The Washington times., 1922-06-09
RULING. ON.
AUTHORITY
IS SOUGHT 7
Trustees Take Up Matter With
Rudolph-Threaten to Go
Before Congress.

ICloSAODo bCS"CSh Vic LtoSkt~S
Commissioners, the Board of
Charities, and the Board of Chill
dren's Guardians was asked today
by the board of trustees of the
Wisconsin Avenue Industrial Home
School.
Want jurisdiction Settled.
The trustees, in a letter to Commits.
sioner Rudolph. asked the Commits
sioners to request the House Dis
trict committee to settle, by an in
xestigation. the limits Of jurisdiction
Of each of the three local bodies.
The trustees move was called
forth by the action of the Commits
Bioners, the Board of Charities and
other in disclaiming, authority over
the Board of Children's Qua rdians.
which Is withdrawing children from
the home school in an effort to have
the institution closed by July I.
The letter was authorized by res
olution offered by James Hadley
Doyle. trustee, at a meeting of
the home school board yesterday.
IF the Commissioners will not
take action in this matter" he said
today, the trustees will take the
affair to the doors Of Congress di-
rectly. We are determined to get
At the root of this trouble.
Row Dates Back Ten Years.
This trouble is not of recent
breeding" said Doyle, for 1t has
been going on for more than ten
years, the one purpose of the Board
of Children's Guardians being to
wipe out the place as an institution
for the uplift of the young people
placed there by the courts.
THE first sinister move developed
when, aided by the Commissioner of
the District, Mr.. Brownlow. they
succeeded in ousting DR.. Skinner,
the superintendent, who was one
of the most painstaking and eff
cient officers ever holding office in
the place. Next to him is the pres
snt superintendent, Mf. Herrick.
with the removal of DIR. Skin
ner, commenced the aims and de-
sires of this board. for every OBJ
stacle was thrown In the way OF
keeping the place on a level with
similar institutions. and. while l
do not desire to reopen some of the
Issues Of the past, l will say that
some were most questionable on
the part of employees of the Board
OF Children's Guardians, some of
which George Russell. a co-trustee
and president of the Park View
Citizens Association, and myself
personally presented to the board
of commissioners as a protest
against the work"
Secretary Of Labor James !. Davis.
one of the foremost figures in bCys'
work in the United States. and A
founder Of Mooseheart, the model ir.
dustrial school of the Loyal Order Of
Moose in Illinois. today interested
himself in favor Of keeping open the
Wisconsin Avenue School.
When women who are endravor.
Ing TO retain the institution for Inc
District called on Secretary Davis,
he declared his intention of sending
q letter to United States District at.
court action on the ma Ter. if pos
sible.
A special committee of the Con
gress of Mothers and Parent.Teach-
ers Association today will confer
with Judge Willis Brown authority
on laws governing children. on legal
action contemplated. as last re-
sort, to keep the school open.
Members of Committee.
The committee is composed Of Mrs.
WITS.
Giles Scott Rafter, Mrs. l.. d. Smoot
Of the juvenile court committee of
the women's organization.
The women's body declared itself
in favor of the protection Of chill.
dren in the following resolution:
I'VE, the members of the Con-
gress of Mothers and Parent Teach
ers' Association believe in the pro-
lection of childhood. We believe
that the future welfare of our coun.
try depends upon the training of
children.
Therefore, we are unutterably
opposed to any child being set apart
and labeled ''incorrIgible. delin.
quent" or criminal" Neither shall
they be responsible for the neglect
or crimes of their parents or guar.
dams.
I'VE hereby pledge ourselves to
work from now on for the rehabili.
tation Of childhood"
Mrs. Brennan. through an inves-
tigation, today found that a former
employee of the home school was
spreading a report that the boys at
the home were flogged brutally by
attendants, citing the case Of one
boy who was beaten severely over
the head and shoulders. II was
also alleged that little .transgressors
against the rules of the school were
forced to hold their hands in hot
water as punishment.
II have discovered that there Is
not an iota Of truth in this mans
statements" said Mrs Brennan"
have found, however. that this
employe was discharged some time
ago because he was making one of
the boys steal carnations for him
70 take away from the school gar.
dens.
III boy at the school repeatedly
breaks the rules. he is given a good.
old-fashioned spanking. The reports
Of these spanklings are sent TO the
board OF trustees. Two months ago,
according to the record, no children
were punished. Last month. only
two were spanked. The home school
exercises humanitarian principles.
More new OF the Industrial Home
School 10 given ON Page 4.