Evening star., 1954-10-28
Bon Air Tour Confirms Jam
That Keeps Young Girls in JoiIs

| OOt y 1Ol H3 S4l1c. GfC1l I1ldt WILL
barely take care of the present
school population-with no room
for any more girls who might
be sent there.
Other Shortcomings.
Space and dingy buildings
represent only a part of the
schools obvious shortcomings.
There is a marked absence of
desirable vocational training or
organized recreational activities.
The State just doesn't provide
funds to employ vocational
teachers or full-time recreation
] directors.
Outside of regular academic
classroom work and supervised
housekeeping chores, nothing Is
offered to train the young girls
for useful occupations once they
are released from the school.
In a new school building four
teachers instruct grades 4
through IL. Five typewriters
recently were bought to begin
business training courses. They
haven't gotten good start yet.
A small library-operated by one
of the girls committed to the
school-has a hodge-podge of
donated books. All girls at Bon
Air 16 years old and under must
attend classes. Those over 16
cannot be made to.
Probably the best training Of
fered is in the dining hall where
the girls can learn restaurant
work. They prepare meals under
the supervision of a dietitian,
wait on tables and wash dishes
Some Serve as Janitors.
Doing all the school laundry
provides another type of domes-
tic training. In summer. there
is work to be done in the vege-
table gardens that supply food
for Bon Air tables. Some girls
are assigned to keep the chicken
houses, and just about every one
has regular janitorial chores
The school has no paid janitors
For recreation. there is a can
teen in the basement of one
dormitory, where the girls Car
congregate. buy soft drinks ano
candy. There also are small rec
reation rooms in each dormi-
tory. A music teacher comes
twice week.
/ A large, hard-surfaced ball
court is the only visible outside
recreation facility. Hurricane
Hazel left a large oak tree
sprawled across it. The tree fell
in font of an outdoor juke box
the girls used for dancing. Two
of the youngsters were hacking
away at the tree with axes when
the commission visit was made
apparently trying to salvage
their favorite source Of music.
Despite so many handicaps
the girls seemed cheerful enough
as they chatted with members
of the commission on the tour,
Apparently the understanding
attitude of Supt. II. B. Whitmer
and his staff has helped COM
pensate for the lack of physical
facilities and vocational instruc-
ton.
Pool Being Prepared.
Mr.. Whitmer has been super
intendent for the past year and
a half, and already there are
signs that the school is coming
out Of the doldrums. MIR. Whit
mer found an old abandoned
swimming pool on the school
property. He has the schools
one maintenance man working
on It In spare hours to put it
in shape for next summer.
| Col. Richard Copeland, State
director of welfare and institu-
tions, has submitted a capital
Improvement program that
should solve Bon Airs troubles
for a long time to come. He has
proposed three new staff houses.
four new cottages. a gymnasium
auditorium, chapel and a child
study center. These recon-
mendations are in the hands of
the Morrissett capital improve
ment study commission. which
is to report to the next session
! Of the General Assembly.