National Republican., 1881-08-09
REFoRMAroRr INSTITUTIONS.
A Chat with Major Morgan About Those OF
Thin md Other CItles.

Feeling an interest in reformatory in
sututlons, REPUBLICAN, representative yesterday
dropped In upon Major Morgan, who had recently
visited some Of the institutions OF that character
In Maryland, to learn facts in relation to his
trip. What special institution did you visitf"
asked he.
"But two were visited at this trip" said the
Major, "the Baltimore House OF Refuge and the
st. Marys Industrial Institute. The first is sup
ported both by the city OF Baltimore and the State
Of Maryland while the other, although II is a
Catholic institution, Is also partially supported by
the State'
"what was your object in going Majorg' asked
THE REPUBLICAN,.
at was in the interest ofour own Reform School,"
replied he. "You must know that when
jay Cooke & Co. failed this school had
about $4,000 on deposit there, which OF course
went up The Government officials decided
that the trustees were responsible for the
money, and we had to go to Congress to
get an appropriation. When Cookies bank
became solvent and the money was returned we
had that amount asasort ofa surplus, and Congress
last winter gave us permission to expend that sum
in purchasing material and machinery for
work shop. Before doing so we de-
sire to visit the principal rcformntory
institutions for boys and learn what industries the
boys are taught and what arc the newest and most
improved classes of machinery. SO Dr. Josephs,
DIR. Carpenter, and myself made this journey,
and we propose next to visit the colored
rcformatory in Prince Georges County,
which, Governor Hamilton tells me, is one
of the most systematically conducted in
the country. Then we shall go to Philadelphia,
New York. and Boston, for we are determined be-
fore settling upon any purchase Of machinery to
acquire nll the information possible"
" What industries did you find the boys engaged
in at the institutions you did vsitg was the next
| question.
In the House Of Refuge" responded tho Major,
"the boys werc employed in making baskets and
shoes; in ST. Marys, in addition to those two In
dustres that of tailoring was added. was not
so pleased with the House of Refuge, for the boys
are iarmed out, MS 1t were, to contractor,
who pays the institution twenty-five cents day
| for the labor OF each. Now, In Our Reform School
| we have Mt present about 40 boys. There are
about the school between two and three hundred
| acres of ground, and so far we have only been
able to have them do farm work, except Gaming
chairs II is proposed to train these boys to GER
tain trades so that when they leave at their ma
| jorty they will have capital to begin the world
with. 1dlcncss is one cause of boys becoming uli-
manageable, and 1t is intended to keep them busy
| at work at whatever trade or occupation they may
be assigned and TO excite them to emulation By
allowing them pay for all oyer a certain set task.
This mean is what We intend doing when we
shall have finished our examinations of other in-
stltutions, have purchased and put up our ma
chinery, and have secured the proper instructors
| to teach the boys the trades and industries that
| may be determined upon