The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-12-22
Report of the Commissioners and
Superintendent.
A BRIEF ABSTRACT OF A LENGTHY
DOCUMENT.

no. released on ticket of %
No. discharges ~
No -.'."~. :
Remaining November 8...~~.-.--.~---~. ..."~.2o'
Most of the boys discharged and ont on
ticket of leave keep up correspondence Win
the superintendent, and are generally do
inc well. Some of the older boys among
those first admitted have relapsed into evil
WAYS and have committed crimes which
have resulted in their going to the penn
Tertiary. This, the commissioners thlnK,
comes from the effect OF the low grade OF
companv thew keep, the natural tendency in
them to commit crime the lack OF settIeu
home and good parental influence, 10 the
difficulty OF obtaining steady employment
by persons of this class, ana 10 the
weak moral powers many OF them lnnerlted.
1t can not be expected that all OF this class
can be reformed and kept in a good condl-
ton after they have left US; we beheve, now
ever, tina fully sixty per cent. are re1ormsu,
and a much larger portion oenentteu. we
aim tn train them all up to habits OF INDUS,
try, obedience, respect Tor superlors' anu
courtesy
and to give them a common school educa-
ton. and TO bring them under good
religious influences. The boys who
have gone III from the institution have
been noticeable for their courtesy and gen.
tlemanIv habits. The directors pay a de-
served compliment to the officers OF the IN
stitntion for their ability and patience with
which they nave performed their duties
amid all the discOmforts, and constant
requirements made upon them IN thelr Oil
hcult position, and to the superintendent,
of whom they say: 50 o whose uuqueS-
TONED ability and power of government, as
well as devotion to the interests OF the insti-
tuition, its success has been so largely DUE"
A considerable portion Of the report OF the
directors is taken up with a recapitulation
of the work accomplished on he farm dur
ing the year, which Is more mute sci
forth in the superintendent'S report
In this connection the commissioner say
that the whole property Of the institution Is
in a neat and creditable condition. we are
glad 10 be able to present at the close otthe
present year the institution IN admirable
condition, with buildings enough for the
comfortable accommodation OF 800 boys
without any debt, except such as Will be
paid by current receipts. While such Is The
EXTERNAL condition of the institution, 1--WE
believe il TO be in a state OF good discipline
and is as fully accomplishing its object a:
any similar institution in the world" Int
commissioners don't think any building ap"
preparation will be needed this winter; tint
necessary projected
IMPROVEMENTS A BE MADE
outof the allowance for support, it it com
pares with that vi former years in amour
The commissioners refer TO the fact that.
great deficiency exists in the matter of pro
curing good homes for boys ready to be dis
charged. An effort is made to indentur
some of them, but unsuitable parties Otter
procure them and the boys have to be re
turned, and not many persons OF the desira
BILE class wish to take boys from a publ
institution. Others, after undergoing
thorough discipline, return to their home
and again fall under evil influences. Their
are a number of boys in the institution nov
who would make excellent employees il
careful families.
In the school it is the practice to separat
the older and more criminal boys from tn
younger ones, and they live in different fam
lilies, yet, in the course of years they ar
thrown together more or less, generally
with little or no harm resulting, but Their
are always some bad boys in such an inst
tuition who exert an evil influence. The direC
tors suggest that it would be good thing
the younge inmates be placed in an orphan
asylum or children's home, or in private
families, and the room be left for the larg
and increasing number of boys guilty c
petty crime, who come strictly under tn
class for whom the institution was estab
lished-iuvenile offenders. In conclusion
the commissioners express the hope that a
no distant date the state will provide al
intermediate prison for young men, too oil
for commitment to the House of Refugt
and yet young enough to be influenced b.
wholesome discipline, and la some prO
vision will be made for the little boys, leav
ing this institution open for the intermedi
ate class, who nave been guilty of crime
and Of which there will soon be enough [
Keen il ull.