State Reform School, 1894 Report
From birchyHistory
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The institution has no cells, no bars to the windows, no high fenced | The institution has no cells, no bars to the windows, no high fenced | ||
enclosure, nothing but the main building in which the inmates are kept, | enclosure, nothing but the main building in which the inmates are kept, | ||
− | In one instance tho Director | + | In one instance tho Director has found it |
necessary to use artificial restraint to maintain the presence and control | necessary to use artificial restraint to maintain the presence and control | ||
of an inmate. This inmate whose name need not be mentioned here, it | of an inmate. This inmate whose name need not be mentioned here, it | ||
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was received in the institution, and it is believed was an adept in many | was received in the institution, and it is believed was an adept in many | ||
species of crime at the time he was received. Still his presence in the | species of crime at the time he was received. Still his presence in the | ||
− | + | institution has been maintained, notwithstanding the attempts made to | |
assist his escape by persons outside of the institution and living many | assist his escape by persons outside of the institution and living many | ||
miles distant from Miles City. | miles distant from Miles City. | ||
− | + | ===Buildings=== | |
− | brick walls, which is 100x50 feet, of three stories and an attic and cellar. | + | * main school building of 16-inch brick walls, which is 100x50 feet, of three stories and an attic and cellar. |
− | + | ::- the ground floor is used for work rooms, dining hall, bath room, wash room and kitchen | |
− | room and kitchen | + | ::- the second floor for offices and Director's apartments and assembly room |
− | and assembly room | + | ::- the third floor for dormitories and school rooms |
− | + | ::- the spacious attic is used as a storage room and gymnasium | |
− | cellar for the furnaces, supply rooms and fuel bins | + | ::- the cellar for the furnaces, supply rooms and fuel bins |
− | is heated by five furnaces, with a thorough ventilation system in connection, | + | ::- the entire building is heated by five furnaces, with a thorough ventilation system in connection, and is lighted by electricity. An artesian well supplies soft water for kitchen and wash rooms and lavatories. |
− | and is lighted by electricity. An artesian well supplies soft water | + | * brick stable for four horses and hay loft |
− | for kitchen and wash rooms and lavatories. | + | * frame ice house |
− | brick stable for four horses and hay loft | + | * root house |
− | + | * wagon shed | |
+ | * privies | ||
+ | |||
+ | The boys have just completed a large root cellar, eighteen by fiftyone | ||
+ | feet with a fourteen foot ell; the walls are of stone and the work has | ||
+ | been highly complimented by good mechanics. | ||
+ | The road leading from the buildings to the public road has been excavated | ||
+ | one foot and filled with gravel, requiring about one thousand | ||
+ | loads; this had to be hauled from Tongue River, a distance of one and | ||
+ | three-fourth miles, but the benefit we are deriving from our good road is | ||
+ | paying for the hard work. | ||
+ | |||
A water right has been purchased for the forty acres of land; water | A water right has been purchased for the forty acres of land; water | ||
− | is purchased yearly at $2.00 per inch from | + | is purchased yearly at $2.00 per inch from the Miles City Canal & Irrigating |
− | Co., insuring a good crop every year. | + | Co., insuring a good crop every year. The Director has made a wonderful change with irrigation of the 35 |
− | The Director has made a | + | |
acres, which were sage brush prairie in March, to a fertile garden spot in | acres, which were sage brush prairie in March, to a fertile garden spot in | ||
August, bearing a bountiful harvest of grain, vegetables and fruit. | August, bearing a bountiful harvest of grain, vegetables and fruit. | ||
− | Every employe of the institution is a worker; there is no place for a drone, and the appearance of the buildings and grounds show that many | + | Every employe of the institution is a worker; there is no place for a drone, and the appearance of the buildings and grounds show that many a hard days work has been done since the school opened. |
− | a hard days work has been done since the school opened. | + | |
− | == | + | ==Expenditures== |
− | + | {| | |
− | + | |Expense||Cost||Cost in current dollars | |
− | + | |- | |
− | + | |Buildings||$19,027.04||$514,000 | |
− | + | |- | |
− | + | |Furniture and fixtures||$4,961.44||$134,000 | |
− | + | |- | |
− | + | |Improvements||$1,403.86||$39,000 | |
− | + | |- | |
− | + | |Incidental expenses||$550.26||$14,850 | |
− | + | |- | |
− | + | |Clothing and furnishing||$1,325.63||$35,775 | |
− | + | |- | |
− | + | |Supplies||$2,180.23||$58,860 | |
− | + | |- | |
− | + | |Light and fuel||$802.99||$21,600 | |
− | + | |- | |
− | + | |Insurance||$270.00||$7,290 | |
− | + | |- | |
+ | |Horses||$440.00||$11,880 | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |Salaries||$3,909.69||$105,570 | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |'''Total'''||'''$34,871.14'''||$'''941517''' | ||
+ | |} | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===Payment sources=== | ||
+ | {| | ||
+ | |Appropriation||$24,977.08 | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |First National Bank, Miles City||$2,018 34 | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |Merchants National Bank, Helena||$2,129.52 | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |Montana National Bank, Helena||$2,112.24 | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |American National Bank, Helena||$1,596.90 | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |Helena National Bank, Helena||$2,037.06 | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |'''Total'''||'''$34,871.14''' | ||
+ | |} | ||
The Trustees found that in erecting a building and furnishing it to | The Trustees found that in erecting a building and furnishing it to | ||
− | accommodate from sixty to | + | accommodate from sixty to seventy-five inmates it was necessary even |
with the exorcise of the most rigid economy to expend nearly or quite all | with the exorcise of the most rigid economy to expend nearly or quite all | ||
of the appropriation of $25,000 made for establishing the school. When | of the appropriation of $25,000 made for establishing the school. When | ||
− | the building was | + | the building was finished and ready for occupancy the Trustees found |
− | + | themselves without funds to maintain and conduct the school and after | |
conferring with the Governor and other prominent citizens of the State, | conferring with the Governor and other prominent citizens of the State, | ||
and at the solicitation of many of them, the Board of Trustees determined | and at the solicitation of many of them, the Board of Trustees determined | ||
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future Legislature should make appropriations to provide for its maintenance. | future Legislature should make appropriations to provide for its maintenance. | ||
Loans have been made from five banks to the extent of $9,894.06, | Loans have been made from five banks to the extent of $9,894.06, | ||
− | as is | + | as is shown in the tabulated statement herewith, |
− | There is also due to | + | There is also due to: |
− | + | * Larson & Smith $700 for building a stable | |
− | heating plant. These contracts were awarded with the condition that | + | * Bennett & Peck Heating & Ventilating Co. $1,200 for balance on heating plant. |
− | these amounts should be paid when an appropriation for the same | + | These contracts were awarded with the condition that |
+ | these amounts should be paid when an appropriation for the same should | ||
be made by the State. | be made by the State. | ||
The expense of starting the school has necessarily been heavy. There | The expense of starting the school has necessarily been heavy. There | ||
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at worth $2,250, and much of it has been stored away and will last | at worth $2,250, and much of it has been stored away and will last | ||
far into the next year. | far into the next year. | ||
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==Residents== | ==Residents== | ||
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{| | {| | ||
|Status||Boys||Girls | |Status||Boys||Girls | ||
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|November||1|| | |November||1|| | ||
|} | |} | ||
− | I wish to call your attention to the detention of boys so | + | I wish to call your attention to the detention of boys so long in county |
− | jails before bringing | + | jails before bringing them to the school: many of them are compelled to |
− | associate | + | associate with old and hardened criminals, thereby learning more crime |
− | in a few days | + | in a few days confinement with such men than can be rooted out in |
years of religious training. | years of religious training. | ||
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|} | |} | ||
− | ?? | + | ?? I respectfully call your attention to the fact that about one-fourth of |
− | I respectfully call your attention to | + | the boys sent here are over twenty-one years of age. I feel sure that we |
− | + | have at least seven who are from twenty-one to twenty-five years old. ?? | |
− | have at least seven who are from twenty-one to twenty-five years old. | + | |
− | ?? | + | |
− | == | + | ==Land use== |
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At the time Governor .1. E. Rickards proclaimed the school ready for | At the time Governor .1. E. Rickards proclaimed the school ready for | ||
admittance of inmates the entire forty acres were covered with sage | admittance of inmates the entire forty acres were covered with sage | ||
brush. The first boy was received April 3rd, and with his help and two | brush. The first boy was received April 3rd, and with his help and two | ||
− | officers the land was cleared. | + | officers the land was cleared. |
− | and | + | |
− | + | * Pasture 5 acres | |
− | corn | + | * Garden 5 acres |
− | seven acres set apart for lawns and yards, about five have been | + | * Potatoes 7 acres |
− | and seeded in blue grass, | + | * Vines (?melons and pumpkins?) 3 acres |
+ | * Oats 5 acres | ||
+ | * Fodder corn 8 acres (re-sown with oats) | ||
+ | * Lawns and yard (?and buildings?) 7 acres | ||
+ | |||
+ | Of the seven acres set apart for lawns and yards, about five have been leveled | ||
+ | and seeded in blue grass, which is making a good growth and will be a | ||
beautiful lawn next season; many shade and ornamental trees have been | beautiful lawn next season; many shade and ornamental trees have been | ||
set out, of which one hundred and fifty are native pines. These are | set out, of which one hundred and fifty are native pines. These are | ||
− | doing well and add much to | + | doing well and add much to hie beauty of the grounds. |
+ | |||
In addition to the clearing and cultivation we made our main ditches | In addition to the clearing and cultivation we made our main ditches | ||
− | and their many laterals for irrigating | + | and their many laterals for irrigating. |
− | + | ||
− | + | ||
− | ===List of garden tools=== | + | ===Farm=== |
− | Shovels 24 | + | Showing the staple products of the farm: |
− | Spades 24 | + | {| |
− | Mattocks 18 | + | |Oats||3 3-5 tons |
− | Hoes 24 | + | |- |
− | + | |Corn||3 3-5 tons | |
− | Rakes 24 | + | |- |
− | Garden drill 1 | + | |Fodder||30 tons |
+ | |} | ||
+ | |||
+ | ====List of farming implements==== | ||
+ | {| | ||
+ | |Sulky breaking plow||1 | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |Small turning plow||1 | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |Road wagons||2 | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |Disk harrow||1 | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |Wagon harness||2 sets | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |Cutting box||1 | ||
+ | |} | ||
+ | |||
+ | ====Livestock==== | ||
+ | * 5 horses | ||
+ | * 7 hogs | ||
+ | * 2 cows which our friends are kind enough to let us milk for their feed | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===Garden=== | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | ====List of garden tools==== | ||
+ | {| | ||
+ | |Shovels||24 | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |Spades||24 | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |Mattocks||18 | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |Hoes||24 | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |Forks||2 | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |Rakes||24 | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |Garden drill||1 | ||
+ | |} | ||
− | === | + | ====Products of the garden==== |
*Asparagus (roots set out) 500 | *Asparagus (roots set out) 500 | ||
*Beans (green) — 300 lbs | *Beans (green) — 300 lbs | ||
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We are leveling the high places, where we found it difficult to irrigate | We are leveling the high places, where we found it difficult to irrigate | ||
− | during the summer, and | + | during the summer, and by seeding time next year hope to have |
− | every foot of ground so water can | + | every foot of ground so water can reach it. Each boy was given the chance to learn the application of water to |
− | Each boy was given the chance to learn the application of water to | + | |
the different plants and vegetables, and many learned rapidly and became | the different plants and vegetables, and many learned rapidly and became | ||
− | quite expert. | + | quite expert. The products of our garden will keep us supplied with good, fresh |
− | The products of our garden will keep us supplied with good, fresh | + | |
vegetables until we can raise them again next season. | vegetables until we can raise them again next season. | ||
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Their shirts are of "Hamilton stripe" cheviot. Underclothes are made | Their shirts are of "Hamilton stripe" cheviot. Underclothes are made | ||
for all. | for all. | ||
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==Laundry== | ==Laundry== | ||
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molasses, bread, coffee, cake, pudding and pie: melons and fruits in season, | molasses, bread, coffee, cake, pudding and pie: melons and fruits in season, | ||
thereby giving variety to the "bill of fare" as often as practicable. | thereby giving variety to the "bill of fare" as often as practicable. | ||
− | The kitchen is in charge of Mr. S. | + | The kitchen is in charge of Mr. S. N. Davidson, who is assisted by |
three boys, and the cooking for the entire school is done by them. | three boys, and the cooking for the entire school is done by them. | ||
The dining room and housework is done by the boys under the supervision | The dining room and housework is done by the boys under the supervision | ||
of Miss M. E. Vance. | of Miss M. E. Vance. | ||
− | == | + | ==Schools== |
− | Our schools are run on tlie "half day" plan, | + | Our schools are run on tlie "half day" plan, while one-half are in |
school the other half are doing tlie necessary work around the institution | school the other half are doing tlie necessary work around the institution | ||
and "vice versa." The very small children are in school all day. The | and "vice versa." The very small children are in school all day. The | ||
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course of gymnastics. | course of gymnastics. | ||
− | == | + | ==Religious instruction== |
This consists during the week of the Sabbath school lesson; each | This consists during the week of the Sabbath school lesson; each | ||
morning a portion of the Scripture bearing on the lesson is read and explained. | morning a portion of the Scripture bearing on the lesson is read and explained. | ||
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true, some would have to stay ten or twelve years. | true, some would have to stay ten or twelve years. | ||
− | == | + | ==Proposed trades training to add== |
#Printing—With an appropriation of five Imndred dollars we | #Printing—With an appropriation of five Imndred dollars we | ||
can equip an office with a "hand press," six cases and type for same. | can equip an office with a "hand press," six cases and type for same. | ||
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after leaving the school, if not, our work is in vain. | after leaving the school, if not, our work is in vain. | ||
− | == | + | ==Recommendations== |
+ | {| | ||
+ | |'''Director'''||'''Board of Trustees''' | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | | ||
#Fencing—The fence on the north and west of the farm is in | #Fencing—The fence on the north and west of the farm is in | ||
need of repair, and I suggest this be taken down and a nice picket fence | need of repair, and I suggest this be taken down and a nice picket fence | ||
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about $7.75 per 1,000. | about $7.75 per 1,000. | ||
− | With heartfelt thanks to you honorable Trustees for your earnest | + | ''With heartfelt thanks to you honorable Trustees for your earnest support and appreciation of the work done by myself and wife, and to the many friends of Miles City, Deer Lodge and Anaconda who have so generously contributed papers and magazines to the boys and girls, and with full appreciation of the good done by the W. C. T. U. and ministers of Miles City, also to the faithful employees who have labored earnestly and patiently in the work. I close this, my first, report.'' |
− | support and appreciation of the work done by myself and wife, and to the | + | |
− | many friends of Miles City, Deer Lodge and Anaconda who have so generously | + | |
− | contributed papers and magazines to the boys and girls, and with | + | |
− | full appreciation of the good done by the W. C. T. U. and ministers of | + | |
− | Miles City, also to the faithful employees who have labored earnestly and | + | |
− | patiently in the work. I close this, my first, report. | + | |
Very truly,<br> | Very truly,<br> | ||
− | A. J. Hylton,<br> | + | [[A. J. Hylton]],<br> |
− | Director. | + | Director |
+ | || | ||
+ | |||
+ | ''The Board is required by the law creating the institution to recommend to your Excellency the needs of the school so far as buildings and improvements are concerned. In this respect the Board makes the following recommendations:'' | ||
+ | |||
+ | #The purchase of the forty acres adjoining the institution. ''(From the director:) I suggest the purchase of more land, the forty acres we now own is not enough to produce sufficient feed for the stock and vegetables for the school. With more land we could keep our own cows, thus supplying the inmates with milk, also raise our hay and feed, which we now have to buy. There is a farm joining us on the south, consisting of about eighty acres, which is for sale. This is a very desirable farm and would enable us to more thoroughly teach our boys practical agriculture and horticulture.'' | ||
+ | #The erection of two additional buildings as advised by the Director. The Director is of the opinion that these will cost $12,500 each. | ||
+ | #For fencing the land, $450. | ||
+ | #The Trustees are of the opinion that the capacity of the present building will be reached by June 1, 1895, and with this in view, and estimating the needs of the school for two years, the Board believes it will require for the first year two thousand dollars ($2,000) per month; and for the second year twenty-five dollars ($2,500) per month, a total of $5-4,000. | ||
+ | #The payment of the loans from banks already made, and also for the bills audited in December, $12,000 total. | ||
+ | #The payment of claims tor stable $700 and balance of heating plant, $1,200. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ''In concluding this report the Trustees desire to express through his Excellency, Governor Richards, their kindly appreciation of the support and assistance which the Board has at all times received from the Governor and the State officials in opening the institution and conducting it up to its present stage of efficiency and progress.'' | ||
+ | |||
+ | ''Respectfully submitted,'' | ||
+ | |||
+ | [[J. W. Strevell]] | ||
+ | |||
+ | [[C. K. Middleton]] | ||
+ | |||
+ | [[H. B. Wiley]] | ||
+ | |} |