Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-03-03

love his work Is j. o. Alexander, laun-
dry foreman. Working under him at
all times are over 100 men, about
three-fourths colored. The Lorton
laundry bushes is quite an item. Not
only do they wash all their own clothes,
but for all the other IA District in
situations. Nor is this all The amount
of towels cleaned for the various Gov
eminent buildings is staggering
around 100000 a month! The Com
merce Department alone uses about
40 900 towels a week. The Agriculture
and Treasury averages are 10000 and
5000, respectively.
As is well known. the reformatory
makes all the automobile tags for the
District. The years output for 1884
was around 100000. During the past
couple of years the paint shop has
been kept mighty busy making all the
street signs in Washington, notably
those concerned with non-parhng.
Last year 16.081 miscellaneous
brushes were made at Lorton. Most
of them 60 to the District government
for use in the Street Cleaning Depart
ment. Every bit of underwear and
virtually all the clothing worn by the
inmates, besides that used by the 800
residents" at the work house, Is man
ufactured at the reformatory. Al
though no shoes are actually made at
Lorton, all the repair work is done out
there.
When Col. Peak was asked II the
workers received regular salaries he
pointed out:
After inmates have been here so
days they start drawing regular wage
for every day they actually work.
About IS per cent of all such men
draw cents a day; Is per cent draw
10 cents, and 10 per cent receive is
cents, AS in the world of commerce
the skilled workers like bricklayers
and carpenters get the highest wages.
"All these men are required to save
half their earnings. This Is given
them on the day they're released. Thus
they have a little nest egg to add to
the $40 which also is given them when
they set forth to brave the every day
world again"
ALL'S not work, even at penal in
stitution. There's an excellent
base ball diamond on the premises.
| OF course that isn't of the slightest
use in Winter. What are sorely needed
| out there are gymnasium and a
couple of swimming pools to keep the
men in shape during rainy or cold
| weather.
One thing of which Lorton may well
| be proud is its splendid movie theater.
It houses 1900, being equipped with
1000 seats downstairs and a small
balcony upstairs containing 200 seats.
There's one picture show week, and
1t isn't an ancient silent picture,
either. The theater is wired with
south equipment and certain Wash
ington theater executives are kind
enough to loan some of their best
features to the reformatory. Usually
these aren't much over a month old.
There is one movie show week-on
Sunday afternoon.
Your visit to the Lorton hospital is
very disappointing. 1t lasts only about
five minutes, and for very good rea-
son. The resident physician in
charge, DR.. F. R. Klune, is performing
an operation. For this reason you
don't even get chance to see him.
However, you're convinced that he
must be one of the most overworked
men in the world. Think Of it! Only
one doctor for nearly 1900 inmates.
1t is obviously impossible for one indi-
vidual, however conscientious and
competent, to give all these men any
thing approaching proper care and
attention.
Next you visit the new school head
quarters, housed like everything else
in one OF the numerous red brick
structures. You discover that for the
| first time in the history Of Lorton a
| definite system of education Is being
| worked out. On March / 1t started
functioning. What Is it like? Well,
suppose you were a young fellow Just
on the shady side of 30. For perhaps
or 10 years, let us say, you had been
teaching vocational training in a
Pennsylvania high school. Out of a
clear sky you were offered job as
educational director in penal insti-
tuition that never had regular course
of study before. The understanding
is that within less than three months
time you are to start a school.
wouldn't you be slightly down.
hearted if you were given not a single
book, not one penny for the purchase Of
any, and were informed that about is
per cent of your students couldn't
even read and write? Probably So
Anyway, this is the exact situation
confronted by Hugh M. Mitchell, Lor-
tons director of education. Born in
Washington, he's quiet-speaking but
exceedingly earnest and determined
| looking.