Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1881-01-21

Tie ,-,,-a:husatts Reform school System.
The system Of placing on! and visiting the
children of the State" sentenced to its re-
form schools. which was first established
in Massachusetts IN 1866, aad has been
copied 10 Il considerable extent in this State,
hes attracted notice lately in England, and
the Howard Association Of London has pub
lshcd long account Of tho system, recon-
mcndins its adoption in England. Tie
Howard Association, in printing their at
~iract of The Massachusetts system, say:
The Massachusetts mode Of dealing with
juvenile offenders, is probably the best sys-
lem in the world, rs tested by results. From
1916 to 1866. Massachusetts established sew
eral State reformatories ndindustrial schools
for criminal and neglected children. These
and similar institutions proved advanta-
gcous. But it became manifest that even
such good things as rcformatory and indus
trial institutions involved some danger of
collateral disadvantage, such as, for exam
pie, risk of relieving vicious parents OF
their natural obligations and OF pauperizng
both them ard their children at the expense
of the honest taxpayer and, further,
OF training young persons IN large
masses, in ignorance of many of the les
sons 10 be impaired only by virtuous fam
ily life The present Massachu-
sets system points TO the great superiority
of the prevention of juvenile crime rather
than It's repression. 1t proves that syste-
matte NATURALIZATION, at home or in select
ed households, hut under authority, is far
more cfIectual for the dimnution Of crime
than either the relormatory, or even the in
dustrial school, or training ship, or the
birch. 10 say nothing of the gaol, which is
now all but an obsolete institution for chill
dren in the fine old Bay State"
Lastly, this system illustrates specially
successful combination of official authority
and direction, with the advantages Of volun-
tary and unpaid oversight of the youthful
wards of the State The disadvantages of
the one without the other, in either direction.
are in great degree avoided. The boarding out
system, for example. has been a marked sue
cess in those parts Of Great Britain where
suitable provisions have been made for the
systematic visitation and oversight of the
children (pauper girls or orphans placed out.
But where this essential condition has been
neglected, evils have ensued. Massachusetts
secures responsible and systematic Supervis-
ion, by unpaid voluntary visitors, but also
by their official authority and by their own
oversight, in turn, by responsible State
board. This committee would, there
fore, invite the attention of the public, and
especially of persons in authority, 10 the Sue
ccSsful operation, for She last ten wears, Of
the system adopted in the American State of
Massachusetts,, both for the prevention and
repression of juvenile clfenses, by wise legis
lalivc cnactmcnts for directing official con-
troll and oversight mainly to the enforcement
of parental responsibilities, and 10 the provis
ION, in the case of helpless and destitute
children. of those influences of home and
family life, the deprivation of which has
been Il principal source of the evil in ques-
ton
The Springfield RpgJl;cnl says of this
English ultclance: This is praise from Sir
Hubert Stanley and it is very gratifying.
1t perhaps 4 little cXaggera,cs the present sue
cess of our methods, but not their intrinsic
worth, which should make them models for
imitation elsewhere. The administration of
our State system in respect TO these children
is now more efficient, harmonious and com
prehensive than ever including as il
does care for foundlings and deserted in
fants, as well rs for the poor children and
the young offenders who get into the State
schools and the almsh0uscs N the State and
the cities. Local organizations, like our
Hampden County Chldren's Aid Society,
are helping in the work, and the great Bos
ton society, Of which Mr.. Fay is the agent,
Is also extending its operations"