Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-04-02
NUMBER 40.

pr0re such proceeding, then SO iet IL
be. But are such things to be rushed upon
US without our knowledge or consent, by
lobby run by whiskey at forty horse power.
and then put up with such haste that the
people have no choice but to submit? We
think not. God pity Us if such a steady
old State as Vermont has come to this.
There are two points First, Boys OF
twelve years old and upwards will earn
their living if you gre them ,gOrk. Second,
If you do not learn them, if not a trade, at
least some useful occupation. then there Is
no permanent reform.
Now then, the reports show that Super
intendent Fairbank has repeatedly urged
these things, vet this vital point has been
diSregarded by the managers, either from
indifference or else because they desired 70
make the institution so expensive that the
people would get tired OF the burden aud
abolish the whole thing. Perhaps this is
really their plan. For it is the same 10
fuence that ierked the extra session of to
Vergennes. The very same men who have
persistently opposed every attempt to give
the boys work that would enable them to
pay their way. were very busy pulling the
wires to deceive the House into Il vote vi re-
moval. Civilization has 50 far progressed
as to come to the know ledge of a great fact,
namely ludL s1NubptS Will pay III
dollars and cents, to say nothing of trans
forming incipient criminals into useful re-
publican citizens Yet they lose their Ell
cheney in proportion a they put ON prison
character No reform i ever accomplished
by force. The work grows by the kIndiler
influences, as plants grow IN the sunshine.
The chained prisoner. like Prometheus, has
every vital virtue eaten away by the yui-
lures of hate and despair. But Il school
placed on the border with thousand and
one old canoes and dlgouts lying arouud
loose" must necessarily have restraints
of prison character, especially II you add
a company of vicious girls
At their present quarters the boys have
work in a shop run by a seventy horse pow
er engine, with all the machinery for max
ing u whole chair. Last year report shows
thar an average OF 81 bOss in th!s shop
earned to the State : 600 while - bOS-
earned only s. 900 bra.ding chair bottoms.
The Trustees of the Massachusetts Re
form School IN their report 0l la1I SAY
But with reference t. teachIrs the boys
trades, while not claiming that II would be
d pecuniary advantage To the State, Yet a
we have heretofore said. that If the boys
have no trade, no knowledge %; tools, No
faculty to Use them they viii have bat
ShaAA nt1i' ~ a. ~AAe "a +''Ni'''''4- " iiNu
these young men 20 out into the world uu-
less their standard OF morals i higher than
these who say We must liyc. or much
higher than these waJ saS, " The world
owes me living, the danger l., the al
most certainty l., that tdey Will Try to i've
By dishonest means and 81 had their way
to the house of correction or S,.te prison.
But if We can help them u make
a better start IN Ike, can give promise Oi
more successful struggle with poverty and
dlscourasement and Increase the chances
that they Will be saved u themselves ana
society, then will the State secure results
worthy OF Investment aud Inc'nparabiy
more valuable than stock and cash dIyi-
dends.
The Trustee. nf the Mime Reform, School
say. We now propose t,purcha-e a 1T
of small tools and lathes % make our own
frames and give enplnvment TO our hoyS
during bad weather aud in winter and
whiie We are teaching 4 csas> the Use Of
tools We shall also BE- makiug m0ney. And
We can introduce such other productions a.
NAV be suggested in the future" Again
they S4y - We are rearin. out the cells, and
doing away with blr- and bllt- to a great
extent We want 10 pull out the interior
OF the S,uth VIM A, vigorously a. t1e 9TH
er. Every relic ui harhtrI-m W. wish 10
bring out of sight
The New Hampshire report l. t, the same
effect And the report IT the Reform
school Of the District of Columbia urge
the subject with great frce. give IA short
extract. .. la the European Reform Schools
a great variety oi mechanical trades al.
carried On besides teaching the blys asri-
culture. horticulture. lrlit raising, x
and such i. the case In most Il not all OF
the reform SCHOOLS in tne Unitei States.
It l. for the interest Of the boar. L. have a.
many Kind, OF mechanical business carried
on a. possible. Every by not bIrn t. Il
fortune should acquire SINE profession.
trade or employuent on which he NAV DE-
Is. But In hi, b,as,ed iahd oi lil,erts