The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1867-01-10

released prisoner employment and con-
fidence without difficulty.
Without fully vouchIng for this or
any other system which isonly known
to me through printed reports and
books, |. feel justified in saying, that,
inasmuch us the increase Of convicts
with the growth of the State. and the
other reasons given by the Directors
and Officers of our Penitentiary for a
revision of tho lays as to its manage
ment force the subject upon our atten-
tion, it is in my Judgment advisable to
take some immediate steps TO separate
the younger convicts and those con-
victed of the less heinous classes OF
crime. from the other inmates OF the
State Prison, and try upon them the
effect Of reformatory system of treat
ment.
REFORM SCHOOL.
Ny confidence in the success of such
an experiment is not based upon the
results of foreign systems alone. Our
State has tried such a system with con-
victs under the age of sixteen, aud
with them IL is no longer an expert
ment, but decided and demonstrated
success. The State Reform Farm was
organized eleven years ago upon the
family system adopted in some Re-
formatories for youth in Continental
Europe, and was the first attempt TO
introduce the plan into this country
A large proportion of the youth sent
there have been convicted of peniten-
tiary crimes, some of them of the
gravest character. The great aim Of
Commissioner in charge, and of the
Elder Brothers, Gas the omcers uud
teachers are called) has been terevivc
in these boys respect for the right
and love for truth an ! virtue. All the
discipline and instruction has been di-
rccted TO this end. While the fact Of
their deserving punishment has not
been ignored, they have been made tc
feel that their crimes have made The
discipline Of the school q necessity tc
them for their own good, and neces
sity for the communitys protection
Records have been kept of tho youtf
discharged and their history traced a'
far as it has been possible to do so
and the results have been such as t.
Justify the assertion that hundreds o
boys have been mado useful and hon
est members of society, who woult
otherwise have filed the prisons OF th'
land and belonged to the class of pro
fessional criminals.
The success of this system in on
own State has caused its adoption il
several of the other States of the Uu
ion, and may be said to have changes
the treatment Of youthful convicts il
the country.
! Holding this opinion as to the va'u
of this Institution, you will not won
der at my urging that it should b
fostered and improved. The origina
family buildings were of the rudes
description, intended only for tempo
rary use; they arc new needed 70
workshops or other buildings used i
tho industrial pursuits of the Farm
and should be replaced by houses sim
liar to those erected during the pas
year, which while rigidly plain & simpl
in construction, are well adapted fol
the uses REQUIRED. The Farm is in
hilly country, the soil is very light
suitable only for fruit and horticulture
There are both advantages and disad
vantages in this; but my own opinio
alter visiting tho School is that
greater variety of labor is needed an
that since it is reasonably certain tha
a portion of tho boys will 1.-Two in cite
or towns after their discharge, mechar
. ical trades should bo taught to thos
who have natural aptness for thcm.
A similar Institution tor girls is
necessity, and l hope will be eslal
; lished as early as practicable.
BOARD OF STATE CHARITIES.
The State Charitable and Corret
tional Institutions have, with th
growth of community, reached sue
d proportions as to make their manag,
ment matter of general interest.
seems 10 me desirable that the Generi
/ Assembly should from time TO tim
receive more full information, and mol
/. complete reports as to their relative e
' ficiency compsred with those of 9TH
: States and with each other Th
/ Standing Committees of your bod
+ can only afford time for cursory vi
!. ltation, and the advantages resultir
q from this prove that a more thoroug
!. inspection and moro elaborate invest
o cation of all the principles connects
: with the management and improv
o ment Of such Institutions would be
T real service to the State. Massach
o setts land perhaps some other States
d has established by law, a "Boafd