Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-01-02
Tenth ApnuaI Report Of the House Of
nefune

Luo prOBfetS OF tnls AnhhtuhOhi Wheho tuo
bad boys and girls Of Cincinnati are-to use
the style Of the Dotheboys-Hsll circular
taken in, boarded, clothed, washed, ironed,
educated, reformed, furnished with pocket
money, moral precepts, and religious train
ing, and returned TO the world virtuaus and
happy, must ever be a source of qualification
and pride TO the citizens Of Cincinnati. In
announcing their tenth annual report the
Directors devouty acknowledge the assist
ance they have received from the Divine
Hand in the management, thus:
'In the review Of the years history the
Board would fail, in q censurable degree, to
omit cordial recognition of the Divine
Hand in the varied and multiplied mercies
conferred upon this Institution and al
though they can not say as they did in their
ninth report, that death was not allowed TO
enter its precincts, it Is still true that good
ness and mercy marked every day Of the
current year."
So marked a supervision of the Divine
Hand in the management is calculated to
make investigation approach it with.awe.
Devout writings have q tendency to OBJ
security. The Board meanSthat they would
be censurable if they failed to omit cordial
recognition of the Divine Hand. No, that is
not it. They mean that if they omitted a
cordial recognition of the Divine Hand, they
would fail in censurable degree. Oeusur-
able degree is probably one of the degrees
of merit or demerit in the Institution.
II will be found necessary to interpret the
report by the excellent intentions of the
Board, instead of strict rules of syntax.
What the Board wish to express is, that
Providence has not been So favorable to the
Institution this year as last; but still was
as well as could be expected.
Having set the Board right in their rela-
tions TO Providence, we proceed to the work.
irg of the institution thus wisely directed.
The Board lay down the following as the
fundamental rule of their operations:
tin attaining the ultimate object of the
refuge, viz: the complete moral reformation
of the inmate, the Board have ever regarded
as indispensable, judicious classification of
character in the matter Of morals. This has
been ruling principle in their intercourse
with inmates. For various reasons not neces-
sary to reoite, they have not been able to
carry out their plan until the present year,
when the Improvements in the edifice pur-
every facility for its application"
"a judicious classification of character in
the matter Of morals" We infer that m
the vernacular this means asserting them
according to their supposed state of de-
pravity; as it seems to depend on facilities in
the edifee, which are now supplied. And
as the account states an item of $1,000 "on
account building new cells" these seem to
be the facilities for "a judicious classifica-
tion of character in the matter of morals
AS il is stated that "this has been ruling
principle in their intercourse with inmates"
it would seem that the manners and aspect
of the managers and teachers have also been
Of the inmates. In the vulgate it means
that each boy catches what he deserves.
The Directors state their high estimation of
the benignant tendency of instruction by
female teachers to classes of boys. As they
emphasize "classes of boys" they probably
refer to the classification in the matter of
morals, ard that female teachers are only
applied to those classified as fit subjects for
them. The Directors state that the educa-
tion "embraces all the topics of study be-
longing TO an English education" This
would seem to be comprehensive enough.
Also, that quarterly examinations in all
these topics are held, to which guests are
invited. All the inmates are employed in
learning or working at useful trades.
In the matter of moral and religious in
slIuctioD, the Directors are as confident in
the merits Of their Institution, as Mr.. Squeers
was in the moral influences of Dotheboys
Ball, when Mr.. Snawly, who had married
widow with two boys and little property,
which she was too much inclined to fool
away On them, was negotiating with that
exemplary instructor of youth to receive
them at his academy, where there would be
no such nonsense as writing home to pa
rents, except one letter year, from copy
furnished by Mr.. Squeers, nor no coming
home for Christmas holidays. The Board
remark;
Special attention is paid to the religious
responsibilities of the institution. The OBJ
servance of the Sabbath, public religious
services, Sabbath-schOol exercises, and ap-
pliaDces in harmony with the spirit of the
day, are brought 20 bear upon It's inmates,
its care-takeIs and its officers"
The observance Of the Sabbath is well.
There are those who do not believe there is
any Sabbath. Others believe it is q differ
ent day. But the House of Refuge would
be insppropIiately named, if it did not cor
rect errors of faith as well as Of morals.
Probably juvenile Hebrew who should get
in there, would be as effectuslly converted
to the Christian Sabbath as the little Nor
tari was by process quite as summary.
"Public religious services" are well. 1t
would be more satisfactory to the religious
public if they could know whether the faith
taught is saving one, or whether it makes
Light of true faith and encourages heresy and
schism. Forty nine of the inmates taken in
during the year are of Irish parentage; a
race which has an unconquerabe propensity
TO be born Catholics. Twenty nine are Of
German parentage. Of course, the Board
do not tolerate an ''unrefOrmed' religion in
a reformatOry institution. II shows the su
periority of our free institutions, that herr
we can rescue sixty OF seventy little Gath
Olics in year, and put them under Protest
ant training, while if q little Hebrew is con
verted in Europe it sets the whole world il
An uprOar