Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1880-05-26
STATE REFORM school.
Circular Letter from the Com.
MW miftee. SIS FL

4
view to the establishment, by the STATE
government, of an industrial and reform
school, or several schools, for destitute and
depraved children. AT a mass meeting Of
our citizens, embracing the pastors Of all
/ the churches, and christians Of all demon.
nations, held in one of our largest church.
es, it was decided that our people would
give. not only their sanction, but their
earnest efforts to secure the realization Of
the movement. ftH * F
| The undersigned were appointed COM
mittee to correspond with the ministers,
Editors Of newspapers, and all who might
| be supposed to feel an interest in the cause,
and to solicit their u d and cooperation.
A single glance will show the importance
of the subject. GA s.re-s ~4Js~s.
| According to our present laws, all chill
dren guilty of any offence whatever, after
arrest and conviction, must be sent to the
county jails, where they are brought in
contact with confirmed and hardened Grim
inals; or, ar put in the penitentary, where
the associations are, if possible, sill worse.
1t is generally~the case, that when they
| come out, they are much worse than when
| they went in 1t Is estimated that three
quarters of the number find their way
back to prison, or remain out TO be break.
| ers of law and pests to society. The idea
of this movement is to provide some place
where they may be sent, when convicted.
and DO preserved from all evil influences;
be trained to some useful pursuit. which
will give them su port, anu be instructed
in morsl and religious truth.
The experiment has been msde in several
of The states with the most encouraging
success, There is now before US the report
of the reform school of Ohio, which has
been operated for number of years.
Children, both boys and girls, are sent to it
from all parts of the state. The annual
number is about 450. Its estimated that
at least three-quarters of these become
good citizens. Let it b observed that this
is about tho same proportion as by the other
eatment become hardened criminals.
II Is an alarming feature of our Zines
| that the number of depraved and destitute
children is constantly Increasing. Tie re-
port referred to calls our attention to this
fact It states that in one of. our large
cities, "last year two thousand children,
between the ages OF i tx and seventeen were
arrested and brought before the courts for
various offences 1t states further that
the number in Oh 10 had so increased that
there was not room ia the
institution to receive them. II is
evident that if this element be
left to develop in those hot houses of evil,
the Jail and the peniientiary. we may ex-
poet an ever increasing harvest of crime
and new troubles to society. A proper
regard for the interests of our country.
therefore, as well as the requirements of
christianity, seem to demand that all good
citizens, and especially all christians,
should unite their efforts in the only way
which presents itself IF meeting the evil;
by the establishment of reform schools,
and the en- cement Of laws which will pro.
wide that youthful offenders shall be sent
to them.
1t must be evident at a glance that
these Institutions, instead of beng AN OK.
pense, will be saving to the state. twill
rather cost less; for there are various in
dustries connected With the schoo 8, md
the children help to support themselves.
In addition to this, most of them are re-
claimed from vice. When they come out
Of the schools they take their position as
good and as. producing citizens, and are
instead of an expense profit. Whereas
those who are sent to prison generally are
much worse They are arrested, again and
again. are tried, again and again; are IN
carcerated, aud must be supported again
and again. All of which involves expense
to the state. Consider next The destruction
which is wrought by the depraved and
evil Houses are burned; sometimes whole
towns are consumed, property is stolen,
and often life is rendered insecure, Indeed
there is no calculating the evils which re-
suit from permitting even few children
to grow up IN vice. Many facts and figures
in il .ustration might be presented did time
and space permit Y our attention is called
to a few at the close of This circular. We
pass on now to the practical points we have
in view. But before doing so we pause q
moment to call attention to the mode in
which the refJrm schools are conducted, as
exemplihed in Ohio. We quote from the
report already alluded to:
g''At dawn Of day the sound of the steam
whistle announces forty minutes till
brea kfast The boys, refreshed with rest
on clean and comfortable beds respond at
once, enjoy wash, and meet for their
morning devotiuns; then 60 to breakfast.
Atthe table. laden with plentiful supply
of VINO esome food, in concert, with bowed
heads they audiby ask blessing and re.
turn thanks. Then they march ia order TO
the detail room, and are assigned to their
respective duties for the forenoon. One
halt go TO school, the other half find their
allotted labor on the fields, or in
the shops At half past IL the schools
are dismissed and the work suspended.
Now comes dinner, and after |. an hour of
rest or play. This relaxation is a grand
reiormatory agency. 1t helps the boys to
be good, useful and happy. At | O. clock
the whistle again calls the boys to detail
line. Those that WORKED in the morning
60 to scnool in the afternoon, while those
who attended scnool in the morning take
their places in the labor department.
After supper they spend an hour in
amusement OF. play, and then assemble in
their family building, deToting another
hour to reading, wiring letters and con- |
versaLion, when, after devotions, they re-
tire. On Sunday they have religious ser
vices; Sunday school in thu morning and |
preaching in the afternoon, with social |
service at night. In all their religious SER
vices, singing nolds a conspicuous place.
Work on the farm and the various
trades, as we'll as labor of different kindI,
are taught in the school,
Such is the Reform School, which has
become 40 prominent an institution in
many places. and which we seek to have
into Tennessee.
There can be no doubt that, what law
the people, or even large maj Jrity off
th en- demand, the legislature willaccord.
What we propose Is that, preceding
the meeting of the legislature, petitions
and memorials asking the establishment
of these schools, and the enactment of the
requisite laws, shall be presented to the
peO ne LOr tueH sig ihbul Oe, III oFOiy Souuty |
and town In the state, to be placed in the
hands of some pro ninent Der, to be
by him brought before that body for their
action, v- .g.s-s
Preparatory to this, it will be necessary
TO inform apd stir up the people on the
subject. Will you not kindly lend your
aid in the movement win you not, from
the pulpit or. the platform or through the
press, or in private conversation, 40 the
case may be, or the opportunity offer,
commend this effort. and seek TO enlist
all in its favor2 fhEat a 4
The committee would suggest that