Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1867-12-13
Report OF tie Chaplain of tie Fe
mont State Prison.

To thc Directors 0fthe w. S'ote Prison;
GENTLfuEN The services Of the chap
lamcy for the Tast year, have embraced the
usual duties Of public worship on the sab
bath-one half day for the males, and a
similar religious exercise for the females.
During that portion Of the year IN which 1t
seemed practicable, weekly Bible Glass has
been attended. by diyi-i)ns-so that all,
who were disposed. have had the instruction
commonly gwen in such cases. BY the aid
of a lady 10 the use Of the mcllde0n that
belongs 70 the prison and With her ylicc. an
interest in sacred music has been inspired IN
a choir u tie men, and degree oi skill IN
ugIng has been attained by them which is
truly laudablc.. This, we have reason 70
think. has helped 20 make the worship Of the
Sabbath a delight 10 most Of the inmates
and 20 augment the force Of religions truth
upon men who have generally been lttle ac
customed 70 public worship.
During portion Of the year also class
has been instructed IN the rudiment- OF read
ing. spelling and arithmetic have also
visited and c1uver=cd with the inmates pri-
v4tely their cells. and cnleavorld, In such
WAYS as | could 20 instruct and move them -
the best cndcay0rs tor manly conduc, while
here, and christian reformation Tor all time
70 come.
OF the general couduc; os the inmates
during tn past year | may sly. NV balle' l.
that few instituu rs of a similar kind can
shJwa better record
In conclusion. beg your indulgence for
naming few tting=, which as they have
suecial relation TO the ends OF the chaplain
cv. ought 10 lay before you.
l. The APARTMENTS of the female con-
vets are wholly unfit for the purposes o! con-
fnsmont, although they arc the best the
buildings afford II the State really in
tended t. complete the ruin Of those females
especially the y0ung) which II sentences 20
the penltcntiary. IL could not well devise a
more effectuai method than that which Il
now practices, by IlacinG together 10 a
common receptacle the old and young IN
years or in sins, the petty lilterer for the
first ofiense and the inc0rriglbic thiei ior
thousandth.-jhe fallen creature OF many
crimes. and the comparatively innocent we
tim Of a single error.
The females occupy that part Of the
/ buildings called - the Old Prison, and
+ they remain together day and night without
L a ulaLTOU. ia III AANN iAANANeN+'r 'AN'a N--~
I other AZ all times-the C n-,queDces OF
which are often painfully evident here. and
I the cannot be doubtful IN the future. Whilst
| tie officers DO the best they can under the
circumstances, regard this state Of 'hlngs
a. lraught with danger to tie discipline and
safety Of the inmates runous % the
remnant Of moral principle still existing IN
the minds OF these females when they enter,
and as constituting obstacles 10 all eli rts IN
duclnp reformation, which are little short oil
hopeless iu.upersbilIty. ! Pray you gentle,
men, and, through you, the Legislature ana
people of Vermont. to devise remedy "ith'
out delay for this sorry case.
II. Explicit provision ought to be miGI ;il
for the instruction OF those who are unsoi'
10 read and write. in the rudiments oi these
and other necessary branches OF common
learning.
This IN some States, as III New Hampshire
and Connecticut, is made part OF th'
specifc duty Of the Chaplain, and it Is tax
en- into the recount in naming sum tor hii
compersation-aud this appears to come ft
IL within the line of his work. No words
are needful to convince the intelligent people
of Vermont Of the importance OF usetu
knowledge TO the prevention OF vice an'
crime.