The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-03-22
REFORM SCHOOLS.
DESCRIPTION OF THE OHIO RE.
FORM FARM AND SCHOOL.

port of the Board of Commissioners for
Reform Schools. The report is for the
year 1876 and has in it many items OF
interest. We copy the following;
The Ohio Reform School is located
upon farm of I,I7o acres, six miles
south of Lancaster, Fairfield county Ohio.
The farm is situated on what are called
the Hooking Hills" being about six
hundred feet above the level ofthe Hook
ing Valley. The climate at this eleva.
ton is delightful and the scenery and
surroundings are beautiful. The soil is
thin and unproductive, being composed
of clay and sand, and underlaid at a
depth Of from two to eight feet with sand
rock. The timber consists OF a small
growth of pine, oak and chestnut About
one fourth of the farm is sufficiently level
to admit of cultivation with the pillow, the
balance being composed of slopes and
ravines, a part of which may at some
time be prohtably converted into vine
yards. There are now about four hun
dred acres of land cleared, the balance
being set with thick growth of under
brush and small timber. The farm seems
to be well adapted to the growth of many
kinds of fruit, especially the peach. In
consequence of the pure, dry atmosphere,
grapes of superior quality can also be
produced. The orchards, including the
vineyards and small fruits, now cover
about one hundred and fifty acres, the
remainder of the cleared portion being
devoted to gardening, and raising of
farm products and pasturage. Fruit
growing, gardening and the raising OF
nursery trees, if not always remunera-
tive pecuniaGily, have been found very
profitable employment for the elevation
of wayward boys.
Shop labor is carried on sufficiently to
manufacture the shoes and clothing for
the institution; also, to do the black
smithing and carpenter work needed "A
large class is now engaged in cane
seating chairs; also, few boys work at
brush making. A shop for the manu-
facture of names has been established,
and employs about thirty boys.
The buildings are located near the
southern line of the farm, and including
yards, lawns and play grounds, occupy
twenty acres of ground. The lawns are
tastefully laid out, and ornamented with
evergreenS, shrubs and flowers.
The buildings include one main Duild'
ing, nine family buildings, one chapel
building, four shop buildings, two large
grain and hay barns, two horse and car
riage barns, wood house, bake-shop,
Lookup wash house, gas house, ice house
dry house engine house, water tower, an
extensive pggery, together with several
out buildings. The main building is I6I
feet long, with u front projection of 90
feet square, and 40 feet width of wing,
and is three stories high above the base.
ment. In the basement are three fur
mace rooms, a store room and several ca
pacious cellar rooms. On the first floor
are the office, reception room, parlor,
eight dining rooms, pantries, halls, etc.
On the second floor are Acting Com
missioner's family rooms, parlor, private
office, two store rooms, hospital, rooms
for Principal and four guest rooms.
On the third floor are the reading and
library rooms, one large store room and
rooms for teachers and employees.
The church building is fine structure,
Of feet in length by 90 in width, and will
comfortably seat eight hundred boys.
Four of the family buildings are 81 feet
long by 60 wide, with front projection
of 90 by I6 feet, and three stories high
above the basement. The basement con-
tains furnace room, tank room, and
a large wash room which is also usedfor
a play room in stormy weather On the
first floor are two rooms for the Elder
Brother and his family, and large school
room. The school room is also used as
boys sitting room, and for evening and
devotional exercises.
The second story contains boys DOR
mtory, room for the assistant Elder
Brother, room for the boys Sunday
clothing and night closet
The third story isused entirely for dor
matory purposes.
The remaining five family buildings
are like the four, with the exception of
being only two stories high above the
basement. All of these buildings are
plain, but neatly finished and furnished,
and make very pleasant and comfort
able home for family of fifty boys.
The shop buildings are all capacious,
the largest being 12o feet long by 3ofeet
in width, and two stories high above the
basement. The basement makes large |
and convenient room for detailing pur-
poses, Each of the upper stories is di-
vided into two rooms, with hall be-
tween.
The water tower is an octagonal struct-
ure Of very solid masonry, SO feet high
by "a feet in diameter On the top Of the
tower is an iron tank with capacity of
1000 barrels, from which distributing
pipes conduct the water to the buildings
where needed. Connected with the main
pipes are fire plugs, to which hose can
be attached in case Of fire. The tank is
supplied with water from the artesian
we'll by the aid of an engine.
The first ten boys were received into
the institution from the Cincinnati house
of refuge, January 80, 1858. Since that
date two thousand four hundred and fif-
teen boys have been received, of which
number five hundred and thirty seven
now remain. The boys are classed in
families, and are cared for by officers
called Elder Brothers. Each family con-
tains fifty boys, and is under the super
vision Of an Elder Brother, an Assistant
Elder Brother and female teacher.
No high fences, walls, bolts or bars are
used to restrain the boys or to prevent
them from escaping. BY kind treatment
and judicious management at least three.
fourths of the boys, at all times, can be
trusted to go to any part of the farm, or
even to town on business, without super
vision, and without any danger Of their
escaping.