Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-11-26
ORR REFORM SCHOOL.
ffs Progress. Condition and Pros
pects-''she Family Plan, for AR1
Boys-RePort OF the Eoard OF Trus-

Boys-RePort OF the Board OF Irus-
tees. |
The report Of y. Sargent, president Of the
Board OF Trustees of the Reform Schooiof the
District of Columbia; 20 tie Secretary of .he
Interior, giYes a history of the ins,r,.,an frc,,
the fret meeting OF The lard Of trus,ees. ia
september. ie's. lac appropriation By Con
gfess, OF the sum OK $1,000, $50 900 having
been asked for BY. the Honorable Secretary Of
enabled the. board OF trustees 70 prepare ac-
comodattens for fifty or sixty boys, and, indeed,
to Keep the school in operation, as without the
appI ,9I It must have been given up and
perintendent did not get possession OF
THE PAaM
until some time in May, (of this year. and
could not even commence TO fence il until It
was somewhat late TO begin blowing and put
ing IN his crops, he has almost exclusively with
the labor or the inmates of the school-boys
UNI ss years of age, and many OF them
hot ever iourtesn-raised good crops Of corn,
POI stoes, beans and garden vegetables, and has
put In i've acres of winter wheat, set out a large
auanaty OF strawberries, and prepared ground
Tor other crops.
W theachool labor on the farm in fair weather
. lortien OF the day, and spend q portion in
school in elementary studies Their proficiency
in these has been very great. The boys gem
crazy are contented, cheerful and happy. Nor
isSaeiT moral and religious culture ne Elected;
regular Sunday school is held every Sunday,
snd one Of the trustees has taken upon HIMSELF
the duty OF experimenting their religious in
structIon, and directing the exercises of the
sunday school. With their department the
board has reason to be highly gratihed.
THE SYSTEM
OF discipline and instruction adopted h that of
the Ohio State Reform School, one OF the most
II not the most, successful Of reform atory insti
tntions IN the United States. 1t may be prop
erly denOminated "The Family Plan" ITS
man and distinguishing features are: LIST. 1t
dispenses with locks and bolts. I'd. 1t treats the
boys as inmates and constituent parts of a
family. Sd. 1t epdeayors to avoid putting a
stig,4a upon the boys; inculcates self respect
puts them upon their honor, and endeavOrs to
make them feel that they are trusted aud re-
sPected. 18th. IIstead OF feeling thatAthey are
committed to the custody Of keepers or iaiIers
they are soon made TO realize That they are
with friends. The success o. the system in Ohio
New Jersey, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, and
Kentucky.
SUGGESTIONS
1t may be suggested whether il would not be
ADVISABLE to empower the trustees. by law, to
receive boys from adjoining counties in Mary
land and Virginia upon such terms as the board
1870 boys may be committed to the school for
sax months or longer period, and q number
nave been sent for the shortest term. The
board feel 1T incumbent upon them to say that
they do not think 1t advisable that any boy
should be sent TO the school for less period
than one year, and that in rare instances. IL
they return to their former haunts and fall into
their old habits. 1t is better in all cases that
boys should be sent to remain until they are
cSsrssd S ho.9 81 sfs unless ,S. Dis,
their power to bind any boy out rs an appren-
tice to q trade should hs desire It and they
s sho nc, deem it e.pedient. large portion OF
some kind, either farming, gardening,
frait culture, or mechanical occupations
There is class OF boys who might be preserved
Hynv - hokv D~zAk A.
but for whom the law does not clearly provide:
boys who are destitute OF homes, who have
neither parent nor guardian, and no one to
come forward and pay $3.50 per week for their
support, and who cannot be taken into the
school by the trustees, and have no way OF get
ting In unless they purposely commit some crime
with view to get in, as in one case wei have rea-
son to believe has been done. We respectfully
recommend such alteration OF the law as will
provide for this class, the expenses Of their sup
port to be paid by the city or county where
board say that under the care and management
OF Mr.. Howe, as superintendent, and of Mrs.
HOVE, as matron, the school has more than
met their expectations; and request the Secre-
tary to ask OF Congress, in addition to the sum
or SlO,ot0 necessary TO defray the ordinary ex-
penses, the sum Of $50 600 for the erection OF
two additional buildings, rendered necessary By
the numbers sent to the school.
EDUCATION OF TIE BOYS.
The superintendent, Mr.. T. W. Howe, SAYS in
his report that the education OF the boys, both
tention. Each boy attends school half OF the
cay and labOrs the other half. The boys are
classed into two divisions, one of which goes to
the schoO-room to study, while the other goes
TO the field to labor. The i've hours Of school
Ing each day is developing them rapidly, and
there seems to be q growing desire on the part
OF many to acquire business education, and
this desire is cultivated and encouraged by the
teachers. library of good books is much
needed.
BUILDINGS.
II will y-nr ho
the school to be provided with more ample ac-
commedations in the way Of buildings. The
house low occupied will soon be entirely too
small for tile accommodations of the school, in
TACT, 1t Is poorly calculated Tor use now. There
are large number OF boys in the District who
should be in the school. re is hoped That Con-
gress at the next session, will see that the best
interests OF the District call loudly for the erec-
ton OF new and suitable buildings for the edu-
eaton and reformation of a large number OF
wayward, vagrant, and vicious boys, who may
be daily seen on the streets OF Washington and
Georgetown. Buildings should be erected such
as would be the pride of the District, and
models worthy OF imitation for the whole coun-
try.
STATISTICS.
The ages Of the 50 boys admitted average from
!, to 10 Years. Among these only u were born
IN the District of Columbia; IL were of Ameri-
can parentage, Irish, ) German, Scotch
The expenditures during the year were 81 ,6J7.