Mr. ENDICOTT. I would like, if Miss Rawlins is to make any state. ment, that the trustees should be present. Representative PITNEY (to Miss Rawlins). You may have heard something of what has been said as to the organization of the school, the control of the chief officers over the employees, and of the employees over the girls, the inmates of the school; and I understand you wish to make some statement on these matters. How long were you connected with the school? Miss RAWLINS. Seven months. The first of last July, I was requested to resign, and this was a few days after the appropriation was passed by the House. I was asked to resign by letter. Representative PITNEY. In what capacity were you there? Miss RAWLINS. As teacher. Before that I had supervision of the laundry, and had charge of the girls. Representative PITNEY. Where did you get your experience and where did you come from? Miss RAWLINS. I went to the institution indorsed by Doctor Lincoln and Mr. Stilson Hutchins. I had done teaching myself in the South. My father was killed in the civil war. Representative PITNEY. How long have you been in Washington? Miss RAWLINS. For the past twenty-five years. Representative PITNEY. Had you any previous experience before going to this girls' school? Miss RAWLINS. Not in reformatory work. I went out there to teach the girls, and help to reform them if I could. I understood exactly what the work was to be, for I was raised in the Southern States. I knew the characteristics of negro girls and felt that I was qualified, mentally and morally, to teach them and lead them to a better life. I went out there for that purpose, and I did not think that any charge could be brought against me for inefficiency in the schoolroom work. Representative PITNEY. What were you discharged for? Miss RAWLINS. Lack of harmony. Representative PITNEY. Between whom? Miss RAWLINS. I suppose it was the officers out there. Mr. ENDICOTT. Wasn't it between you and the superintendent? Representative PITNEY. Were you under the control of the superin tendent? Miss RAWLINS. Yes. Representative PITNEY. And you understood that at the time? Miss RAWLINS. Yes. Mr. ENDICOTT. Was there anything said to you about insubordination? Miss RAWLINS. Yes; in one instance, I believe. Mr. ENDICOTT. Perhaps you might give all the reasons relating to the request for your resignation. Miss RAWLINS. I know that there was no charge of inefficiency in the school, or waste in the laundry, and there was no charge of disrespectful language, except in one instance. Representative PITNEY. No matter about those details for the moment. They wrote you a letter asking you to resign? Miss RAWLINS. Yes, sir. Representative PITNEY. And they specified a lack of harmony! Representative PITNEY. Perhaps they did not want to say things specifically. What success did you have in controlling and instructing the girls? Miss RAWLINS. If I have to speak for myself, most excellent success. I think I was as popular as any other officer, and more than some, and I think all the trustees will admit that they never had a better teacher. Representative PITNEY. Now, you may make a brief statement of what the lack of harmony consisted. Miss RAWLINS. Well, the superintendent gave us a young woman by the name of Miss Rooney, who came there invested with unlimited power-a dangerous thing in the hands of older people. To her the printed rules that were given to the other officers to guide them were practically dead letters, because she did as she thought best. She altered, amended, and suspended them, so that when we went to bed we didn't know what rules we would have the next day. Representative PITNEY. Give specific instances of a practical difference between yourself and the superintendent. Miss RAWLINS. Well, it was the lack of cooperation as to myself and the other officers. It was next to impossible for me to have her assist in keeping the girls under control. Then again, her punishments were excessive. The girls became very turbulent, and to me it was always preferable to make them submit pleasantly than by any punishment. On Saturday nights she made a rule that the girls could remain out of their rooms one hour later as a reward for good conduct. Yet on some Saturday nights there weren't over six of them out. The rest were being punished. Then the other girls were learning crimes that they Representative PITNEY. What do you mean by that? Miss RAWLINS. I mean that they permitted the criminals to mingle with the younger and better girls. Mr. ENDICOTT. Now, was it possible to have separated these girls? I think you should take that into consideration. Miss RAWLINS. No; I don't think so, but I think the younger girls should be sent to the orphan asylum. Representative PITNEY. You did not then work on the lines of the superintendent? Miss RAWLINS. I presume you could put it in that way. But as to the superintendent, instead of being at prayers in the morning that lady would be just leaving her room, and it would not have bothered me or the other teacher to hold these prayers. Consequently the children were left to themselves, as they should not have been; but there is other evidence of the way in which she acted. I used all the tact I could but Representative NORTHWAY. Did the same difficulty exist between the other teachers and the superintendent as between you and her? Miss RAWLINS. Yes, sir; in a measure. Representative NORTHWAY. Were the others asked to resign? Miss RAWLINS. No, sir; I was the only one. They were more dependent, and fell into the same line of action with the superintendent. Representative PITNEY. Irrespective of any objection, except a personal one, I would like you to say in what general respects the work could be improved? Miss RAWLINS. I think an improvement ought to be made in the habit of keeping the girls so long. And, then as to the younger girls, they ought to be put out into a colored orphan asylum; the good girls to be sent to their parents, as one was sent the other day. I think it was wrong to take in a child of 10 years of age on a charge of incorrigibility, and yet I found her to be an excellent child, obedient, respectful, and no fault to find with her. And yet there she was; there with girls of 20 and 21 who were hardened criminals. Again, they have kept girls there for three years; from the time the place was built. Now, you can not judge of the reformation of one of these girls in the same old surroundings. They ought to be taken out, given their liberty, and give them a chance to show what they really are away from the institution. They are bound to behave themselves, of course, in confinement. Representative PITNEY. How many years do you think it would be proper for these girls to be kept in the Reform School, on an average. Miss RAWLINS. I don't know; but I know that girls are there who should have long since gone. Representative PITNEY. Your idea is to keep them there only long enough to give them a chance? By Miss RAWLINS. Yes, sir. I think that homes should be found for them, and then they would not be discontented and disobedient. keeping them always in the same condition they get discouraged and bad. And then as to their being taught. It is not being done prop erly. I notice that the Senate has made an appropriation for a cook. Why, there are girls there 19 years of age who should be out cooking for families. Representative PITNEY. Does not the matron teach that? Is she the superintendent of cooking also? Miss RAWLINS. No; she was employed as a matron, but she does superintend the cooking of the food. My idea is that these girls must be taught as servants. There is no reason why a half a dozen of the girls who are there now should not be taken into the kitchen and taught to cook. But out at that institution they say the easiest way is the best way, and I think that is really their method. I believe one of the trus tees has said that. Representative PITNEY. Have you any other suggestions? Miss RAWLINS. Well, I think that the board should consist of onehalf women. Representative PITNEY. And that I suppose would produce more harmony? Miss RAWLINS. I don't know. Last year there were but three women on the board. Representative PITNEY. We, of course, know that the work out the e must be very difficult, but it has been suggested by the officials that they have not been given the adequate means to do the work, and I presume you agree about the state of the building and the difficulties of the management. Now, let us get such suggestions as you may have to make so as to show how these difficulties may be met, how a better system could be employed, and anything that may occur to you. Miss RAWLINS. Do you mean as to the separation of the girls, and the bringing of white girls there? Representative PITNEY. No; I mean, can you in general terms suggest a better system by which the girls can now be better trained and reformed? Miss RAWLINS. I have said that I thought that the younger girls should be sent to a colored orphan asylum. They are not fit subjects for reformatories. Again, I have said that the girls should not be kept there too long a time; that they should be put out into service, and they should keep only there the incorrigibles. By this means they would have half of the cells vacant. Again, white girls should be sent out to this institution, and not sent to the jail. It was built for both black and white. Representative PITNEY. To divide the white and colored girls, it would be necessary to have more buildings, would it not? Miss RAWLINS. Not at all. You could remove the older girls, and those longest there from that institution, and thus keep some of the rooms vacant. Representative PITNEY. Have you any further suggestions? Miss RAWLINS. I think I have stated all that occurs to me now. Mr. ENDICOTT. The girl referred to as only 10 years of age I inves tigated very carefully. I found that she was a very notorious character, and had been known to the police for a year or more. THIRD HEARING. THE INSANE; THE DEAF AND DUMB; THE FEEBLE-MINDED. APRIL 8, 1897–4 o'clock p. m. Present: Hon. C. J. Faulkner, presiding; Hon. Thomas S. Martin, Hon. Mahlon Pitney, and Hon. S. A. Northway. Senator FAULKNER. Gentlemen, the subject of this hearing is "The Insane; The Deaf and Dumb; The Feeble-Minded." Those to be heard are Dr. Godding, of St. Elizabeth's; Dr. Gallaudet, of Kendall Green; Mr. Lewis, of the Board of Children's Guardians. The topics are (1) the provisions for the care of the District insane and the method of commitment; (2) the deaf and dumb of the District at Kendall Green; (3) the feeble-minded-in what institutions placed, comparative cost at various institutions, increase or decrease in the number of cases; (4) the need of an institution for inebriates. The CLERK. Statements as to the insane and the deaf and dumb have been submitted in writing, as follows: THE INSANE. GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL FOR THE INSANE, Washington, D. C., April 8, 1897. SIR: At the request of your committee, I would respectfully submit the following statement in writing: The indigent insane of the District of Columbia, including the transient class, are admitted to this hospital upon the order of the Commissioners of the District under the provisions of the organic act of Congress creating the hospital. (See U. S. Rev. Stat., secs. 4844– 4850.) At the close of the last fiscal year the total number of persons so committed remaining in the hospital June 30, 1896, was 794, of whom 106 were of the transient class. The sum of $104,049 appropriated in the District bill for the support of her insane for that year has been paid to the hospital authorities for their support in monthly checks from the Commissioners of the District, on vouchers submitted. This is the extent of the connection of the District authorities with the hospital. The Government Hospital is under the control of the Secretary of the Interior, the hospital superintendent being appointed by him, and the Board of Visitors by the President of the United States. The interests of the District of Columbia are protected by the provision of the law which limits membership of the Board of Visitors to citizens of the District. No distinction is made in the case of the insane from the District over other classes that are provided for by law in that institution. The provision is humane and liberal, recognizing |