The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-01-06
The State Reform School.

The Trustees OF the State Reform School at
Cape Elizabeth have submitted their annual re
port to the Governor and Council. The Trus-
tees consider that the school is as well managed
as possible for the money granted. If there is
any failure, it is because the material interests
OF the Farm have engrossed so much thought
time and care, and the higher interests of study
N )rati and reform held as subordinate. Fig
ures are given, showing that the Maine School
has never cost in ans thing like fair proper
ton to schools in other States. Unless con-
siderab lie sum is raised this year to put the
building in order. to pay the teachers better
aud to arrange for complete division of grades
i the boys, it wnuld be bette to relinqush the
whole affair. The results now attained are not
satisfactory, and they cannot be with the pres
ent means at command. 1t is not right to
blame the officers for this. The retiring Super
intendent, Mr. Hutchinson, has done the best
he could under the circumstances Changes
are suggested 10 the interior arrangement of
the rooms; the sleeping apartments are obiec-
tionable, the boys being locked up in cells;
this plan should be abandoned and two rooms
substituted, where the two grades of bows can
sleep ii seperate, comfortable beds, in home
like. respectable manner; the more promising
of the lads should be taught some useful trades,
so that when they graduate they eau go into
shops and factories and at once earn decent
living. A boy must be convicted of crime be-
fore he enters the school, but the offences are
varied, running from truancy to attempts at
murder. 1t is wrong to put into one common
nerd so many youth of so varied characters
tics. AdherIng to the retormatory work of the
school II IS necessary that facilities be provid-
ed that these classes may be separated, iu
work, study and recreation. The work is large
ly failure until division is made
Inc trustees are convinced that the practice
OF towns ana cities, 10 certain cases, paying one
dollar week for the support of BOYS sent to
the sc9eol' is not desirable. Many troublesome
lads who ,honld be sent TO the sch,ol are snf>
fered to remain at home, the pest of the viii
lage and to fit themselves for the State prison.
brcause the t,wn Authorities will nolconsent to
the additional tax of one dollsr a week. Aud
the Trustees are beset by petitions for the re-
lease of the bows who are doing well. because
the voters of a town drudge what they think is
useless outlay OF money. A different method
of visiting the school is sugges ed that visitors
do not come in swarms. and that the Inspection
of the Institution b. confined to the members
OF the committee. Sabbath services and the
Sunday school have been regularly held: the
library reple ished, and the farm and build
ingss, the stock, team, &c, more than kept up
TO the standard. The Trustees recommend a
general appropriation by the State of at least
100000 for current expenses.
The report If the Superintendent, e. w.
Huh inson, gives the whole number of boys re-
ceived into the institution since its opening, at
1873; preseLt number 140; 20 have been dis
charged the past year by order of the Trustees
and Is allowed to leave on trial; 10 have es-
capped, 3 have violated trust and 2 have died;
y have been committed for larceny, for
breaking and entering, for being common
rnnasways, 10 for truancy, for malicious mis-
saht' Tor vagrancy, and for manslaughter
thirty three OF those committed the past year
were born 10 Maine. The receipts from boys
labor from all sources. has been $2.7S2 So.
The total expense Of running the school for the
pas, year was S22'S9l 90. The receipts for the
same Tune, including cash in hand Dec. /.
1872, and interest on the Sanford legacy of s42
were SIG, 32S. Al The Superintendent fnliy
agrees With the Trustees, that the State ongi;t
to adopt a more LIBERAL policy for the instfi,.
ton or abandon it altogether
Rev. A, P HilIman still acts as Cbapla;n.
DIR. I. A. Foster as Physician; and Rev, Fl Al
Hart has the Superntendeney of the Sunday
School.