, 1872-11-10
Some 1ctcs Of the Chicago Reform School''''
Tho Closing Report Of tho Late
Beard Of Guardians.
What Bad Boys Cost the Com
mu1ity in Which They
Live

lie CEIS were 1uAEQ Will oIANGt 6aAAA3o SoA4@es~N
from all parts Of the city. The policemen came
and went swept here and there, and that night
the alleys and choice warm locations under the
bridges, and snug cororts under the high wooden
sidewalks lost their occupants, for the poor un-
fortunate little street waits were to begin a new
regime The master spirit Of the occasion was
Rev. D. B. Nichols, large-hearted, SIMPLE
minded clergyman, with his heart 80 full OF
love for the boys that the sentiment gushed
all over him. He had been appointed
Superintendent Of tho Chicago Reform School,
t1.en being ''established by the City OF Cb1-a-
60. as school. or place for the education, EN-
ployment, and reformation OF all children IN
said city between the ages Of 6 and 16 years, who
we're destitute Of proper parental care, growing
up in state of mendicancy. ignorance, ldleness,
or vice" No one doubted that, under some one /
OF the other Of these classes, so described there
were enough Of the small uufortunates IN CHI
cago to give the school Z respectable start III
life, SO far as numbers were conce4ned
On the November day in question, therefore, |
good Mr.. Nichols got his outfit. rare set they
were. Do you know that there are few sadder |
sighss in lifo than q bad little boy? Think OF
the capacities, the possibilities, the alarming
certainties Of future Of crime bound up IN
these little ragged street-editions Of humanity.
That little fist, now not larger than wren's
claw, is hardening for deeds that may till the
columns Of criminal horrors. Community has
begun to find that criminals are among ourmost
expensive citizens, if you take only the tax
payers view Of tho subject. Goodman Nichols
was an optimist, however. He always faced to-
ward the better possibilities. His kindly chimes
we're always of the sort that rang Turn again,
Wilmington, turn again, Wilmington, Lord
y H., ao11r A1,r,f rfrr
future American Presidents and predestined
George Stephensons under ragged small jack
cts, and insisted that the bare, bruised little feet
might be shod to run for all that was glorious
below aid godly abozo.
We remember when he called the roll OF his first
fifteen boys sad quite: -snipes in tho eyes of
the policemen,-how they cAeered, and howlcd
and made the welkn ring in the Court House
yard while the bills oflading we're being made up
forther ne VI destination. Mr. Nichols element
OF hopefulnees came in quite as strongly in the
matter Of selecting 3 location for the new lnsti-
tuition. No one lut lie would have dreamed OF
6nng agg any Utility shs end sa e
old Cook County Poor Holbe on tho lake ahoro
at Cleayeryillo, neaI the site and on the same
grounds with the present Reform School build
innss. The Poor Farm at Jefferson had taken
the place Of the old establishment IN our suburbs.
which had been left to fall in
70 frghtfully dilapidated condition when or
occupancy. There WAS no such thing as prison
discipline attempted, or even possible, but, had
there been, the new Superintendent resorted
only to the law Of love. And the boys loved
him. It is fact, well remembered, that Mr.
Nichols and his boys were quite Happy Family
OF the ralee chow order. He mover Tearled
himself in chanting the praiHes Of his pets,
and they loved him after shaggy, uukcmpt pat
tern. So the Chicago Reform School was estab-
l;ehed Nov 80, 1855.
A month later, one night Of intense, bitter
cold, when the very air seemed to pelt you with
its stiDging particles, lasled by winter tempest,
the overheated stoyea ma made a necessary ~ the
1t burned like . brush heap, and SO
stood almost literally in their shirts on the open
shore, taaukful for only SO much for Of verify
their peril OF q horrible death By fire came &c
near that it brushed them with its wings. Six
teen years ago Cleavcrvile only the sparse
neishborhood Of soap factory, and smelled Like
aa Exaggerated wash day. Residents we're moi
fnd shelter to:a brood thus pitileasly turnet
over to Eurus, Notusn and Nox all at once. II
Looked US if the Chicago Reform School hai
died, aged one month:
up his boys. Tho very next day he had then
located gain. and WAS as cheerful and happy as l.
tLay were all The CONS Of king and ho Grant
Almoner: On the lake shore stood, where ere i !
stuck to Goodman Nichols liko burrs
They might have run away. but they did not
held as they were BY the magic wlthes IL OF XII klnd
in this world In the old brewery tho boy
passed the winter. In the spring the GIT
Fathers began the buildings which grew int
the Chicago Reform School, mover pretent!,oq3s Il
partial destruction from fire. Since that tim
tho school has been one Of our city institutions
Mr. Nichols retained his Supcrntendcncy INT
1850. Ills success did not grow more shining a
bis sphere Increased Tic shepherd cannc
gather all the lambs in his bosom pretty aB til
figure may ecem, and az the first superintcInG
ent Ind really 10 other policy. tho lambs tht
couldn't be carried got into thickcte, cut up a
manner Of ga1nboa, aud in four years tint
alas, it was demonstrated that mitch US th
naughty world needs Love, it must laso Disc
plno. Att the outset Mr.. Nichols used to punls
himself to move the pentcnco Of the boys. II
would sit and cat q dry crust before them. vi
tered only with his gentle tears, bccuuso tht
were naughty, and at the outset OF the oSpe,
ment it is raid tho u;cllins broke down at II
eight. But it was ou]y transient infucnc
hnd tho Board Of Guardians, with the klndllc
regard for the first Superintendent and found
Of tho institution, put George W. Perkins i'll h
Fl From m 1850 to 1869, Mr.. Perkins, the prcso,
Superintendent Of tho STATIC Reform School
Pontiac, held cortrol Of tho a1Ea;rs OF tho CT
cago Reform School, which position llo rosSn
thS wnr4%erxhp 81 tho State rSiten1 Il,
and remaining TT His post until tho flu
roturnB of the lnetitution were handed in and
rorold Of usefulness closca it, what is now !
fore us, tho Sixteenth and Final Report OF I
Board Of Guardians OF the Chicago Rcfol
School to tho Common Council.
The Chicago Reform School ia no moro.
accordance With q modification OF the Slate Ia
the boys wcrc sent to the poutiac School in II
last, and the entire furniture and fixtures OF I
;nut9frtion we're Eold at auction in August, t
roa1 estate royortiug to the county. The Refo
school thrQughout had its enemies, perhistcn
but lsousag rs mot {Rfpessd {Raoss heff
esna ia = mast ono. Tho results are stated in
report, as follows:
Gou,t ch Of this sys Sat' at s TsnsTs sSs
.aTa 1or the IGNORANT ,dcetitutc, etc., nut and II
hereby restraining i4e 1 Sad trSe See easI
,xistence: or in other words, tho ignorant, tue
be destitute, had to become Sra e,s's scboo,R oos'
left the board Of dun1ll.as almost poHertss :" ~