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FINANCIAL REPORT

OF THE COMMISSION APPOINTED TO ERECT BUILDINGS FOR THE INDIANA GIRLS SCHOOL.

Under the act of 1903, Governor Durbin appointed a Commission for the selection of a site and the erection of buildings for the Indiana Industrial School for Girls. The Commissioners so appointed, John Stout (Paoli, Ind.), Augustus M. Kuhn, E. M. Campbell and Eudorus M. Johnson of Indianapolis, organized by the selection of officers as follows: Governor Durbin, chairman; Eudorus M. Johnson, secretary; E. M. Campbell, treasurer. The site selected and purchased was 125 acres northwest of the city; cost, $10,925. Clarence Martindale of Indianapolis was selected architect. The Commission erected:

Seven cottages, one schoolhouse and one power house at a cost of

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$226,891 34

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Governor Hanly succeeded Governor Durbin in January, 1905. Wm. G. Oliver of Franklin, Indiana, was selected to fill the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of Mr. Stout, and served until the completion of the buildings.

Respectfully submitted,

E. M. JOHNSON,

Secretary.

SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.

To the Board of Trustees of the Indiana Girls School:

I hereby submit the report of the Indiana Girls' School from July 17, 1907, to September 30, 1907, together with the reports of the Secretary, Physician and Parole Agent.

The children were moved to the new school in the country July 17, 1907. More disadvantageous conditions for beginning could not have been imagined, but out of the perplexities of that time order gradually emerged.

In each of the seven cottages on the ground was placed a family of children ranging from twenty-five to thirty-five in number. According to the plan of the Board of Trustees, three of ficers took charge of each family. The director, as the head of the house, is responsible for its entire management, and is in personal charge of the children; the housekeeper in charge of the diningrooms and kitchen and the groups of children taking that training; the supply officer in charge of laundry work and the children taking training; also substitutes for the other officers in the house when they are off duty.

The children are trained in household duties according to the following plan:

Three are detailed to take kitchen training for four months. Two to take dining-room training for two months.

Four to learn laundry work in the mornings and four others. in the afternoons for three months.

The remaining children in the family, under the care of the director, learn general housekeeping and plain sewing.

It is hoped in time to have various industries in addition to that of dressmaking, already established, as opportunities for training.

The domestic training occupies one-half of the day, the regular grade work in the day school the remaining half-one-half of the children being in the school in the morning, and the other in the afternoon.

When garden and farm work are in progress, groups of children assist in such work as they are fitted to do.

At first it was pathetic to see these young-old women try to play-a solemn walk was as near as they could accomplish it; but as fresh country air gave increased vigor, they were able to work and play as young people should, and the improved appetites gave rather alarming testimony to the fact of their better health and spirits.

In addition to as much outdoor life as possible, I have insisted on the children spending half an hour quietly in their rooms every day. The nicely adjusted factors of work and play, exercise and quiet, so essential to the proper development of children, are of especial significance here, where the great majority suffer from overstrained emotional life and pitifully warped nervous systems. To keep the daily life simple, sane and sweet, so that nervous and emotional, but above all, volitional balance is restored, and tendencies to right conduct set up and fostered, are the engrossing problems in this phase of child-saving work.

Fortunately, country life, with its attendant opportunities for outdoor work, and the cottage system, with its increase of individual training and emphasis of the values inherent in individual life and service, are essentials to the accomplishment of the end contemplated by the State in establishing such a school as this.

We try to have the children understand that they are not here for punishment, but for training, so that they may go out and labor truly to make their own living, become noble and useful women, and, we hope, worthy citizens of the State of Indiana.

Against the background of disheartenment and discouragement of the beginnings in July, there stands in sharp relief the improvement in physical and moral health of the children; above all, there remains with me an abiding appreciation of the work of officers and employes, every one of whom stood by me with a courage and nobility no words of mine can convey. To their singleness of purpose and devotion is due the daily change in the children, and this, with a certain consciousness of sympathetic support and good will on the part of the public, enables us to look hopefully to the future.

Respectfully,

S. L. MONTGOMERY,
Superintendent.

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