New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-02-07
THE PENN REFORM SCHOOL.

Inc nuHahe, even III very pultic, louuucT vi
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, left behind
one provision among the laws of the colony, which
is in advance even of the legislation of the present
| age. Among the laws agreed upon in England as
far back as 1852 with relation to Pennsylvania, was
| one that all children within this Province of the
cage of ~ years, shall be taught some useful trade
"or skl, to the end that none may be idle but the
"poor may work to live, and the rich, if they be.
"come poor, may not want"
1t is remarkable that with this most wise and
beDefcent provision in view, the Commonwealth OF
Brotherly Love has been distinguished for the
severity of its penal code than for the humanity of
its treatment Of the neglected aud vicious The last
four years, however, have witnessed great improve
ments in its public movements in behalf of the low
est classes Houses of Refuge for criminal
youth have been established, and Asylums and
Schools opened for the young vagtant and orphan.
Yet, that wise law of the courtly philanthropist
has never been efectuay carried out in the State;
and large numbers Of criminals are supported who
return but little labor to the public, and larger
numbers still are left in ignorance and temptation,
who ought to be taught "some useful trade or
"skill." The Industrial Schools of New-York
and other cities in this State, which are accom-
plishipg such vast results in lessening juvenile
crime and vagrancy we believe are scarcely known
in Pennsylvania.
We are glad, however, to hail new movement,
now opening in that State, in the direction pointed
out by the old colonial law of Penn. A new insti-
tuition, called the Penn Industrial Reform School
has been incorporated this last year, and has just
sent forth its first Prospectus. The President is
Judge Galbraith of Erie, lawyer Of long practice
and much experience as TO the wants and dangers
of the criminal classes. The great object of the
school is to prevent crime by instruction rather than
to reform it when once committed and to apply the
great medicine Of Labor to the moral diseases
among the youth of the poorer classes. The man.
ayers feel that the public owes duty to the child
of vice and poverty, not merely after he has broken
the law, but before be is corrupted; and they are
determined to try what Christianity and training in
industry can do, before the prison comes in with its
influences.
They propose to do this by the ,,healthest mode
by farm labor; and, Directing in the strongest
terms to the congregated penitentiary system of
refugees for children they have modelled their plan
on the Family Reform Schools, which, at Hamburg
and in Lancaster, Ohio, have been 80 successful.
Their objects are certainly the highest, and their
method, as sketched by their report is in harmony
with the latest improvements in reformatory sys-
TENS, both in Europe and America. But there are
certain features Of the report which do not to our
mind, show the same wisdom, and which call for
criticism. The rock on which most founders of
institutions and of laws split is On exaggerated no
ton Of the value Of such artificial structures.
There is running through their report latent
tone of contempt for all influences ofreform outside
of this new, grand, and wonderful institution, which
is 90 suddenly to transmute little pckpOckets and
thieves and vagrans into honest boys 1t istrue that
a certain amount of enthusiasm and exaggeratOn OF
view may be useful for any man who would do