Northern Ohio journal. [volume] (Painesville, Ohio) 1872-1896, 1873-11-08
THE REFORM FARM.

The following article il relation to the
Ohio State Reform Farm at Lancaster, we
cut from the correspondence of the New
York Observer. AS Mr.. Geo. E. Howe is
from this town, the prosperity of this in
stitution becomes, in a greater degree than
with other communities, a matter of local
interest, and one in which all friends OF the
Manager will feel special regard, added
to that which settles around the question
OF abstract reform.
The Ohio Reform Farm School for boys
was established seventeen years ago, and
| has sent into the outside world thirteen
hundred of its inmates. These young
men are scattered all over the land: most
| are doing well, while some have fo<pd
| their mission among the vicious, danger
Gus and criminal classes. Yesterday a
| reunion OF it's graduates was held, and a
| gOodiy number attended. Some were en-
plOyees i'll this and kindred Institutions
! In other states, while some of the younger
ones were completing their training Tor
| the work of life.
The morning was spent in rambling over
| the farm and forests. and reyisitlng the
craggy sandstone rocks ON which they
had inscribed their initials years ago. At
noon, these wards OF the state, now its
honored guests, partook of an elegant din
ner provided by Mrs. Howe, the efficient
and faithful matron of the institution.
| = M
| over tour hundred boys now inmates, with
/ officers, employeesand friends. The boys
| with heart ana voice in hearty cheer and
| song, welcomed those who had once Oc-
| cupIed their places, but were now its
; honored representatives i'll the busy world.
After prayer. Mr.. Howe, Superintendent,
| made speech of welcome; Hon. l. A.
Foote, of cleveland, Who HAD been one OF
its founders. gave an interesting history
OF the Institution, followed by an address
hV Rev n w GhI0laW of Cincinnati
the encouragements and incentives such
| a gathering afforded to the boys now pre-
sent, to the commonwealth that supports
it, and to the officers on whose patient
LABOR OF brain, heart and muscle, the sue
Fcess of the work so much depend.
In the evening the young men held a
conference and detailed their personal
trials, struggles and successes, all of them
Intellectual ana industrial training while
here. The temptations and difficulties
they had encountered were graphically
dehneated, kind and earnest words OF
faithful warming, OF appeal and encourage.
ment fell from their lips on the ears and
hearts of our boys, producing marked
effect. Nor did they forget to state that
true philanthropy, when their young feet
had well nigh slipped into the paths of the
destroyer, provided for them good, safe,
comfortable home, and not gloomy, soul.
crushing prison; a school of virtue and not
| of vice and immortality.
Before they separated the young men
formed permanent organization TO meet
annually, and appointed officers.
This first meeting was an experiment
Such a gathering had no precedent; it was
truly new thing under the sun. The in
corrigible, the vicious and the criminal
educated at State Reformatory, and
returning clothed and i'll their right
mind," with credentials in their personal
appearance, their gentlemanly bearing
and a record of q useful life, a place in
society gained only by the Industrious
the moral and the intelligent, are the tes
timoniaIs of the Ohio Reform School
founded on the family principle and man
aged on the basis of sound religion anC
[ md hum