The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1865-09-20
Editorial Correspondence.
NEW YoH

The Industrial School, for girls, at Ian
caster. Mass. strikes the traveller as being
essentially different from any others in the
country. The School is located on a farm
of 100 acres, which belongs 10 the State-a
beautiful location, away from any village or
mandatory. Instead Of the high fence OF
wall which marks every other Reform school
we have seen, there Is no fence higher than
four feet. In an area OF few acres you
will observe, first, a separate house lot the
auperIntendenL, neat, O. lar chapel al the
centre. and around these are five houses,
mostly Of brick, for the residences Of the
girls and those who have charge OF them.
Each house has eating, lodging working
and cooking accommodations for 80 girls,
Matron, who has salary Of $40 year.
an Assistant, who is also Teacher, who has
S225. and a HOusekeeper who receives
slsI. These 80 persons constitute -epa-
rate family, who live by themselvcs. The
girls never leave their own play ground,
never see any other girls except At chapel,
and then are not allowed 10 speak 10 them.
Inc KlIl5 lAhN AAli' III efyh-A1f "''-'t-'r-
and sewing. 50 that each may become fitted
10 do the work OF family. Each family Is
complete in ITSELF having no connection
with any other, and being amenable only 10
the Superintendent The State furnishes
two plain dresses 10 each girl, and she IS
allowed Just as fine a holiday suit AZ the
liberality Of her friends will supply For
the.most part, each GIRL has a separate room,
and lafbe paiI "a 'tia- 1900
good carpet, and a bureau OF three drawers
These, however have been discontinued
since the high prices. The food is PLAIN
and simple for the girls; that ofthe officers
il some better; but all In the house eat at
the same table The scholastic attainments
Of the pupils are limited to the common
branches; but they sing together a good
deal, and the 40 girls constitute a choir 10
whom it is pleasure to listen. The motives
urged upon the girls for reformation are
very largely of religious character They
are taught 10 do things because they are
right IL. MemSeires-not because the doing
Of them is profitable, pleasant or respec-
table
This family system OF reform, rs here
practiced, is built upon the soundest philO-
sophical principles. There is a mind that has
become depraved; how is it to be restored
to the love and practice Of the right and Of
the truef Not by being shut of from
contact with all other minds; for If left to
itself, il would make no higher progress;
not by being put In the company Of those
WHO were IA Oau Ui WOi-v tndn ilcei5 SuCu
mutually stimulate each other in evil-dOing.
The only hope Of the reformation Of any de-
PRAYED being il from the influence OF a
spirit better and more elevated than itself
Now, each Of these girls is taken from all
the EVIL influences surrounding her, and
kept exclusively for several years in the
COMPANY oil 80 other persons, % of whom,
like herself are pupils of virtue, and the
other four are far Der superior in age, know- |
edge, experience, and power Of impresslng
mental and moral conviction. Being thus /
mostly cut of from all other influences for /
several years, she must improve and profit /
by those which enclose her on every side; |
cording TO the measure OF her faculties for |
acquiring aud retaining it, So far a. there |
Is any cure for vice or crime in any per-
son, (and we are not of the number who
hold that all cases are practically durable, !
it will be found invariably in separating the
vicious persons from the communications Of
the wicked, and placing them, for a consid-
cradle time, under tile control advice and l
influence Of those who are older, wiser and /
better than themselves. This is the aim of
retormatory institutions. Hoe this can be
done most efectually, is the great problem
TO be solved
The State has been liberal in endowing
this School, and We have the impression,
which is shared by all travellers whom We
have heard speak Oft, that it is judiciously
conducted.
OLD LADIES HONE.
A friend in Providence took Us to quite
large brick house, in the southern part OF ,
the city, 10 show US the apparatus for warm
ing every room in the house by steam-an ,
apparatus the most perfect and economical
we had ever seen. But when we inquired =
what kind OF an Institution it was we ,
thought that also worthy of notice rs bcin. q
a Yankee institution, unlike any We had f,
ever heard Of before. II is a place win ere n
any woman Of Go years old or more. if her f,
friends can raise 500 for an initiation lee. q,
Is received into The house. aud provided ?
with food, clothing. and everything desira- y
bic for comfort; in sickness, hired watchers =
attend her, aud when she dies all her fune- -
raj expenses are paid by the corporation.
The rooms are carpeted. and fitted m
style which many people would deem luxu-
rious; each old lady has her own room. /
With sitting rooms and parlors common 10 Il
all. There were about 60 old ladies pres u
ent in the institution, Of whom many were u
quite aged, one was blind. and several were :
helpless But those We saw were quite a
cheerful, and apparently happy, and took C
pressure IN showing US their rooms and oc- Q,
eupatiOn. The view Of Providence harhor W
ron the piazza in front Of the building Is 81
not surpassed by any in the city. The Insti- "
tuition ia under the government of n BOARD dl
o. Trustees, but the domestic matters are h.
managed by n Matron and her Assistant. Is
This undertaking was approved by the pub p
he; the original protector gave S., 600 aud III
nls wife as much more; aud now the prop
erty is worth $50, GOO. and there Is A sur-
plus in the bank Of $50, 600 moro. The ex- =,
ternal arrangements for the comfort OF n
these old ladies' seemed TO be as perfect As III
wealth could make them; they can leave il O
they please, but after all it had melan- in
eholy look that they had come there to live is
and die, alone, as 1t were, and be buried by &c
The hands Of strangers. One room was de- q,
voted to the curiosities OF ladies' dresses Of 4,
'ne oiden time. We well remembered the is
NAlASnes' with eight orten joints, which every ca
~0"n'ry girl deemed Indispensable for q