Daily Republican., 1884-01-31
A HOUSE or REFUGE.
A Movement On Foot 10 Establish
. Refermssory behot3 Sn this
State.

For many years the want of a re
formatory school or house of refuge II
this State, has been seriously felt, ant
from year to year the need of such ar
institution Is more apparent. As fal
back a. 1865 the people saw the grea
need Of 1t, and on March 9of that yeal
the Legislature, then In session al
Dover, passed law for establishing
said institution in this State, but from
some cause or another the people did
not encourage the enterprise as they
should and the project remained dead
letter on the statute books Since that
time the subject has been broached at
various stages, but no one appeared to
push the matter, and thus it remained
In oblivion, while bad boys and worth
less men roam the streets at random,
and hll our jails and almshouses, where
they are fed and clothed, to q certain
extent, at the expense OF the county or
State.
! IL Is now understood that the project
IL about to be revived, and that a bill
will be introduced to the next legisla.
ture for the enactment of law looking
l Acs "ssAu w suO CoO0OiibuHlcuU VI " Th-
formatOry school or house of refuge. 1t
Is not known who the prime movers In
this enterprise are, bus 1t Il kuown that
they are silently working toward the
accomplishment Of the object in
view, rs the following report by
special committee from the Trustees of
the Poor, submitted at the meeting yes.
terday, will show
To THE BOARD OF TRUSTEEs--Gen-
tlelnen Your Committee appointe to
take into consideration the matter OF
leasing a sufficient amount of ground
belonging to the almshouse farm for the
purpose Of erecting thereon building,
TO be used rs Q reformatory school or
house OF refuge, to corporation that
may be granted by the Legislature of
the State Of Delaware, similar TO the
act entitled "An act TO intorpo.
rate house of refuge Of New Castle
County" passed at Dover March q,
1865.
Your committee having taken the
matter into consideration, would re-
spectfully beg leave to report favorable
to said lease being granted.
From the above 1t appears that a
corporation is to be formed, who will
erect suitable buildings adjacent to the
new almshouse building, at Hare's
Corner. To those persons who are op.
posed to establishing such an institution |
In Delaware, 1t would not be amiss to |
suggest to them to pay visit to the |
almshouse In this city, and the Jail ut
New Castle, where may be seen strong, |
able-bodied men, huddled together in q |
large room, shielded from the cold win
ter blasts and fed at the expense Of the
county. Many of these men are too
lazy to work, and are sent to jail as
common vagrants, while those at the
almshouse prefer to 90 there, as they
have more freedom and perhaps get
better living. The almshouse Is now
filled to overfiowing, and about half or
two-thirds of the male and some of the
female inmates are fully able to work,
but there Is nothing for them to do at
either OF the above institutions, hence
their eagerness to be incarcerated. If
they we're compelled to work out their
board they would not bs 30 anxious to
get admitted into the almshouse or sent
to prison, while q work house would
have tendency TO drive these lazy
fellows from our midst
In regard to Che boys, there are
thousands growing up in our midst like
weeds In garden, and If something Is
not soon done to check them they will
branch out into the world as thieves or
worthless mem bers OF the community.
Wilmington has long been noted for
her exceedingly bad boys, and it is to
be hoped that the project now on foot
for the erection Of refOrmatory school
will be pushed forward to successful
end, and the citizens will reap vast
amount of good therefrom. Let the
enterprise receive the hearty co.opera.
ion Of every good citizen.