In the dark, damp
dingy, unkempt basement are the
children and wards of the state
Last wear Governor Capper vetoed
the appropriation which would have
given money for new facilities and
new school
The school house containing the
chapel was built and maintained in
violation Of the states fire laws. says
Dr. DeVilbiss in her report. Two
stairways and two outside doors open
ing in. constitute a grave fire menace
There are no fire escapes. This con-
dition also has been reported before
Continuing the discussion of school
facilities DR. DeNiIbiss said;
The It'll and sth grade room is
badly lighted. The children must sit
facing either a wooden partition or,
when it is up, look into the chapel
The Bird 4th and 5th grades are COM
PEELED to use one three foot stairway
with landing and at the bottom a
door opening in. all so arranged that
in case of fire it would be impossible
to get the children out IN the 3rd
grade room. quite number of the
occupying them. thus inducing spinal
curvature. faulty chest development
and other deformities
IN the 4th and 5th grade room
there were p children. 10 of whom by
actual count were mouth breathers;
most of them, no doubt, needing medi-
cal attention urgently There were no
toilet facilities nor drinking water
provided in the school house, the chill
dren being compelled TO go 10 another
building for such necessities
The ancient mark time step is still
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