The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-01-12 00:00:00

THE MASON STREET REFORMATORY.

Most of our readors are aware that in Mason street,
E Igo hill, there is a reformatory school for juvenile
male delinquents, established by the private benevolence
of two L'verpool gentlemen. We may mention the
names of those gentlemen, although we hope and believe
that they care lime in such an undertaking for public
praise—Mr. George Holt, jun, and Mr George Melly.
The first report of the working of this institution, con-
taining the general results of its existence for nine
months, has been printed, and comes before the public
at a time when the details of such a scheme are especially
likely to fix public attention. - Our interest is beginning
to centre itself in those institutions, which, if they do
not actually begin at the beginning, yet commence as
near the sources of crime as it is possible for such opera
tions to intervene. There can be little doubt that the
rerormatory enterprise direete,! to adult crime. based as
it was upon a generous confidence in the self recover-
ing power of what is good in Luman nature, has utterly
failed. It is not that the reformation of a hardened and
experienced.critninal is impossible, but that the possibi-
lities are too rare and remote to found any great scheme,
or base any calculations upon. To that education,
therefore, which anticipates the growth, of crime, and
gives the young offender a chance of recovering himself
before he has gone toa fAt, we must especially look with
interest and hope. The main object of this reformatory
institution of which we now speak, is, as we are told in
the report,

"To treat the young delinquents as members of a family,
letting each boy feel that he is cared for, while, at the same time,
be becomes conscious "of a certain moral obligation towards
those who watch over him, as well as towards those who are
his companions; The o?rietors believe in this way they can
more effectually reach the natural. affections of the boys, and
can make them feel a desire to be good for goodness sake,
rather than from feat ; and they hope that, in their after
course of life, this influence may prove of service to them, in
preventing them from so easily succumbing in the moment of
temptation."

As one token of the result, it is stated that, although
there is no restraint, and every oppor►tunity for running
away—

" There bas been but one decided attempt to go away,—a
notorious thief, who deceived the proprietors by a tale of
distress, and ran away stealing the elothes,—and that one was
received fodlishly as an act of charity, rather than of assistance.
And, moreover, that on one occasion, dur:ng a week's visit
made by the msster and mistress to Miss Carpenter, at Bristol,
the boys gave them their word that no irregularity should occur
during their absence ; and during the whole of that time,
whilst left by themselves in the house, they rose, cleaned,
cooked, and retired at night with perfect regularity and order.
During that week they were of course visited by the usual
teachers, and in the mornings and evenings a gentleman cam e
in to lead the prayers as usual to them, but during the
intervening time they were left to their own management, and
there was no reason to find any fault, nor had any boy to be
reprimanded or punished during the time."
With regard to the admission of boys, the report states
as follows :
On the admission of a boy into the houseohese two leading
principles are impressed upon him :
lst.—That he comes entirely of his own free will ; that
he promises cheerfully to obey the usual regulations
of the house ; and to stay willingly during the space
of ono year.
2nd.—That he will make no attempt to leave, without
calm reflection, and the acquiescence of the proprie-
tors in his doing so.

The number of boys desirous to come to Mason street, has
been much !art- than the proprietors have been able to
receive; and only one boy has left, at his own request, unre-
formed, and he returned a month afterwards, and is now in
school doing well.
Determined to waste neither interest, time, nor money, in
helping those who were not willing to help themselves, the
proprietors have rigidly adhered to the first condition, and only
one boy out of twenty-one admitted this year, has as yet com-
pletely disappointed them.
Reading, writing, arithmetic, geography, and various
industrial occupation for males.
" The annual a'count shows a gross expenditure of £276 12s
2d. and of £247 6s 5d net, or £2 15s per month per boy. The
reformation of boys who have left us, for places, or as sailors,
has thus cost, respectively, .£5 10s, £l6 10s; £9 12s 6d, £2
15s, £8 ss, £l2 7s 6d ; and it must be remembered that the
first year is the most expensive one ; and every week adds to
the economical management of such an institution."

The boys received since the 4th of April, 1856, were
21, of whom 10 had left, 8 having obtained means of
employment.
We do not enter into any of the very full details which
are given of the circumstances of the inmates, the occu-
pations of each day, the financial accounts, &c. These
will be best understood by a careful perusal of the little
pamphlet in which so much that is instructive,
important and encouraging is contained. Occupying
themselves with practical details and tangible results,
the proprietors of the school do not indulge in any of the
usual sanguine and inflated exhortations as to the moral
position and effects of their enterprise. Knowing well
how false are all the usual systems of calculation which
seem to say—given this human heart and this machinery,
and such must be the result. Knowing how fatally the
labours of a year may be frustrated by a moment of
temptation—knowing, in short, that they deal with
embryo men, and not arithmetical figures, they only mo-
destly set forth their scheme, point out its distinct results,
and wait in conedence, cr, at least, in hope, for the yet
more important issues. The noble effort in which they
are engaged, and its results so far, deserve the deepest
public attention. Commendation its originators, pro.
bably, do not look for; but this, coupled with the most
earnest and general encouragement, they cannot fail to
receive.