Evening star., 1942-04-19
New Plants for
De|inquents TO
Wait Wars 'sEnd
Materials Thought
Unobtoinoble;; Site
Next Lorton Opposed

Need OF finding new locations
for the industrial home schools for
colored and white children and
the National Training School for
Girls still is matter OF worry"
TO the Commissioners but, sppar-
emily, final action will be deferred
until after the war. 1t was dis
closed yesterday at the District
Building
Looking ahead. however. the
Commissioners are seeking an ap-
preparation of $4,000 for the pur-
chase of a 500-acre tract near the
District Reformatory at Lorton,
Va. possibly for welfare institu-
tion purposes. but. more immedi-
ately, as future site for expansion
OF the Districts Lorton Reforma-
tory.
This plan raises again the ques-
ton as to whether such institutions
as the industrial schools or the
girls training school mot legally
regarded as penal agencies) should
be located next to an outright penal
colony, according to some welfare
experts.
Plan Not Settled.
So far there has been no final
decision by District authorities as
to any new long-range plan for the
Districts reformatory or correctional
institutions, though the subject has
been considered a number of times
in recent years. 1t is stated that
the extra Virginia tract would be
needed for Lorton Reformatory ex-
pansion If not used for the indus
trial schools. But some officials
argue the psychological effect would
be bad" II 1t were decided, upon
abandonment of present locations
for the industrial schools and the
National Training School for Girls,
to relocate them next door to
penal colony
District officials anticipate they
will be unable to get priorities for
any permanent construction until
after the war. Some changes may
have to be made, meanwhile, 1t is
to be making overtures for acquisi-
ton of the Wisconsin avenue tract
now used for the Industrial Home
School for White Children.
Leaders Dissatisfied.
For these various reasons, some
thought is being given to starting
new long-range study of the best
plan for operation of such institu-
tions. District welfare leaders have
been dissatisfied for some years with
present programs and facilities for
the industrial schools, and for the
National Training School for Girls
and the present plan for operation
of the National Training School for
Boys on Bladensburg road NE.
One thought Is that, for the
emergency period, at least, the In
dustrial Home School for White
Children might be moved to Dis
trict-owned acreage at Muirkirk,
Md.
For some years the Wisconsin
avenue site for the White Indus
trial Home School has been con-
sidered unsuited to and too valuable
commercially for the purpose, and
the Blue Plains, D. c., site of the
Industrial Home School for Colored
too close to wartime military estab-
lishments.
Improvements Made.
Members of Congress and admin
istration leaders condemned the old
plant of the Training School for
Girls so effectively that some $780,
900 was used for Improvements. But
welfare officials still say 1t is not
satisfactory.
These are among reasons given
by some officials as to why there
should be an exhaustive study made
for a future plan, to be effectuated
after present wartime restrictions
on construction disappear They
point to the case of the Receiving
Home for Children. now using make
shift quarters, for which Congress
has authorized expenditures for a
new plant. but for which original
estimates were greatly reduced, and
whose new bI&!ding plans have been
shelved for TIE duration.