Litchfield enquirer., 1879-01-16

inquiry into the affairs and management of the prison, to the end that if these rumors prove true you may apply correction with an unspar- ing hand and if they prove te be untrue that the directors and officers may be relieved from unjust suspicion.
 1 am informed that there are some classes of artisans in the State who greatly fear that the labor of the convicts in the prison will be so applied as to do great injustice tothem. They will ask you for some legislation. Iconfessto so little knowledge on the subject of prison management that do not feel competent to give advice. l cannot, however, resist the feeling that the labor of prisoners can be util- ized in some form that will not discriminate unjustly against the labor of honest men.
 STATE REFORM SCHOOL
 Within the last year the directors of the State Reform School at Meriden have secured Mr. George E. Howe who has had long con- nection with similar school in another state, and come, to his work here well qualified by aptitude as we'll as by experience for it's duties. He has taken hold of the school with great zeal and intelligence, and has already wrought changes which promise the best results. The whole number of boys in the school at the present time is 267. During the year the average number has been 250. The best in- formation that 1 have been able to gain of the institution leads me to think that the true idea on which it was founded and on which it ought to be conducted has fallen somewhat into dsuse It has been carried on too much as prison for the punishment of it's inmates and too little as a school for their instruction and reform. do not think the state of Con- necticut can afford to engage in the business ot punlshlng boys under the age of sixteen years, simply for the sake of punishment. h. deed, do not believe the idea of punishment for past offences ought to find any place in the discipline of school of this kind. The state is interested that there shall be as many good citizens as possible, and to this end seeks to have all her children brought up in habits of intelligence, sobriety, industry and obedience to law. The vicious and criminal are classes altogether too expensive, in peCuniary view, for any state to permit. They are not only prodlgal and spendthriftS of their own, but detrauders and plunderers of the means of others It would be easy to demonstrate that often in the history of the world whole gener- ations might have been trained to industry and virtue by the wealth which one enemy of hls race has destroyed,
 But no argument is necessary. The purpose for which the state maintains this school is to take boys who have become, or are likely to become addicted to habits of vice, to instruct them in books, and, so far as may be, reform them and bring them up to be good and useful citizens.
 This end would be greatly facilitated in my Judgment by adopting the plan of separate families instead of the present congregated system. The family system might easily be tried at Meriden by building one or two dwell ings on remote parts of the farm, where the smaller and quieter boys could be kept apart from the larger and the rougher ones.
 In order that the idea of reform may be kept prominently before the minds of each in- mate of the school, 1 would advise that there be change in the sentences. That instead of sentence for definite period, each boy be sentenced till he is twenty-one years old un- less sooner reformed. And that you provide by law that the directors or some given num- Der of them have power, on the recommenda- tion of the superintendent to release any boy when he is reformed Then every boy would understand that the length of his term would depend very greatly on his own efforts. re- gard this school as among the best agencies which the state has. 1 am anxious that it shall be brought to the highest degree of use fulness
 INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL FOR GIRLS.
 The Connecticut Industrial School for Girls at MiddletoWn has continued it's successful operation during the year: The number of inmates at the present time is 130. Since it's organization January 1, 1870, it has received 335 Of the number dismissed, 31 have found homes or gone to friends out of the state. For ty-six are placed out in families, but are still wards of the school During the past year this school has employed lady as visiting agent't0 visit these wards from time to time, and such visits have been extended to other girls who have been long discharged. By an amendment to the law passed in 1878 this school now has the guardianship and control of all girls sent to it until they are 2l years of age. The family plan is in use at this school and has proved itself much better than the congregate system. Careful observation of the girls that have been under It's charge shows that more than three-fourths are doing we'll, aud are filling places in the world of usefulness, and credit to themselves. This school is designed to instruct and reform girls. Like the school for boys at Meriden, it is an agency that the state cannot afford to neglect. If we can bring up all our boys to industry and honesty, and all our girls to diligence and virtue, the prosperity of our state is made cer- tain.
 THE INDECENT INSANE.
 The Connecticut Hospital for the Insane at Mlddletown has for several years been crowd ed to it's utmost capacity. At the end of the year there were 481 patients in it, of which number only 27 were paying patients. From year to year the number of poor insane people seeking admission to the hospital has constant ly increased. AS fast as vacancies happen there are many applicants, the hospital books at the present time showing from D to 100 applications for admission.
 This condition of things was called to the at tenlon of the last legislature and commits sion was authorized 10 be appointed by the governor ito investigate the necessity for the erection of another hospital to afford further accommodations for the insane poor of this state." Upon this commission the governor appointed Dr. Henry w. Buel, Dr. Gurdon W. Russell and Ephram Williams Esq These eminent gentlemen entered upon their duties with great zeal and fidelity They ad- dressed letters to the selectmen of all the towns in the state, tO physicians, to town clerks and to others making inquiries for ali cases of insane persons who were SC poos as not to be able to support themselves and who were not in any Connecticut hospital. They have received replies from every town except Windham and Greenwich, and they find that there are in this state
 Insane persons in alms houses 156 Not in aims houses but supported wholly
 or Tn part by towns. ................,...,,,16 162 In hospitals out of this state, but support
 # Making in .395 In round numbers Say...... ...................4O0
 These gentlemen also fad that accommoda- tions for 25O more patients can be provided for at Middletown by the erection on the prop crty already owned by the state of separate hospital at an expense not exceeding $l25, 900.
 The state is committed to the policy Of fur nishing hospital treatment to indigent insane persons. It is too late now to discuss the wis dom of that policy, It is established already at great expense; and being established can the state limit it's duty to providing for one-half of these unfortunate beings? 1 hesitate at any action which involves expense to the state, but do not see why the poor insane who are out ,f hospitals are not entitled to your care and attention as fully as those who are in. Nor do quite see how you can be consistent if you 'efuse at moderate expenditure to provide ior 'the former while at large expense you nave made provision for the latter.
 The report of this commission will be made Q you at an early date. 1 refer you to it for details.
 SCHOOL FOR IMBECILEs.