The Portland daily press., 1875-07-16

| The Improvements and repairs on the Reform
School buildings, for which the Legislature
OF last winter made an appropriation, have
nearly all been completed. The last cell, the
last vestige that the building is prison, has
been removed. The boys now all sleep in well
| ventilated halls where once were cells. This
was done last year. This season the cells have
been removed from the balance of the building
and infplace of a part of them is a fine hall A.
| by " feet, used 80 a work room for the chair
Seating department. 1t will easily accommo-
date one hundred boys at the work. The chap
ell has been repaired, and off of the larger
school room, closets containing three shelves,
holding as much as good sized trunk, have
been fitted up, one for each boy. The
play ground has been divided into three lots,
occupied by the three grades in the school as
their department entities them. The boys CT
the first class have yard which they can leave
at pleasure. When it is fitted up it will have
apparatus for gymnastic sports. The other
play grounds are surrounded by high fences
which no boy can climb. The whole discipline
OF the school is based upon the careful recogni-
ton of the three classes, which are well de-
fined by thorough system of marking. The
first class boys have the choice employments,
the most desirable dormitery In which to sleep,
The luxuries of table and many favors that
boys thus confined greatly covet Everywhere
the boy is confronted by the advantages of be-
ing in the first class, and on every hand he
hnds an incentive to do his best 1t is needless
to add that Mr.. Wentworth's system is success =
tul and that it is very rare that it is necessary
to lntilct any punishment. 1t really makes
the institution reform school by appealing to
the better nature Of the boys sent there. Mrs.
wentworth Isl kind hearted, motherly lady
who takes deep interest in the welfare of the
inmates. Mr. Wentworth is fortunate IN having
very efficient subordinates. The assistant SUI
perlntendent, Mr.. M. G. Healey, who comes
from similar school in another state is ad-
mirably fitted for the responsible position Mr..
and Mrs. Healey have charge of the schools.
Mr.. e. w. Jones directs the chair seating de-
partinent, where from sixty to eighty boys are
employed. They do contract work for a firm in
Paris and firms in Boston. The shoe shop gives
work to twenty boys and is under the charge of
Nathaniel Davis. The boys not only make
shoes for the school but manufacture large
quanlties Vi Aneu Shippers Ior partleS IN DOS
ton. Fifteen boys are at work in the brick
yard under charge of Mr.. J. f. Aver. Quite
large quantity Of drain tiles are made Mrs.
Norton has half dozen boys in the sewing
room, where the clothes for the boys are all
made and mended. Mr.. G. A. Newton has
charge of the farm work Garde ming is spec
ialty which is conducted by Mr.. George e.
Adams.
The farm produces hundred tons of hay,
which just now requires the attention of a
large part Of the boys. Everything about the
institution indicates that Mr.. Wentworth and
his subordinates are giving the utmost care to
the welfare of the school, which under their
charge, with the recent improvements in the
buildings, is undoubtedly we'll ugh model.