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


in, and to report our doings and conclusions
to your honorable body. Your commissioner
submits the following report:
The commissioners entered upo2. theiI
duties as soon as time would allow, and they
carefully investigated the school. They EN-.
ployed stenograpber; and with this report
will be found a full account of all of our pro-
ceed1ngs. The testimony has all been taken
under oath. The inmates have been examined
apart from their officers. The superintendent
and all of his subordinates have given us
every facility for full hearing.
we found the building very neatly kept the
dormitory clean, the school room in good or
der, the clothing of suitable warmth, and the
apparent health of the boys very satisfactory
We noticed several devices for instruction and
pleasure.
The average number of inmates is about ITO
and the scrimes range from manslaughter to
truancy.
The occupation of the boys, outside of house
hold duties, is chair-seating; during portion
OF the year some are constantly employed at
farming.
Divine services conducted by clergymen of
various denominations are maintained on the
Lords day, A Sunday school is also held re-
gularly.
The boys are divided into three grades, Up
on commitment boy is placed in the middle
of the second grade, and upon his department
ne IS chan red by marks TO a higher or lower
grade. Discharges are made by the trustees,
IN theory, when lad is in the first grade
Some boys are allowed to remain out on leave
and this records do not show in all cases the
precise location of such subjects.
The commissioners gave their first attention
to the food; and here follows bill of fare.
BOYS BILL OF FARE.
Monday.
Breakfast Bread and milk, or bread and coffee
first class, two doughnuts each. At all meals where
milk is used sixteen gallons are consumed. making
eace boys allowance about 1 70 pints. In making
coffee four pounds Of coffee, three quarts Of
molasses and four gallons of milk are used.
Dnner-Bread and four gallons of molasses; for
drink, water.
Supper-Bread and milk
The average daily consumption of bread is two
pounds for each boy.
Tuesday.
Breakfast-Bread, bread pudding or Indian pud-
ding; coffee or milk.
Dinner-Bread soup made of sixty pounds of
soup meat one half bushel of potato s. one peck of
onions, eight cabbages, eight turnps twelve car
rots, twelve parsnips and two quarts of rice; for
Supper-Bread and milk, first class gingerbread.
Wednesday.
Breakfast Bread and milk or breed and coffee:
first class hot brown bread and four DO lnds of but
ter.
Dinner-Bread. stewed beans using 81 Quarts of
beans and 10 pounds of pork; for drink, water
Supper-Bread and milk, first class fish hash.
Thursday.
Breakfast Bread and milk or bread and coffee;
Dinner Bread, fifty pounds roast beef, two
bushels potatoes, gravy; for drink water.
Supper-Bread and milk, first class gingerbread.
Fridag.
Breakf ast-Bread and milk or bread and coffee.
first class, apple sauce
Dinner-Bread, 40 pounds of Goldfish, V pounds
of pork, two bushels of potatoes; for drink, water
Supper-Bread milk and doughnuts.
Saturday.
Breakfast-Bread and milk or bread and coffee;
fa nnfc
Dinner-Bread, baked beans and pork, using three
pecks OF beans and 20 pounds of pork; for drink,
water.
>upper-Bread and four gallons molasses: for
drink water or milk.
Sunday
Breakfast-Bread and milk, or bread and cotfee
first class baken beans.
Dinner-Bread and seven pounds of butter, or 8
pounds cheese; for drink, water.
Supper-Bread, milk and doughnuts.
The above is the regular bill of fare, but addi-
lions often made, SO that, besides at specified
times, all the boys frequently have for breakfast
supper baked beans. meat hash, bread and Indian
buildings toast, fish hash fish crowder, clam chowder
butter, cheese doughnuts, gingerbread. pies, etc.
Vegetables and fruits are furnished in their season.
During the summer and fall months the tables have
often been supplied with green peas cucumbers
tomatoes, blueberries, strawberries, etc. Through
the autumn and winter months apples are given to
all the boys several times week. Thanks giving
Day and Christmas they usually have roast Gu icken
or roast turkey, plum pudding and other extras.
j. r. HARRINGTON,
superintendent.
The food is sufficient in quantity and in the
main is good. A few complaints were made
by the boys that the soup furnished Tuesday
was not more than two-thirds eaten, and that
this had been SO for many months.
On the other hand the officers say that they
sometimes send for this article in preference to
their own dinner. Possibly some substitute
might be foui if only for a change.
1t is evident that the quality of the food mas
hnar rNrrT.a for aud fIa<
former punishment of entirely Withholding
food has now given place to the rule thaG the
regular ratioDS can be eaten standing at a
shelf on the side of the dining room, but when
a boy is placed in cell or in the tower, he is
given only bread and water. The time al
lowed at the table is twenty minutes.
The attention of the commission was next
turned to the discipline of the school, to ascer-
tain if excessive punishments we're employed.
We group the various punishments under
the following heads
1. Substitution of bread and water for regular
meal.
2. "standing on the line," or loss of recrea-
ton.
8. Meditation Glass;" or standing erect for
from fourteen to sixty minutes, arms folded, eyes
fixed.
4. "Ferruling' upon the hand on the pos
terror.
s. "Degrsdatio in grade' with the loss of GER
tain table benefits.
6. Red pepper in the month for profane or OBJ
scene language.
Z Washing the mouth with soap for like of
fences.
g. Touching toes' from fifteen to forty-fve
minutes.
8. Placing inmates in cell "to complete a
STINT
10. Solitary confinement in a cell.
IL. Solitary confinement in the "tower."
II. Confinement in the scloset."
10. Standing in the dormitory at night.
IA. Wearing irons.
Examining the punishments in detail we
should speak of them as follows:
No /. To this no particular objection is
raised, provided that all such treatment is adj
mipistered by the superintendent or his as
sistants.
No. 2. Evidence shows that this method of
discipline has been used for two months in sue
cessioD. If used occasionally there is no OBJ
lection, but we think boy should not be de-
prived of frequent outdoor exercise.
No. 3. No criticism is here made, provided
the pupil is not compelled to remain standing
beyond thirty minutes. Evidence shows that
boys have stood for more than one hour.
No. 4. We do not find any bad results aris-
ing from this ancient and scriPtural practice.
No. 8. The boys seem TO feel the loss OF
rank much more than than the loss of dough-
mats.
No, 6. While this novel punishment is not
used to great extent, it is degr aiding and i'm
proper.
No. Z, This is less Objectionable than the
last, but we doubt if upon boys of the age of
most of these inmates it has any effect save to
stir up their cold Adam"
No. 8. This punishment is resorted to alto
gether too frequently, especially by subordi-
nate officers who do not obey the rule that if
teen minutes is as long as o lad should stoop
over with his fingers constantly touching his
toes. 1t is asserted that boys have been COM
PEELED to stoop for length of time which in
our opinion is excessive. We think this prac-
tce should be abolished.
No. 8. We desire to express our complete
disgust at the whole cell system. We do not
believe in any such punishment as that which
transfers a boy who will not make up his al
lotted number of chair bottoms per week, to
dull grated cell, improperly lighted, with no
seat or any article of furniture, save uncovered
crockery, there, in silence and in prison to per-
form what should be accomplished by persua-
sion
No. 10. This practice is still more degrad-
ing. Evidence is given that boys have been
confined for five or seven days in a cell, fed
upon bread and water, with no opportunity to
wash their faces and hands Or to brush their
HAIR during the whole time. The whole sys-
tenn is inhuman and in every way to be COLI
demned.
No. H. The tower is an unfit place to put
even animal in, This hole IS a relic OF bar
bsrism. 1t has no seat, no bed, no ventilia-
ton or light, except as light and air come in
through TWO anger holes, bored through the
stout planks where there was formerly win
dow. 1t Is proper to say that the present Off
Gers found this den in existence when they