The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-01-13
RETROSPECTIVE.
HOUSE OF REFUGE.

!
A GLANCE AT ITS WORKINGS THE RECORD OF
THE PAST Wharf.-The COMMISSIONERS CON-
MUNIcATIoS-THE INSTITUTION AND us IN
MATES.
The reports concerning the House OF
Refuge, its past, present and future pros
poets, the workings of the Institution, ETC.,
were yesterday filed with Gov. Hendricks.
The Commissioners communication is as
follows:
| To tie Governor. Of the State Of indiana -
| SIR: The Commissioners of the House
| of Refuge for the Correction and Reforma-
ton of Juvenile Offenders respectfully sub
nit their seventh annual report. The lib
eral appropriation of the late Legislature has
enabled us to carry forward the institution
to its full capacity, and also to make extern
sive repairs about the main building, which
was in very bad condition, owing to the i'm
perfect character of the work and defective
materials used in its construction, and upon
the family and other buildings. The total
amount expended in the repairs and i'm
provements has been $40, 4o7 81. At the time
of the last annual report, Jan. I9, 1873, there
were boys in the institution, l9l; admitted
during the year. IS; discharged, 2: escaped:
4: deceased. none; put on .-ticket of leave"
5S; number remaining Jan. l, 1874, ZIG.
Good health has prevailed, discipline has
been well maintained, and believe the
work has progressed satisfactorily, and the
institution has been effecting in great de-
gree the object of its erection. The officers
OF the institution are follows: Superin-
tendent. Matron. Assistant Superintendent,
| three "Home Fathers and three "Elder
Brothers." We have arranged to have well
qualified man and wife ut the head of each
family, so as TO preserve in this respect as
near a natural state of things as possible
The amount expended the past year was
$54, pa 76, from which deduct repairs and
improvements, leaving the expense OF the
institution S45. 747 30, the items of
which are fully shown in the
superintendent report annexed. We have
carefully examined the accounts, vouchers
and books of the institution, and find them
correct and carefully kept, accurately show
ing the various items of expenditures We
estimate the expense per annum of keeping
and taking care OF each infant III the institu-
ton at - per annum, as required by sec
ton 20 of the act establishing the House OF
Refuge. The boys have been employed on
the farm in the garden. at cane seating
chairs, in tailorshops, and in the different
parts of domestic and farm labor, as will be
more fully shown in the superintendent
report.
TIE SUPERINTENDENT REPORT,
4 part of which is embodied in the Com
missioner's report, above given, and those
of his subordinates give the following facts
and figures During the early part of the
year the number admitted was less than the
number released, which reduced the atten-
dance to one hundred and seventy-two.
| From the 23d of May the number began to
| increase and there are now present two hum
dred and sixteen inmates. The boys re-
| ceived during the year were mostly small
and young. The large and more unprom-
! ising offenders heretofore so numerous, be-
| ing excluded in the revision of the organic
act. The maximum of age is reduced to
| sixteen years. instead of eighteen as hereto
fore. II will be seen by reference to the
| tables in the appendix, that lorty-one boys
received were twelve years of age and under
and who, therefore, were too young to do
much toward earning their own support.
| Receiving so largely of this class materially
increased the expenses of support as we
could not rely upon such boys TO 10 the
heavy work of the establishment and were
therefore compelled to employ men for that
purpose. The admissions of the year have
| been more of the class of delinquents that
ought properly be placed under the guar
| dianship of the institution, than the admis-
| sions of previous years. They were young
| er, less vicious, more ductile and plastic, and
in every moral respect better adapted to the
methods and appliances employed for the
| correction aud rearing of children than any
previously RECEIVED. (There is more hope
| of effecting permanent Improvement in this
|
| sions better and retain them longer. Many
are ready to suggest that the institution,
even with this class, ought TO be self-sustain-
| ing. 1t might not be impertinent to say
that any suggestions that would lead the
officers of this institution to so conduct it as
thankfully received, both by the man.
| agement of the institution and
the State at large. We would esteem it
A VERY ENvIABLE ACQUISITION
To our experience to know just what
employment these boys, nine tenths OF
whom are under sixteen years of age,
could be placed at where they viii do
all of their own house work, room
work, washing. ironing, mending, cooking,
dining room work, make their own clothing
and attend school five and half hours
daily, and in addition to earn money enough
to defray all expenses. IL is our aim to
utilize the labor of the boys in the best
methods possible, and TO employ them at
such industries as to produce the best finan.
| cial results. consistent with their reforma-
ton and Improvement. The condition our
boys are In when admitted. prevents them
from being of any usilitarian value to the
| institution. They are FESTIVE, unused to
work, and unfamiliar with the methods
of doing it. In word, they
are useless, unreliable and untrust-
worthy. They require the closest
watchfulncss of the officers until they reach
a period when they become settled In their
feelings and fixed in their purposes. This
period varies with boys from three months
to twelve, and in isolated cases during the
| greater part of their stay here. While this
continues their labor is not worth so much
| as the Official oversight costs, and when this
period of official vigilance ceases, and the
4 boys become trustworthy and useful. the
| time LETT after performing the work detailed
| above is too brief in which to earn enough
| to defray expenses of support. Their phys
| ical and intellectual as well as their moral
corflition tends to increase their inability to
make the institution self supporting. They
| do not come to us in the full possession oil
all their physical powers. Their minds, too,
are weak and distracted and both must be
| toned up and developed. This, however, is
slow work, as the intellect expands