Milford chronicle., 1917-01-19
STATE REFORMATORY FOR GIRLS
MUST BE HELPED.

Gated at the uOIlH emu VI tHS bteleSi
and the lady managers who have been
conducting it by the aid Of generous
Deople who have made contributions
for years past, have been cor pelled
10 ask the state to come to their ala.
Girls from each county IN Delaware
are taken in, and in 80 per cent. ot
the cases they have turned out to be
good citizens, and it is only very re-
Gently that the counties OF Kent and
Sussex contributed even the cost OF
supporting the girls submitted to the
institution from those counties. Ihe
Levy Courts have been paying IOr
their board, as they are compelled TO
nav for the boarding OF common prls-
oners committed to jails; but the IN
stitutiOn has grown to such proper
fions that il was necessary to have
greater buildings and larger GROUNDS
n carry on the refOrmatOry work.
The girls are taught how to do al
Kinds of common house work, needle
work, manufacture of garments, gar
dening. and in fact, according to their
adaptability for assimilating any trade
knowledge. Four years ago an ap-
preparation was made to the Delaware
Industrial School for Girls by the leg
islature, with the understanding eX-
messed at that time that they would
receive further aid at the next session
Of that body; but the financial condl-
fions existing when the next session
of two years ago came around mace
Il inexpedient for the members OF the
legislature to make the appropriation
as tacitly promised to the lazy man
ayers of the institution two years pre-
yious. An annual appropriation OF
"a OOO was made to the school, which
helped towards paying the interest on
the money borrowed to build the ouild
fngs which are occupied and used on
the nroperty owned by the Delaware
Industrial School for Girls near VII
VoinVton. When their property in the
City of Wilmington is disposed OF, the
money derived from It will relieve
their pressing needs greatly-Dut at
the same time, there must be SUD
stantial support OF this great REFORM
school tor women eacn year. Just
think Of the comparison OF S3,OOO lOr
the saving Of gIris from degradation
and wee IOr a llIe time given py the
State OF Delaware, ana an annual ap-
propriation OF S0,OOO gwen 10 the Fall
Association at wilmington. we 10
not decry the latter support Oh an
exposition by the state, Tor II Is rlsn1
and proper, but we 40 ieel that the
State OIL Delaware must care IOr tAe
girls and their future IN moral mat
ters, as well as IN educational anu
that it is one OF the things wnlch must
not be neglected when appropriations
are made at the close OIL the session.
The following letter mas been sent
70 eacn OF the members Oh the leBls-
lature by the Presluent OF the Board
Of Lady managers or the Delaware IN
dustrial School Tor Girls, and every /
responsible man and women shoulu
take it upon themselves to express
their approval OF an appropriation 10
this institution to the senator OF he-
presentative VINO represents their as
frict in the legislature. The letter
follows:
wilmington, Del, Jan. 10, 1917.
Dear Sir:
dustrial School for Girls lay before
YOU as a member Of the General AS
sembly few facts. concerning the
school and its financial needs.
II is a State reformatory Tor girls
and has been in existence as such for
about % years, during which time 52S
girls from all parts OF the state nave
been committed to its care by Courts
and Justices of the Peace. None are
admitted, except on commitments al
ter hearing, on charges which snow
they need moral training.
At present seventy-one girls are IN
the care of the school, OF whom ten
are from Kent County, and seven are
from Sussex County. The average
number in recent years is about sixty
six.
BY gifts from individuals interested
the SchOol acquired and still owns
lot OF land and building in Whining
ton. from which it expects to realize
about $4,000 when it is sold. The
building having become overcrOwded,
and being surrounded by residences
the Board used a legacy to buy, for
about $4,000, seventy-tive acres OF land
in Brandywine Hundred, secluded, ac-
cessible, and suitable for farming.
Two stone buildings were there erect
ed in 1914, which with the sewage dis
posal and water supply systems,
roads, grading, etc., cost about SoV'-
600. and in May, 1915, the school NOV
I
The plan Of building and moving
was laid before the legislature at its
session in 1913, and $4,000 was then
for the buildings. After
the plan had been carried out the need
OF money to complete payment Of the
buildings was laid before the legis-
lature Of 1915. Probably because the
old building had not been sold, no ap-
was made at that session
Tor buildings, but appropriations were
then made Of S2,500 for 1915 and 1916
TO pay interest on the debt. Since
then $4,000 was borrowed on mort
gage and 81 500 on a note, so the pres
ent indebtedness is $41,500. Against
THIS the old school is an asset worth
$50. 900, though active efforts to sell
Il that price have not as yet been sue
sessful.
One chief purpose Of moving TO the
arm land was to give the girls fine {
moral and physical tonic Of outdoor