The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1861-01-30
For the Lansing State Republican
ReHormatory Educatlon.-No. y.

Mr.. EDIIoR:-In previous article upon this
subject, the nature of the true reformatory was
defined. Il Was shown how it differed from a
prison; tina, the object of a reformatory was
reformation, while that of prison was punish
Baent-that the form of commitment should be
as widely separated from such forms in use in
sending criminals TO prison as possible; that the
judge or justice should in some satisfactory man.
ner inform himself as to the character Of the
boy or girl, and then if such evidence pro-
duced fore the court showed that the child was
growing p in vice and crime, or had already
began a criminal course, he or she was to be
committed to the Reform School instead OF be-
ing sent TO Prison. Blu, there is question in
this connection which deserves our attentive
consideration, and TO the merits of this question
We shall confine thoughts in the present
ticle, viz; Who are the proper subjects OF Re-
formatory trainings
We have shown that these schools were pecu-
lisr-that they have been established to meet
known and pressing want Of society-tba, there
is class in all larger towns and cities outside
the pale OF Mission Schools. Sabbath Schools and
Public School a class which the ordinary educa.
,ional and moral appliances has as yet failed to i'll
tiuence; this class, says Of our trans atlantic
brethren writing upon this topic, escape the
notice OF the magistrate and the judge in the
discharge of their offices; they are performing
work for them, though not yet ready to stand at
the Bar. The police know something of them
the city missionary and the ragged school
teacher know them we'll This class. though
confined 10 no particular locality, vet congregat-
ting in vast herds in all our cities and larger
towns, having representatives in every town and
village along the line of our Iincipal thorough.
fares, on our lakes, rivers ca and railroads are
to day in a course of trainin - criminals.
But who this class, is the question with
which this article has TO do.
We reply in the first place, that age limits this
class. Reforma,Ory Institutions have fixed the
maximum age between IA and II years beyond
this the youth is regarded as possessing that
Gxedness OF character which would render it i'm
proper to place him in Reformatory Institution
1t has been the experience of these Institutions
that the children of tender years those which
promise to philanthropy the largest returns. II
teen with the hope of effectng permanent refor
nation than it would be to the child who ha:
not as yet entered his teens, thus while We ma,
regard children before they enter their teens SEN
toa Reformatory, as hopeful as the ordinary
class of children under judicous moral training
II
find another class Of character to deal with
characters which are far less impressible an,
consequently far less hopeful.
IL is the opinion of our best educators tina
age of eighteen years. In those schools thu
which promise the greatest hopefulness to socie
", the pupil is taken young and the mind is thu
with far less difficulty Influenced in the direction
OF right. The limit should in all cases not ex
coed sixteen years of age, and there are lads VIII,
are even under sixteen, who would not receiv'
benefit in Reformatorv, who would work NOR,
mischief in influencing others who under othe
circumstances would be easily induced to e
right, than all the benefit multiplied by tens the
might receive. Some lads at fifteen are as ma
ture, deeply read in the worlds ways, its vice
and crimes, as other lads at twenty.
The magistrate or Judge, by the evidence, !
to decide of the fitness of the youth for the Re
iormatory, whether in his judgment that in.titu
ton would do him good; nor will the judge o
magistrate vino understands the nature of tn
Refornatory, send child there simply becaus
be is becominga pest to society and therefor
must be confined where he will no longer pre-
upon its interests. The child, or youth shout
10 doubt be kept from further depredations up
+ on society. The community ought to protec
its interests against such pest, yet it isa ques
tion whether the Reformatory is the place 70
such confnement-whether the interests of tn
E children gathered in the Reformatory would no
suffer more from the cOrrupting influence Of sue
youth, than all the good he might derive fror
such an institution; thus, simply with the ide
of confinement, restraint Of liberty, or protee
1 ton of society interests, the prison is indicate
as the proper place for such, while the idea G
hopefulness, impressibility and tender year
, , would suggest Reformatory training.
! lished for old and hardened offenders; those VII
have long Travelled in criminal paths, whose hal
its have confirmed them in vice and crine.-
That these schools were called into being for tn
e benefit of those whose habits Of crime have pt
: received this fearful confirmation, of whom the,
is hopelessness, that by the proper moral appl
ances that reason will regain her throne, an
: that the child NAV be reformed and saved to III
world.
: Again, these schools were not intended as id
otto schools where pupils were to be sent, VII
were regarded as deficient in mother wit, or con
mon sense. The mischief which one half.witte
: boy could accomplish in Reform School is il
calculable. Unless the boy is possessed of goo
: common sense, he should not be sent to Refo
! matory-the Poor House is the place for him
not the Retormatory, for he is not capable Of re
}. ormaton, and he might materially hinder an
, prevent the reformation Of a score of those wht
under other circumstances, would be regarded 9
\ hopeful subjects for reform.
!. Again, the reformatory school is not a poo
a house. Poor boys, because poor are not on III
y accoun; to be sent to these institutions. Their
are other provisisns for the honest poor childre
l. in the community; provisions which each cour
r ~ is called to make for these children.
II Again, these schools are not Orphan Asylum
: where boys or girls who are left without parent
to protect and train themare to be sent, for othe
4 II. l. L. IL