New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-03-12
THE BOYS, HOUSE OF REFUGE.

A person may live in New Orleans for
many years without learning the location OF
the Boys House of Refuge, or even know
ing of its existence. For it is situated in
part of the city less frequented than any
other; part that has little or no interest for
strangers, and hence hardly known except
to residents. or to the few having business
there.
Passing up POydras street to the corner
OF Freret street, several blocks beyond the
POydras market, you turn to the left and
long. low, tOmblike looking brick building,
tianked by thick. buttressed walls, as high
as the building itself, and surmOunted by Il
formidable species OF serature, consisting OF
broken bottles, imbedded i'll lime, huge
portal grimly yawns in front OF the
building, wide agape, it might seem, for all
corners. But a glance into the interior calls
to mind the facilis descensus' of the poet;
for the grated doors on each side OF the for
bidding vestibule, and the heavy iron gate,
redundant of lock and bolt, opening through
the inner wall, show the behOlder that how
ever easy might be the entrance. the egress
is no optional matter, at least to those whom
the law consigns there; for the building Is
the City WOrkhOuse.
Immediately adjoining the City Work
house is the Boys House OF Refuge. There
is nothing in its appearance to indicate ITS
nature or purpose: nor can any OF the build
ings be seen from the street. A wooden
wall. some twenty feet high, surrounds the
institution, the access to which is through
small wicket at one end of the high wall
But although adjoining each other, there
is little affinity between the Boys House OF
Refuge and the City Workhouse; for the one
is reformatory. while the other is the recep-
tacle of vice-sOdden natures, for whom, as q
rule all hope OF reform is dead
The City Workhouse, like the grave that
ends all human aspiration and hope, seems
to possess infnity of accommodation for all
corners; while the capacity OF the House OF
Refuge is too limited. And II the former
requires such ample space for unnumbered
inmates. those who reflect at all on these
things must sadly own that the cause is TO
be found i'll the want of proper and thought
ful attention to the latter. and IA sufficient
perception OF the fact that the prevention of
crime. rather than its punishment. lies at the
threshold of every effort made by the phil
aHthropist to ameioratc the miseries that
lawlessness brings home. sooner or later, to
its perpetrators.
1t will require no deep thinking to per-
ceive that, old as civilization is, il is Yet in
its infancy in regard TO the treatment of
otienses against morality or against the laws
necessary for the well being OF society. SO
far. society has been content with
atfiXing certain penalties 10 crimes
against itself, and there suffering
the matter to rest For il has hardly
more than dawned upon those III whose
hands the law making power aoides. that
the great duty of society 10 itself. as well
as 20 that portion of the community which
the force OF circumstances places ID the path
OF temptation. is to look to the prevention
fully much as to the punishment OF
otienSes by removing inducements to crime
from the way OF the offender, and partlcu-
larly by giving him opportunity to obtain
honest support by honest industry: by put
ting il into his power 10 acquire a lawful
calling lawful habits and right
moGe Of thinking. by convincing
him that society is not his enemy,
but that in violating its laws he is his own
wors. enemy. 1t may be that all this is in
the main impracticable as regards the ma
tured offender, but no one will deny its
feasibility as regards the young and vet I'M
hardened.
The House Of Refuge, as found in most
civilized communities, originated in this
idea: that juvenile offenders, yet on the
threshold Of crime, were not proper sub
jects of indurating prison discipline. 1t was
discovered years ago that youths consigned
to prison for morally veEial Otfenses against
law became. from the necessary contact
with confirmed criminals, ripened for crime
OF greatest magnitude. To cOnsign to the
criminal prison an cratic lad, whose va
grancs perhaps his worst offense) might
have arisen solely from neglected child
hood, is to consign him to bad influences,
from the effects OF which there is little
hope of escape.
The proper succedaneum is an Institu-
ton where strict discipline may be COM
bined with mental and moral influences,
calculated to foster rather than suppress
the seeds of good implanted in every hui
man heart. All this may appear trite to
many readers, but the fact that SO little has
yet been done in relation to the matter
shows that it is not yet sufficiently i'm
pressed upon the public mind.
The Boys House Of Refuge i'll New Or
leans, although limited both in extent and
development, is still a satisfactory indi-
cation of what may be done to obviate the
bar OF justice and the criminal prison by
checking evil impulses in their incipiency.
A visit there would correct feeling exist
ing i'll the minds Of many. that the estab-
ilshment is in the nature of prison. the
main difference being that none but children
and youth are admitted. This will be found
to be a wide mistake, for if there be any
difference between the House of Refuge and
the several orphan asylums that do such
credit to the enlightened charity existing
among us, such difference is principally in
the mode OF Abundance to the institution,
and dismissal therefrom. This can be best
shown by slight sketch Of the institution
The Boys House Of Refuge occupies lot
| Of ground, the lot being about three hun
dred feet long by two hundred and eighty
| feet in width On this lot buildings have
been erected in the form of quadrangle,
| detached from each other, however. The
building on the south side Of the quadrangle
| consists Of a long one-story house, or rather
! a continuity Of rooms. The building, like
! all the others, is neatly finished and COM
| Portable, being well supplied with chimneys.
| This building contains the superintendent
office and the library (socalled). the shoe
| makers shop, the tailor shop and the tin
| shop. 1t also contains the eating room for
| the boys, and some other offices. On the
opposite side of the quadrangle is a we'll
| built and capacious twO-story building This
contains the schOoltOOm, the dOrmitories
for the boys, and the dwellings Of the super
| intendent and assistant superintendent
and their families. The building forming
the rear of the quadrangle is One-stOry, and
contains the kitchen, the bakery, the bath
room for the boys, and some other rooms
| for various purposes. The area inclOsed by
the buildings is used principally as a play
ground, for which purpose it is well adapted,
| shrubbery, which give the whole establish
ment a very pleasant appearance.
/ Nothing seems to have been left undone
that will contribute to the physical comfort
| of the inmates OF the House of Refuge.
| The lodging, food, clothing, are altogether
beyond what falls to the lot of the offspring
| of the slothful and the vicious outside Of
| the institution.
| The House Of Refuge reclaims boys be-