The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1870-01-07

year, has been good; discipline has
been maintained; under kind and ju
dicious treatment the prisoners have
been Industrious and orderly, and
the pecuniary results are satisfactory
: The number Of prisoners on the 31st
Of October, 1869, was 974, and the
number of convicts admitted during
the year ending on that day was 347.
4 This isa decrease compared with tho
\ preceding year, of 81 in the number
Of convicts admitted, and Of 81 in
4 the number confined in the Peniten-
tiary.
The earnings during the year ending
| October 5lst were Sl75,663 .Ot
The expenses were Sl43,635 81
Excess OF earnings over expenditures 32027 p
Last year the earnings were Sl7l,037 IL
The expenses were l4l,74 "
/ -penses was was s2o,2i2 80
REFORMATION OF CONCICTs.
A large portion of the convicts,
when admitted, are quite young.
| The age of about one-thirl does not
exceed twenty-one years. More
than two-thirds of the inmates of the
prison are now under thirty years OF
age. 1t will occur to any one who
considers these facts, that under our
system of prison discipline, too little
effort has heretofore been made to
reform these young men. A high
authority has said, mo human be-
ling is so debased and wicked that he
cannot be reclaimed" 1t is believed
that, under a wise system, theyoung
at least, can be reformed and prepar-
ed for useful and worthy citizenship.
| The present system has two capital
defects-the mingling in intimate as
sociatiOn of the young with the har-
dened criminals, and the failure 10
educate the convicts in habits OF
thrift and self-conrol. The defects
are in the system. The convict,
when he leaves the penitentiMy, is
exposed to greater temptations then
ever before, and the result Of his
prison life is that he has less power
to resist evil inhuences,and, too often
| less disposition to resist them.
do not enlarge upon the objections
to the present system; it is not claim
| ed to be reformatory. In a recent
| report the directors said. "The
| greater mass of convicts still leave
the penitentiary apparently as hard
! ened and as dangerous to the state
as they were when they were senten-
ced.' The vital question is, how to
remove this reproach on our penal
Legislation. In considering it, I
commend to you the remarks of the
board OF state charities on the Irish
convict system. The distinguish
ing merit of that system is that 1T
enlists thecO-Operation ofthe prison
er in his own amendment, without
Withholding from him the punish
ment due to his crime" If the adj
option Of that system, with such
notifications as our system requires
I is deemed an experiment which it is
ineXpedient for the State to try un
| til its advantages are better under
stood. | submit that the least that
ought now to be attempted is to pro-
vide for classification Of convicts,
so as to separate beginners in crime
from hardened offenders. Whether
this can best be done by alterations
and an extension of the present pen
| litentiary or by the erection Of a new
one, is for your wisdom to deter
mine.
In several other states, voluntary
associations have been formed to
provide for, encourage, and furnish
employment to discharged convicts,
and their efforts have been of incal-
culable benefit to this unfortunate
class. If a similar association should
| be formed by the benevolent citizens
of Ohio, they will reasonably expect
to receive proper assistance from the
1 General Assembly, and in that ex.
pectation l trust they will not be dis
appointed.
COMMON SCHOOLS.
4 The total number of persons of
school age in the State in 1869 was
officially reported at 1,02S,675; an
increase of Ii Jos over the previous
year. The total number enrolled in
the public schools in 1869 was 74O,-
$50 an increase of S.610 over the
! year 1868. The average daily atten-
dance in the public schools In 1869
| was 434, ,S65 an increase over 1868 of
| 24,144
The total taxes for schools, school
buildings, and all other purposes,
| the present fiscal year is $6,57S,196
| SO, an increase over the taxation of
the previous fiscal year of $616, 1885,
6S. Of this increase of taxation the
sum of $lIS33,86 is in the State tax
alton for school purposes, and the
sum of $59S, 96I,82 is the increase
of local school taxation.
The State Commissioner of Com
mon Schools in his report, will reco-
mmend the adoption of county sup
perintendency, the substitution of
| township boards of education for
the present system of township and
sub-distIict boards, codiication of
school laws and other important
measures, to which your attention is
respectfully called.
pOAPD on sTtrI, o1T4uTrrrc
Prior to the organization of the
| Board of State Charities in 1867,
there was no provision for system
attic examination Of the benevolent
and correctional institutions under
| the control of the State and local
authorities. The members of the
/ Board serve without pecuniaTy COM
pensation. 1t is simple justice to
them to say that they have faithfully
performed the faithlcss task of in-
vestigating and repairing the defects
in the system and in the admins
tration of our charitable and penal
laws, and have furnished in their re-
ports information and suggestion of
great value. If it is true that an a.
buse exposed is half corrected, it
would be difficult to oyerestimate
their work. They have. their reports
show, discovered abuses and cruel
ties practiced, under color of law, in
the midst Of communities noted for
intelligence and virtue, which would
disgrace any age. Let the board be
| granted increased Dowers and facili-