Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1866-12-28
WEDNESDAY MORNING, Dec. 26

WEDNESDAY MORNING, Dec. %.
The forming session was opened by mu-
sic and tayrr.
Minuts Of yesterday read and approved
Invita(ions were received and accepted TO
visit Tho Asyiums Tor the Blind, the Deaf,
Mutes. atd the Insane; and Friday appointed
for the isi,
Mr.. Geo. w. Perkins, Superintendent OF
the Chiago Reform School, addressed the
Association.
lie would suggest to teachers that pre-.
sention was better than cure, and in pursu.
ance OF this principle. he wou i entirely pro
hioit bys acting as newsbovs, boot blacks,
hcsgars &c, and every other occupation
that gives boys association with the vile.
Juvenile crime is W nked At BY ccmmun>
ties AMI by officials. Often petty thieves
are let off with a simple reprimand. Rail
roads ought not to allow children {, pass
free over their roads. Ex Of how children
60 all over the country.
Eastern Institutions ought not to be al
lowed to send children promiscuously
throuchou. the west. without properly pro.
v.ding for their care and training. Some
Associations employ agents to look after the
interests of their children.
Two ~ ystems-The congregated and the
family system The first Is little else than
Jusenls prisons. having cells Tor
their confinement. Towns and cities NAV
establish them.
Two forms Of the family sys.em-Onc
keeps lhcm in the institution the other al
lows them to work out. Ii is one thing 10
reform boz in one Of the institutions. am
other to reform them for society. They
must work. play and study together.
The first reform must be industrial.
Some restraint must be imposed to keep
boys from running away.
Sympath, and trust must be mutual be-
twcea teacher and pupil.
The associations surrounding . X s.,
must ~ beautiful and attractive. Flowers,
mu .ic. ETC.. have great influence.
Give boys their choice OF occupation. They
will not iiHakc farmers.
About ,hrec-four;hs Of all pupils dismiss
ed arc permanently reformed.
It is very difficult to secure proper per-
sons u take charge Of reform schools
Strive to interest your pupils in this matter,
and le, them, if fitted in disposition, look
forward to IL as their special mission.
In discussion that followed, Mr.. Cow
Of Rock Island stated that 200 bova were in
the jals Of Illinois each year, and 200 more
ought - be, and he moved it as the sense
Of ihi, Association that tho Legislature
should establish two Reform Schools, one
in the north and one in tie south part Of
the Stste.
In answer to an inquiry, Mr.. Perkins
stated that boys were admitted to the Chi
Rafc Fac
parental control. No child Was set there
for crimes. lie might be arrested for crime
and taken before the Justice lie sent
him 70 the Reform Commissioner whose only
inquiry vas has he proper parental control,
it not he sent him to the Reform School till
she was twenty one years Of age, or until he
vas q good boy. On the average boy stsid
about ono ard ore halt years. Thy were
let. out ON what theJ called iickes OF
leave. to report to the Superintendent once
month. stating their business, their pros
pects, DC. Iftheir report was not sa,sfac,
tory their tickets were cancelled.
For the remainder ofthc day the exercis>
es Of he Association curesponded with The
programme, but they we're not Of special
Importance until tho evtn,ng when Hon. n
Batemnn, State Superintendent, give an
address on Tho Relation Of Colleges TO
common schools
Tn, mission Of the college was to give
to its pupils intellectual moral and religious
instruction Of high ORDER And this our
colleges have done as cv denced by the lives
Of it, graduates.
Tie material aid furnished to our colleges
shows that in the estimtion Of the people
they IRE fulfilling theirmission.
llsasserted mutual dependence Of the
,nnon schools and TIM colleges. and he
thought the Professors Of our colleges and
universities should takemorc interest in the
advsncement Of our pubic schools.
Alter the election Of officers for the en-
suing year the Association adjourned.