homes are opened in this district. I had one application for a little girl to fill the place of the daughter who had married. I visited and found a large house with hardwood floors, furnace heat, screened-in porches, on a farm. The daughter had taken the piano but another was promised. They had a well selected library and a high class selection of pictures. They had 200 acres under cultivation, excellent barns and stock in good condition. The child who went to this home was indeed fortunate. The compulsory education law recently passed has been of untold value to us in our work. There is a wide difference in counties, I find, in the activity displayed in enforcing it. In some cases no effort whatever seems to be made, in others no exception. In this connection I have found the school attendance of our children in Mower county by far the best of any county I have visited. Many cases of perfect attendance for the year are noted. I completed the work in this district the latter part of April, since which time I have had work in the 6th district. I have also had some work in the office during this time. One of my special cases took me to Geneva, Mich. In looking back over the work of the last 19 months I realize more than ever that one of the most important duties of the agent is the wise selection of the home. The child's future depends upon it. Not all who are financially able are from disposition competent. I believe that the homes of moderate means are as a rule the best for most of our children. After the home is approved, it is important that the agent who visited should help select. You must know both in order to prevent returns or transfers. One of the difficulties I have encountered is to be able to insist upon changed conditions in the home without disturbing the child. It is as important that the child believes in the guardian as it is in public school that he believes in his teacher. A plain talk with the guardian, not in the presence of the child, is often necessary. It is just as important that the child's "plain talks" be in private if they are called for. To secure kind treatment and an education, to smooth out the difficulties of the discontented, to give advice and encouragement to both child and guardian requires skillful handling, unlimited patience, frequent visiting, firmness and unwavering faith in human nature. Some guardians need to have frequent interpretations of their indenture contracts. In almost every case I have found the attitude toward the school most cordial. This must necessarily depend upon the impression given by the agent who represents the school. Comparatively few people away from our home locality have visited. There is generally disappointment manifested when they find a new agent has come instead of one whom they knew. In the northern section of the state I feel that it is important to let the county officials know more about our work, not necessarily by public speaking, but by calling upon to explain our methods and inviting them to visit and inspect the institution. The problem of holding the older boys during the summer season, when work is plentiful and wages high is not an easy one. When the farmer realizes that the mere letter of the contract will not hold, that he must give something more, he will have less trouble. A share in the stock, the profit from the garden, a share in the profit from the poultry yard, something to make the boy feel that he is a part of the family and that he owns something will do away with much of this trouble. Some of our boys write that "we" have so many head of horses, and "we" are planting potatoes or har vesting as the case may be, and in the fall he is to have a certain share in the profits. It is seldom that a boy is removed from such an environment and there are few difficulties to smooth out when the agent visits. The most difficult problem I have had in the work is that of the older, unsettled girls. Most of my special cases have related to them, each one separate in its demands and needing most careful consideration and handling. It is often necessary to remove them entirely from their surroundings. It has been my experience that the country home for a girl is not always temptation proof. There is often less danger in a city home in a good neighborhood where there is proper supervision. Tactful supervision will save most of our girls. One of our good girls went in six months time from a girl with excellent principles to one who was not particular about her associates, was not above taking what was not her own, and was getting in at 12 o'clock five nights out of the week. Most of the trouble in this case was with the guardian. The standard of style and dress set for her was too high and after her work was done there was no supervision over her conduct. Another girl I transferred from necessity five times in less than a year. She is of age but still under supervision. During the period I have been connected with the school I have visited 433 children, 221 applicants, investigated 78 special cases, accompanied 68 children to homes, transferred 8 and returned 20 to the school. I have traveled by team 2,504 miles and by train 19,231 miles. My expense for railroad and street car fare was $419.00; livery, $316.95; hotel, $459.50; telephone and telegraph, $15.74, and incidental $21.48, with salary making a total expenditure of $2,882.60, and a per capita cost of $3.48. In conclusion I will say that I hope that I may gain in efficiency with experience. I heartily appreciate the spirit of helpfulness manifested at all times by those with whom I am associated. Respectfully submitted, ELIZABETH MCGREGOR. MR. HARPMAN'S REPORT. Mr. Galen A. Merrill, Superintendent. Dear Sir: It gives me pleasure to submit this, my first report as state agent for the period beginning May 10, 1910, and ending July 31, 1910. Prior to receiving my appointment I had been engaged in public and private school work, and had thus had ample opportunity of coming in contact with children of all ages, educational advancement and condition. My sympathies have always been with the so-called less fortunate child, who is compelled, often through no fault of his, to work his way through school. For this reason, when an opportunity offered I sought the position of state agent. For my first work I was assigned the Ninth district, the extreme Northwestern part of our state. In this district there are fewer children than in most others and of course a great deal of travel both by rail and team is re quired in visiting them. This was of great value to me, a new man in the work, as it gave me ample time to consult the notes I had made from our records in the office concerning the surroundings of the children as revealed by the visits of state agents. In this way, while I was an entire stranger to the children, I knew something of their history. One thing which surprised me in my work in this newer section of our state was the quality of the homes. To cite one instance, after driving four miles through forests of jack pine and swamp I was agreeably surprised to find a new home equipped with all the modern conveniences of a city home. To be sure, there are in this section homes in which the conveniences are few, but in most such cases the love and concern for the welfare of the children in their care more than compensates for the lack of these things. Some of those whom I have visited are reaching their majority, and are even now doing creditable work, on the farm, in the shop or in the store, giving promise of becoming useful members of society in the community in which they reside. Shortly after taking up this work I was asked why the policy of the school was to place the children in good homes as soon as good homes could be found for them? In reply to this query permit me to quote from an address by Amos W. Butler, secretary of the indiana Board of Charities, in which he says: "The greatest cause for our boys being in the reform school and our young men in the reformatory is lack of proper home training. Our people should come to understand their responsibility in this matter. Our land is fast becoming a land of homes. We must be impressed with the necessity of giving right home training to our children. Of the large number of boys and girls who become the inmates of these correctional institutions, more than half are there because of disturbed family relations. For this reason, I believe that one of the greatest preventive agencies is the child saving work-the rescue of neglected and dependent children and their training to become respectable and independent citizens. In our state we are coming to believe more and more that the life of the family home is that which is best for the growth of the normal child." Surely if "the family home is that which is best for the growth of the normal child," the sooner they are placed in such homes the greater opportunity they have of becoming "respectable and independent citizens." During this period I have visited 63 children, investigated 21 applications, visited 5 special cases, returned 2 to the school and accompanied 5 to homes. I have traveled 3,795 miles by train, and 760 miles by team. The expense for my work has been $526.51, an average of $5.91 per visit, divided as follows: Railroad fares, $79.51; livery, $94.35; hotel, $75.20; incidentals, $10.79; salary, $266.66. In conclusion, allow me to express my sincere thanks for your kindness and consideration. Respectfully submitted, ALBERT J. HARPMAN. STATISTICAL TABLES. TABLE NO. 1. ABSTRACT OF FARM ACCOUNT FOR YEAR ENDING JULY 31, 1909. To inventory Aug. 1, 1908 (including greenhouses) To charges from current fund, farm... By produce furnished. $6,915.30 3,069.95 To charges from current fund, attendance. 2,257.50 $5,686.87 By inventory Aug. 1, 1909 (including greenhouse) 8,234.32 ... 1,678.44 Totals. $13,921.19 $13,921.19 Profit ABSTRACT OF FARM ACCOUNT FOR YEAR ENDING JULY 31, 1910. |