Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 1917-02-09
REQUIRED
FOR D~ELINQUENTS
MRS. INGALLS, BILL FALLS
SHORT OF IDEALS, BUT
MEETS IMMEDIATE NEED.
institution for Girls Who Have Made
Mistakes Demanded by State Fed
Grafton of Women's Clubs and
Good Government Organizations;
Farm to Be Feature.

The bill introduced by Mrs. Emma
ingalls, of Flathead county, provid-
Ing for a state girls reform school
probably falls short of the ideal
which has existed in the minds of
many women of the state who haze
been interested in this project. In
this bill an appropriation of $4,000
Is asked for to cover the pur, base of
100 acres of land for a site and other
expenses.
The founding of this school or farm
mas been an enc to which the state
Federation of Clubs and the Good
Government organization have work
ed for some years. Last summer at
the regular meetings of the two
above named organizations, Mrs. Fal-
coner of Sleighton Farm, Pennsyl-
vania, was induced to come to Helena
and tell the women of her experience
as head of this most unique and sue
cessful institution for the care and
training of delinquent girls.
Unlike other like institutions, no
bolts or bars confine unwilling in
mates. Girls are housed in a series
of cottages under the direction of
young college women and so great is
the desire to become a member of an
honor" cottage that even the first
house in which delinquents are re-
cefved, witnesses but few infrin :
ments of the simple rules.
Work of All Varieties.
The farm provides work of all va
rieties and if one stops to consider
he will appreciate that work on a
farm is constructive, creative and
vltalizing in it's influence. There is
no work too difficult for the girls to
tackle providing proper tools are sup
piled and short hours of labor re-
CURED. Donkeys take the place of
horses on this farm to a large extent
because they r easily managed by
the girls and the expense of their
keep is small. The girls raise a gar
den, cultivate small fruits, potatoes,
corn, ETC., and help gather in the
bay and grain. They are also taught
from books and to do all kinds of
homework and are encouraged not
only to sew but to design and cut
their W clothing, which Is o uni
49, put oSkOSbCu ny Iu0 SlIlS luS1l-
selves.
When they leave the home, in case
their record justifies their leaving
1t, their services are much in demand.
There is a place for them to go
where they can continue to be self
supporting. If their low mentality
precludes their being sent out into
the world, they can also be taught to
be practically self supporting OF the
farm.
Proper Environment Required.
To establish a farm home which
shall become in time some such insti-
tuition as this, is the object of the
sponsors of the bill just introduced
into the legislature. Statistics show
that 80 per cent of delinquent girls
make good in the right environment.
But unfortunately, in all the state of
Montana there is no permanent ref
uge for girls of this lind.
Last spring when committees from
the women's organizations visited
the reform school for boys at Miles
City they reported it badly crowded
with 100 boys and 80 girls. Today
1t has Ito boys and 40 girls.
How much more serious, therefore,
is the situation when one reflects
that the reform school at Miles City
was never intended for girls and 1t
was only due to pressure of conditions
that girls were yer admitted. These
girls have little opportunity for prop
er exercise to say nothing of being
taught and given proper occupational
training. Worse than that, the room
that they now occupy should be
turned over to about 80 little boys
who should be removed from the in
fluence and restrictions Of older and
more incorrigible inmates. These
little boys, says Mrs. ]. N. Kelly,
chairman of the legislative committee
of the Federation of Clubs, need
mothering more than reforming.
The bill introduced by Mrs. Ingalls,
carries with it a provisi a that the
girls school shall be governed by
a committee largely composed of
women and have a woman superin-
tendent.