CHAPTER III. INDUSTRIES AT STATE INSTITUTIONS. In our last biennial report we called attention to the importance of the establishment of special industries in the state institutions, under our control. A marked advancement has been made during the biennial period at a number of the institutions, but the lack of means and suitable buildings has prevented in a large measure, as favorable results as would have been secured had the conditions been different. At the School for the Deaf, shoemaking and carpenter work are taught in the most practical manner, and a well equipped printing office affords facilities for learning the trade of a printer. The farm and dairy also give a limited amount of employment to a few students, and the girls are taught the principles of domestic economy with the most gratifying results. Good progress has been made in the cooking school, and at the last commencement the exhibit of bread, cake and other products of the culinary art, were alike creditable to teacher and pupils. At the Institution for Feeble-Minded children, brickmaking is the leading industry, and all the common brick used in the new hospital building, store room, and cold storage building, were made by the inmates under the direction of a skilled brickmaker. By utilizing the labor of the institution in this manner a great saving has been effected, and it has been possible to erect, with the appropriations made by the last legislature for a hospital building, in addition thereto, a store room and cold storage building, the value of which is far in excess of the appropriation made by the general assembly. A sloyd department is also being conducted, and recently an entirely new printing equipment has been installed, and the work being turned out is so creditable that we hope to have the Quarterly Bulletin issued by the Board, printed at this institution. At the state hospitals new industries are being constantly added, with a view of reducing expenses made necessary by the enhanced values of nearly all staples, with no corresponding increase in the revenues for support. Never before in the history of the state have as many of the ablebodied male patients of the hospitals been given employment on the state farms and gardens as during the year now drawing to a close. The result has been most gratifying, and in addition to producing excellent crops, our fields and gardens have been thoroughly cultivated, and in this respect are now the equal of any in the state. The outdoor labor has also proved of great value to the patients as evidenced by better physical health and an increased appetite, but the latter condition has its compensation in the excellent crops produced by the labor of the inmates. Power sewing machines are now installed at the three state hospitals, thus lightening the work of the women patients whose condition permits them to assist in making the clothing and bedding required. Shoes, brooms, brushes, mattresses, furniture and many other articles are now being made by patients in the hospitals, all of which have industrial buildings, well equipped with the latest improved wood-working and other machinery. The greatly reduced number of convicts in the state penitentiaries has precluded the introduction of any new industries in the state prisons. A great improvement has been made of late in the manufacture of clothing, well qualified tailors being now at the head of the tailoring departments. Not only is the clothing used by the convicts made in the prison, but the turn-out suits are now made to measure from a good quality of all wool cloth, and the men on leaving, have the satisfaction of wearing a well fitting suit, and other articles of apparel to correspond. In addition to farm and garden work, the boys in the Soldiers' Orphans' Home are given practical lessons in the use of tools, especially those used in wood work, At the last session of the general assembly an appropriation was made for the erection of a cow barn. The material was purchased and the carpenter at the "Home," assisted by a number of the oldest boys, erected the building without cost to the state, and in addition to the barn, the saving thus effected enabled us to erect a tool house and corn crib, both very necessary. A greenhouse has also been erected and a large quantity of cement paving laid, the only cost to the state being for the material used. These improvements are largely made during vacation, thus serving a double purpose of furnishing employment for the boys and at the same time making a substantial saving in the funds of the institution. The science of domestic economy, including cooking, the cutting and fitting and making of clothing, with laundry work, are all being taught the girls, in addition to the regular school studies, with the most gratifying results. We have already referred in the chapter on "Closing the Home for the Blind" to the removal of the broom making machinery from Knoxville to the College for the Blind, and the addition of the broom making industry to the institution at Vinton. Commendable progress is being made in this industry, and with piano tuning, the making of nets, bead work, carpet weaving and such like industries-practically all the trades open for those deprived of sight, are now being taught at the College for the Blind. It cannot be expected that there could be any profitable industries conducted at the Soldiers' Home, and there are only a few articles manufactured at this institution, and these by hired labor. As it is the settled policy to pay members for all work performed, there would be no profit in any manufacturing industry, as the age and physical condition of the members make it impossible for them to perform manual labor to any great extent, Consequently, with the exception of a garden, the raising of hogs and chickens, the latter the most successful industry, there is nothing at the Soldiers' Home that can be designated as industrial work. Last, but not least in importance, as regards industries, are the industrial schools located at Eldora and Mitchellville, and candor compels us to admit that Iowa is far behind many of our sister states in the matter of providing employment and training, in useful industries, to the boys and girls at these institutions. While good progress has been made in the school for boys, in shoemaking, tailoring, dairy, garden and farm work, the results. secured have not been entirely satisfactory to us, as the limited means at our command are entirely inadequate to introduce a sufficient number of industries to give variety and scope to the different conditions and tastes of the pupils. A large number of the boys and girls in attendance at these schools are orphans, or if not, their parents have separated, which is even worse, and very few have desirable homes to which they can go after leaving the schooi. With such conditions existing, it is the duty of the state, in addition to furnishing a common school education, to provide these unfortunate children with the means of earning a living when they leave the school, that they may become at once self supporting by honest labor instead of following a life of crime. From a financial standpoint, and ignoring entirely all philanthropic considerations, the expense of teaching these children a trade would prove an excellent investment for the state, for the arrest, prosecution, conviction and incarceration of criminals proves a costly matter to the tax payers. With the exception of work on the farm or in the garden, the other industries taught at the school for boys have been shoemaking and tailoring. As we have not been satisfied with the results secured in the tailoring department, provision was made last June in the salary schedule for the employment of an efficient tailor, cutter and fitter to take charge of the tailor shop. A thorough training under a skilled teacher would enable a number of boys to secure profitable employment on leaving the school, as good tailors are usually in demand. But all cannot be tailors or shoemakers, and provision should be made for teaching such trades as printing, carpentering, bricklaying, plastering, painting, steamfitting and plumbing, etc., as the young man, on leaving the school, thoroughly trained in either of these trades, and faithful and efficient, would readily secure employment, become self-supporting and perhaps be saved from a life of crime. Before anything can be accomplished along this line, liberal appropriations are necessary, as shops should be built, machinery and tools secured, and the employment of skilled mechanics as teachers would add materially to the salary schedule. At the Industrial School for Girls domestic work, with the addition of dressmaking, have been practically all the industries so far that could be taught. More variety is required that congenial work might be furnished to all and an opportunity afforded the girls to secure a training in some useful industry that will enable them to secure honorable employment after leaving the school. Statistics of eastern institutions of this character show that fully 80 per cent. of those taught a trade. follow the same occupation after leaving the school with the chances in favor of their becoming useful and self-supporting citizens of the state. In view of these facts we would earnestly recommend that the legislature, at its approaching session, make such appropriations as will enable us to erect the necessary buildings and equip them |