Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-09-25

GERS 60 10 Jsi 70 Fgao0hu anu wicked Juveniles 10
Reform Schools
The burning Of the Massachusetts State Reform
School, al IVES borough, by the incendisry act Of
Of the pupils-a boy of tender years, but hard
ened by yee-hss been the occasion OF message
from Gov BAzKs to the Legislature Of Massachu-
1 sets, recently convened in extra session, on the
! operation and management Of that institution in
which he states that the result of sn Inquiry on the
subject has shown that the Reform School. which
during the twelve years Of its existence, has recsv
ed 2,400 boys pupils. Of whom about GOO remain
ed in it when !. WAS burned, has furnished from
! among its graduates near tenth part Of the con-
vicis ROW in the State Prison OF late about three
hundred boys annually leave the school. and il
would appear that forty or fifty of these terminate
! their career in the State Prison. This result is
remarkable from be feet that out of The total
number almi ted in.o the school. rather than.
half have been seat there not upon chargeOf sctusl
orminality, but upon ehsrges of stub6ornness idle
ncss, AM vsgrsucy-ihe greater portion on the
former ohsrges STILL it does not establish the fact
that the system is failure.
The Boston 4dcfrfi,er iudciously plslds tbst the
Reform School should not be held to b'ams, eiucs
It taxes up 81 the bad msiter in The community,
! aud that proportion Of this was STEPPED ftOm in
fancy in the iuiqaiiy aud corruption Of large city
Everybody who has studied the nature Of children
must have observed that large proportion actually
acquire the rudimeniary points OF character which
siter-hie generally only develoPes, before they are
three years cid This consideration alone should
plead in favor of the school, when We consider that
gu, Of three hundred boys which annually leave il,
only forty fifty are lost How many boys are
there always, whom education 10 its present mper-
feet condition cannot amend; and how many Of the
three hundred would have found their way to the
peniteniisry had it been for the Reform School:
The proportion would certainly have been greatly
larger.
1t is altogether probable, indeed it is quite GER
tain, that the system of the Reform School is far
from perfect. There is a tendency 10 severity and
cruelty in New Eogland education, as our olntem-
porary remarks, which, while it has its good points
has also lis evil 1t is the Anglo Saxon character,
matter Of blood and habit nanifesting itself Nov,
while inudcOus miliness is all folly is mot less
true that naturally humane and yet firm men will
succeed in reforming persons whom no amount
of cruelty discipline will make the slight
other errors in lite management of the Reform
School But The principle in the main is g sound
one, and when We look st its real results, sifted
down &c ultimate facts and figures, we cannot bat
wish that il might be carried Out ia full, through
tbe country. Whenever parents are unwilling or
neglect 10 feed clothe and school children properly
or keep them out Of the way of vice aud va zabOnd
ism, they should lose all legal right 10 them A
ragged child in The street. at what ought to be school
hours should be regarded bearing intrinsic evil
dence that it should be at once placed in proper
hands. Those children who are left by their pa
rents to educate themselves in the streets, not ouly
by day bat by night there are thousands of
such in every city-shOuld be made, without delay
the inmates Of Reform Schools.
A New "NEw YEAR" SUGeEsrEp-A PhilsdsI-
Phia contemporary, the Bulletin thinks it would be
a very good ides 10 have "New Years Day" jusi
about this time The real city New Year the time
when social life for the year really begins, has
come, and perhaps il would not be bad idss to
follow the sncien:s at distance in ,his and place
festival of the newborn year where the year
really begins for In the old time, when people
lived Tor nature and for pleasure the beginuing Of
spring, be advent Of l2Kers was the introduction
TO he twesemonth. We moderus, however, who |
live for society and its influences should begin our |
year with the grand sutumnal reunion, af,er the |
harvest il past and the summer is ended; when |
'ailors arc busiest aud msBtus makers and miiliners
not Idle: when the deepest aud most anxious sub |
i5ct Of interest ia, ''Rh9t will be worn this year,
and when the new crop Of coming marriages and |
engagements forms the great subject of debate, in
luiry, serious research, and most heartfelt interest
even among those who EuoW not and have never
seen The parties who contemplate forming partner
ships.
THE DEHocFArIc JrEILEE-TLs subscribers 10
The Democratic jubilee arc requested TO come for
ward without delay and pay over to Gen. S. Il. An
The amounts they have subscribed, sud those
who have not subscribed respectfully invited 10
do SO. Let L have grand jubilee, and all should
contribute to it.
by reference to our advert isiDg columns it vii
be seen that the German Dramatic Club open their
series Of performances on Wednesday night. Az
the proceeds Of their first entertainment are to to
devoted to charity, trust that they will open 10
a fun house. After the performances those VIE
wish 10 dance will have an opportunity to do so.
We remind our readers Of he Ssle Of Buens Vista
lands to come Oh Tuesday 27th, inst. Lots from
6y feet Eve acres, with privilege, will be offered
on liberal time. Onnibusses leave Deaderek street
at past 10 o'clock, A NJ COllstiOu SC, as usual
Purchasers please be on hand. I'D.
PEgAcHINo IL EDdEFIELp.-We are requested to
state that the Rev Dr. SUMMERS will preach al