The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-06-08
THE PRISON CONGRESS,
Tho jail system of tue Country Denounced
influence Of the Public schools.


Influence Of the Public schools.
The National Prison Congress held three
sessions yesterday. There were 100 delegates.
representing twentv-seven States, and among
tue visitors were representatives OF the Areen-
tine Republic, Australia. France, 1t Iy. Mexico,
and Sweden. The Rev. Fred II. Wines, LID.
OF Illinois, presented the nrst paper. The ques-
tion discussed was. "what system should be
adopted for the common jais OF State, includ-
ing purpose, construction, and discipline?'
Tho author held that the jail system Of the
country was hopelessly bad. Few counties were
able to construct a model prison. The conciu-
sion to which he had arrived was that the State
should assume the control of all criminals Of
whatever GLASS that prisons should be graded
and thai the house OF detention should be toe
only prison supp"rted by the county.
The Hon. Joseph Burnet, President of the
Massachusetts, Board OF Prison Com missioners,
read a paper on the " Construction Of Prisons
Tor Women" and he was followed by Mrs. @. Il.
Female Prison and Girls ksformatory VINO DIS
cussed the system OF treatment applied to the
mn -tes 81 female prisons.
The two most Interesting papers read at the
SO ond sessIOn were by Mrs. Mary L. Rockwell,
Assistant Superintendent Of the Girls linus:
ti ! Reform sch"l, hidulesown' Conn, .. d
the Rev. Charles Lorng Brace.
Mr. Braces paper uealt with tho question
whether the public schools. juvenile ylums.
prOtectories. and reformatories ure suf1citnt to
eet the wants OF society with respect to de IT,
tu o. neele cteJ, and exposed children. The evil
q ID danger OF the large anu increasing number
OF CHILDREN not reached by the public school
system IL one which has for some time occupied
the attention Of phllanthropirts. In 1870 tnere
were ln,OU children not enrolled as pupils In
1874 the number had not decreased. The non
attenuants are always the feeders Of the Grim
iual class. OF tLis largo muli iitude the great
pr portion could not c me under any legal en-
actnent concerning yagrancy or idleness. The
majority are employed, he Girls WORKING in fac
torres OF ASSISTING their Others and tho bows IN
shops and factories, or In those street occupa-
tons which engage so m mIny thousand children
Tor a part of each day. If any one of these were
taken: before a court on charge OF vagrancy, he
could 9 silv prove that he was employed ut a
lawful avOcation, and woulI no doubt snow that
he was keeping botn himself and mem pers OF
bis family from becoming public charge. 1t is
for this reason that the late compulsory law has
broken down with this class, although with an
other cass II has done much good.
The number OF children on the rolls OF the
Aid Society's schools Is l000D. In the Home OF
the Friendless are 5000 more, and In the other
industri j schools an squ number.
The evening session OF the Congress was taken
up with discussion Of the question, "Would
the abolisnment ot tho oea' b penalty be likely
TO diminish he crime ~ murder2
The Hon. Edward j. Phelps OF Burlington, w.
read paper In which reasons were given wny
the death penalty should % abolished. Several
other deeg ties took part In the discussion.
Among these were Dr. IIenRus PRIME, Dr.
wiues, A. n. Powell, and MIR. Stout Of Ken
t.cky.