Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-11-17
The Reform School.

An article on this subject which appeared
originally in the JOURNAL and subsequently
in the VERMONT CHRONICLE, seems to have
walked up correspondent Of the st. Adams
Messenger, whose communication bears evil
dence Of his close proximity to the location
of the school. This writer, in common
with the partisans Of the past policy Of the
management of the institution, makes the
mistake Of assuming that this question of a
system Of reformation is no broader than a
squabble between Ex-Governor Proctor and
the officers Of the school, and that all who
do not feel well assured that the state is on
the right track in its efforts V reform juve-
nile offenders, are necessarily the opponents
of any system of reform, and in favor of the
abolition Of this school. The disinclina-
ton to accept without challenge and on
insufficient evidence the dictum of the
friends of the institution that IL is success
fully fulfilling its reformatory mission, that
it has passed beyond the region of expert
ment, that beneficial results commensurate
with the outlay are realized, and that more
money should be appropriated in extension
of the present facilities of the school, is
regarded as evidence of hostility to the
school. This course the correspondent
characterizes as "nsrrow and "hypocriti-
CAL" Whoever he may be, il he is old
enough TO gain admittance to the excellent
educational advantages of the reform
school, he should be placed there long
enough TO learn the Specification of the
epithets he so careessly applies, and reform
his very loose ideas of candor and fairness
in treating a reasonable and business-ike
demand for such information as would ena-
BILE the people of the state to arrive at a
correct judgment as to the practical work
ings of the institution. Our article had no
other purpose. II the school is of such a
flimsy character as to be injured by exposi-
ton of its practical workings, then let it
go down or if the details of the manage
ment do not extend to a systematic gather
ing up of statistics on this, the final and
decisive test of the value of the school, let
the managers be obliged to obtain and give
to the people of the state in their reports
reasonably full information on this point
1t is not impossible, and is of far more
Importance to know than the number of
shirts the boys have washed and ironed,
OF the number Of quarts of milk the dairy
has produced during the year. The man.
ayers of corporation that should neglect
this vital part Of an annual exhibit of their
doings, but should simply ask its stock
holders to accept their assurance that the
institution was prosperous and its opera
tions yielding satisfactory results, would be
speedily ousted. This correspondent asks
the people to believe implicitly what the
managers of the reform school say on this
point, and to discredit what Ex-Governor
Proctor says because the latter knows very
little about the school, and is prejudiced
against it We can easily see that this sort
of logic would be satisfactory to the writer
of this absurd communication, but the PEG
pie will hardly stumble to it," as the boys
say We might be perfectly willing to take
Superintendent Fairbanks word that every
dollar of the state funds that passed through
his hands has been faithfully expended, but
the people like to see the details and judg e
for themselves. For the same reasons the
people want from the officers of this insti-
tuition some sort of a detailed showing of
results. This correspondent need not be so
thin-skinned about having the names Of
the girls and boys who have been reformed
there and are now leading lives that are
can honor to the school and the state, u
"hunted up and paraded before the public"
They have been "paraded before the pub
lie" with semi-penal stamp on their fore.
heads,-now why hesitate to parade them
before the public as virtuous and respect
able citizens-an "honor to the school and
the state p Anything disgraceful about
that? Institutions are usually proud Of
their distinguished alumni, and neither
party is apt to be averse to "public pa
rade." We are in favor of an intelligent
and effective system of reform of juvenile
| offenders. We believe the system of reform
now in force has its merits, and it has
| glaring defects. We believe Ex-Governor
Proctor has hit some of those defects, but
This is not saying that we, nor can this "mar
velously" silly correspondent, justly or hon
estly claim that Ex-Governor Proctor il
hostile to the school. If the friends of the
school take the ground that all who ar,
not prepared to endorse everything per
tanning to the present system and man
agement are hostile to the school, and &C
accordingly, they are in fair way Il
force the abolition of the school. 1t il
far better to satisfy the people of thu
state squarely as to the merits and de
merits of the system, to take the time Il
do this carefully and deliberately, than t.
force the system along in the face o
doubts and prejudices, and thus endange
the existence of undoubted meritoriou
features in the school as it now exists.
| North and SOuth.