New Britain herald., 1930-12-11

entity have no pride in the state as a state or its institutions as institu- tions. These publicity seekers creep into our institutions, find some minor defect in institutional management, develop it, enlarge upon it and broadcast it to the detriment of the institution itself and the humiliation of the men and women who by req son of their standing in the state, have been selected to administer its affairs.
 Degradation and Criticism
 "The trustees of the Connecticut School for Boys was one of these boards which was recently submit ted to public degredation and gen. eral criticism, not only in Connecti- cut but throughout the United States-the victim of a state-paid agent with penchant for public lty.
 "I attended a meeting recently al which the present superintendent of the school spoke on it's program for the future and when he had finished. one of the participants in the meet ing arose and in terse, critical sort of way said: Madam chairman, l would like to ask the speaker a question. Have the offending mem bers of this board of trustees been remoyed?'
 Defends Associates
 And then l reviewed in my own mind the offending members of the Connecticut school for Boys at Meriden at the time of the investi- gation. Its president, Doctor Eggles- ton of Meriden, a man for whom the citizens Of Meriden have the very warmest and highest regard and the deepest confidence as a physician, a man who had served that board for many years and given of his time and thought and energy Tn the interest Of the lnstl- tution Then l thought of it's vice president, Major Frank Wilcox of Berlin, d banker and business man, courteous, big hearted, thoughtful and considerate and wonderful personality; of Mir. Clarence Brad ley. the founder of the firm or Bradley o Hubbard company ot Meriden, d dignltied, delightful gen. tleman of the old school; Of Judge Ernest S. Fuller of Somers, quiet [ thoughtful and conscientious citl- zen: of Mr. Charles B. Buckinghan' brother of the agricultural comInlS- sioner, an able and successful manu- facturer of WatertoWn, recosnlZed leader in welfare work; Of MT. Ar chic Macdonald of Putnam, whom everybody loves and respects; ot MT Edward E. King. banker and lead ing citizen of East Hartford or Father Bernard M. Donnelly of Hartford who. wherever he goes creates a kindly, delightful and sin cere approach to all things; of MT. Charles Loucks, prominent and very successful builder of Walllngford; of Mr. William T. May, retired and highly respected merchant of New London; of George l. Allen of MiddletoNn, for years secretary or the tubercular commission and an acknowledged authority in the "ork and need for the prevention or t"- berculosis. These were the pubic servants which the paid offlclal or the state of only few months ln- portation paraded before their own state and the United States through the publication of charges based on stories put in circulation by dis charged employe alleged to have been told to him by the inmates or the school. Some of these 1t deVel- oped, had a bearing on the treat ment of paid employees to the boys which were not in keeping with the policies Of the institution and these employes were promptly released from service. But the charges which furnished the sensationallsm were largely the result Of magma ton-an opportunity naturally well comed bv boys of the character we have at the home.
 "The investigation resulted in much good for the institution be- cause it revealed many lnefhciencl"s which in the natural course Of ad- ministration. no matter how good II may be, will get by undiscovered-- but on the whole it was a heartless cruel indictment of a group of we'll selected, honest, conscientious and respected citizens of this state.'
 Public Stampeded
 Senator Lavery charged that the state welfare department represen- tative with its paid investigator call ed at his office to show him the af- ndavits concerning alleged condition at the school. They had with them a MT. Peck, a discharged gardener, who. Senator Lavery said, had tried to sell the affidavits to the New York World and the New York Times. He said he learned subse- quently that copies of these aff,- davits already had been given to a Connecticut newspaper.
 Then he said d meeting Of the board of trustees was called at once. but the public became stampeded and the governor without the knowl- edge of the trustees appointed an other investigation committee.
 Referring to former Superintend- ent Edward Boyd. he said he was one of the finest citizens in the state, kindly, fatherly, gentleman Of the old school"
 "Al charges of brutality to the boys were, in my Judgment, not sub stantiated," the senator stated. True, there were one or two exhl- bitions of brutality on the part of individual employees, who were irn- me ediately dismissed.