anaheim-gazette 1906-12-13

PRESTON STATE SCHOOL An Institution that is on the Up-Grade and Making Progress. By Arthur J. Pillsbury, The vicissitudes of Preston school of industry, at Ione, in Amador county, have been many and discouraging, but it has survived them all and seems to be on the threshold of a useful career—if only the blight of political spoilation can be kept from withering its prospects. That blight has haunted it like a Nemesis from its outset until the beginning of the Pardee administration, and who can read the signs of the coming times? Certainly not I. The fact that during its 12 years of existence as a school Preston has had five superintendents is conclusive either of inability of the directorate to choose the right man for the place or a disinclination to retain the right man when found. Without continuity of management in such a school there can be nothing worth while, or at least nothing approaching that measure of success which the people of California have a right to expect for their money. At the risk of stirring up another hornets’ nest, similar to the one I stirred up in Southern California anent the location of the state hospital at Patton, I am going on record as declaring that the location of the Preston school of industry at Ione was unfortunate. The view is fine and the Providence tempting tower which surmounts, and jeopardize the main edifice looms grandly o’er the landscape. It must have been the landscape and the looming that proved determining factors in making this selection, un-terests that there will be no in their minds for us thoughts and memories. Nothing works better than such boys with live things as things, pigs and chickens, calves, horses and colts, garden, flowers and shrubs not of first importance that Preston school shall supply products that the school consumption, but it is of importance that the farm of the boys with such humble quickening interests as she the dormant manwood and capacities of such wards off are sent to Preston to be When the boy gets to be the farm, instead of the farm boy, it is time to sell off stead of adding thereto, and besetting temptation at both and Preston. It was folly for Whittier to undertake to grow orange and walnuts for the market the lad themselves on these things should have been quantities sufficient for inslads in their culture and, for supplying the school we needs of them for home care. The excess acreage should alfalfa in order to keep cows for a dairy school, with an supply of milk and butter. Always, in such schools Whittier and Ione, things not boys for things—a fact true as revelation, but abo for the managements of boo grasp as the fourth dimen other folks. The state has an investment ton of not far from $325,000 the land, whose original cost 800 buildings about $230,000 stirred up in Southern California anent the location of the state hospital at Patton, I am going on record as declaring that the location of the Preston school of industry at Jone was unfortunate. The view is fine and the Providence tempting tower which surmounts, and jeopardize the main edifice looms grandly o'er the landscape. It must have been the landscape and the looming that proved determining factors in making this selection, unless there were other considerations less obvious from a distance. I am unalterably of the opinion that a reform school should not be located on a farm whose soil needs reformation more thoroughly than the characters of the lads sent there to be reformed. This is the case on the farm at Preston school of industry. The farm at Preston school comprises 570 acres. I desire to place emphasis upon the word "acres." Of land there is a possible hundred acres which may, by courtesy be called tillable. The soil locks up in summer like so much concrete, and runs down hill in the wet season like so much soft mush or slush. The lowlands are soggy and must be tile drained, as well as irrigated, in order to be made productive. The soil also has to be fertilized and needs to have mulch and sand mixed into it to make it respond to tillage in anything like an encouraging way. In short, the farm selected for a reform school has to be made over, born again, regenerated and reclaimed unless barrenness is to reign supreme. To meet the needs of the school it has been found necessary to rent 70 acres of adjacent land (at an expense of draining and reclaiming that also as consideration for a short term lease) in order to produce what the school needs to consume. It is proposed to buy 200 adjacent acres, including the 70 acres now being rented (and mainly because of it) in order that the farm may be made equal to requirements for agricultural products for a possible population of 300 persons. In other words, and in round numbers, it will require 3 acres of Preston school land to supply each boy with meat and milk, fruit, eggs and vegetables, and it will require intensive tillage to accomplish that. I am in some doubt as to the wisdom of making this additional purchase. I think that it never should be forgotten for even a single moment that the school farm is valuable only as it is ed- Most people know that if they have been sick they need Scott's Emulsion to bring back health and strength. But the strongest point about Scott's Emulsion is that you don't have to be sick to get results from it. It keeps up the athlete's strength, puts fat on thin people, makes a fretful baby happy, brings color to a pale girl's cheeks, and prevents coughs, colds and consumption. Food in concentrated form for sick and well, young and old, rich and poor. And it contains no drugs and no alcohol. ALL DRUGGISTS; 50c. AND $1.00. that there will be no room left over for minds for unwholesome ideas and memories. To this end, the works better than to surround boys with live things and growing pigs and chickens, cows and horses and colts, orchard and flowers and shrubbery. It is first importance that the farm at Preston school shall supply all the farms that the school requires for option, but it is of inestimable chance that the farm shall supply boys with such humanizing and interesting interests as shall awaken manwood and intellectual ones of such wards of the state as it to Preston to be reformed. The boy gets to be utilized for farm, instead of the farm for the time to sell off acreage in adding thereto, and that is a long temptation at both Whittier堡on. is folly for Whittier state school to take to grow oranges, lemons, nuts for the market, feeding them themselves on the culls. These should have been grown in times sufficient for instructing their culture and, incidentally, lying the school with what it of them for home consumption. Press acreage should be put into order to keep cows enough for dairy school, with an incidental milk and butter for the boys. In such schools as those at Pier and Ione, things are for boys, as for things—a fact as true as revelation, but about as hard managements of both schools to the fourth dimension is for folks. State has an investment at Prescot far from $325,000 including all whose original cost was $10,-buildings about $235,000; not exceeding $300 for both schools and put them both on the same basis, or near it. The cultural instruction at Preston does not quite reach the high standard that should be set for it, but it is good what there is of it. The lads sent to Preston are very backward, as a rule, and some of them man grown, scarcely know how to read, while the greater number of them are in the third or fourth grades upon their arrival at the school. At present nothing higher than sixth grade work is being done, partly for want of more advanced pupils and partly for the reason that those who are more advanced are busy all day in the shops and on construction work. The should be room at Preston for some come commercial school work for those able to take it. Last year a beginning was made at Preston school in manual training, and a good beginning it was. The equipment is sufficient for a class of sixteen, and two classes are held each day, the pupils that are given instruction reciting once a week. The recitations, or practice periods, are long. One class works from 8 to 11:30 a.m., and another from 1 to 3:30 p.m. This is not the best arrangement that could be made. It would be more to the purpose to divide these periods into two and give each pupil two lessons per week, but that schedule would discom-mode somewhere else and the management has not yet reached that state of enthusiasm for manual training which would prompt it to give that form of education the right of way over the main line, making other things side-track for it. It would be better for the belated boy if such an enthusiasm for manual training were to possess the management. The older boys at Preston school have done a good deal of valuable work State has an investment at Prescot far from $325,000 including all whose original cost was $10, buildings about $235,000; water and water rights, $69,000; and cement not easy of estimation. Buildings are imposing, seemingly constructed. The main building is one story tall, having four and basement, with wings of stories and basement. The cot have two stories and basement. Of brick. Main water and power supply from Sutter creek through 13 open ditch, which needs to be concrete; thence through 6000 shell steel pipe, more than half the needs to be replaced with this water right, if utilized, used and defended, supplies water to irrigate 125 acres of power enough to run a good machine than is now in operation. The pressure is 230 pounds to raise inch. Source of power is the one revered feature of the location. It three good big Pelton water-in operation, besides several ones, and if Preston shall some come a real mechanical training this source of waterpower would be inestimable value, and it is exuseful even now. It furnishes for electric lights, for a planing for various mechanical concerns about the institution. While crafts should predominate in such a certain amount of machinery valuable and profitable. It wakens the brain that nothing else will fail. The domestic water supply is from a spring and is scanty. State legislatures have not deltously in point of maintenance, the Preston school as with Whitfield it is only by keeping two or official places vacant that can be met. This is not good school or conducive to the conduct of the instructive force. The payroll amounts to $2291.86, costs 76c per day to maintain mode somewhere else and the management has not yet reached that state of enthusiasm for manual training which would prompt it to give that form of education the right of way over the main line, making other things side-track for it. It would be better for the belated boy if such an enthusiasm for manual training were to possess the management. The older boys at Preston school have done a good deal of valuable work during the last year or two, valuable to the institution and valuable to themselves. Some three years ago the trades building burned, leaving the blackened brick walls standing. The last session of the legislature appropriated $20,000 for its reconstruction and the reconstruction work has nearly all been done, and well done, by the boys. An annex has been built of cement blocks and the blocks have all been made by the boys, laid up with the aid of a supervising mason, roofed with slate, and the interior finish is now being put in, also by the boys. Milling machinery was installed to aid them and they take great pride in its operation. Next year there will be an assembly hall to build, and whatever is built should be built by the boys and not otherwise. A youth of 16 to 20 years, who spends half of day in school (though the workers do not all do that at Preston) and gets bis board and clothes, can not have a very considerable margin coming to him for half-day service on farm or in shop, but there might well be something for good service. Be that something ever so small it would give the boys an enthusiasm that would prove of incalculable value on the work of reformation of character, the real work of the school. Work which brings the worker no present, tangible recompense is drudgery, and drudgery seldom begins a love for an industrial life, but if to drudgery there be added love, or personal gain, at once there is an electrical change in the industrial atmosphere and before he has become aware of it, the worker has learned to love work. I respectfully submit this to the favorable consideration of the state schools at Whittier and Ione. Compensation in cash, even for good behavior, forms the basis of more than one successful system of reformation of crooked human characters. I regard Preston school of industry as being distinctly on the upgrade. The domestic water supply is from a spring and is scanty. State legislatures have not delt ously, in point of maintenance, Preston school as with Whitit it is only by keeping two or official places vacant that excan be met. This is not good school or conducive to the constitut of the instructive force. The payroll amounts to $2291.86, costs 76c per day to maintain in the school, or a per capita per year, against $311.79 for er. I think the state would do allow a per capita annual cost Compensation in cash, even for good behavior, forms the basis of more than one successful system of reformation of crooked human characters. I regard Preston school of industry as being distinctly on the upgrade. It has not in fact arrived, but it is getting there. Superintendent W. T. Randall has not exactly risen to the full requirements of his position with the alacrity that a mountain trout manifests for a delectable fly on the rippling brink, but he is rising. A consciousness of the inner import of the trust confided to him is daily dawning upon him with more distinctness, and he is learning the boys without dispairing of them. The board of trustees has a genuine enthusiasm for the work in hand, and is now in better position to sustain the superintendent than ever before. If the board will confine its ministrations to a general supervision of finances and polices and leave to the superintendent a full and free swing in the immediate conduct of the school, Preston will some day come to be a real school of industry. The danger is that Preston may become an industry minus that animating and all pervading educational spirit which, after all, is the essential redemptive feature in reformatory work. ESTRAY NOTICE Came to the place of undersigned, Thursday, Nov. 29, 1906, two brown steers and one spotted cow. Owner can have same by proving property and paying charges. GUS HANSEN, dec13-3t 6 miles west of Anaheim. Stock, Olmstead & Co. Real Estate, Stocks Bonds and Insurance word to you Mr. Buyer: Property is Cheaper today in Anaheim than in any other place in Southern California. It is not going to stay at the prices it is now offered. Get next. Now is the time to buy We have some of the best buys to be found, on our list. THEY WON'T LAST LONG, THOUGH. Have you Property to Sell? If you have bring it and list it with us. We are now revising our list. so if already have your property come in and relist it with us Give us your Insurance. Our companies pay dollar dollar. Stock, Olmstead & Co. Real Estate. Loans Fresh Stock of Small Mason Fruit Jars Economy Fruit Jars, Rubbers, Sealing Wax and Caps. Extra Tops for Economy Jars. Small Mason Jars Fresh Stock of Small Mason Fruit Jars Economy Fruit Jars, Rubbers, Sealing Wax and Caps. Extra Tops for Economy Jars. Small Mason Jars pts, 65c; Qts, 75; ½ gal., $1 00. Good Jelly Glasses 30c. doz. A. NAGEL Pitkin’s Barn Paint Guaranteed for five years. Especially adapted for painting barns, roofs, bridges, fences, etc. Put up in 5 gallon and 1 gallon cans, full measure. Nearly forty years experience in the art of making paint and thousands of tests, have proven conclusively that there are no more durable paints made from any material than those made from oxide of iron. One gallon of our Barn Paint will cover 200 square feet two coats, on ordinary new wood work; on old or high wood work, less. —AT— L. E. MILLER'S His Own Composition. Recent article in Le Figaro of Paris devoted to the American colony in city. It says that the colony has always played the important and brilhole role in society chiefly because of the Americans were "Americans." "It is certain," continues Le Ro, "that out of ten 'Américaines' living in Paris there is but one Amer-Affairs—'business,' as they say there—absorbs the sterner sex in United States. In that country the have neither the inclination nor opportunity for much leisure, and pay us very short visits. While their wives install themselves the 'good' husband only makes fly-visits and is very seldom referred to the elegant salons of the wives." Writer continues: "I was at an al ball not long ago, where one of was the hero of a curious 'his.' He wore on the lapel of his coat Anaheim Bakery PETER SYRE, Prop. Fresh Bread Cakes and Pies Confectionery, Etc. Wedding Cakes a Specialty. LOS ANGELES and CYPRESS ST. MONEY can be borrowed on more favorable terms from the SAVINGS, LOAN and BUILDING Cakes and Pies Confectionery, Ete. Wedding Cakes a Specialty. LOS ANGELES and CYPRESS ST. MONEY can be borrowed on more favorable terms from the SAVINGS, LOAN and BUILDING ASSOCIATION OF ANAHEIM than from any similar institution in the State A Home Institution... conducted by home men If you want to borrow money at a low rate to pay off your present mortgage, or to build a home or to improve your present one, address or call on Fred A. Backs, Jr Secretary Anaheim Your Dainty Underwear And Starched Pieces don't look as though they had been through a riot when they are returned from the Santa Ana Steam Laundry E. W. McCOLLUM ANAHEIM AGENT OUR WAGON CALLS Received a consignment of Cut Glass and new line of 1847 Roger Bros. Silverware. B. Hartfied - Jeweler Helmsen Building