Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-10-23
Visit TO the Reform school.

Visit 10 the Reform School.
On Friday afternoon seven car loads Of the
General Assembly, including his Excelloncy
Governor Converse aud most Of the officers
Of both Houses, visited the State Reform
School, at Waterbury. About two hours
time was spent in inspecting the premises,
seeing the boys at work in their work.shops,
and witnessing and listening to school exer-
oisos in the chapel including singing. The
new building, which has been erected within
The past two years. is model of ncatncss
and convenience, evidently planned by some
oae thoroughly convorsant with the uses for
which it was constructed aud that credit
belongs, as wo understand, mainly to Mr.
Faitbank, the popular aud efficient suporin.
tcndont We cannot, in the brief notice We
are able to give at this time, 20 into dc.
tails as to the various departments aud con.
yonieucies Of the building, but it was evident
from the satisfaction expressed by the visit
ors as they passed through and around the
premises that they believed the State had
made good investment in making so sub.
stantial an outlay, which all could see for
themselves was proving beneficial to the boys
sent there as well as to the communities tina,
had been obliged to send them there.
Aside from the farm work, which is under
the superutendencc Of an experienced farm
or the larger and stouter boys performing
most Of the labor, botlomiug cane seat chairs
seemed to be the principal employment, some
of the boys having acquired skill and
celebrity in "phcng rattan around It'll,
round holes, as the process was once ex
planned, that enabled them to bottom four
five, and even six chairs a day. or cours,
the larger number bottom less. After thor
oughly examining this department and pass
ing through the dormtory, which was as
neat IN its appearance as a sister Of charity
could have made, land we can pay it no higher
complment) the boys being dismissed from
their work all assembled in the chapel o
room capacious enough to comfortably seat
nearly all who were present, where recitations
in geography aud mental arithmetic were
conducted by several Of the teachers, to the
apparent edidcatiou of the distinguished visi.
tors who manifested their qualification by
frequent applause. The readiness with
which complicated combination questions
were answered which involved the working
out Of the various "rules" in arithmetic
showed excellent drill and retontive memor
les on the part Of some of the pupils. The
system of teaching practiced would be good
model for any school to follow, for the aver
age scholar Of equal age in our best district
schools would rarely surpass the progress
made by these waits and wards of the State
in their well-fxed knowledge of the elemen-
tary branches in which they were examined
during the brief period that the visitors re-
NAMED 1t requires no argument now to
convince the Legislature Of Vermont that
they have not an elephant on their hands in
this State institution; and to foster it and
give it all the pecuniary aid it absolutely re.
quires to carry out to its fullest extent the
purposes for which it was created, must
now be regarded by them as an item Of
expenditure easily justified and explained to
their constituents.
At the close Of the exercises by the boys,
prayer was offered by the Chaplain, and
noyarno, ro,vo,eo ,rLo b.l loo, 90, 49,.
ested witness throughout, briefly addressed
the young auditors who were the cause OF
this legislative excursion. The Governor as
sured them in his blandest manner that he
was glad to see them, and he was glad also
that the teachers had asked them the qucs.
tions they had so promptly answered, instead
of addressing them to the visitors. lie
thought that had they been questioned, theii
hands would have remained down. lie also
informed the boys that they were highly com
plimented by having SO many good-lookinl
men lay aside legislation for half a day t,
come down and see them, to ascertain how
well they were getting on, and if anything
AADiS wac hNSANA " hNll AHtlu ~ uttUlui
good and useful men, to take the places o
the present members Of the Legislature whel
they had passed away Other pleasant an,
encouraging words, suitable for the soil oil
which they were sown, were said by Goyerno
Converse, who no doubt left an impression OF
the minds Of this more "sinned against thar
SHINING" class, in many instances that higl
official could be mild, and was not person
age to be feared or dreaded, especially by
good little boys
Altogether it was pleasant aud prcGtabl,
afternoons work, aud has prepared the mem
bers Of the Legislature to better understand
and carry out any suggestions that may com,
from the Commissioners in their official re.
port.
Newspapers and Preaching.