Evening star., 1939-06-01
Theory Evidence
Is Rejected in
Smith Hearing
Former School Head
Starts Presenting
Her Side of Case

tISl SIOS VI SOSV
DR.. Carrie Weaver Smith today
began presentation of a defense of
her management of the National
Training School for Girls from
which she was ousted as superin-
tendent in October, 1887, but at the
outset encountered a rebuff from
the Commissioners as to her pro-
posed methods of handling her
"side" of the case.
She announced she would at
tempt to vindicate, not only her re-
cord, but the ideals which she at
tempted to put into practice, by
calling witnesses who we're experts
In certain lines" for discussion of
theories of handling the problem of
treatment of juvenile dehquents.
Oliver Gasch, assistant corpora
ton counsel, who is handling the
prosecution" at the protracted pub
lie hearing, at once objected, insist
Ing that the only issue was whether
DR.. Smith was proper administra-
tor. He said: "Dr. Smiths theo-
ries may have been very fine. The
question of those theories or their
value is not an issue. We may as
sumo they were fine, but the issue
here is as to the results"
Capt. Bowers Questioned.
After brief conference between
Commissioners Melvin C. Hazen and
David McCoach, the latter ruled
that the only question they were
concerned with was whether DR..
Smiths dismissal was justified, that
the question of theories and pro-
cedureS was not before them. They
said DR.. Smith could call any wit
nesses she wished for a discussion
of her management of the institu-
ton. DR.. Smith first called Capt.
John E. Bowers of the seventh pre-
cinct to demand that he restate tes-
timony as prosecution" witness,
but this was ruled out on objection
by Mr. Gasch. She then questioned
him as to reports he had made to
the Police Department concerning
the situation during riots in 1896.
Capt. Rhoda Milliken, head of the
Police Woman's Bureau, called as
DR.. Smiths next witness, was asked
to state for the benefit of the au-
dience-and then DR.. Smith correct
ed herself-"for the benefit of the
Commissioners her educa-
tional background had been before
her 20 years service in the Police
noNQ nj,
from Capt. Milliken a statement
that she agreed that delinquent girls
could not be cured of immoral prac-
tices by locking them up. She said
that the case of one girl, who had
caused trouble of this sort at the
training school, had caused much
less trouble for police since she had
been freed from the institution.
Mr.. Cash closed his case earlier
IN the day by having Paul L. Kirby,
acting director of the Board of
Public Welfare, present statements
taken from the minutes Of that
board dealing with orders to DR..
Smith concerning paroles, week end
visits and the handling of veneareal
disease cases.
Report Made by Kirby.
Mr.. Kirby reported the minutes
showed that the board had declined
to approve recommendations from
DR., Smith July II, 1886; that the
board declined to accept as inmates
OF the institutions any pregnant
girls, any who were married or any
who were feeble minded up to
certain I. @. rating, and that the
older girls at the institution be
paroled or boarded in foster homes.
He also reported the board had
instructed its director to make in
quiries as to why there were mac
curacies and discrepancies in parole
case records as between those of DR..
Smith and information obtained
from the boards child welfare di-
vision. Mr.. Kirby also said the
board had voted May S. 1887, that
thereafter no girls were to be pa
rolled unless the school physician
certified the girls were free from
contagious diseases, including We
nereal diseases.
, DlsapprOVal of various methods
and policies of DR.. Smith was voiced
at a session yesterday afternoon by
Frederick w. McReynolds, chairman
OF the Welfare Board; Mrs Spencer
Gordon, chairman of its Child We'll
fare Committee, and DR.. James
Lewald, head of the District Train
Ing School of Feeble minded, who
served for a time as DR.. Smiths
successor at the Training School
for Girls.
Sees 'Vast Improvement"
Mr.. McReynolds said conditions
at the school were vastly i'm
proved" since DR.. Smiths regime.
Mrs. Gordon said it was her opinion
that DR.. Smith had not made IAN
honest effort" to carry out the poll
cies laid down by the Welfare Board.
DR.. Lewald testified that while DR..
Smith had used up between 40 and
so per cent of the maintenance
budget for the school in the first
four months of the fiscal year 1888,
the school was carried through the
remaining eight months without
additional appropriations, although
during that time the population Of
the school had about doubled.