Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1874-11-09

In accordance with previous arrange
ment. at precisely one o'clock. P. NJ. Oct
2Sth. the Joint Assembly of Vermont.
together with the wives and invited
friends of many of the same Ito the num-
Der of about four hundreGl started on
short visit to the Reform School at Wa
terbury.
The Central Vt R. R. provided ten
good passenger cars. for the excursion.
free. We glided smoothly along down
the valley of the Onion river, which is
narrow but picturesque, passing some
fine farms with their neat farm build
ings. At about twenty minutes of two.
We arrived at point opposite the school
building. The unloading was an inter
esting sight. From twenty places along
the line, came rushing out the contents
of the train, and soon the whole space,
between the cars and building. was a
moving throng The grounds in front.
are neatly and tastily laid out into vari-
Gus shaped plats. filled with plants and
surrounded by graveled walks. In the
center, nice fountain throws numerous
small jets of water to the height of sew
eral feet The building is large, built
of nice, hard burned brick, and trimmed
with the same, eolored dark brown, CIV
ing the impression, at little distance,
that it is brown stone trimming. The
main building has frontage of % feet.
Forty-6ve feet of the middle portion pro-
jects ten feet and rises five stories, and
forty feet, each side of this middle, rises
four stories. 1t is 135 feet from front
of main to rear of wings. The wings
are IS feet long and three stories high,
running back from each end of the main
building. and leaving court between.
Altogether it is an imposing structure.
and one Of which the state need not be
ashamed.
+. We enter at the middle of the front,
turn to the right into the sitting-room,
thence to the superintendent's room,
which is well supplied with books, and
/ n1Ivu plants suUn an
to give it the appearance of a conserva-
tory. We descend one flight to the kitch-
en-. Here are all of the appliances for
frst-class work and probably the sayory
food that goes up from this place, does
more to keep the boys contented. than
any one thing beside. In room ad-
joining the kitchen, are the steam boiler
and gas generator. The boiler sends
steam through iron pipes to all parts of
the building, heating all or part, as ne
cessity requires. The generator supplies
gas to light the whole building. On this
floor We find the bathroom, where the
boys, every Saturday. bathe themselves
and change for the Sabbath. The laun-
dry, with its white and smoothly ironed
clothes, shows that the boys (for this is
the work of the boys) are fully equal to
their sisters in this line of business. We
next enter the boys play-hou or gym
nasium; here they run. jump. turn sum.
mersaults and cut up, generally. to pro-
mote health and increase muscle.
We now ascend to the floor on which
We first entered, and visit the sewing
room Here are twelve boys using theil
, needles as nimbly and gracefully a
seamstresses. They make all the gar
ments for the boys of the school, afte
they are cut and fitted by asuperintend
ing lady. Adjoining the sewing-roon
{ is the general work-room, where eight,
boys are ranged in rows by wooden VIC
/ es placed horizontally at eonyenien
height, each vice holding a chair-sea
frame. which they are filling with cane
: If their fingers fly as nimbly at all time
as they did while this large number Q
) spectators were present, they must &C
complish much each day of six hours
The programme is six hours work, fou
hours study, one and one-half hours 70
meals, three and one half hours for ree
reation and nine hours for sleep. Pass
ing from this room, We enter the dining
: hall where twelve long tables, coVere
e with snow-white cloths, are neatly Sc
5 to accommodate IA boys, with Ii
snow-white bowls, indicating of wha
e their next meal will consist, and settin
off the tables to good effect Up on
) fight we visit the hospital. Here te
? cottage beds are conveniently arrange
: about the room, covered with whit
/ spreads. and looking neat enough fl
e any one. There are at present, but fol
: patients tive from accident and tV
from slight sickness. There is a roo
d off this with few beds. for any WI
d may be very sick There are two schoo
y rooms, one is large. the other, small
e these accommodate the two grades. u
n now enter the sleeping apartment He
K are 200 hunks, arranged in ten rows
!. tsenty each; all are neatly made |
u and covered with white spreads The
spreads are folded by the boys. ea4
J. night. and placed at the foot of Il
: bunk The apartment is well ventilate
y The perfect cleanliness in every part
lr the building was particularly notieeabl
,e and is worthy Of the highest praise. II