The Kansas herald of freedom., 1859-12-17
Juvenile Reformation.

Of Juvenile offenders. Coincident with
them has been the scheme of ChAs. L.
BRACE and Others, to send the outcast
children of cities to homes in the country
"a plan worked out by the Children's
Aid Society Of New York. The two
schemes have merit, and Just now the
family scheme of Mr.. Brace seems in the
ascendant. The recent burning of the
buildings Of the Reform School of Wor-
cester, Mass, and an attempt to fire an
other house Of refuge, by boys who were
inmates of the establishment, have awak-
ened inquiry as to the actual results of
such enterprises.
Congregating large numbers of youth
full criminals together is economic, pecu-
niarily, but not morally. 1t does not give
sufficient intimacy between the young and
their superintendent to create strong
bond of sympathy, which will enable the
strong will and pure soul of the teacher
or guardian, if we may so call him, to
check the evil tendencies and develop the
latent good traits of character in ill-devel-
oped offspring of selfish, brutal, vicious,
or debassd parents. A few officers can
never come into so close intimacy and
sympathy with four or five hundred chill
dren as with lesser number. They can
neither read their character so closely or
take advantage of the periods in the lives
of bad children, as we'll as bad men, when
the better elements of their character
struggle for mastery over evil, and strength
en- those aspirations and lead the soul out
of bondage to evil propensities; nor can
they impress upon their pupils their own
excellence of character. They may gov
ern, but cannot develop them. They can
make them obedient to the regimen of
such an institution, but not self-reliant
and strong-willed, to meet and overcome
the temptations to which they are ex-
posed after leaving reformatory schools.
The family system adopted at Hamburg
by Herr Wichern, is simply to divide up
the children into families of IL or Is, liv-
ing in separate small houses, under the
care of superintendent, who is called an
"elder brother" The children eat, sleep
and study together in this little house in
close companionship with the superin-
tendent. working, if possible, under his
charge. His kindly individual influence
softens and changes the harshness and vi
ciousness of the pupils, and they soon &C.
quire an ambition to equal the "elder
brother" in goodness, thus making apps-
rent the results of well-regulated family
discipline.
The Mettray School in France is also
conducted on the family system, the fami-
lies consisting in each case of chief, sub.
chief and fifty boys. In 1856 this insti-
tuition or colony numbered 681 boys. be-
sides being training school for masters.
Its success has given rise to no less than
thirty-five private and seventeen govern
ment institutions formed on its model.
The leading principle of the Mettray
school is the elaborate use of the passion
of emulation. No stone walls or other
similar appliances are used, but the loca-
ton is in pleasant county and on fer
tile estate. The colony is divided into
thirteen families, each having a separate
house, which is built on a uniform plan,
containing two stories, the lower fitted up
as workshops, the upper as dining room
and sleeping room. Two of the boys are
elected every three months as assistants
to the chief and sub. chief, by the boys
whose names are enrolled on list, CON-
prising those who have given no occasion
for punishment in that time. After re-
naming in the school about four years
situations are found for the boys, in the
employment of farmers and tradesmen in
the various parts of France, these employ
ers becoming patrons of the boys entrust.
ed to them, and taking personal interes
in their behalf. Every six months a re.
port is made by the patrons, from which
a list is made out and suspended in tn.
large school room of the colony, stating
the standing of the youths who have left
Red Hill School in England is the off
spring of Mettray. and conducted to con.
siderable extent on the same plan. 1t ha.
shown as a result of its training rescue
of 20 per cent of those committed. Net.
tray has shown rescue of SO per cent o.
the children, who became its inmates
This system of family government viii
doubtless do better in America than il
Europe, for it gives greater scope to thu
individualistic element so prominent il
the character of Americans.
Inc Children's Aid Society, after {
course of preparatory training sends it
bene6ciaries into Christian families, to b
adopted as members, and to grow in good
ness from the constant influence exertec
by a well-regulated household. VIVA
its statistical results have been we hav,
not yet learned. The most potent caus'
of failure will undoubtedly be found in th'
difference between the actual life of Chris
tians and their professions, which gives ris,
to more infdelity than any other cause
and should it be practically felt by tn,
erriug offspring of ignorant and viciou
parents, the project of the Children's Ait
Society must fail. Nothing but benevo
lence, love, integrity, as shown by actua
life, will save these juvenile offenders from
their own evil tendencies, and transform