Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-11

wash. scrub. make beds or sow better
than anything else? Occasionally, Il
girl does not do any OF these things.
| In that event she is placed i'm n room
All by herself with Il diet OF bread ana
water, few days Of which arc usually
sufficient to convince her thut she dor.
all or them,
! The average number Of women nris.
| oncrs ut Dccoquun Is 100, the bjrbes,
number II has ever had being 1875. and
| INC lowest. sixty. or these at least
threc -fourths arc colorcd. They do
inc laundry for the whole institution.
including that OF 600 male prisoners
ana seventy mine officers: they make
inc clothes for all the prisoners. and
they run their own establishment from
the construction Of extra buildings Ia
tnc repairing OF an electric switch
or the embarrassing of tho rnfters Nh
F., male, with tho exception Of tho AN,
thorities. is ever allowed on the prem.
| iaos. 80 - VII
inc women arc housed IN a number
VI long white building. raised rron,
the ground on white posts wh.n ~,
houses were first built tho Garth 49,,
s"ainpy. 80 they were placed above no
sfonhd. being intended only for tom
porary use Later. the ground MAS
',, ny means Of tiles. and the
buildings have proved 80 scrvlcenhlc
tiat they have never been rcnl,, cd
INC dormitorics contain rows or ncat
mhi'c peds which are taken care nj
ny the owners. and ut the end there
70 washroom equipped with showers
auu Tong sinks with u great number
OF spiHots II is considered more SAN
itary for each woman To hath. v;,,,
!, running How OF water than i'm a
basin.
Lights Out Early
~ O'Clock the prisoners go to bed
Each S!ri brings chair into tho dor
nitory aud places 1t ny her bed 10
hoiu her clothes. by $3.50 the lights
are out. talking il tuboocd and tho
night officers. including "A couple OF
INC prisoners, 20 on duty. Tho win
dows arc All open to let in plenty or
tresi AR Any prisoner being 80
minded could climb NJ on the back
OK her bed and out through the win
dow. but. curiously enough, it is never
attempted. In the seven years tia,
the prison farm has been in existence
there have been only three runaways
from the female quarters and tNo or
thcsc were returned tho next dav. bur-
ing the day, the girls 20 about alone
from ono building to another hut they
never go amy further. For one thing.
IT would bo too difricul; The farm is
stun surrounded By sufficient wilucr-
ness 10 make : fcmiSinc escape M
practical.
as soon rs r.rl proves hcr su-
pcrior capahilty She - made an as
sis;ant officer and detailed 20 supnr-
example. has charr. % bringing in the
wood supply Ter tho fires: another has
charge or tho Kitchen. another m
charge OF soab-iask:nS cor tho laun-
dry. and stili another looks after the
chickens. The women have their own
chicken Farm. ar 100 chickens the conps
for which they constructed themselves.
even to splitting the wood for them.
girl IL always extremely conscious
OF her responsibility as AN officer. She
" IaFtV ri. H.
v"ry efficient boss for the other pris-
oncrs whom she manages with iron
discipline
Also Learn to Nurse
Hahtcs arc occasionally born a, tho
prison farm. and tins creates yet an.
other lin" ~ work Tor tho women.
They learn to nurse tho hospital M
tcnts and IL take care IL the babies
preparing thor food aud making
clothes for them. Tho mother i. ~.
lowed 70 take care o. her ciilI when
ever shc can pc spared from her othcl,
work. and Whom h'r sentence - ~
the women officers ar III. Institutions
end"avor to Gct in touch with char
itahl" associations 'n Washington.
which viii sec that the child ts we'll
cared for
The women officers II tho prison
farm arc all possessed ~ an extra.
ordinary amount Of psticncc mat IS
on" Of til" requisites ot their work
The majority OF tho prisoners arc vrrv
stupid. and have never been shown
how 20 work. 80 tina, tlcy mus, IL
taught slowly aud encouraged luacralIv
to Get tho bcSt results t1c cannot
watch these prisoners wit rcglizin.
tn" abnur,nality Of tn, crimiU,ii brain
Many Of them arc like clilGrcu cirh,
or ten years old, white those WHO h,yc
adult brains HAY. boon 50 warped ~
circumstances that their rcasouiu.
power has been crippled
Like children, however they rcgpond
readily to kind treatment and. above
az. I" justice. ~ the beginning they
~ icel = acnH" of ;rjury against So
cictN. aud can hardly wait until their
'iinc IS out To penetrate another ON,
rag" against ". liut ~ few weeks az
good rood. fresh mir aud work accom-
p'Sh wonders, and they leave. us-
t"nslbiN ~ ich"t, III Il cheerful frame
" mind ana rchuy 10 test their newly
n'a"'fcd ability ~ earning their ow.
living.