Evening star., 1936-05-17
DR.. Smith Cites Escape Figures
In Plea for Training School
500, 900 additional Appropriation Held
Vital-State of Disrepair at Girls
Institution Called Appalling.

lUStttULtOH Out
Thirty-five inmates Of the National
Training School for Girls are "on es-
cape" at the moment and "a got away
in 1885.
"Since there is an average Of only
60 girls living here at any one time,
these figures are commentary on the
conditions under which these delin-
uuent children are forced to live" said
DR.. Carrie Weaver Smith, new super
intendent, discussing the needs of the
school.
Il have hopes that the 100000 in
crease in appropriations for the insti-
tuition, requested of Congress, will be
allowed, as the staff expects, and that
the sum will alter conditions so that
the girls will not be so eager to run
away"
Statistics show how completely the
school has failed to correct the be-
havior problems Of unfortunate young
girls, DR.. Smith said.
Fifty-one former inmates. after be-
lIlk lclcdOSd tllC PdoG yNoAo,
have been committed to Occoquan
Work House, revealing that the train
ing school has done little to prepare
its charges for law-abiding existence.
Yearly commitments have decreased
from 80 in 1880 to l3 in 1885 because
the Juvenile Court tries to avoid send
ing girls to the badly-equipped insti-
tuition.
More than 20 inmates are feeble
minded and should properly be in an
other kind of school, rather than mix
ing with intelligent children, DR.. Smith
says, and a number are unmarried
mothers, for whom other provisions
should be made Three babies still live
at the home, although there are no
suitable accommodations for infants.
DR.. Smith plans to accept no more
expectant mothers.
Asks Aid for Girls.
THE boy problem in crime preven-
ton is receiving a great deal OF at
tention these days" DR.. Smith re-
marked But what about the girls?
There are boys clubs and police clubs
keeping male youth off the streets, but
the girl without proper home en-
vironment has no place to go. One
will notice that there is never a kid
naping or robbery without some wom-
an being mixed up in it, usually to
the extent of being criminally in
volved."
Sleeping rooms used by the girls
locked from the outside at nights until
DR.. Smith arrived now are left open
because of the fire hazard.
An antiquated steam heating system
leaves most of the rooms at freezing
temperatures during the Winter. Coal
must be shoveled to the kitchen range
by the girls and water is heated in a
large copper cauldron for the laundry
work of inmates and staff. DR.. Smith
pointed out that the only training
the girls receive at the school is at
labor about the place and that GER
tainly the laundry facilities never will
equip them for employment in
modern laundry.
With only $2,475 expended last
fiscal year for clothing, the young
girls were forced to pass from one
building to another by underground
passages, not being warmly enough
dressed to 60 outdoors.
The training school needs, in addi-
ton to its one nurse, a fllll-time phy-
sician and a psychiatrist, according to
DR.. Smith. Most of the girS, rang
ing in age from 13 to %. are suffer-
ing from social diseases.
Ratproofiing is needed, 38 having
been killed in one kitchen in one day.
Gas has not been piped to the school.
The first building was built about
1893 and the last in 1928. All are
still in use.
THE state of disrepair is appall-
ing" DR.. Smith reports, "the lack of
sanitation revolving. The fire hazard
is imminent and any day there may
be a holocaust which would settle
many problems which have not yet
been met by constructive planning"
Allows Week End Visits.
The children will respond to an
atmosphere of training and grad
ually increasing liberty, DR.. Smith
contends. They are not criminals,
she declared, and should not be made
unfit for life in the future by being
treated as such. DR.. Smith has insti-
tuted the privilege of occasional week
end visits with parents for girls be-
having well.
Illustrating what may be accom-
plished with delinquent girls DR..
Smith displayed a letter from a girl
who was brought handcuffed II years
ago to an institution in another
State. ''You remember me, don't
you," the girl wrote, II am the one
who was so rebellious. have a lovely
10-year-old son who takes the high
est honors in his school,"
Although the training school at
tempts to secure employment for girls
released on parole, most of them are
not fitted for domestic service, the
only work they can obtain.
II the District supplements the
needs of the school DR.. Smith will have
experts train them as beauty operators,
clerks, saleswomen and mattresses. She
would like next year to have . prin-