The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-05-28
PROBE RESULTS
IN CLEAN SLATE
Committee Probing State
Home at Taycheedah
Reports FavOrably.
EXONERATE DIRECTOR

Madison.-( 1.-The Wisconsin In
dustrial Home for Women at Tay-
cheedah and the administration of DR..
Ebba Dederer, resigned superintend-
ent, subjects of a special investiga-
ton by the visiting committee of the
Wisconsin legislature, have been
given clean bill of health in re-
port Of the committee which will be
submitted to the legislature tonight
1t is recommended that the state
board of control reconsider the resig-
nation of DIR. Dederer and clothe her
with full powers of superintendent as
though the resignation had not been
submitted. CAT the special request
of the committee early in their in
vestigations the board had allowed
DIR. Pederer to retain her post pend
ing the investigation.)
Findings of the committee include:
Charges were made against the adj
ministration of DR.. Dederer' by dis
gruntled subordinates who had as
sumed unauthorized powers during a
FIVE months period prior to the ap
pointment of DR.. Dederer. During
this time the institution was without
superintendent.
Three of the disgruntled subordi
mates were trouble makers for the
new superintendent. Shortly after the
first hearing the committee suggested
Dederer Discharge these employees.
Two were Immediately discharged and
the third agreed to cooperate and was
retained.
Since the discharge of the employees
the Taycheedah situation has solved
it's own problem under DR.. Dederer.
The report recites that DR.. Dederer
came to the institution as superin-
tendent from New York, Sept. 1, 1924.
Previous to this time the institution
had been without a head for five
months. During this five months
period, certain employees had, accord
ing to the best evidence procurable
by the committee, organized them
selves into groups, and these groups
had each taken to themselves certain
responsibilities. This produced au-
thority, self-elected supervisors and
managers and other conditions mat
urally growing out of the lack of a
competent head" according to the re-
port.
Following the discharge of the sub
ordinates, the committee made an
other trip to Taycheedah and found
all uneasiness among inmates had
ceased, the general morale of the in
stitution good; the general conditions
compared favorably with similar con-
II Al
institutions; that DR.. Dederer had in
stituted a system of calling employees
into conference to discuss their prob
lens and this had proven effective
and helpful.
Concluding its report the committee
states:
"The committee believes that many
of the problems and difficulties, previ-
ously stated, have been solved; that
others which have not been entirely
solved are we'll on their way to solu-
ton. The present superintendent has
familiarized herself with the laws and
methods of administration in the
state of Wisconsin, and she has the
work now we'll in hand. The COM
mittee hopes and SUCCESS that the
board of control will reconsider the
acceptance of the resignation of DR..
Dederer as superintendent of the
Wisconsin Industrial Home for Wo-
men,"
The visiting cy~~littee inspected
the home Feb. 81, - and %, and again
April 10 and 20, and concluded its
hearings at Madison, May 81.
DR.. Dederer resigned in January,
1925, giving as her reasons that she
did not believe she would be able to
obtain. the necessary and proper CO.
operation from all the forces that
seemed to be aligned against her, ac-
cording to the committee report. The
| resignation was accepted by the state
board of control shortly before the
first visit of the visiting committee to
Taycheedah.