The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1920-09-24
TRAINING GIRLS
ON SCHOOL FARM
GIRLS VOCATIONAL SCHOOL AT
HELENA MAKES GOOD WOM-
EN- OF THE MAYNARD
Young Charges Do Much of the Work
on the Farm, Including Making
Hay, Milking and Caring for Live
stock; School Is Conducted on the
Honor Plan.

A few miles outside of Helena or
the wide acres of the old Herbert
Iranch is being established a girls vo.
cational school. 1t is a piece of mod.
ern, scientific social work of which
Montana will one day be proud. The
purpose of the schools to reclaim
and re-establish girls who, on the
Threshold of life and often through
no fault of their own, have made mis-
steps.
The old method was to herd these
girls into high-walled institutions
and subject them to mental and ply
steal repression, against which youth
is ever in open revolt. Text books
and enclosing walls, 1t is found, do
not strengthen morals, restore self
respect or fit girls for the real bust
ness of life.
On these 240 fertile acres, a big
constructive work is being done I'M
der the direction of Miss Edith Kass-
| ing. Miss Kassing came to Montana
from Philadelphia, where her exper-
fence as social worker fitted her adj
mirably for this job.
The sixteenth legislature made an
appropriation of $4,000 for this
school, $4,000 of which was for land
and buildings and $4,000 for main
tenance for two years. A payment of
$4,000 was made on the land, which
left $4,000 for buildings and fur
nishings. The lowest building bid
was $4,000. Most boards would
have given up in despair. Not this
one, members of which are N. ].
Gould and Mrs. Hal B. Ives of Hell
ena, and Mrs. l.. o. Edmunds of Har-
lowton.
Miss Kassing at once volunteered
to take the contract of excavating, of
hauling gravel and building supplies
and of painting. And SO the work
was begun. The new building will
not be complete, neither will the ORR
gina1 plan be spoiled. BY looping off
a wing, leaving out partitions up
stairs and leaving the basement I'M
plastered, the plant will be ready for
use this fall, and can be completed
later. If the bond issue passes at the
November election, the Girls Voca-
tional school will be beneficiary.
Temporarily Miss Kassing, with
six girls, brought over from Miles
City reform school, occupy the old
ranch house, supplemented by sleep
ing and dining tents. Under the tall
old trees this group of buildings nes-
ties invitingly. The house, re-deco-
rated and furnifhed in excellent
taste, is homelike and delightfully."-
cool. Through the old farm runs a
stream overhung with bushes and
filled with trout. 1t is wide and deep
enough, too, for a swim on a hot
afternoon.
Besides the superintendent, the
staff consists of cook and two in
structors, one of them acting also as
secretary and stenographer. Practi-
cally all of the work on the place,
within and without, has been done
by the staff and the girls, whose in
terest and enthusiasm are boundless.
Besides the contract work for the
new building, they have repaired
roads and bridges; whitewashed
and fences; planted sol
fruit trees and many small fruit
bushes. One girl has driven a three
horse team since March, blowing, |
narrowing and cultivating all the
season. Besides the field work, these |
young women have cared for the |
horses, nine cows, four pigs and $50 |
chickens.
The big hay mows attest the in