The Portland daily press., 1884-11-04

The Governors COuuciPs Trip TO Connect
icut and New Jersey-Maine Mutes at
Hartford.
Lewiston journal,

Lewiston Journal.)
Hon. W. w. Bolster of Auburn, with
another member of the Governors Council, re-
turned Friday, from an extended visit in New
Jersey, having parted company with Governor
Robe and the remainder of the Council at
Hartford, Conn.,, where they visited the wards
OF the State of Maine in the the American
school for the education and instruction of the
deaf and dumb, passing from there to New
Jersey, where they visited the New Jersey
Reform School. Mr.. Bolster has made par
ticular study of reform schools in this and
other States, and his visit was productive to
him of many new ideas.
With one exception, all of the members of
the Governors Council together with Gov
ernor ROBBIE and the Secretary OF State, were
in the party at Hartford. Maine has twenty
five wards in the Hartford Asylum for the
Deaf and Dumb, and Massachusetts has
eighty-one. Connecticut has ffty-seyen.
Maine follows Connecticut. Mr.. Bolster says
that they were the happiest boys and girls ap-
parently that he ever saw The grounds of
the asylum are elegantly ordered, the build
ings are finely appointed fronting upon a
broad lawn with avenues, shade trees and
they were introduced into the class room
where the pupils were busy at recitation. In
the sign alphabet the teacher told a story at
the same time interpreting it to the visitorss
Then the boys and girls went to the black
board and wrote. In every case they wrote
out the story. Some in the exact language,
others in language closely approximating that
told by the teacher. 1t seemed wonderful. 1t
was recitation in pantomme but the eyes
were bright and the pupils countenances were
full OF earnestness. In the school articulation
and lip reading are taught as special branches 10
all who afford hope OF success in this way. The
system OF the school however Is the method OF
manual instruction. The following is the list
Of pupils from Maine who attend the school:
Isaac A. Brown, Rookland; Pelham s. Cream
or, South Waldoboro; John f. Flynn, Bangor;
Louis Hansen, Camden; George B. Hawes,
Embden; Thomas f. Henderson, Littleton;
Ernest Mcintyre, Warren; Millie A. Mooers,
Milo Edmund Page, Burlington Charles A.
Riggs, North Leeds; Charles f. Spear, Belfast;
Taylor. Wells; Fannie A. ButteTfeld, Water
vile; III. V. Cotte, West Athens Emma R.
Emery, Medford Center; Clara o. M. Gray,
Hodedon; Anna e. Hopkins, Augusta; Gen
eva Nadeau, Houlton Oriana It. Piper,
Thomaston Kate E. Russell, Lowell Centre;
Carrie Smart, st. Adams; Abbie d. Upton,
Bethel: Daisy Whitehouse, Liberty
The Governor and Council were highly
pleased with all OF the wards of the State. 1t
was pronounced by them a wonderful exhibit
ton. Messrs. Bolster and Cornish, who yis-
tied the New Jersey Reform School, are of
the opinion that the school surpasses the
Maine institutions in many ways. The system
they found to be radically different as they ex-
pec!ed. The New Jersey is the family system
Boys are not sentenced to the reform school at
first, as, by the latter State. but are tempora-
rily committed. They may be taken back to-
the court and sentenced for incorrgiblity.
The school in New Jersey has over 800 boys.
The farm is one of 800 acres.
1t is divided into six families or commune
ties, each presided over by man and wife.
There is no restraint upon the boys to keep
them from running away except the fear of
being caught after they leave the farm. The
enyirons are as free on fathers farm.
Councillor Bolster saw many points of advan-
tage of the New Jersey constitution over our
own in this State. Some Recommendations and
possibly changes will oatgrow flom the visit to
the New Jersey institution.