Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-10-21
The Legislature.

On the 18th inst, the committee ap-
pointed to canvass for County and Pro-
bate offices, made their report, by which
itappears that the following named per-
sons were elected to the offices annexed
to their names, in Essex county:
Assistant Judges Of County Court, Por-
ter Human of Brighton, Isaac r. Houston
of Victory; Judge of Probate, VIM. H.
Hartshorn of Guildhall; States Attorney,
George w. Hartshorn of Canaan; Sheriff,
Joseph A. Mansur of Brighton; High
Bailitt, George L. Ramsey Of Lexington.
On the 18th, the Legislature visited the
Reform School at Vergennes, in a body
We clip from the Journal the following
account Of the visit:
The farm and buildings are situated
about one mile west of the village on a
gentle, slope rising from the river bank !:
is q slightly and healthy location. The
main building is a two-story, French roof
structure, on the first floor of which is
the dining-room, library, kitchen and
laundry, and in the rear is the boiler
room, gas works, bakery and bath house,
and play room in inClement weather. In
the bakery a barrel of -four is used daily
besides coarser meals. This dep artment
is carried on by the boys, as well as all
the laundry work, and specimens of their
work was shown in both departments,
and we overheard some of the lady Wis
itors say they didn't think they could beat
1t if they should try. On the second
Goor is the chapel, hospital, room for at
tendaDtS, etc. The third floor is the
sleeping room, which is filled with frames
suitable for four bcrths in each; the
room is well lighted and ventilated. A
Watchman is kept on duty in this room
during the night Everything about the
building is clean and well adapted to its
purpose.
On the premises are two other build
ingS, the old arsenal and the officers
quarters. The former building is used
for workshop AVID school-room; the
latter Is used as reform school for girls,
and has now nine occupants, who are
from ten to eighteen years of age. These
girls arc taught to sew and do hOuseWork.
With the aid of sewing machines they
make all the clothes for the boys, and we
should judge they were the most profit
able branch of the institution.
There are now one hundred and TWEEN
ty-one boys in the institution, ranging
from ten to twenty years of age. They
were all dressed in dark gray clothes
and in al respects looked as though they
were well cared for. On questioning
them we were told that they had plenty
tJ eat, plenty to wear, VI ere treated kind
~, and, as Il rule, they were contented
and but little disposition, if any, was
shown to escape. They are required to
study four hours day, work five hours
and have the remainder for play.
After the building had been inspected,
the boys were formed in line in field in
trent Of the house, and were drilled in
parehlng, etc., in which they showed to
good advantage. They were then brought
up in line near the building and cry of
fire raised. In about one minute three
streams of water were being thrown upon
the building, one from the force pump in
the main building and two from hydrants.
The Legislature was then introduced
into the school-room, where exercises
were had by the boys in singing, recita-
tions in arithmetic and geography, in all
Of which they would compare well with
the schools OF our State, while in arith-
petic we think they would excel. From
The sChool.room they went to the work
shop, whore they showed their dexterity
III ppttlng in the bottoms of cane seat