Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1854-05-26

Of such an institution as The one winch Nh''
State has 50 nobly founded.
Some have regarded the establishment Of
Reform School in this State as an experiment,
Can il be Justly 50 considered in view Of the
happy results arising from similar establish
men,s elsewhere Some Of them have been
in operation moro than twenty-five years.
Could We see the noble array Of young men
now filling respectable positions in society,
who look back with gratitude to the time when
the doors Of reform school were opened ia
receive thcm,-whcn their erring feet were
fis, leading them DOWN to ruin, We should be
convinced that no State in the Union should
be without an establishment Of this kind.
The maximum age required for admission
to this school, is Two years higher than that
fixed in any other. boys lhi, arc full grown
in stature, and hardened in crime, cannot be
considered suitable associates for those Of
more tender years. am aware that age
alone is not a proper criterion Tor deiemin-
ING whether or not 4 boy is suitable subject
for the discipline Of reform school. But in
the greater number of cases, boys over SIX
teen years of age, would be very unsuitable
subjects. and should not be sent there. There
may be, and doubtless are, boys over sixteen
that il would be well To receive, but the
courts and magistrates should exercise great
discrimination in cases Of this sori,urlhc insl.-
tudon will be- filled with boys requiring
stronger bolts and more severe discipline To
control them than a reform school affords.
Twelve NJ twonty five bows received. have
been imprisoned f,r crime before being sent
to ,hc Reform School; some Of them many
times. One, who is now but fourteen years
old. has spent two of,hc las, four years 10
ail waiting his trial for different crimes. lie
has been convicted many timo'; but on ac-
count OF BIZ. youth, hos been discharged with
some nominal punishment, bu, without effect,
as he has never failed to bl Immediately en-.
gagged again BOO crime. lie has been with Us
aboul two months, and seems 10 BE- Improving
TO- every respect.
Six have been committed for one year. IN
mos, cases one year will be too short tire
to accomplish confirmed reformation ia
vicious boy. and lhC object cfIhc school would
generally be promoted by longer term. The
trustees are authorized by Jaw TO discharge,
in 40 eases. At such time as they think boy
reformed; so that Ifboys were generally COM
United during their mmoity, Ihcy would re-
cci,c an honorable discharge when reformed
or be apprcu,iccd, without regard to the
length Of term Of commi,meu,-,,he trustees
still acting as their guardians.
Il. may be proper very briefly to state some
Of the leading points Of the system We shall,
with your appreciation, attempt to carry out,
in conducting the Affairs oflho school.
We design to render everything IS much
unlike a place 4 P1uisHhory punishment az
POSSIBLE under the circumstances.
Those who may be sen, here, will gcncr.
ally have acquired rowing habits, andrc,laiai
will at frs, De- irksomc to them, and desire
10 escape, strong. In many case, no hope
can reasonably be- entertained II the proper
exercise ola rcIuma,ory influence over them
until ,hoy arc made fully satisfied tia, they
lrc 90 iar confined, guarded and watched, 'la'
they must conform To rules and regulations.
A0cr they have been unjrr proper d,,ci-
plInc and instruction sufficient time to gain
,clfrcspcrl, and begin to rtalze the exercise
ola moral influence to restrain them, wc
gradually extend ,hoIr liberty until iulI conf
dcncc j. established.
When they have arrived a. Iha, ofimpToyc.
men, ,h1, reliance can be- placed upon their
word. wc inform them ,ha, they viii Civ,
their r,ri oriouor ,ha, they will not leave
the premises without permission, we will al.
low them to GO to the fields Co labor, without
restraint, relying upon their word to prevent,
their escape. This leads them to eel that
~ are placing confidence in them, aud the
rcsul, usually is, they vii make stronger cf.
forts to mari, a, by good conduct, honesty and
industry. and soon become interested ia an
that pertains to to tho institution. They soon
become 30 far responsible, as 20 be in.ms'ci
with a hllf o dozen or more smaller boys TO
labor under their care loo the fields, towards
whom they feel an the responsibility Of an
officer Of the school. They arc also allowed
to 20 into Portland, or other towns in the Vi
cinity on business Tor lhc school.
The d,'lpEac orihc boys is always mat.
ter Of grca, solici,udc, especially 10 the COM
mcnccmcnI Of an institution like this. To
enforce discipline, We adopt the Grade sys.
ten, believing this to be mos, efficient and
impartial producing better results than any
other by it every one takes that position
among his companions, to which he is entitled
by hs daily conduct and character lie has
the same motives placed before INN ihal olis'
in society at larrc-for his standing among
his associates is made to depend in great
measure upon his daily conduct.
The system consists OF four grades, lcsIg-
nltcl by the numerals 1891, | being the
highest When boy is received, ho Is
placed in the third grade II his conduct is bad
aud he docs not heed proper admonition, he
is degraded to the fourth. 4 manifest de-
sire for improvement will promote him to the
second, and then to the first. There is also
Subdivision Of the zrst grade called the
"Cla,s Of Truth and Honor degree do.
noting the highest rank in school,
As p,mishment, we degrade from HIGHER