Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-11-30

serve oct The alternative sentence already i'm
posed upon them.
In view of the declared purposes of the
Legislature in founding this school the vel
fare Of the inmates requires:
That, for the non-performance of tasks,
the boys should neither be deprived of SUN
cient out door exercise nor should thew be
confined in the cells
That the practice of standing boys with
their fingers on their toes should be p,ohib-
tied, rs the same 10 liable to work phyeical
injury and 10 SO easily susceptible of abuse.
That confinement in the tower be pro-
hibited
That confinement should only be allowed
IN extreme cases. and then il should be in
place suitably lighted, ventilated and v armed,
furnished With a bed to sleep upon and with
other appliances for the cleanliness and
health OF the occupant.
To accomplish the end of a reform school.
1t il plain that the institution ought to rid it.
self, a. far possible, of all indications of a
prison. In order to do this, BOYS guilty of
those high crimes. which society demands
should be punished with prison discipline.
ought not to be sent there. To-day, those
guilty of manslaughter. arson, burglary and
other felonies, enter into the same grade with
boys of tender years, whose only offence may
De fruancy. vagrancy, or other minor INSIDE
meanors. Moreover, the worse criminals fire.
quently excel their less depraved fellows and
gain rank above them. In many WAYS they
show that the darkest crimes do not incur
greater penalties than the pettiest misde-
meapor.
II, however. the present system of COM
hitting all youthful offenders to the shool is to
be continued, then it is an imperative neces-
sty, that a separation should be made be-
tween such boys as require prison discipline
for time and those that do not. This seq
aration should be absolute and entire. No
communication or association should be al
lowed between the different grades. other
than to change members of one grade to the
other as each case may merit or require, and
this should be permitted only upon the ex-
press order of the trustees of the school after
q full inquiry.
Each boy, wheG sentenced by the court, is
given an alternative sentence; that is, a speci-
fed term in prison or fine if he is not received
or retained at the school. No boy can be sent
TO the school who is over l6 years of age.
When therefore, a boy becomes incorrigib Bile,
or dangerous, or demoralizing TO the school
from vicious conduct or conversation, he
should be remanded to the prison to serve his
alternative sentence. The school should be
so conducted that no inmate would prefer the
common prison to his position there.
The principal employment of the bows IN
doors is seating chairs with cane. This can
not fairly be termed trade. 1t can be &C.
CURED in a fortnight; is extremely irksome
and uninterestinR work and is in little de-
mand. Under the present system. when
boy graduates from the school. he goes into
the world equipped with a suit of clothes and
certificate of good character from the Off
GERS Of the school, if he deserves it. This is
not desirable outfit to gain an entrance to
any employment and especially to the work
shops Of the land.
The purpose of the school is reform, to
make good citizens from material that if not
moulded in youth will grow up in vice and
crime, the road to which has already been en-
tered upon. But what is the use to make
boys honest men unless they are also provid
ed with the means to keep them A good
trade would enable each graduate from the
school to gain an honest living. lie would
then not be discharged, necessarily tramp,
to find job of work where he could.
The school is governed by board of trus-
tees; one of these resides in Portland, one
in Saco, one in Dover and one at Mount De-
sert- Their duty is to provide for the wants
of the school. The distance which separates
them from the school and from each other,
makes it extremely announcement for them to
give that attention, which the good of the
school demands. They should be able to
give more frequent and continued attention
to the school, or a board of visitors should
be appointed whose duty would give them
the supervision of the discipline of the school
and to whom the inmates could commune
cate without the knowledge of the officers or
teachers of the school.
To the end, that the school more nearly
may fulfil its declared purpose, it is plain to
see, that boys guilty of the higher grades of
crime should not be sentenced to the school
or that the school should be graded into sep
arate divisions entirely distinct and that boys
should be entered in these divisions accord
ing TO the crime for which they are sentenced
and that the boys should be taught some
useful trade in addition to their employment
upon the farm.
All of which is respectfully submitted.
+. II. HASKELL.