The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1875-07-22

/ of restoring such poor creatures 10 decency and
good morals was entirely hopeless: Not so with |
that the moral power of the word OF God is COM |
petent even to such task. His means were
prayer, the Bible, singing, afectonate converse
| ton, severe punishment when unavoidable, and
constant, steady employment in useful labor"
The place was prison when he took
lit. He threw down the high walls and
took away the bars and bolts He made
the children love him, and he converted
them into estimable characters Horace
Mann says: /
1.-THE effect astested the almost omnipotent
power of generosity and affection. Children from
seven or eight to fifteen sixteen years OF age
| in many of whom early and loathsome vices had
nearly Oblterated the stamp Of humanity, were
Transformed not only into useful members OF
selves to all within the sphere of their acquain
lance The children were told at the beginning
aas aSop Was sGS pri STe az CHARITY had
supplied the home to which they were invited
their own industry must do the rest.
Music is used as one OF the most efficient III
struments for eoftening stubborn wills and call
ing forth tender feelings, and its deprivation is
one of the punishment for delinquency. The
songs and hymns have been specially adapted TO
/ the circumstances and wants OF the community,
and it has often happened that Che singing Of an
spaeaea seng in o obd and M
hearts. Sometimes voice would drop from the
choir, and then weeping and sobblng would be
heard instead. The children would say they
could not sing-they must think or their past
lives of their brothe RS md sieters. or Of their
parents living In vice and misery at home On
several occasions the singing exercises had to be
| given up. Frequently the children We're sent 70
the garden TO recover themselves"
One of the worst children was ST.
effected by the music that Mr.. Maun saysl
he could never hear certain Christmas
hymns without being effected to tears.
At the great Hamburg fire they acted
like heroes but refused ali compensa-
tion, and after tie fire gave up their
provisions and their beds 80 the sufferers
When Mr. Mann asked Mr.. Wichery
how he accomplished such wonders, heI
simply replied that it was "by active
occupation, music and Christian love. J"
Industrial occupation, songs and loVel
are certainly the three chief powers in
moral education. II was these three in~
fuences which have civilized and elevat-
ed the African race in America; and for
the want Of these the irreclaimable ln-l
dian tribes have persisted. We cannot
ex pect to find very often such moral
genious as Mr.. Wichern, but many we'll
ladministrated institution are successful
! in reforming criminals.
AT the reformatory farm-school oil
| Mottrau ~, Eranoo founded mn Tudon
Demitz for children who were condemn
ed in court for their crimes, similar
system was pursued, and the number of
children thoroughly reformed was about
Ieighty-five per cent of all.
The reformatory farm-school at Red
Hill. in'Surrey County, England, takes
charge Of youths who are convicted of
crime, or who are the children Of felons.
They are so successful that they impose
Jno restraint or confinement, and their
schools are as orderly and welI-behaved
as the schools patronized by the better
classes. The reformatory schools of
England, though inferior to those on the
continent, do reform over two-thirds of
of the children in their charge.
Mr.. Hill, recorder Of Birmingham,
said at the conference on refofmatoryl
schools at Birmingham, II know it is the
belief of many that to aim ut reforming
thieves is TO attempt impossibilities. A
shrewd gentlemen said he would walk q
hundred miles to see reformed thief. |
| | think could cure him of skepticism." II
he said tnat at The asylum at Stratton
on Dunsmore. although they had not the
means of combining the criminals, they!
reformed forty eight per cent. att
first, and when their arrangements were
improved they reformed sixty five per
cent and these reforms were Effected in1
about two years at q cost of about GSl
apiece, while the average cost Of unrc-
formed culprits was for legal cxpensesj
GI45.
IF our legislators could look at this
matter as an affair of dollars aid cents
alone, they might discover that for one
fourth of our present expenditure and
losses by criminals the race Of criminals
might be so reduced that jaiIs and pen~t
itentiaries would be almost empty.
We have at this time in the State of
Ohio reformatory institution, the State
Reform School, near Lancaster. unders
the management of Mr. G w. Howe,i
which is wonderful example of what.
moral power can accomplishing. M arstl