Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-01-12
A Library for our County Jail.

Having for long time felt, with 9TH
ers, the great need of better advantages
for the prisoners confined in our Jail, and
having more recently heard some of them
express an earnest desire for more reading
material, I have pledged myself that with
the beginning Of this new year, an effort
shall be made to start permanent library
for our county Jail. / believe that when
the matter is fairly before the public, it
will be met by hearty response.
People are already beginning to look
upon our prisons as much in the light OF
houses of reform as of correction, and ii
needs no argument to prove this view to
be true one. With some of these persons
who are suddenly checked in their wild
career, their future veal or woe depends
almost entirely upon the influence brought
to bear upon them during their confne-
ment.
| Having been bedged in so closely, by
| evil, all their lives, as to render it impossi-
BILE for us to reach them, how highly Gull
pable shall we be, if now that they are
within our rage, we do not lend a helping
hand to raise them up out of the darkness.
Will it not be prudent, as we'll as mer-
ciful, if while we are making men to suf-
fer the penalty of broken law, that we use
some other arguments to teach them to
fear and reverence the laws of the land,
along with the usual ones-bolts and bars.
May we not in some way resch their
hearts through their intellects?
If /, as mother, in what consider my
righteous indignation, punish my roguish
and disobedient boy and threatingly
thrust him away-shut him up without a
word of tender connsel-leave nothing
with him but his own rebellious thoughts,
and release him without kind word to
soften his heart,-what have I accom-
plished ?
Will not the same offence be committed
as the first opportunity presents itself
either more slyly than before, or in a
spirit of open resistance and indifference
to punishment q?
So s'men are but children of larger
growth" it is said. Shut number of
them up in bare, cherries place, with
nothing but grimness to confront them on
every side-give them the merest necessi.
ties of physical life-nothing more-noth-
ing to do with their heads but to brood
over their fancied wrongs, and lay evil
plans for all coming time, and just as soon
as the doors swing open, there will be let
loose on society a set of men tenfold worse
than those who went in men with hearts
filed with bitterness toward mankind,
and hands ready to work out that revenge
upon the world which their isolated hearts
devised. Who shall be responsible if with
in a month they re-enter these walls,
only going out again to swell the list of
our State Prison conviots?
But for a brighter picture While in
stead of tightening or diminishing the
penalties of the law or the duration of
imprisonment, we should advocate more
increased vigilance and security. Let us
introduce into the lives of our prisoners
new elements of beauty and refinement
by making their surroundings pleasant.
Let us not be too sparing of sunlight
darkness only brings mold and blight,
and never warmth or life. Alas some of
those poor misguided ones have wandered
all their lives in chill and gloom,-no
wonder their feet slipped from the paths
of right. Give them something to do
good books to read-kind words of en-
enlargement and hopeful sympathy
arouse their manhood, awaken their
pride and you may yet send brave men
with clearer, broader views of human life
and law-to take their places in the world
-men among other men-instead of
wicked, stinted, warped and twisted
specimens of humanity
AS step towards this, christian people
are holding meetings in the Jail every
Sabbath, always being welcomed with the
utmost respect. This is good-most ex-
and the amount of good cannot
be calculated. Yet something now is |
needed in the way of reading and instruo-
ton, more than the little bundle of re- |
ligious papers and tracts afford, % en- |
ployment and matter of thoaght for the
week. No one can deny that good lib
rary'is needed IN our Jail and there must
be many people who are only waiting for
some one to make move, that they may
contribute their books and money in this
direction. The winter is upon us, the
poor are many, and whoever feels that
hey have no money to give to this object,
et them search their houses for books {;
We shall be reconoiled with a small be.
ginning, it need be, of interesting and
lseful books,
We need money for a bookcase, and
also for yearly newspaper subscriptions.
The surplus will be placed in judioious
hands for the purchase of new books.
While we know that every town in the
county will be eager to have hand in
his good work, we earnestly entreat that
he people of this village bring in books
Ijrectly, so that by next Sabbath we may
AVE fair beginning. We would re-
Commend that each book be accompanied
With the donors name. Contributions of
looks and money may be left at the
ewelry store of Ben K. Chase, Mer-
hants' Row, Rutland, Vt. II
I'm behalf of the prisoners of the Rut. ,
and County Jail.
MRS. BELLE S. d. EDGERToN.