The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-10-20

-AtfSo"S@Sion iAto tnS IodhaSemeHb ol Tue
State Reform School was appointed. 1.-THE
Council was consultel in regard to the forma-
ton Of the commission, and, while not conced-
ing its necessity, confirmed it out of respect to
Gov. Plaisted," is the language of the dis
patch relative to the formation of such a
board.
Messrs. Frederick Fox, VIM E. Gould and
Thomas II. Haskell constitute the commission.
They met in the business Office of the insti-
tuition in Cape Elizabeth yesterday afternoon,
where they were courteously received by Su-
perintendent j. R. Harrington and other Off
cials of the school, Councilman Bowers and
representatives of the PRESS and Argus were
among those present.
superintendent Harrington was duly sworn,
and IN response to interrogatories put by the
Chairman Mr.. Fox-and the other members
OF the commission, the workings of the school
were explained. The boys, upon entering, are
classed into three grades, according to the Of
fence for which they are committed, and with
out regard to age or education Those in the
first class enjoy greater privileges, and are
permitted more indulgencas and the other
grades are deprived in such corresponding
degree as to render the attainment of the first
grade and continuance therein as desirable as
possible, consistent with the discipline of the
school.
Mr.. Harrington was proceeding to describe
the dormitory Of the institution when it was
suggested that a personal inspection by the
commission would be in order, which sugges-
ton was accepted by the commission.
TIE company then inspected the chapel,
hospital sleeping hall, school room, eating
room, kitchen, laundry, etc. The boys now
number 190 They sleep in clean, comfortable
cot beds, mounted upon iron. They are classed
here also, but their beds are equal in quality
In the eating hall they are still graded, but the
only difference ia food is that the irst-class
boys are more frequently INDUCED with dough
nuts. The food is varied each day, and there
is always an abundance of good bread, OF
which every boy may lartake as much as he
pleases.
The boys are warmly and substantially
clothed. The regular suit is of dark brown
ish grey, which would not be noted as dis
tinctive uniform by person outside of the in
stitution The Sunday AMI parade suit is
handsome blush lightgrey, OF about the same
color as that worn by the West Point military
cadets In fact lot of cloth purchased by
the United States Government for West Point
was condemned from being a little off color,
and was purchased for the Maine State Reform
School, and some Of it is now being worn by
the boys there.
There is a discipline room where refracto-
tory boy is placed in a cell and given stint to
accomplish. If he does it he returns to his
bed; if not he remains all night, bed-olothing
being furnished.
The reading room contains publications of a
suitable character, and library of some 1.5Co
volumes, which is replenished from time to
time, by reason of a bequest of 800 made by
Isaac Sanford of Nashua, N. H., which is in
invested, go that it brings in $40 year.
Six hours labor is required of the boys; four
hours for school, and the balance of the time
goes to rest and recreation. The labor per-
formed in the proper season is principally up
On the farm. At other times, as at present,
the chief work is putting in cane bottoms into
chairs The clothing is all made at the school,
being cut out in sizes, and made upon sewing
machines by the boys. The play grounds are
spacious, and in the summer tins quite extern
sive
The above are some of the points which tho
observed, and the reporters not
I'd during the inspection, and which are given
here, though not strictly germane to the inves-
tigaton.
Inspection finished the party partook of
supper.
EVENING SESSION.
The examination of Superintendent Earring
ton was resumed. He testified:
When boys escape from the institution and
are secured, they are placed in the cells from
two to seven days, and when boy is incorri-
glble Tor a time, he is sometimes confined
there from half day to fouI or five days, ac-
cording to the offence, and recently when boys
have refused persistently to do their stints in
the shop, they are placed ia the cell and given
a stint they can accomplish in two-thirds of
the time hey are put in for; If the stint is not
accomplished at the end of that time they are
confined there until the morning, when they
are placed with the rest in the dormitory
Boys are placed in these cells for offences in
accordance with rule of the institution
which 1 found in vogue when cana here
Gases of that kind are reported on the book of
punishments. If l should be away and a run
away should be brought back, Mr.. Wentworth,
the assistant superintendent, would put him in
return, and would determine the length Of
time he should stay there. In addition to this,
we sometimes punish them by feruling on the
hand: and sometimes upon the posterior. in
flict that punishment, but in cases where am
away or sick, and it is advisable that the pun-
ishment be inflicted promptly, 1 authorize Mr..
Wentworth TO do it. 1t is always done under
my immediate supervision, and by my direc-
ton. While the boys are confined in the cells
their principals diet is bread and water, and
sometimes they are given meat, and other food
IN addition Some of the boys have been kept
during their confinement on bread and water
The longest time / can recall is eight days.
have never found that that injured the health
of the boys. There has only been one case
where boy has been punished by subordin-
ate officer without my knowleG &c or approval,
and in that case discharged the officer, and
that was the case of the Waterman, who struck
the boy with the window cord during the
night in the dormitory. There we found Is or
20 boys who have to be walked up several
times during the night to go to the can or else
they will wet the bed. They are exceedingly
hard to wake up, and sometimes this watch
man would strike them with this cord, to make
them get up promptly; the boys did not report
to me at the time, but as soon as l learned it
the officer was discharged.
For breakfast each day the boys have bread
aud milk, or bread and coffee, in addition to
that tue first class have either meat or hash, or
beans and brown bread and butter, or ginger
bread, or doughnuts. The other classes occa-
sionally have one of those, but not as rule.
For dinners on Monday when came here, they
had corned meat with vegetables in their sea-
son. The boys didn't like the corned meat
and petitioned me several times TO change it to
bread and molasses, which L finally did and
told the trustees of the change. TUESDAYS
they have soup; Wednesdays stewed beams
and each boy has all be wants; Thursdays,
roast beef, il is fresh beef cooked in one of
these steam kettles, and served with gravy and
potatoes. 1t is such beef and such gravy as
the officers have upon their table; Fridays they
usually have cod fish and potatoes, and in til
season vegetables; Saturdays, pork and baked
beans in abundance; Sundays, bread and but
ter, or bread and cheese with doughnuts and
gingerbread.
There is always plenty of bread, and boy
stands ready at every meal to give every boy at
the table all the bread he will eat. The ID
pers are very similar TO the breakfasts, with
this exception that the second and third class
el seldom get an extra. / sometimes distribute
fruit to the boys at the table. / give them
strawberries and blueberries in their season.
Boys confined in their cells are give their
food twice day, but are given enough to sup
ply them during the day. aside from
that boys are never deprived of meals
Boys have been stood up IN the dining
room, away from the table without food. |
found that practice in existence when | came
here, bnt abolished it months ago. If a boy
isn't quiet at the table l allow the officer to
stand him up by the side of the room, but he is
given a full supply of food. The rule is that