From 1913: School For Girls Makes Good Report

The following is an extract from an article published 100 years ago today, appearing in the Hartford Courant on January 20th, 1913.

The "Connecticut Industrial School for Girls" opened in 1870 and was transferred to the state in 1921. It became the "Long Lane School" in 1943 merged with the "School for Boys" in 1972, and was shut down in 2003. The state sold the 152 acres property to Wesleyan for $15M.
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Aims of institution are made plain
The directors of the Connecticut Industrial School for Girls have issued their biennial report in printed form, and it covers thoroughly the work of the school, which is located at Middletown, for the two years ended September 30, 1912. The proper subjects of the school are not merely paupers, according to a statement printed in the report, neither are they orphans, nor confirmed thieves nor prostitutes, nor other criminals, but include the stubborn and unruly, who refuse to obey those who have proper charge of them; truants, vagrants and beggars; those found in circumstances of manifest danger of falling into habits of vice and immorality, and those who have committed any offense punishable by fine or imprisonment, or both, other than imprisonment for life.



The school is not a state institution, but a private charity, incorporated and employed by the state for the custody, guardianship, discipline and instruction of the aforementioned girls. The state as the common parent and guardian of hte community, treats them as minors and wards. The school was founded by private charity and is under teh control of a self-perpetuating board of directors, originally chosen by the donors to its funds, together with the governor, the lieutenant governor and the secretary of the state.

The directors report shows that, during the past two years, 126 girls have been received, bringing the number under control to 394; that the number placed out has been 129, the present number at school 265; under the guardianship of the school in outside families, 53. The whole number received since the opening of the school in 1870 is 2,067, and the whole number placed out, including girls who have been dismissed and returned several times, 3,319.

"Of the four deaths that occurred during the year among the charges of the school, three outside and one at the school, two were caused by typhoid fever and two by consumption," says the report.