SECOND ANNUAL REPORT

OF THE

INDUSTRIAL HOME SCHOOL
FOR COLORED GIRLS

PEAKE’S TURNOUT
HANOVER COUNTY
VIRGINIA

FOUNDED BY

The Virginia State Federation of
Colored Women’s Clubs

1917

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

MRS. HENRY L. SCHMELZ, President, Hampton
MRS. W. S. McNEILL, First Vice President, Richmond
MRS. FRANK W. DARLING, Second Vice President, Hampton
MRS. HARRIS BARRETT, Secretary, Hampton
MR. FRANK W. DARLING, Treasurer, Hampton
MISS LUCY ADDISON, Roanoke
MRS. KATE WALLER BARRETT, Alexandria
REV. W. RUSSELL BOWIE, D. D., Richmond
MRS. M. M. CALDWELL, Roanoke
MISS FRANCES CURTIS, Boston, Mass.
DR. W. F. DREWRY, Petersburg
DR. H. B. FRISSELL, Hampton (deceased)
MISS MARY HAW, Hanover
MRS. KATE PLEASANTS MINOR, Richmond
MRS. BEVERLY B. MUNFORD, Richmond
DR. S. C. MITCHELL, Dover, Delaware
DR. R. R. MOTON, Tuskegee, Alabama
REV. C. S. MORRIS, D. D., Norfolk
MRS. I. C. NORCOM, Portsmouth
MR. GEORGE FOSTER PEABODY, New York City
JUDGE D. C. RICHARDSON, Richmond
DR. L. T. ROYSTER, Norfolk
CAPTAIN JOHN L. ROPER, Norfolk
REV. WILLIAM H. STOKES, D. D., Richmond
MRS. L. E. TITUS, Norfolk
MRS. MAGGIE L. WALKER, Richmond
MR. T. C. WALKER, Gloucester C. H.

BOARD OF MANAGERS

MRS. HENRY L. SCHMELZ
MRS. BEVERLY B. MUNFORD
CAPTAIN JOHN L. ROPER
MRS. MAGGIE L. WALKER
REV. W. RUSSELL BOWIE
MISS MARY HAW
MRS. FRANK W. DARLING
MRS. W. S. McNEILL
REV. WM. H. STOKES, D. D.

INDUSTRIAL HOME SCHOOL WORKERS

JANIE PORTER BARRETT
Superintendent

ETHEL GORDON GRIFFITH
Matron

J.LOUISE BARRETT
Teacher

SUSAN JOHNSON
Assistant Matron

HARRY J. GRIFFITH
Head Farmer

LEWIS MINES
Assistont Farmer
Page 4 Picture: THE INDUSTRIAL HOME SCHOOL ON THE DAY OF ITS DEDICATION
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Page 6?
Page 7 Picture: HONOR GIRLS BRINGING HOME THANKSGIVING DECORATIONS

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portion of what she earns, which is to be banked each month in order, not only that she may acquire the habit of saving, but that she may have some money of her own when dismissed from the care of the institution.

One of our most difficult problems is to get the function of our institution understood. People cannot seem to understand that our school is not a place of punishment, but ‘a moral hospital where each girl is studied and given individual treatment, with the hope of removing the cause of her delinquency and of building character. We are making no mistake in treating them kindly and believing in them. It seems to me the only way to make them have faith in themselves.

Rewarding them for doing their best and taking away privileges for failing to do their best is our chief method of discipline. The reward of the white dress works wonders with our girls. The fear of losing it after they have once earned the privilege of wearing it causes them to exercise more self-control than any amount of punishment could possibly do.

It is surprising how rapidly the girls develop when given responsibility. The position of room matron was created at first just to give the honor girls a position of trust, but they do their work so well that we could not get along without , them now, There is a matron in each room whose duty it is to see that the girls in her room keep it in order; that they make their toilets carefully, using their own comb, brush, and tooth brush; and that they are not noisy after taps.

Only an honor girl can be a Big Sister. When anew girl comes she is given a Big Sister who tells her what she must and must not do. It is her business to know where that girl is every minute. It is surprising how quickly the Big Sisters get the new girls adjusted and how well they keep up with them.

On the first of January Miss Louise Barrett was elected to teach and began her work, teaching half the girls in the morning from nine to twelve and the other half in the afternoon from one-thirty to three-thirty. Friday is given up to mending and sewing. After each girl gets through mending her clothes she can sew on a new garment.

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Three hundred and fifty-four garments have been made by the girls, whose special work it is to sew j and in addition, two hundred and fifty-six articles such as curtains, tea towels, sheets, table cloths, iron holders, dust cloths, etc., making a total of six hundred and ten pieces.

Last September Miss May Barrett gave twenty-one lessons in dressmaking to a class of girls. The material for these lessons was furnished by the officers and the garments made had to be worn by them. I cannot say that they improved their personal appearance by any means, but the lessons taught the girls enough to make them very helpful with the sewing this winter. Miss Barrett also taught folk dances and games to all the girls and they know how to do some of the folk dances very well indeed, and get much pleasure out of them. We hope there will be others who will come out this summer and give special lessons.

The girls have made wonderful improvement in laundering their own clothes. Neighbors have lent us some choice pieces for the girls to practice upon, which they have done very satisfactorily. Girls who show special ability to do laundry work are given practice in handling a family wash by doing the officers’ clothes just as they would have to handle a family wash in a private home. They have a great deal of practice in washing and ironing because they have so few clothes that they have to be washed very often.

We try to make our two cottages examples of what they can do in the line of house-cleaning, which we teach them to do with system, giving special training in cleaning beds and general spring and fall cleaning. Instructions are given in cleaning and packing away the blankets and winter clothing so as to keep out moths during the summer.

We have not been able to give a great deal of training in cooking, much as the girls will need it when they go out, because we have ‘so little to cook, but we are doing the best we can. Some of our girls seem to have handed down to them a “knack” for cooking. When we can get equipment and supplies for special training in cooking I believe we are going to be ble to send out some skilled cooks.