The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-11-29

citizens and honest men. To this end he
| should be held to every endeavor within his
| power, and should know and direct all the
methods of the institution. Punshments nee
essary for the maintenance of order should be
administered under his eye or the eye of his
assistant, and none others should be allowed
ever to inflict chastisement. For the person al
treatment of every boy he should be held ac-
countable. Their liberty and welfare are in
| his hands.
The boys are divided into three classes, and
| each class into three divisions. Department
after admission is the sole test that governs the
position of boy in these classes. All when
received at the school enter the middle divis-
| ion of the middle class regardless of their pre-
vious history. Those guilty of the highest
| crimes enter side by side with those whose mig
| fortune in having no parents or no home has
| led them inlo some trifling offence.
A system OF merits and dement's advances
| the boy to the highest grade or reduces him to
the lowest place. Only boys of the first class
are generally allowed outside the bnilding or
| high walled yards. These may be discharged
| by the trustees or bound out at service.
To maintain discipline in the school various
| punlshments are resorted to. Formerly, for
| whispering or otherwise violating the rules at
| meals, boys we're compelled to leave the table
| and stand while the others finished their meals
and were not allowed food until the next meal
| This practice was abolished by the present su-
| perintendent, who at first allowed the boy
| bread and water to be eaten standing; but at
| the present time such boys are allowed to eat
| their regular meal standing at the window sill
| During part of each weekday the boys are
| employed in seating chairs. To each boy is
| given stint of a certain number of chairs for
| the week. To compel the performance OF
| these tasks punishments are inflicted. One is
sta nding the boys upon a line in the yard
| daily. while the other boys are at play, until
| the task is made up. In one instance boy
was thus deprived of all outdoor exercise for a
| period of two months. Another is confine-
| ment In the cell with the work. until the task
| is completed. Here tue boy is required to
work day and night by the dim light that falls
through the grating at the door, and at night
| IS compelled to sleep wrapped in his blanket.
| if he pleases, but upon the floor for a bed. A
third is logging. A fourth is to stand the boy
with his fingers to his toes for period of not
exceeding twenty minutes: but boys have been
kept so standing for much longer time than
that; IN one instance for three-quarters of an
hour.
The officer in charge of the first and second
class chair shop has repeatedly, in direct vio-
lation of the rules of the school, administered
boldly chastisement to boys under his care,
which in some instances was harsh and cruel
and called for the action of the superintendent.
He is manifestly an unsuitable person to gov
ern the boys in his charge and teach them
manly and honorable conduct.
Many boys from physical weakness need to
no WdhOd odCu ulRHb. luS kOrm6f Wdlc0mAn
was accustomed to wake these boys by striking
them with thong or small cord, so that the
marks of the blow remained upon their limbs.
He also for violation of rules kept boys stand
ing in the floor at night and in one instance
kept boy standing all night. For this con-
duct he was discharged some moths since.
For other breaches of discipline boys have
been confined in the cells for a week, with no
article in it beside an open vessel cleansed
once in twenty-four hours. These boys were
oil pbofc for and ba fo,
bed. Bread with water to drink was given
them twice daily, but no facilities
were furnished them for washing or cleanli-
ness. For longer time boys have been con-
fined in the tower with like neglect and treat
ment. That place however had no light ex-
cept through the two auger holes through the
planking at the window.
Other corrective measures, novel in their
character, are disclosed by the evidence. One
case merits notice, that is the fastening an iron
bandsofIeleven pounds weight around the ankle
of boy next the limb to prevent his running
away. This by day was supported by an iron
stirrup fixed to the heel of the shoe, but in the
night it had no artificial support. For more
than three months. day and night, this instru
ment was worn by the boy at the express or
der of the superintendent, against the protest
of at least one of the trustees of the school. So
harsh and cruel treatment needs no comment
besides stating it. Such methods to retain boy
in the reform school even if other precautions
had failed, are demoralizing to the purposes of
the institution and in violation of the principles
upon which it was established.
The law provides that such inmates may be
remanded toIthe common prison to there severe
out the alternative sentence already imposed
upon them.
In view of the declared purposes of the Leg
islatnre in founding this school the welfare of
the inmates requires:
That, for the non-performance of tasks the boys
should neither be deprived of sufficient outdoor ex-
ercises; should they be confined in the cells.
That the practice eff standing boys with their fin
gers their toes should be prohibited as the same
is liable work physical injury and is so easily sus
ceptib!e of abuse.
That confinement in the tower be prohibited.
That confinement should only he allowed in ex-
treme cases. and then it should be in place suits-
bly, lighted ventilat and warmed, furnished with
a bed TO sleep upon and with other appliances for
the cleanliness and health of the occupant,
To accomplish the end of reform school,
it is plain that the institution ought to rid it
self, as far as as possible, of all indications of
a prison. In order to do this, boys entity OF
those high crimes, which society demands
should be punished with prison discipline,
ought not to be sent there. Today those
guilty of manslaug hter, arson burglary and
other felonies, enter Into the same grade with
boys OF tender years, whose only offence may
De truancy, vagrancy. or other minor misde-
meanors. Moreover, the worse criminals fire.
quently excel their less deprayed fellows and
gain rank above them. In many ways they
show that the darkest crimes do not incur
meaDor.
If, however, the present system of commit
ting all youthful offenders to the school is to
be continued then it is an imperative necessity,
that separation should be made between
such boys as require prison discipline for
time and those that do not. This separation
should be absolute and entire. No commune
cation or association should be allowed be-
tween the different grades, other than to
change members of one grade to the other as
each merit rQ0uira and this ehOuld
be permitted only upon the express order Of
the trustees of the school after a full inquiry.
Each boy, when sentenced by the court, is
given an alternative sentence; that is, 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 16 years of age.
When therefore, a boy becomes incorrigibfe, 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 pri-
son to his position there.
The principal employment of the boys in
doors is seating chairs with cane This cannot
in fortnight; is extremely irksome and un-
interesting work is in little demand. Under
the present system, when boy graduates
from the school, he goes into the world equip
ped with suit of clothes and a certificate of
good character from the officers of the school,
if he deserves it. This is not desirable out
fit to gain an entrance to any employment and
especially to the workshops of the land.
The purpose of the school is reform, to make
good citizens from material that If not mould
ed in youth will grow upsinevicesand crime, the
road to which has already been entered upon.
But what is the use to make boys honest men
unless they are also provided with means to
keep them SO. A good trade would enable
each graduate from the school to gain an hon.
est living. He would then not be discharged,
necessarily, tramp, to find q job 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 Desert.
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 inconvenient for them to give that
attention which the good of the school de-
mands. They should be able to give more fire.
quent and continued attention to the school, or
board of visitors should be appointed whose
duty would give them the supervision of the
discipline of the school, and to whom the in
mates could communicate without the knowl-
edge 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 school
should be graded into separate divis-
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