Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1881-01-19

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grounds occupied by this institution are The
property of the state, and it is doing most
noble work in q most excellent way; work
which, but for the self-sacrihcing philanthropy
of the ladies connected with its management,
the state would be obliged to undertake, at a
cost of several thousands ofsdOllars annually,
and it would seem that for this reason, and be-
causeof the public interest in the methods and
resutas of this work, the state ought to make
provision for the publication of their annual re-
ports.
The number of children received into this
school the past year was SO; the number dis
charged SO; the whole number in attendance
during the year lat, and the number present at
the close of the year 109-86 Of them being girls
and % boys, the latter too young to be sent to
the school at Waukesha. Twenty-three of the
sixty-two counties in the state have represent
atives in the school. The current expenses for
the past year were 49, 800. 80. Of which there was
paid for salaries and wages 81, 946.01, and for
subsistence $2,499.89. Since its organization,
in April 1876, 241 children have been received
into the school, and ITO have been discharged or
placed in families. Of this lest number SO did
not do well, and have been returned, leaving
probably not less than 1876 Low living who are
doing well, either at their original homes or in
other families wheIe new homes have been
found for them. This is most instructive and
satisfactory record, not only in that it shows q
great amount of positive good accomplished, in
the reformation of these girls, and greater
amount of positive evil averted, but also be-
cause it shows further, that the managers agree
in theory and conform in practice to the opin-
ION expressed in my last annual message. that
institution life at best is but poor substitute
for home" .@s4a & $3.50 a.h-
The appropriations made by the legislature
last winter have been faithfully applied to the
objects specified in the act making them, but
were not sufficient to accomplish all that was
desired. The managers will apply to you for
small additional appropriations to complete
additions and improvements already COM
receive, as it will merit, your favorable consid-
Grafton e
The whole number Of boys in attendance at
the school in Waukesha during the year was
$40, the average for the year being 427. The
number received during the year was 11S,-108
by commitment and ten by return of former
inmates. The number released, died and
escaped was 119, of whom 104 were discharged
on ticket of leave, 81 to their homes and seven
to new places on trial. the whole number re-
ceived at this school since its opening, in July,
| $780, is 1901. The industrial interests con-
rected with this institution are reported to be
i'll a fourishing condition, and their healthful
and reformatory influences upon the boys cam
not be over-estimated. All the boys work
some portion of each day, but none of them to
exceed five hours. and it is not to be expected
that their labor can be made to yield large pc
cunlary returns. The shops, however, more
than support themselves, but the reports
expenses for the past year were
S51,65O.7S, including S3,S31.77 for repairs
and improvements. The payments for salaries
and wages were S15, 22305, and for subsistence,
exclusive of products of farm, $14, 699.91. The
current expenses for the present year are esti-
mated at S54, 10000 which will require an ap-
| preparation of S41, 706.24, the balance being
charged to, and collected from, counties. The
| managers ask for specific appropriations, for
additions, repairs and improvements. aggregat-
| ing $40, 050.00. They also recommend modi-
ication of section 1870 of the statutes concern
| ing commitments and forwarding copy of the
| testimony upon which the conviction is based.
Ii the present system of caring for all the
| classes of boys who are now sent to this school
| is to be continued, most, if not all, of the ap-
| preparations asked for by the managers ought
| to be made; but if the recommendations am
about to submit, In regard to a distinct school
/ for
DEPENDENT CHILDREN.
shall receive favorable consideration, the great
| er part of the improvements and additions es-
! timated for may be omitted.
| The experience of Wisconsin confirms the
teachings of experience in all ages, to the effect
| that the most economical way to diminish and
prevent crime is to rescue the children from
paths which lead to idleness, vice and criminal
habits. The monetary benefits which have been
conferred upon the people of Wisconsin by the
Industrial school for boys. are literally incalcu-
| liable. They are IN some measure negatively
| indicated by the comparatively limited number
of inmates In our state prison. think it with
in the truth to say that but for the good effect
] ed by this industrial school in the past, our
| criminal population would be twice as large as
it now is, and the expenses for courts, sheriffs
and jalls proportionately increased. Under the
! present circumstances it cost the several coun-
| 10
10000 to arrest. detain, convict and punish
criminals. Here then, is a direct and OBJ
| v1ous saving of perhaps quarter of million
| dollars annually, but this is the least of the
accruing benefits The great gain, even in
dollars and cents results from having upright,
! intelligent, sober and industrious citizens in
place of professional criminals.
But may we not do even better than we are
| doing? Or, rather, is not our present system,
In some respects, ineXcusably bad? There are
| IN the industrial school at Waukesha very many
boys, sent there nominally for vagrancy, OF
| perhaps incorrigibility, or even larceny but
really and in fact, because they had no homes
or friends. This is the record for the last year
Committed for vagrancy, II: for incorrigibility,
| 81; for larceny, 81; for burglary, 2: for malic-
lous destruction of property, 2; for forgery, l.
! Of these 43 were less than IL years of age, Il
had no parents living, 16 had mothers only, II
fathers only, and in cases of Is the
| parents were separated. Many, perhaps
most, of these boys, were not in fact
vicious or incorrigible. In times past they
would have been sent to poor-houses-a most
unfit place, surely, because the tendency of the
associations and surroundings was to make
them confirmed paupers, and the practice has
been wisely prohibited by law. But the same
line OF argument which justifes this prohibi-
ton, leads irresistbly to its extension. Indus
trial schools are intended for the incorrigible,
the vicious and the criminal, and not only are
these classes present in those schools, but every
| boy committed to them, to greater or less ex-
tent, deservedly or undeservedly, becomes iden.
tilted with these classes in public estimation.
One of the results is that it is extremely diff.
cult to find homes for large class of boys who
are as bright, as intelligent, as innocent and as
afectionate as any in the land. And yet the rich
and powerful state of Wisconsin, upon the pre-.
| text that thereby it saves few thousands OF
dollars, consents to affx upon such boys as these
| badge of dishonor.
| have alluded to this subject in previous
messages as one demanding attention in the
early future, but further observation and re-
| Election convince me that we cannot afford
either on grounds of right or expediency, long
er to delay to provide suitable temporary