The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1870-01-14

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INSTITUTIONS, REroRMAToRr AND SAM
The vorious institutions under the care
Of the State are generally In prosperous
condition. The Reform School shows
excellent management. The business Is
conducted with judgment aud energy
the discipllnc-and care Of the bOysis wise
AMI Kind, aud although this is In some
sense prison, II is In the best sense a
school. Ii is n greater task than we
might think. to administer the affairs oil
such an institution with entire ssccess.
We have every reason to be gratifieu with
the present results.
trust we shah not lose sight Of the
proposition so cordially received two
years ago, to establish an Industrial
School for girls. Such an Institution
would do much good, and save from vast
evils. The subject cannot but command
the sympathy OF every humane aud con-
siderate man. -.
SO far as can Judge of the State Pris-
on every thing aboutit appears to be well
managed. The sum Of $4,000 was
placed last year In the hands OF the war
den for working capital. Th expert
ment has proved successful. This year
there is an excess of earnings OF expen-
SEES of sCS9.l9, which Is a marked change
In the balance of accounts. Great care
Is taken for the welfare and Improve
ment of the couvicts, and everything Is
done for their good which the nature vi
the case will permit.
/ am constrained to say here, that tho
jail system In this State Is far from being
so satisfactory. As have said, II Is at
tended by evils which are disastrous In
the extreme. and would respectfully re.
new my recommendation that you pro-
vide some method 10 rcacl, this matter.
The Executive Council have given par
| ticular attention to the condition Of the
deaf. dumb and blind. who are now sent
to institutions ont of the State. Some
matters Of detail have been corrected and
| improved, but upon the whole the pres
eut mode of caring for these unfortunates
Is approved rs the best provision we
could make. .tru.
The Hospital for the lnrane Is still
crowded with inmates. Applicants are
awaiting the completion of the new wing.
This il will be necessary to provide for.
The building will then be intellectually
complete. aud the institution rs large rs
can be adyantageOusly managed. The
adjacent lands on the south have been
purchased, and the grounds are now
convenient and symmetrical. Cordially
conceding all that Is claimed for the sin-
cere efforts Of those who have the man
agement of the institution In charge,
still remain of the opinion that we are
somewhat short Of perfection In our meth.
DDS, II not In our system Of caring for the
insane. Cells and corridors and stone
walls are dreary confines for minds brOk-
en- under the weight of real or fancied
wrongs. IL may be justified on the hon.
eopaihic principle that the proper med
icine for sick man Is that which pro-
duces the same disease I'm a well one;
for brief treatment Of u sane man In
these crowded corridors would very soon
give him title to stay there. cannot
venture to point ont (eyen were l able)
precisely what should be done, but we
may reasonably expect that those who
are especially charged with this resp0n-
sibility. instead Of troubling themselves
too much to defend what they do, should
set themselves To search ont and correct
the evils which inevitably grow up In
such institutions. and think il no confess
sion of fault II they strive TO improve in
every possible way, their methods, in
strumentalities. and even their system.
I'll were to permit myselfa suggestion,
Il would be that we strive TO make the
Hospital less of prison, and attend
more To the healing influences of Nature.
| Let the inmates come In contact as much
MS possible with that which Is calm and
free and natural and sane. think that
the laying out of the grounds on some
artistic plan. would afford salutary en-
ployment aud recreation to many of the
inmates, and thus. without much outlay
by the State, the place may be attractive,
and the gloom which peryades the at
mosphcre of such an Institution be miti-
gated. II not dlspelled. by the beauty and
salubrlty Of It's surroundings.
For some reason which does not now
clearly appear, the Insane Hospital Is
largely exempt from that responsibility
To the Executive Council. which affects
other Institutions Of the State. The
practical effects Of this appear In many
WAYS, and have not contributed TO relieve
the doubts which have sometimes arisen,
I'm regard to the management of the es-
tablishment. | would therefore recon-
mend that the hospital be placed under
the same supervision as other Institutions
sustaining similar relation To the State.
The Trustees of the Maine General
Hospital will ask your aid. IL Is under
stood that generous private bencfactions
are ready To follow nm appropriate cn-
dowment by the State. This petition Is
emnently proper, aud should be receiy-
ed with The most favorable disposition
EDUCATIONAL.
There Is probably no branch of our
public interest where such Improvement
has been made rs In that Of our common
schools. Not that any striking changes
or brilliant results have rs yet appeared;
but what mean to say Is, that we are
set upon right ways; that the faults, the
wastes, and the wants OfOur former prac-
tees have been brought ont and nppro-
pirate means have been set In motion,
which can scarcely fail to work salutary
and permanent effects. We arc seeking,
not so much to change the system, as 10
iniuse life into il; so that the best appli-
anccs, the best methods, and the expert
ence of the best minds, can be extended
TO remote and humble places; so that In
an educational sense, we can secure,
through every nook and corner of the
State the equal rights OF all.
IL Is moreover no cxaggeratlon to say,
that the present Is new era In teaching.
IL is a little singular to find novelty In an
art so old. But the spirit Of our insiitu-
tions. the demands Of the times have ne
cessiated aims. objects. and methods which
render education altogether n different
business from what 1t vas n generation
ago. II 10 longer seeks TO cram the mind
with strange forms and aggregated facts,
without harmony. relation, life. or perma-
nence; II now reaches the mind from the
very start to observe. compare, analyzc,
assimilatc--to master and make Its OWL
In fact Il Ia educGtion-the training, I'M
folding, leading and fashloning forth Of
the mind. Teachers must now have some
thing more than good moral character
that and something besides-they must
demonstrate that they have character ut
all. They can't teach merely what they
have borrowed over night; but only that
which they have wrought out and made