The Topeka state journal., 1919-10-18

all times has supplied me with means
to buy milk and other food for the chill
dren in the home. In addition to what l
nave mentioned. the man who delivers milk
for the Pure Milk company leaves a quart
Of milk at the home every day.
About Oatmeal Matter.
at has been charged that I fed the
children oatmeal without sugar and milk.
The facts in regard to that matter are as
follows:
"The children frequently come into the
kitchen; in fact, the older children helped
me some little time ago when we we're
short OF help and one morning l cooked
some oatmeal and seasoned it with sugar
and milk and served it in bowls. The
children said they liked it and asked me
to serve it on their plates. This 1 did,
and not child complained of it and ate
of 1t heartily. That was but a temporary
arrangement and was discontinued as soon
as we had sufficient help.
Another charge made against me was
that bathed three or four children in one
bathtub Of water. The facts in regard
II bathed two Of the smaller children
together in one bath tub of water at one
time. But the older children were not
bathed that way; they each bathed in
separate bath tubs.
THE charge has also been made that
the children had but one suit of under
wear. This is absolutely untrue. When
ever the children were bathed, I always
dressed them with clean underwear and
they were bathed twice a week. Every
Monday Is washday at the home. I made
this statement to the reporter of The
State Journal The reporter for the Capt.
tai never came to the home.
"One Saturday morning about O'Clock
while Miss Andrews was in charge, the
board of county commissioners and the
county attorney came out to the home
The beds had not been made and the home
was generally torn up. 1t was not my
place to make the beds and it was no
part of my duty to straighten M the
house outside of the kitchen The board
of county commissioners and the county
Guested to how these children were fed
They did not ask me, or confer with me in
any wise. The duty Of feeding the children
falls upon me and the matter of the prep
aration of their food is in my hands. The
board of county commissioners and the
county attorney could have learned. If they
children, and how I had been feeding it.
Twelve in Home Now.
Recently there have been II children in
the home; the normal number of inmates
is about - Five have recently been sent
away. So that there are now - in the
home. There has at all times been suf-
ficfent clothing for the children; there is
no truth in the statement that the chill
room, or placed beyond their control They
never asked for playthings but what they
got them.
''The charge has also been made that the
home was filthy. that the beds were in
deplOrable condition.-not fit for hogs to
be in: This is absolutely untrue. The
true that the mattresses were old and we
were preparing to replace them. Other
wise, everything was In splendid condition,
and is now.
at was also stated that I had the best
room in the house. This statement is alb
soutely false. 1t is the room that the
cook has always occupied in the home
and is not the best room in the house
There is not a room in the house that has
been locked against the children.
4 feel that the county commissioners
have been very unjust to me in not COM
ing to me and asking me how the affairs
Of the home have been conducted.
Miss Andrews was in charge of the
home 81 days; she was absent at night II
IF these days. She would get the children
to bed by o'clock and then she would
get out and return at about 10 80 or IL 100
o'clock. The children told me that she
punished them by putting them to bed at
o'clock and kept them there all night.
"1f they talked or made a noise she
would whip them on the palm of their
land with the back of a hair brush The
children told me that when they would
,ry with pain. she would have them put
heir hands under a pillow so that the
hands would not hurt. The oldest girl
there told me that she punished her by
whipping her on the palm of the hand
until 1t raised a blister