The Press.
London, England, 1855-10-13 00:00:00

REFORMATORY-SCHOOL MEETINGS.

THE movement for establishing schools for the refor-
mation of juv,nile offenders is rapidly gaining ground
—meetings for the establishment of these institutions
being frequently held in different parts of the coun-
try. An influential meeting was held at Bristol on
Saturday last, and signalised by the presence of M.
De Metz, who may be considered, by his admirable
institution at Mettray, as the founder of the system.
He was introduced to the meeting by Mr. Commis-
sioner Hill, and gave some account of his experience,
and of the success which had attended his efforts :

His attention was first called to the subject of reforming
young criminals by the numbers of children brought.
before him in the performance of his duties as judge at
Paris. Many of these were no higher than his desk, and
as there were at that time no establishments for the recep-
tion of juveniles, he was obliged to consign all to the
prisons, where they were associated with grown-up cri-
minals, some of them the most hardened of their class—
where, moreover, the treatment for children was the same
as for adults, and which, consequently, he knew to be ut-
terly unfit for them. M. Courtelles and himself commenced
the institution of Mettray in July, 18:39, by assembling
twenty-three youths of respectable parentage, whom for
six months they occupied themselves in training for
teachers. They then began the icole preparatoire, or school
for officials, which he believed to be the most important
feature of the institution—so important, indeed, that if it
were to be relinquished he believed that Mettray itself
would soon cease to exist. In January, 1840, they admitted
twelve young criminals, and very gradually increased the
number. Mettray had for its basis—first religion, without
which it was impossible for such an institution to succeed ;
secondly, the family principle for a bond; and thirdly,
military discipline tor a means of inculcating order. The
military discipline adopted at Mettray was this—the lads
wore uniforms, and they marched to and from their work,
their lessons, and their meals with the precision of
soldiers, and to the sound of a clarion and a drum ; but as
the sound of these instruments led men on to perform acts
of heroism, and to surmount the greatest difficulties, might
they not reasonably employ them with the same object at a

SATURDAY,

reformatory school, wherein in resisting vicious habits, and
conquering them, true heroism was displayed, and where a
marvellous power of overcoming difficulties must be celled
forth. A striking proof of the hold which the system had
obtained o'er the minds of the boys was given at the
time of the French Revolution in ISO. France from one
end of the nation to the other was in estate of anarchy and
all the Government schools in rebellion. At Mettray, with-
out walls and without coercion, there was not a sign of in:
subordination, not a %tingle child attempted tfo rqu away'
it was in allusion to the absence of walls that M. le Baron

de hi Crosse, Secretaire du Renal, observed, "Here is a
wonderful prison, where there is no key but the eke, deg
champs.". (Applause.) If children remained captive with
you it was proved that you have discovered the key of their
hearts. During the revolution a blind of workmen came
to Mettray with flags flying and trumpets soandiug, and,
meeting the chil lien returning fatigued from field labour,
their pickaxes on their shoOlders, thus addressed them—
" My boys, do not be such fools as to work any longer,
bread is plentiful. It is ready for you without labour."
The chef who was conducting the lads, and who behaved
with the greatest calmness and tact, immediately cried,
" Halt. Form in Line." The lads, being accustomed to

military discipline, immediately formed, and the chef
stepped forward and said to them, " My friends, you have
learned to labour. You have a right to rest, but leave these
lads here ; let them learn now, and when their turn comes
they may rest as you do." The men went away, the boys
marched home, and Mettray was saved—saved, as he be•
keyed, by its habit of military discipline. Had the boys
been walking homeward without rule like a flock of sheep,
the men would have got amongst them, carried off one or
two. and the rest would have followed.
In this speech will be observed that M. de Metz
lays special stress upon the necessity of having offi-
cials thoroughly qualified for the work they under-
take—a point not tolbe neglected in the establishment
of all reformatory institutions.
In LONDON the first stone of a permanent building
for the St. Pancras Preventive and Reformatory In-
stitute, was laid on Tuesday last, with great ceremony,
by Lord Robert Grosvenor. The building is situated
in the New-road, close to Gower-street, and after the
stone was laid the Rev. Canon Dale addressed a few
words to the company assembled, urging that a sub-
scription of one shilling a week would entitle the
subscriber to recommend an inmate for the institu-
tion. Lord Robert Grosvenor in his speech expressed
an opinion that reformatory institutions should be
supported by the Government, but till that object
could be achieved a wide field lay open for private
benevolence :

They should recollect that in this country all great
movements, whether of politics or benevolence, had cow-
meuced with private exertion. Refoimatory institutions
had been established with great succeas in the midland
counties, and the promoters already congratulate them-
selves ou the fact that they had saved from future crime
seventy-five per cent. of the whole criminal population.
Their own small institution presented similar gratifying
results, as, out of fifty-one inmates that had been admitted
since its establishment, only one had been dismissed for
misconduct, while seven had left, being unable to endure
the discipline. All the rest had been completely reformed
and restored to society.
At the conclusion of the proceedings, Mr. Bowyer,
tbehonorary governor of the institution, informed the
company that the building would cost 8501., of which
only about one half was up to the present time in
hand.
At YORK also was held, on Friday last, the first
public meeting for the establishment of a reformatory
for juvenile offenders. The Earl of Zetland presided,
the attendance was highly influential and numerous,
and the Rev. Canon Harcourt read an able report,
and, after stating the project of the committee to be
to establish a farm-school, proceeded to report that
the Earl of Carlisle had offered a site of forty.three
acres, between York and Mahon, which it was recom-
mended should be accepted. A resident chaplain of
high character had been engaged, and arrangements
had been entered into with the magistrates regula-
ting the terms upon which the boys were to be al
mitred. With regard to the question cf religious
distinctions the report stated :
That though in schools of so simple a character there is
little room fur religious distinctions, yet, since a question
has been raised respecting the Roman Catholic boys, the
committee recommend that the principle should be fol-
lowed of not receiving, or not retaining, in this school any
boy who may prefer, or whose parents may prefer, his be-
ing placed iu, or transferred to, a Roman Catholic reforma-
tory institution.
The rules of the society were then agreed upon, tho
officers of the institution appointed for the ensuing
year, and various resolutions passed for the pur-
chase of the land and for the future government of
the institution.
In DORSET also a central school was about to be
established. A charitable lady had given the site,
and donations and subscriptions to the amount of
4501. had been raised. The building, it was calcu-
lated, would cost about 4001. in erection and 1201.
per annum to be sustained.
At DEVIZES in Wilts an influential meeting has
also been held, under the presidency of the lord lieu-
tenant of the county, and practical steps taken to
carry out the excellent object. Subscriptions to the
amount of 7001. had been received, and a much
larger sum was yet anticipated.,

FROM THE LONDON GAZETTE.
Tuesday, Ocl. 9.

BANK RUPTS.—Wx. CoolTaxAy, Hounded itch, clothier—
Wm. ArrwoOn, Old Dorset-place, Clapham-road, grocer-GRAB.
WATNINSON, Bedford, draper--CtokaLEs GRORRM/TH, Welling-
ton-street, Strand, fancy soap maker EBENF.ZER BOLTON,
Weymouth-street, Portland-place, soda and mineral water manu-
facturer—EuwAßD MIHWHLL, Goebertou, Lincolnshire, grocer
—Wm. THOMAS STANITORTH, BheMeld, cutlery manufacturer--
Jima. HOWARTH, Ashton•uoder-Lyrae, llnendraper.
SCOTCH SEQUESTRATIONS.—Jous RENNIE, Bridgeton,
Glasgow, grocer—Joint Ruthriestou, Aberdeen, shoe-
Illaker-4OHN ATLECI, Glasgow, pawnbroker—JOHN WAUGH,
Knoekeen, Ayr, farmer.