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


thereby give the means of acquiring personal
independence: by it, it is designed that those
VINO may be sent to it shall find rather a refuge
from danger, than prison for punishment;
that 1t shall neither wear the name, nor breed
the moral miasma Of prison, but fit us in
mates yor the honorable duties of life and re-
store mem back 10 society to meet aud share its
reagdrdS"
ms report accompanied by resolves was ac-
cepted In July 1850, and the resolves were ap-
proved In August of the same year.
over quarter of century has passed away
since these resolves were approved, and be-
came law of the state, embodying the spirit
and intention of the founders OF this school as
set forth in their report. Nearly thirty years
nave passed away since the organization Of
the school. Upon its organization the State
announced that those sent to the school be-
came the wards of the State; towards these in
mates the State stood IN loco pdrentis; it prom
ised to support and maintain them: 1t pro-
claimed that its mission was to teach them
habits OF industry and to place within their
power occupations and employments so that
al independence.
Such being the object and avowed intention
OF the State at the commencement of this
measure, we now consider the present condi-
tion OF the school as it appears from this in
vestigation.
fare and the evidence taken by a stenographer
INF, huel Small) are annexed to the report. .
The testimony is not repeated in detail The
number of boys belonging to the school, num-
Der OF officers, hours employed, nature Of occu-
pauob, daily routine OF inmates, size OF rooms,
cells, tower, &C., variety and method of pun
ishments, &C., are all set forth in the evidence.
Twelve or more sessions have been held by
the commissioners. Opportunity was given for
al persons who desired to testify. The sessions
were public, and all testimony given under
oath. The Superintendent and officers were
NOT present whilst the boys gave their testi-
mony in chief
The views as herein expressed were obtained
from personal examinations made of the food
building, inmates and property.
The general appearance of all the rooms lex
ceptiDg the dining room, cells and tower) of
the buildings, grounds and property belonging
to the state, was to the credit of the officers in
charge thereof.
Cleanliness and good care Of the inmates
and property everywhere upon the premises
seen by the commission were apparent The
food is good and wholesome, generally well
cooked and sufficient in quantity of certain
kinds, and the countenances and physique of
the boys bore witness of strength and good
health,
The building is we'll warmed, lighted, and
ventilated; the dormitory is large single room
where all the boys sleep, excepting when
sick.
The clothing, beds and bedding are clean,
whole and comfortable.
A pleasant room with a library of some 1900
books, on certain occasions is open and used by
the boys. A large upper room is fitted up for
entertainments, and is also used as chapel. A
room adjoining the dormitory of fair size is
the hospital. 1t is pleasant room, with one
large window facing the southwest. The hos
pital is not properly ventilated, nor in the
proper part of the building It should be of
aaaiar acaaes aWaU from tho pofaa and ouft1r.
ion of the boys whilst in the yards and doimi-
tory, with more conveniences than are now
provided, we'll ventilated and of larger dimen-
sions.
Kind attention, good care medical advice
and nursing have been rendered the sick and
suffering by the present Superintendent and
officers.
The farm is of about $50 acres of good land,
and is called one of the best farms in the vi
cinity of Portland.
The only trades or occupations taught Gf
these can be called such) are seating chairs
with cane, and work performed on the farm.
Sewing and knitting with machines in the
manufacture and repairing OF clothing is done
for and by the boys in the building, and these
with the washing and cooking by the inmates
co nplete the employments of the boys, unless
we add the time given by them in the schools
for learning and education.
The duty assigned the commission was to
investigate the treatment OF the boys, and re-
ported thereon to the Governor and Council.
To gain proper understanding and compre-
hension of the testimony and its bearings, we
shall have occasion to refer to portions of the
same; an entire perusal, however, of the evil
dence will not be uninstructive to those who
desire to know the work performed, the dis
cIpiine maintained in detail, and the life of
the boys whilst inmates of the school.
From the testimony it will appear that boy
between the ages of eight and sixteen, under
sentence of a court having jurisdiction over
persons committing crimes within this State, is
received into the school, here to remain during
his minority, or the alternate sentence is inn
posed of a shorter time in Jail or the State pri-
son. according to the offence
No objection being made by the trustees or
the superintendent of the institution to his re-
ception, his name. his parentage, offence COM
mitted, with brief history of the boy, are en-
tered upon the records. The boy, without re-
gard to the nature of his crime, his past charac-
ter, or the circumstances and associations of
his past life, is placed in class B. Side by
sde on the same level the truant vagrant,
burglar and those sentenced for arson and
stand. Upon the very threshold
OF his new life, these are his companions, this
bis introduction to his new career The as
cent to class A or descent to GLASS @ must de-
pend upon the Roy. The teachings and ex-
amples of the officers, the influence Of kind
words and deeds, of his better COM
palions. the harsh and cruel treatment he sees
corrupt motives, and bsd associates, must ac-
complish their work. The superintendent as
certains from him as far as is possible what his
life hitherto has been; explains to him why he
is placed within the SCHOOL, the nature of the
work to be assigned to him; the duties re-
quired; the discipline to which he must be
subjected; the rules and regulations by which
he is to be governed; the rewards he will OBJ
tain if merited, and the punishments to be in
aicted for'misconduct and disobedience. AS
signed now to has position and work by the
dperintendent his new life has commenced.
At the coming in of day awakened. he be-
holds 100 or more companions around and
about him, all in the same compartment, all
in silence and without conversation
to commence their various duties He ascer-
tains that SO many minutes are to be allowed
for dressing. SO many for washing, SO many for
religious exercises, so many within the school
room, on the farm, in the yards, within the
shop, then dinner; then the routine of the
employment is pursued through the
hours of the afternoon, then supper, followed
by study, recess, religious exercises, and night
and repose close in and finish his first day.
Day after day, he sees the same companions
pursues the same round of toll, employment
and recreation if so it may be termed. Day in
and day out he is under the eye and subjest TO
the orders and control of the same officers
Week in and week out, at the same table, with
food alike, that of the past as of the present,
and with minor exceptions) so probably to be
in the future, he leads this life. If of ordinary
perception and intelligence, he soon under
stands and comprehends the system and disci-
pline of the school, the nature of the rewards
and the punishments imposed. He
finds out that the boy with whom he sssoci-
ates,s convicted of crime, the commission of
which he abhors, stands higher in grade and
honor, and is sooner to be discharged than the
boy brought there as a vagrant, that vagrancy
established by the laws of the State, whilst the
fact remains that when so adjudged guilty he
knew of no home, or occupation to which he
could return, or friends upon whose kindness
he could call.
This is the system by which the school is
regulated, and remembering the fact that the
important rewards bestowed upon the boys
are marks of merit in rank, grade and honor,
and that these point and lead to absence from
school, "out on leave," or the higher reward
of final discharge during minority, we turn
our attention to the punishments inflicted.
The nature of the punishments for the Of
fences committed, and the severity of them
as testified to by the boys, remain in all essen
tial features uncontradicted. Opportunity was
afforded and improved by the superintendent
to cross-examine the boys, but no marked or
important change was made from their direct
testimony. In explanation of certain state
ments some of the officers desired TO and did
testify. The important facts, however, in the
testimony of the boys remain unchanged in
truth no attempt has been made by the officers
to weaken the testimony in essential points,
excepting the denial of Officer Owen as to
charges of his cruelty towards many of the
inmates, The testimony of soma of the Off