The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-10-31
STATE REFORM SCHOOL.
EIGHTH DAY OF DEMONSTRATION
superintendent Harrington and His AS
sistant Testify in Rebuttal.

State Reform School, met at Commissions
Haskell's office on Exchange street, in tn
city, at p. m. yesterday. The previous Sc
sions had been held at the institution. Til
first witness TO testify il rebuttal was
ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT WENTWORTH
Mr. Wentworth desired to amend his test
Travers had worn the iron bands fou
months. They were only worn, he though
about three months. At first they wore con
mon shackles. The runaway boys have somt
times worn a suit of clothes of different color.
Some boys had worn placards on their back
bearing the inscription, "R. A. That prat
tice, witness thought, was under Col. Parker
Inc custom had prevailed of standing boys i
the dining room without food, but he calle
| Mr.. Farrington's attention to it soon after b
came to the school and it was changed to thu
extent that boy so punished had all Jh
bread and water he wanted.
| To Commissioner Gould-Dd not know VIII
Freeze did not report standing boys in tn
dormitory all night.
| The food has been changed frequently il
| Difference to the request of the boys
| AS to water in the yards, witness said tina
officers we're instructed to give the boys all tn,
case OF the boy who went without water i
was only for the boy to wait fifteen minutes
when he would go into the dormitory and ge
all the water he wanted. Witness did not be
iieve that any boys were ever obliged to drinl
from mud puddle in the yard.
AS to the "stenfs'' being Increased, as one
OF the officers testified, witness thought that
needed further explanation. The boys stints
are arranged according 10 their capacity. Had
known OF boys having as high ttint as TWEEN
- an ataaTp tatr
the boys are furnished with ample quantity &c
make their chairs, but if boy wastes it or de.
stroys It he is made TO make up the loss by ex-
ira work.
AS to the alleged abuses he reported the case
OF officer Freeze standing boy up in the
dormitory all night TO Mr. Harrington, who
SAID that it should never occur again.
Referring to Mr.. Owen, witness said his
predecessor remained in tue school few day &
instructing him IN regard to his duties. Wit
ness also instructed him himself 80 that he
must have known that he had no right to
strike boy.
In the case of Nichols, one of the lady
teachers called attention to the boys face.
The boy confessed that he was iusolent to Mr.
Owen when standing on the line; the boy,
when questioned, seemed to think that it was
an accident.
The boy Bartlett, witness examined his face
at the request of Mr.. harrington and found it
swollen little. 1t was the next day he ex-
anined it. AS to the boy Galley, ne thought
he had scratched his ear and made it sore to
testify against Owen. Believed the boy Gal
ley lied IN regard to his injuries at the hands
of the officer
The conduct of Officer Freeze in the dormi.
tory was alluded 20 by witness who drew up
paper upon the subject of discipline and read
IL to Mr.. Harrington who signed it.
To Commissioner Fox-It was never read to
Nj. Owen or Mr.. Wiley.
Commissioner Fox-Do you recall any other
severe punishmsnts than those that have been
mentioned2
Witness--No, sir, don't think of any
Commissioner Haskell requested Mr. Dona-
School, to state what knowledge be or the
Board may have had in regard to the iron
bands.
Mr.. Donahue said that the first knowledge
he had of the bands was that the boy Griffin
complained bitterly about it, The boy said 1T
did not chafe him or hurt his leg. Mr.. Dona-
hue spoke to Mr. Harrington about it and Mr.
f. said, "the boy is q noted runaway, and the
moment that iron comes off the boy goes"
Mr.. Donahue said nothing further about the
matter. The weights were concealed by the
pant-eg, and the only knowledge of them was
the clanking of the iron heel.
To Commissioner Gould Mr.. Wentworth,
said the boy would be obliged to lift it with
him when he went to bed.
To Mr.. Donahue III the boy wanted to turn
again.
HENRY A. HART.
Witness was sworn and testified that he had
been teacher in the Sunday School of the in
stitution for several years. The officers, Mr..
Harrington and Mr.. Wentworth, had always
impressed him as being very kiad and consid
crate. A boy whom he saw in STOPPING posi-
ton .uching his toes looked up smilingly to
him. He had formed very favorable impre
sion of the School and thought it much inn
proved since he first commenced togo there
when there were cells and more severe punish
ment than now.
To Commissioner Haskell-He did not know
of boys being confined in the cells and tower
eight or nine days on bread and water.
Commissioner Haskell-Do you as a man
consider that as humane treatment?
WitDess-After some consideration the wit
ness answered in the affirmative.
Comm issioner Haskel-Do you think that
combining boy in the cells and tower on bread
and water and no water to wash with for week
or more, is a humane punishment?
Witness-Aftsr much hesitation, said he
thought the punishment proper in grave cases
To Commissioner Fox Witness admitted
that the practice of standing boys up all night
in the dormitory partook of little like tor
ture.
SUPERINTENDENT HARRINGTON.
Mr.. Harrington commenced by saying that
perhaps he could do better by going back to his
first connection with the school. When he
first went there there were about 120 boys he
provided for, to be kept, governed, educated
and disciplined. He found large farm and
buildings and implements in bad condition.
Seeing this he turned his attention to the
boys seeking tg improve them morally and in
tellsctually. He fou nd that the boys had been
in the habit of picking locks throughout the
building. He found the subordinate officers
were not able to control the school unless there
was corporal Punishment. He found the pun
ishments administered by his predecessors were
confinement in the tower or cells. He
never inflicted corporal punishment upon a
boy without first talking to him and never, I'M
til IN his Judgement, it was necessary.
Mr.. harrington explained as to the reforms
which he mad accomplished in the dormtory.
One of the features which had prevailed was
for BOYS to tear their bed clothing into strips
and seek to throw them over the fence or low
or themselves from the window. The wretch
ed condition of the boys clothing when MIR. f.
took charge was described. Profanity and fire.
quent fights prevailed among the boys and
they would procure tobacco from outside boys
which was against the rules of the school The
first object was to provide the boys with good
working clothing and afterwards Sunday suits.
The first attention was give to their shoes OF
which they were greatly in need.
Conspira cies among the boys were common,
and they have now SO arranged the school that
very little plotting can go on without the
knowledge of the officers. A spirit of honor
and loyalty now generally prevails in the
school. 1t has been long time since an out
side boy has attempted to escape. The major,
ity of the boys must necessarily be employed
in the building, and SO the chair shops were in
treduced, where the boys are given allotted
tasks. Witness claimed that the boys were al
ways given tasks entirely within their capacity,
and that they were offered for extra work,
when so disposed, within one cent of what the
State received for the work. After he had
tried various methods to make the boys dc
their tasks, he resorted TO punishment.
Concerning the instruction of the school, Mr..
Harrington paid high compliment to the efh-
cheney of the assistant superintendent, Mr..
Wentworth. The immoralities that had to be
combatted among the boys were spoken Of
They had been talked to kindly and plainly.
At the present time profanity is the exception,
not the rule. 1t is the habit of the boys to
complain of the officers. 1t had been the hab-
it of himself and Mr.. Wentworth to tell the
boys to make complaints to them in any case
of ill-treatment He had investigated, and