The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-03-02
CONFLICTING EVI-
DENCE ON FEEBLE
MINDED SCHOOL
Some Witnesses Thought Children Were
Mistreated, While Others Consid-
cred the Inmates Were Being
Well Cared For.

A further hearing of the state school
| for feeble minded at Brandon was start.
ed at Montpelier yesterday afternoon,
ex-Gov. Charles w. Gates being one of
the witnesses
ExGov. Gates said he thought that
DR.. Frederic ], Russell, superintendent of
the school, working under discouraging
circumstances had accompanished results
such as no other man in the state could
have performed. The evidence supplied
by the ten other witnesses regarding the
treatment OF the children at the school
resulted in a mass of conflicting testi-
mony. Employees at the school testified
that corporal punishment was not in
fiicted upon the children, while several
other witnesses testified to having seen
attendants strike the boys. Practically
all of the witnesses, however, with the
exception of the matron who issues the
children's clothing, and another school
employe, seemed to think that the chill
dren at times had not sufficient clothing,
particularly in the early part of last fall.
r. C. Flood, editor of the Brandon I'm
ion, testified that the only information
which he had regarding conditions at the
school and upon which he had based re-
cent editorials in the Union regarding
the investigation was hearsay, or the
general speech of people" as he termed
it. Every man whose opinion he had
sought seemed to think that the children
were ill-treated. Mr. Floods son, r. X
Flood, who is a student in the Brandon
high school, testified that he worked for
two weeks at the school last November
and saw an attendant named Knowlson
hit a boy, who wouldn't work, on the
back with club made from the branch
of tree which he always carried. He
also said that he gave boy pair of |
gloves and that he and some workmen |
fed a boy who said he had been com |
PEELED TO 90 without his dinner and work |
just the same.
George L. Mayhem of Brandon, who
worked at the school as laborer last |
year, testified to seeing knowlson lash |
a boy with whip made by tying a
leather thong to stick and afterwards
strike the boy on the head with his |
fists. The witness stated that upon his
vigorous remonstrance, knowlson took
The lash off the stick, but said that he
was only carrying out DIR. Russelrs or
lers. On another occasion he saw an at
endant named Burnham belaboring
nov with board. His attention was at
raeted by the howls of the boy.
Upon cross examination, Mayhem ad-
nitted that liquor was circulated among I
he workmen employed with him. but
enied that more than one man became
intoxicated, and he was Immediately dis :
harged.
p. W. Bragg of Rutland. who since
asst October has been installing heating \
nd plumbing system in the new school '
uildings. testified that boys were not Y
iven sufficient clothing. He told of the y
oys digging a ditch and standing in mud v
nd shush halfway to their knees with Y
nly old shoes TO protect their feet and
-ithout gloves. although it was late in
november He also said that on Jan
ary IL. with the thermometer four de- :,
rees below zero, he saw a small boy !
wing with cold, trying to shovel snow. I
he bow had only very light underwear. =
frOck ana lighl oNeTcpAt. bTdgs tooh II
inn into a barn. tried 20 bring about !.
ore vigorous blood circulation and gave !,
i'm a pair of gloves. which he stated n
r. Russell afterwards took away from :,
ie boy. The workmen gave the boys \,
gging a ditch about dozen pairs Of
owes. said Bragg
George Bacon Of Brandon said the
stitution rooms were always kept clean
ID the children were well fed. He m
ought, however, that the boys were co
nj out to work in the winter without 50
wing sufficient clothing and testified "
IJs
tContinued on eighth psge.) d.