The semi-weekly Republican. (St. Francisville, La.) 1872-1872, 1872-04-16
Industrial Schools.

u c'al'y IN fhe woll-being of indiscn
; children, whose circumstances sub
jcct them to the corrupting influence
! OF depraved associations. There /;
no more potent incentive to the dis
charge of individual and social re-
sponslblllty than enlightened sclf-in
'crest' Dld the community fully APP
pieclate the f1ood-tide of demora];.
zatlon and crime which now deluecs
our city, and equally realize that she
possesses within herself the remedial
agencies for their removal and cor
foctIon, her prompt interference
would not be withheld. But a leth-
argy, born Of scltishness, fostcrcd bv
ignorance of the public needs and A.
c"'pab'o indifference, disrcgards the
degradation and vice which lisorocn
the metropolis, Prisons and reni-
tentlarics, originally designed to cor
rect the habits of the vicious ns we'll
as to restrain them from the COM
mission of wrons-a doing, have ac-
conpI'si!est comparatively little as
fcfoTnlatory cstablishments and have
bcen mainly institutions for the pre-
vcntion OF crime, ant! then only lu-
rln" The incarceration OF the prisoner
IN aiievlatlon of the crucltics and
nllserlcs OF pnblic prisons, with an
improved organization and discipline
us well us the reformation and moral
and intellectual advancement of plis-
oners, have long been objects OF So
"c'to's Interest to r|ilauthrcpists.-
Vet sad experience has demoustra-
ted that i'll u majority Of Instances,
the unfortunate culprit who entered
'1ls cell comparatively inc. perienccl
IN vlcc. has, at the expiration OF his
been Turned loose upou So
.lr'y nrcncl!ally corrupted. Rarcl,
10 discharged prisoners, who have
the morally tainted atnlos
1''o'e OF the pcnitentiary, become
lsei''l members oi society. Stut,s-
ics demonstrate that, with rare OK
'eption$, The ever present cousvlous-
loss OF theit disgrace impels them
% a renewal Of their vicious courses.
md henceturth the possessions OF
'ther men are deemed legitimate
md ultimately they again become
Of the felon's cell.
But how shall we ipiti,te q refor-
nation which shall elfectualy check
n! correct the widespread evil of
Which we complain !? Roforlnatorv
choo]s have been instituted with .
results Houses of Re
1se have been established, which
ave done much fer the improve
lent OF youthful criminals muniti- j
ent private charities have rescued |
lultitudes, and yet the magnitude OF =
re evil has not sensibly diminished, ,
n the root Of Me dis"ase still. .1|ou,lsh- il
). We believe an elfcctual remedy
'ay be found in the Inauguration OF ii
compulsory system which will gath n
: into school houses and workshops n
le poor and friendless children, who a
DIV roam through our streets, where II
ICY may receive, not only proper "
entail and moral training, but also Il
:quire a knowledge of some useful l.
ade or occupation. The ignorance $,
the parent of vice, and idleness fC
e handmaid of crime, are no less ST
uisms, than that an ounce of pre- Il
ntion is worth q pound of cure 4
it Il matter OF surprise that chill
en-, deprived Of moral and social
|yantages, often surrounded by in in
ences Of the most corrupting char gi
ter, and society indifferent to their til
'lfare, should, SO frequently, deviate m
I'M the paths of virtue? With in
opensities, (flom lack Of refining
[ture,) auinal-like, without an ed
ated perception of the difference
tween right and wrong, what Won Lei
L that with them morality is
til, and daily supply, for physi-
wants, no matter how procured, Ga
'ir main concern