Litchfield enquirer., 1867-01-24
CORRESPONDENCE
WEST MERIDEN, Jan. 18th 1867. DEAR ENQUIRER:

WEST MER1pEN, Jan. 18th 1867. DEAR ENQUIRER:
 Here am in this very thriving go ahead place-materially speaking--and thinking you would like line, send one I started from New Milford in company with Daniel G. Platt Esq. one of the trustees of the State Reform School, Nothing of special interest occurred on the road, and being two such arrant abolitionists felt no danger of being mistaken for couple of Fossil delegates to the Toucey Byookes convention. We passed through the light and airy depot in New Haven and steamed on for this place where we received nos pitable welcome from Hon. o. II. Platt, a native Judean who is driving prosper ! ous'business here. We wish he might be prevailed on to take the nomination for Congress, for we have need of such staunch radical men in our national legislature. Wednesday, at nine o'clock, the trustees met at the State Reform School for their | seml-annual inspection and oversight of affairs in general. This institution is no longer an experiment.. Under the thor ough, effective management of Dr B w Hatch itnow stands among the first class institu- tion of its kind. Before the Doctor took hold some eight years ago, it was an incubus on all the charitable institutions in the State They now have 266 scholars The inspec- tion of the premises first commenced with the farm stock. The barn is about 100 feet by 60 in breadth. Here we saw some nice Litchfeld Go. oxen and cows. The best stall arrangements are here to be found that we have ever seen. Let every farmer who expects to build barn, if he has not already done it, visit this and take pattern. The plan of fastening the ami mals and for making and keeping manure is admirable, we have not space to tell how these things are done, but we wish the cit izens of the State could see what has been done with the money they have paid out. I can assure each and every one of the most cordial and courteous treatment from Dr. Hatch and lady and the other employees on the place. From the barn we proceed ed to the cellar, where is stored some $3. 800 worth of stock for the chair making de- partment. In the latter room We found large share of the boys at work making cane bottom chairs They work here some five hours sssday. The smaller boys work at tailoring making and mending their own clothes. In the school room they meet and study about the same length of time. And here we witnessed an interesting sight. They were all, for we could not see single lip motionless, singing under the lead of MT. Eastman, aided by melodeon, as we entered, "Campin the Wilderness" and then followed, ''Glory to God ill the High est" Think of it, these boys all convicted of crime, and would have been but for this timely charity consigned to- the tender mercies of the State Prison, here surroun- ded by a christian family influence and taught to be useful to themselves and the world
 They have Sabbath School, which we had the pleasure of attending on the Sab bath. It is the work of their instructors to teach them passage of scripture which they recite in concert, and better recita- tien it has not, been our fortune to witness, They are all gathered in the public hall, where they sing and recite their lesson, some six or eight verses of scripture, and the14 they are divided of into classes, and questions are asked and answered on the subject of the lesson. Services are then held in the hall by some of the town min isters, or in their absence by Dr. Hatch himself. We wish that all who have the in- terests of Sabbath Schools at heart would remember this, and also when they are ma- king out their donations, forget not this school. Much can be learned by day spent here.
 Notice of some of the manufactories must be delayed till another letter. E.