The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1861-02-27

for final and triumphant victory under such cir
cumstances But saws another, bind these boys
out-apprentice them 10 masters to learn trades,
or 10 farmers 10 ill the ground. At first sight,
this view may look specious; but this course
has its difficulties its serious objections. The
lad has been for a twelve month or more in the
Reformatory, has been instructed in lifes duties
AID callings. Industrial habits have been form
ed. or are in rapidly formative state. The in-
telectual powers have been awakened and great
IL stimulated TO action. The moral faculties have
been greatly improved, conscience has been
aroused, the understanding enlightened and res-
son has resumed its sway; in fine, the moral, |
intellectual and physical man have met with q
most surprising change TIE foundations have
been laid for the erection Of asymetrical charsc-
ter in the Reformatory. The main edifice is TO
be constructed in after life, outside the Reforma
tory. Now in order that this beginning may not
prove serious failure, the same kind of training
must of necessity be carried out when the boy
leaves the School, which has been begun with
success in the Institution We have said prev.
ouslv that the world outside should be as ike as
possible TO The world inside so, also, should the
sans kind Of training obtain after the lad leaves
the School, which he had in the School But
where can such homes be found? Who viii
take the inmate. of Reform School and do for
them as they would desire another in Ike ciccum'
stances TO do for their own children? Facts
have conclusvely shown that such places are
rare, rery rare. Let la! who has been kindly
treated in the Reformatory, go out 10 buffet the
cold hearted world, living with master devoid
of sympathy with youthful plans aud aspirations,
who seems Indifferent TO all progress in the boy
ONLY so far a. his own interest in the line of
cents and mills ls concerned, who looks on with
Indifference when he sees the child committed to
his care, exposed to those Temptations which il
Welded to will SAP the vital forces and ruin body
and soul be a common destruction. But what
will a boy, who leaves the warm sympathy aud
earnest desire to do him good, do, when he real
i.es that the sympathetic cords of life is sunder.
eds What will he do: Why, he will do what
many bow before him has already done, run
a,cay from such master. and often times too
with spir, crushed for life, will run again into
crime, aud thus become hopelessly lost to him
sell, to his God, and his country.
But suppose aud then one does come ont
right a, last, who has been placed in such trying
! circumstances, We, We know the history of many
who have been ruined by falling in with those
hard and cruel masters. who have no sympathy
with childhood.
But saws another, why not retain them in the
, Reiormatory: We answer, there are two seri.
Gus objections 10 this; one is, the cost Of keep.
= ing, and the other i the injustice Of keeping
them after the signs of moral Improvement have
manifested themselves. Let boy remain after
he la. put for tn vigorous efforts towards refor.
nation, with the hope, if not the pledge, that
these efforts will not be unavailing, and how soor
are its blightng effects to be traced - listen to
his story to his comrades, If do ever SO vel
there is no account taken Of it," thus the child
is bereft of all his courage and gives up in dis
] pair, and while he remains in such a state, vair
and futile are all the efforts which are put forth
for his recovery.
But all these plans have their difficulties, and
3 vet again the question returns, what shall be
done with these lads when they 60 forth from
the Reforma,ory? / answer, there is but two
plans which suggest themselves:
LIST For Reiormatory labOrers TO do all il
their power while the child is under their imme
date influence to possess his mind and hear
: with right principles of action. Let these prin
cip'es be crowded into the mind-leave no effor
which opportunity suggests unmployed to rgh
: up the mind of the child. Sow the good seed
in the morning, SOW it at noon, ia the evening
withhold not thy hand from sowing. Wha,eve,
shall be the deficiency when he is called to g,
forth to the world, let il not be deficiency il
principle.
%. But secondly We remark, that in addition
to these extra pains taking in storing the mind
with the priceless jewels of truth, preparation,
TO the childs going forth to the world, Their.
should be established number of institution.
more or less penal reformaiory. according {,
the capacity and proficiency Of the delinquent
where advance steps might be taken in the pro
gress OF right by the errlng one, into the world
For example-suppose young man over sixteen
years Of age should commit an act by which hs
4
Of wear. suppose he deported himself with
credit while serving out his sentence: suppose
half of his term has already expired, and he vel
shows this same commendabe spirit to do right
and then in consideration Of this spirit he should
: be transferred to an institution where the gov
ernment vas LEGS rigid in its exactions of its sub
jects, and where more or less OF the reforma,ory
spirit was Infused into the management Of the
institution, where more freedom wac allowed
coupled with firm and decided rule. Suppos
the young man improves his new opportunities
by the manifestation of new dispositions Of life
to amend his WAYS and reform his life, and then
should be transferred to an Agricultural COLONY
where there existed no prison oppendages, where
an appeal TO the honor to the manhood Of the
youth is oil tina; ia deemed requisite, WHARF the
principle of self control is regarded as the sov.
ereign regulator Of human action now who
does not see that these three several classes and
grades Of institutions all look towards the world
outside, that these all have their appropriate
dards, that each step upwards and in advance IL
towards the platform upon which honest integri-
" is ere long TO stand. All Of these steps are
preparatory to the taking of the next step in
advance, onward and upward. Such system
could not but have much OF the reformatory ele.
ment in /, from the first stem IN the las, s,c,,