The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1868-04-05
House of Refuge.

earnest minds i'll many countries. Prisons
refugees, reformatories-an have been tried
with varying results. The last two are pro-
dlgIOus advances on the former. Children.
from the most tender years upward, were
formerly sentenced to different terms of i'm
prisonment, and let loose without any meas
ures being taken to reform them. The ex
tremely young, by mingling with the more
advanced IN years, were sure to learn more
iniquity by the association. A better I'M
Outstanding, and more judicious views now
prevail; yet, much remains to be done.
The English Government has paid special
attention to the reformation of Juvenile
offenders. Commissions, composed of Der
sons of experience, have drawn up codes,
under its sanction, with every facility for
carrying them into execution. Still, success
was but partial particularly in England
while those conducted in Ireland were pre-
eminently fruitful of good SO much SO, that
Populations crossed the Channel, whose re-
ports fully confirmed the judicious plan
adopted in that country. This, too, was in
| the face Of the fact that there were circum-
stances in the social condition of the Irish
| which rendered the chances of success much
less hopeful than in England yet the sue
cess has been as conspicuous in Ireland, as
the failure in England. The reason of this
is quite obvious. The religious influences
which We're to brought to bear on the Irish
reformatories, solved the problem. Sister
kirwan, of st. Vincent's ReformatOry, Dub
lin, both by published statements, and ocu-
lar demonstration to the English commits
sioners, continued the public that there is
power in the Church that will be Sought for
i'll vain elsewhere.
The House of Refuge i'll our city,
under the management OF the city authors
ties, labors under many disadvantages. The
buildings altogether ulsuitable-thc
premises too circumscribed, and the loca-
ton unfortunate. No greater mistake can
be made than the adoption of Il false econ
omy in carrying on such institutions. At
whatever expense, the reformation and
health of the inmates should be constantly
kept in view. Where this is not secured,
all attempts to restore to society the .juve-
nile wanderers from rectitude, must be
abortivc. Under the municipal regulations
now i'll force, there is utter incompat-
Utility of means to ends. Classification be-
comes impossible; and the utter failure of
the scheme, the inevitable result.
The present superintendent, Major Bos-
worth, has accomplished all, and more than
all, that could reasonably he expected from
the limited resources at his command. An
occasional visit, under former superintend-
ents, and a pretty frequent attendance since
the Major assumed control, qualities us to
express an opinion, and we have no hesita-
ton in saying, that with the means at his
disposal, he has 'ccomplished astonishing
and that more has not been done is
solely attributable to the defective scheme
lnder which he is obliged to operate.
For over year the Conference of st. Jo-
eph, Society of ST. Vincent de Paul, have
listed the House of Refuge, teaching the
Catholic boys catechism. In discharging
his duty, Major Bosworth unlike former
of his Office, has afforded every
AGILITY to promote the objects of the visi-
Ors., 1t will be new to many of our readers
o learn that all the rites of our holy reli-
ion are stately performed in this institu-
iona chaplain from St. Joseph's Church,
Sins III eooehuaioe, WIZ says ihstSS, HearS
onfessions and administers the sacraments
lime was when overtures to perform these
lnctions We're spurned with contumely---e,
ut, instead of reverting to the past, we
refer to dwell on the present happy change,
4 carrying out the details of which, the
ourteous gentleman now in charge has had
o small share.
On late occasion, when the visiting
INDUCED the boys in a holiday
tic, it was a gratifying spectacle to witness
lie interest which Major Bosworth and his