Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-02-09
For the JoarnAl.
Reformation Of the Yonag.

Our imperfect knowledge of the various
efforts and schemes Of pioneer laborcrs in
the department of juvenile reform is sufficient,
imperfect as it is, to excite the desire Of every
/ lover Of tic work to know more and to explore
more thoroughly this wide field Of benihcence to
mankind Whoever seeks the highest degree of
success in educating or in governing the human
subject, must begin eniy, even ut the very dawn
IT being for there the work of educating and
syernng must begin, and docs begin, let who
ever will ignore the fact 81 should means of re-
.orr begin at the earliest possible period. Delay
ai this work is imminently dangerous. II this be
idt sell-eyident truth, il is - nearly such that
ldt little observation or little reasoning will suf
ice 10 establish it rs actual truth II the incna-
.IJn Of the twig be rectided in season, there is
lopu that the tree may be erect. Bat every year
1t crooked growth makes the strengthening more
lilhcult; the wider the departure, the longer and
more diicult the return to the right path.
The true starting-plint Of returning the young
Is in the incipient stages Of youthful vices.
When the vicious youth has developed into the
criminal, tho work of the refIrner becomes more
,rduous, and the pupil Of reiuru will be less APP
reciatye OF the benevolent etjrts Of those labor
lug for his welfare.
Ii these premises be correct, the true policy is
70 bring u the relormutory the prospective crimi.
nal, in case he is not subject to judicious home
Influences Though the State may not be justi-
lied in taking from unexceptionabe parental au-
shortly, vicious, but not yet criminal juvenile
J1ender, where such parental authority exists
not, and no other provision or prospect Of reform
Is apparent, is the right Of the State tO protect
tselfagainst justly anticipated danger to its peace
md welfare, questionable
The State has provided for the common school
education of all her children, security against
she evils Of popular ignorance and popular crimes.
Is the right or the policy of the State, in these
measures for the public saety after 50 long trial,
to be again called in question: The State has
also made provision for schools, graded with ref
erence to advanced scholarship, and may it not
provide for gnided schools on the basis Of pro-
dcency in youthful vices? May not these inter-
rlgitores he still further continued, and the en-
quiry raised whether the perfection OF the com
school system will notrequire this last class Of
saded schools in every town? There is, perhaps,
u EiNhNel Sfi ohlShtAis hht Nvihihoh 0fhVi TJN-
tenn than that Of exposing the more yirtuous and
wel-bred scholars 10 the banelul influence of the
more vicious and home ungoyerned children.
We are aware some take different view Of this
commngng of good and bad together, claiming
that the good childrens influence tends to the
correction OF bad children. Admitted that occa-
sionaly some bad children may be benefited but
for one such, how many good are corrupted by
che association with the vicious?
IL would be well to consider the question
whether tho separation of the vicious from the
distrctsehool, and putting them under more
rigid and careful trimming with special reference
to their improvement in moral science and dcport-
ment, and by NJ means negecting the culture of
the intellect, would not I've decidedly more con-
luciye to their advantage, both in scholarship
md morals. Most evidently such children re-
lure different trimming from what would be
.uitel to different cluss Of scholars, and why
should they not be separated, that each might re-