The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1865-01-04
The Reform School.

The Reform School.
The annual report OF this institution Is
now in print. and presents essentially the
same features Of progress as in former
years. We lave here humanity in some Of
Its lowest forms, as existing in enlightened
society," tendency In many cases 10 con-
ritutional physical dlsease-an intellect
often feeble In original power, aud so ieebly
developed that many boys begin their
mathematics by learning 10 count-the
social powers developed chiefly by con-
tact with persons strongly marked by
blAfy ThIc6 has h6o Jus" Judgment Of right
or wrong-and an ignorance OF spiritual
truths which leaves God entirely cut ofview
% the Governor Of the Universe. This is
the general rule, but there are exceptions.
lift be asked why such classes Of boys
are found in society, we may answer that
there are two causes. First, that the boys
are born so, from vicious or criminal an
eestors, and consequently that they lean so
strongly towards evil that they will inevita-
bly, be bad men unless the influences around
them for good can be made very strong. so
as to wall them in, as it were, from ali
temptation. Without this extra culture aud
care on the side Of virtue, they viii in
suitably live and die bad men.
The second cause is found in the fact tnat
many boys live away from home OF these
there are three classes: those who have no
homes, those who have bad, unpleasant
homes, and those who viii not live at any
bone, however good or pleasant. A large
there are stepfathers and stepmothers,
and these will not 1--we at home because q
the bad feeling in the family growing out OF
this relation. But there are other boys who
have great repugnance to living in fam
lily because they hate all government over
them Of any kind, and wish 10 have their
own will and way in every thing, and be an
independent power in the universe. There
have been some remarkable Instances OF
this kind In the school. In one case, a
boy Of fifteen was committed OF much
nscted with one Of the best families in the
State. His friends procured him respecta-
bic situations In six places, but after little
be left every one, just because he did not
Ike to stay. and could not stay, and filling
up the intervals OF change by keeping COM |
pany with thieves and other vicious bows. |
he was determined not TO be controlled
nos he : He is now in the army. But this
disposition TO vagrancy is equally strong
viii many vi suau IicutOl pVwvl. Whom |
o poor, ragged, destitute boy comes TO your
house, and you take him in and treat him I
90 your own son, the chances are more than /
even that ifyou set him 70 regular labor he
win leave you in a few days, and be a
Tagrant until he again becomes ragged and
destitute as before. Why? Because when
with you he has to work, and cannot have
his own Wilt everything; when a vagrant,
he can do just what he pleases.
We set down vagrancy, then, as the Sc
eond principal cause Of crime. II is almost
inevitable that vagrant boy should prey on
society. When he gets fifty miles from
home, destitute and hungry, what is he to
DOT he must beg, steal rob or cheat. His
wants admit Of no delay. They must be
supplied; and if not supplied from the pro-
eeeds Of his own industry the property of
Others must be used, with or without the
consent of the owners. The vagrant boy
VII, sooner or later, become a criminal
boy. Vagrancy in a boy is a sufficient
reason why the public should take care Of
him
The question is often asked" Can all
Vicious and criminal boys be reformed,
and II not, what proportion Of them ." Some
Reform Schools viii give you mathemati-
cal answer-one halt or two thirds. OF
eighty per cent. But all such answers must
Dc received with allowance. live meanb
being reformed that boy vii not commit
any more crimes, much depends on the tine ,
when the inquisition shall be made. A boy I
may 90 very well for several years. and then
% sent 70 the State Prison. Thus SIM
posing 100 boys discharged as reformed
- sS@A perhaps not more than
Yen per cent would have been arrested FIR
crime; at the end Of the second wear il
might be increased to fifteen per cent and
N thirty or forty years it would be stir .
larger. How suddenly do the most virtu-
gus and Christian people sometimes G,it
As'orm School boys are liable in the same
way, only more so. The most hopeful case
~ me institution-a devout, conscientious.
VlAying' industrious boy. with an excellent
m0ther-aner his discharge, was unexcep-
nonaole every way for several wears and
Aen. happening to get into q saloon in
Detroit be was induced TO drink with some
Inieves, became drunk, and in two weeks ,
was on his way TO the State Prison. With
w. me liquor, he would have been an ex-
s.nent eltizen-with that in his way, his
.Sin was inevitable. Aperson familiar with
eAs working Of this and similar Schools
"ooia answer that out OF the hundred boys
= pornon-a Considerable number-would
sssa again be convicted Of crime; and he
"sala b equally positive that another por.