STONEWALL JACKSON MANUAL TRAINING AND INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL

Concord, N.C.
December 18th, 1917.

Hon. Thos. W. Bickett,
Raleigh, N.C.

Dear Governor:-

I’m writing you in the interest of the success of the work of the Jackson Training School. You know we are charged with the care, keep and training of near 100 of the boys of the State who have gone wrong and by their conduct have gotten beyond control of parents, teachers and other agencies for correction. Our dealings with them and the results of the training received have excited the wonder of visitors from other states elicits the praise of those from our own.

The very nature of the work here compels us to have young men, men trained for the work. A new man has to serve an apprenticeship before he can be relied upon in dealing with this class of boys and some never learn. Our work has been greatly handicapped this year by giving to our Country’s service several from our staff. Our School Principal entered the first Officer’s Training Camp at Oglethorpe, another cottage officer and helper joined the regular army and is now in service, another has been taken by the draft. Our primary teacher was advanced to the principalship of the school and was exempted from the service by the District Board at Statesville, for reasons above named. We were pulling ourselves together again and getting into working shape. The last ruling from the War Department annuls all that has been done and now summonses our School Principal together with four other officers and helpers to appear for classification. The classification of these men so as to render them subject to immediate call would mean the distruction of the authority and discipline of the school. Especially is this true since those who might be secured to take their places are subject to a like call. We must rely on young unmarried men for the work here. Our officers are with the boys day and night. Old men or married men cannot perform such service.

We are appealing to you to find some way so as not to further interfere with our trained helpers, especially our School Principal, Mr. W. W. Johnson.

Thanking you most heartily for anything you may do and assuring you of our high regards, we are,

Yours most respectfully,

Chas. E. Boger
Superintendent.

HEI.