The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-01-24
Report OF she Trustees and Sapeginiend d.
cut of the Reform school.


has been change of adminstration 1T
the Reform School at WestbrooEz since the last
annual report. In March, Hon. George B.
Barrows resigned the position-of Superntend.
ent, and was succeeded by Hon. E. W. Wood
bury, of Sweden. The Trustees speak encour-
aeiriglv of the success OF Mr.. Woodbury. during
the short time he has been at the head of the
institution. u.s.zs.a...su.suussas.asaaasalsa
The financial condition Of the school is graf
ifying,a careful estimate showing balance of
50 900 on the right side at the expiration of the
fiscal year on the 31st Of March next There
are no bills outstanding, as the Superintend-
emit has introduced the cash plan in making
purchases. .aIdlslu- ieul st
Last year was not a favorable one for agri-
cultural operations, and consequently there
was failure in the potato crop ON the farm
though corn and hay yielded an average mar
vest. An appropriation of 500 is asked 10
build an extension Of the barn, and small ap-
preparation for the library is Thought 10 De nee
essary The Sunday School meets the nearty
approval of the Trustees, and they express ITO
the ladies and gentlemen OF Portland, who have
partieipated in this labor of love, grateful APP
| preeiation OF their services" ...,. d. nua
The Trustees object to the plan of indentur-
ing boys who are committed to the Reform
| School, which has hitherto been in much ia
vor They hold that it almost always results
in abuse and injustice to the boys who are APP
prentIced.l They are worked hard during the
summer, but when winter comes some means
OF getting rid of them is found iloililt@
The report of the Superintendent is full OF
interest. 1t shows that there were remaining
in the Institution on the Both of November, an
boys, OF whom 65 were committed during the
year. Ten Of the boys have escaped, and 90
discharged or apprentited. OF the l,047 who
have been inmates Of the institution since its
establishment, little over two-thirds have
been committed by the Supreme and Muuici-
pal Courts. The table showing the offences
tor which the prisoners have been committed
is an interesting one, the striking point of
which is the preponderance of larceny and
other kindred crimes. Considerably over one-
half have been committed for larceny proper.
Truancy, being 'common runaways, iyagran-
cy, and malicious mischief, are respectively
the offences which come next in order Of inn
portance. A table is also appended, showing
another shows the nativity OF all committed;
q third their ages, and a fourth some facts con-
nected with the moral condition of the boys
when received. 81 --A3't-' 'h'''--
The boys in this institution are neithera al
lowed to grow aupin idleness nor ignorance.
During the past year, forty OF them have man
ufactured 10000 pairs of shoes in the shoe
shop; thirty, of them have furnished 5000
chairs from the chair shop, besides doing other
work in that department and on the farm in
the sewing room the garments for the whole
school are made and repaired, and the work
in the dcrmitory and laundry, under the SUI
pervision of Miss Towle and Miss Saunders,
is done by detachments of the inmates. Eight
boys are also employed in the kitchen, which
is under the care of Mrs Hilda B. Goodwin,
while four others are made useful in the frcnt
kitchen by Mrs. Dole, who has the charge
there. The brick-yard is an important part of
the industrial economy of the school, and
though the past year was very untavorable for
carrying it on successfully 4S0 thousand
bricks have been manufactured there, at ia
net profit Of $1696. Seventy boys are en-
ployed in the yard. The increasing demand
LOT uraln Tie mas leu tne oupurintenuenl 10
give considerable attention to its manufac-
3ture ..'h3 D-''St ~ .
Bdi The schools for the education of the boys
will compare favorably, it is said, with the
common schools of the State. They are
graded according to the literary qualifications
! Of the pupils, without regard to age. They
are two in number, and are under the care Of
Mr. George w WOODBURY. Miss f, A Wood
bury aud Miss Adde S. oLibbey. The moral
and religious education of theinmates is care
fully attended to by the Chaplain, Rev .As P
Hillman, and BY the ladies and gentlemen
from Portland, who have charge Of the San
day school. No death has occurred at the in
stitution during the past year. !