Delaware General Assembly

CHAPTER 637.

OF DELAWARE INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL FOR GIRLS.

AN ACT to incorporate the Delaware Industrial School for Girls.

Be enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Delaware in General Assembly met: (two-thirds of each branch concurring therein):

SECTION I. Elizabeth C. Marks, Frances A. Mather, Frances S. Garret, Emma L. Weldin, Emalia P. Warner, Josie B. Fogg-, Mary Smithers, Mary B. Donnell, Tillie F. Sudler, Hannah Tunnel, Margaret S. Hilles, Helen Porter, and their successors, be and they are hereby constituted a body politic and corporate by the name of " The Delaware Industrial corporate School for Girls," and by that name shall have perpetual succession, and may site and be sued, may plead and be impleaded in the courts of this State and elsewhere, may have, use or change a common seal, may receive, hold or convey any estate, real or personal, that may be committed to it, may act as a guardian to the person of any girl who between the ages of twelve and twenty-one years shall be committed to its charge according to law, for the physical mental and moral training of such girl, which guardianship of such girl shall supersede any other guardianship of parents or guardians during the time that such girl is under the charge of this corporation and no longer; and may make such by-laws rules and regulations and appoint such officers and agents as shall be specified in such by-laws, or as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of the corporation.

SECTION 2. The said corporators shall meet for the first time

at the call of three of the corporators to organize this corporation, adopt by-laws and do whatever else may be necessary and proper, provided that said meeting shall take place on or before the first Monday in July, A. D. 1893,

SECTION 3. A parent or guardian of any girl between the ages of twelve and twenty-one years, or the municipal officers, or any three respectable inhabitants of any city or town where she may be found, may complain in writing to the judge of the municipal court, or to any justice of the peace in the county, alleging that she is leading an idle and vicious life, or has been found in circumstances of manifest danger of falling into habits of vice or immorality, and request that she may be committed to the guardianship of "The Delaware Industrial School, " the judge or justice shall appoint a time and place of hearing and order notice thereof to any person entitled to be beard, and at such time and place may examine into the truth of the allegations of said complaint, and if satisfactory evidence thereof is adduced, and it appears that the welfare of such girl requires it, he may, with the assent thereto of the said corporation or their duly authorized agents, order her to be committed to the custody and guardianship of the officers of said school during her minority or for any specified term, unless discharged by process of law.

SECTION 4. A parent or guardian upon complaint and hearing as aforesaid and certificate of any judge or justice as aforesaid, that the girl of the age herein limited is a proper subject to be committed to said school, may with the assent thereto of the said corporation, or their duly authorized agents thereof, for a term to be agreed upon by the parent or guardian and the duly authorized agents of said corporation, upon the condition that the parent or guardian shall pay her expenses at a reasonable uniform rate to be fixed by said corporation, and the said corporation shall have power to enforce such agreement.

SECTION 5. On complaint of the judge of the municipal court, any justice of the peace, or judge of any court of competent jurisdiction, that any girl of the age herein limited has been guilty of an offense punishable by fine or imprisonment other than imprisonment for life, such judges or justice may so far examine into the case as to satisfy himself whether she is a suitable subject for commitment of said school; and if he so decides, he may thereupon suspend the case, and with the consent thereto grant corporation or its duly authorized agents order her to be committed to the guardianship of said school for any term that he may deem proper.

SECTION 6. The officers of said school shall cause the girls under their charge to be instructed in the branches of useful knowledge adapted to their age and capacity, and in household employments, needlework, and such other moves of industry as may be suited to their sex, age, strength and disposition, and as may be best adapted to secure their improvement and future welfare, and in securing homes when necessary. The said corporation shall have regard to the character of those to whom they are entrusted, that they may secure to the girls the benefit of good example, wholesome instruction, improvement in virtue and knowledge and the opportunity to become intelligent, moral and useful members of society.

SECTION 7. On the first Monday in August A. D. 1893, and on the same day in every year thereafter, there shall be paid to the treasurer of said corporation by the Treasurer of the State of Delaware, out of any funds in his hands belonging to the State of Delaware otherwise unappropriated, the sum of one thousand dollars, and the receipt of the treasurer of said corporation shall be a sufficient voucher in the hands of the State Treasurer for any such disbursement. Any failure to pay any such sum of money on the day herein-before specified shall not invalidate this provision of law, but such payment shall be lawful if made at any time invalidate within ten days thereafter.

SECTION 8. This act may be amended, altered or repealed at the pleasure of the General Assembly.

Passed at Dover, April 11, 1893.