Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-05-20
Reform school for Girls.

The following Joint Resolution was
adopted by the General Assembly ofthis
State during its present session, and the
undersigned were appointed committee
in pursuance ofits provisions.
WHEREAS, Numerous petitions from
all parts of the State have been receiv-
ed, praying that measures be speedily
adopted for the establishment of an in
stitution for reforming and protecting
unfortunate and refractory Juvenile fe
males; and,
WHEREAS, 1t is the sense of this
General Assembly, that measures should
be adopted to carry out the object
prayed for; therefore,
Be 1t resoIoed By tie General assembly
Of the State Of Ohio, That for the pur-
pose of establishing and erecting such
an institution for girls, joint committee
consisting of two on the part of the
Senate and three on the part of the
House be appointed, who shall be au-
thorized to examine sites and receive
proposals, gifts or donations. towards
the establishment of such an institution,
and report to the Legislature at the ad-
journed session.
The Reform Farm for Boys has been
in successful operation for number of
years, and has become one of the most
useful and cherished of all the benevo-
lent institutions for which our State is
so justly celebrated.
Three hundred Boys, most Of them
waits upon society, without homes or
parental control, who prayed upon the
public during the day time, and slept
at night in dry goods boxes, under avn
ings, or wherever they could find shell
ter, have been gathered together at the
Reform Farm, and placed under kind
but strict moral discipline, have formed
habits of industry, and are receiving a
thorough English and business ed
ucation. Many of them have
been guilty of grave crimes, rang
ing from murder down to petit larceny,
and still their reformation at the Reform
Farm as general rule seems to be thor
ough and permanent. The system
adopted is the family system. There
are at present seven families, occupying
plain but substantial buildings, and each
Brother. They are not confined within
walls or grated windows, but are per-
mitted to range almost at will over the
large farm of eleven hundred acres, and
still escapes are very rare, only two hav-
ing absconded during the last year
Their time is about equally divided be-
tween work and study.
1Nhaxy nrasanf annparanoa Of non
tentment and happiness, equal to boys
of the same age in any condition of life.
There are at least an equal number OF
girls in this State who need similar care
and discipline. The late war has de-
prived large number of parental con-
troll and protection. Others have intem-
perate, vicious or improvident parents
Many have entered upon career ofvice
who may be reformed and saved from a
life of infamy. Others will soon enter
upon such career if the hand of chris
tian charity is not extended to save them
We invoke the aid of parents whose
daughters are not exposed to tempta.
tions and want, to aid the State in es
tablishing this noble charity. We in.
woke the aid of the benevolent and the
good, throughout our great and noble
State, to assist us in this good work.
Donations of land or money, or PROPOSE.
tiops from counties or towns for the 10
cation of the institution, may be made
at any time before the first of September
next, to Lewis Evans, Chairman of the
Committee, Newark, Ohio, or to L. D
Griswold, Secretary, Elyria, Ohio.
Such propositions should be definite
in their character, stating the quantity
and cash value of the land proposed te
be donated.
The Institution will need at least one
hundred acres of land. The soil should
be light, dry and rich; the location
healthful and pleasant. 1t should be
somewhat isolated, and still in the vi
cinity of some village where supplies
can be obtained. 1t should be in a re-
spectacle and moral neighborhood.
Editors of newspapers friendly to the
above described charity, are respectful
ly requested to publish this circular
with favorable notice.
LEWIS EVANS, Newark, O.
L. D. GRIswoLD, Elyria, o.
JOHN w. KENNoN, Barnesville, O
R. E. JONES, Conner, Allen Co., o
M. E. GALLUP, Strongsville, Cuya
hoga county, O.