The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-09


Andersonville and Libby Prison. Vengeance is
mine, and | will repay saith the Lord"
4 faithful and delicate history Of the growth
from penal to an educational institution, the
development of pride and feelings of individual
responsibility in natures to which those elements
were foreign, would prove interesting, but it is
beyond the scope of this letter. Boys are
brought to the institution for crime, incorrigibi
lty, and formerly-tot the great shame of lndlana-
because they had no homes. These little fellows,
unobserved, naturally gravitated to the cities,
the country uncOnsciousy eXpelling them.
A child, guilty of no crime, merely an orphan,
becomes an outcast and then an object OF dis
gust Parental love, especially mothers love,
seems indispensable to the formation of proper
character The widows son always turns out
well.
In prison reform the world has lately made the
largest progress. The Reformatory for Women,
like the Reform School, was also established
during the administration of Governor Baker,
the first however, through the influence of Mrs.
Sarah Smith, having been recommended by
Governor Morton A separate institution for
women, under the supervision of women alone,
was altogether an experiment. but Governor
Baker had the courage to throw his personal and
official influence in favor of the measure, and it
has proved of such wonderful success as to have
attracted the attention of humanitarians every
where. Those experienced in the management
of criminals shook their heads derisively and
called Mrs. Smith an impracticable enthusiast,
whose expectations were founded upon the sand.
And the Reform School was beleveda barren
ideality. The argument was advanced that edu
cational training and religious service at night
must prove impossible, as darkness would be
favorable to escape. But with larger liberty the
desire to run away decreased.
THE SCHOOL AND ITS WORK.
A boy is brought here by an officer Of the
court. After his papers are carefully examined,
and it is ascertained that he is entitled to the
rights, lights and benefits of this institution,
according to law; that he is victim of no CON
tagious disease, sound in body and vigorous in
mind, he is given a bath When the average
boy-he whose offense was largely the result of
vagrancy-has ceased to be reconced to dirt,
and learned to love absolute bodily cleanliness,
long step is taken in the direction of perma-
nent reform. Soap is essential to civilization,
and Christianity can only take deep root among
people acquainted with the virtues of suds.
Every encouragement is given to personal purity,
knowing that it conduces to purity of morals,
and accordingly, this year, large generous
wash-house-a beautiful block of masonry-was
erected There is hot and cold water. in
tubs and spray-soap and towels. Fifty boys at
one time may be soaked, scrubbed, showered,
and dried, until every element of paganism,
seemingly, is eliminated from their corporeal
substances, and their bodies become fit temples
for an immortal soul.
The body purified, it is next clothed, and, this
done, the pupil is assigned to family, in charge
of a house father. where every effort is made to
instruct him that he is among friends A
great many are actually wild. They know
nothing but the violence of incorporate or igno-
rant parents. The discontinue of lodging in
dry goods boxes or fat-cars, or during
winter, in remote corner of an engine room,
where tolerable temperature partly atoned for
the remorsessly unrestorative qualities of a
brick couch, has plowed great lines of agony in
baby faces The pharisee passes along on the
other SIDE and though the good Samaritan may
exist, this particular boy has never made his &C
quintance. Such boys are with us every day,
and the reason that more of them are not plucked
as brands from the burning, is that we are of
the number who, having eyes see not, and ears
hear not the things pertaining to the good of our
kind
And it is passing strange that the world can
find so little time to sympathize with benevo-
lence. But comparatively few of the judges nave
ever visited this institution, and this fact since
evidently the best protection to society is the
prevention of crime. is difficult to understand.
man qualified in head and heart to preside over
a court will here certainly learn something prof
table. 1t is judicial duty to study more Of
this school than is coldly taught by the red-eyed
law, and much confusion results from innocence
of this knowledge on his part.
The next feature of the farm that must favor
ably impress every thoughtful visitor is the
large Christian dining-room. In the beginning
every article of food was SteWed and nothing
was supplied that could not be taken from tin
plate with a pewter spoon. There were two ar
guments in favor of this: First, economy; second
it was feared that if armed with knife and fork
the incorrigib would turn upon and massacre
the attendants. But the utter folly of both was
early manifest. A boy untaught in table manners
could never find home, and then there is no
nature so lost that love, cordially and intelli
gently directed, fails to reach Then it became
-, 4Na 1,oxri
ual and moral nature he must be comfortable
and wellfed Accordingly, the tin plates and
tin cups disappeared, a spread of white oicloth
scrupulously clean, and elegant table sets, were
provided. Great fat roasts and other solids de-
manded the use of cutlery. Cheerful decorum
is required. Gods blessing is supplicated and
the boys proceed to fill up after the manner of
Christians. The spectacle of this healthy feed
ing would enrapture Mayor Caven or Mr.. Gallup
Many when first brought here know nothing
of table manners, nothing of personal cleanli-
ness and abominated with the filth that
such ignorance would imply. The cook is re
quired to instruct boys in cooking. The carpen-
ter is teacher of carpentry instruction is
given in shoemakng tailoring farming every
thing. This season a million brick were made
and several houses, that would adorn any street
in indianapolis, erected. The superintendent
told the builders that they were to instruct the
boys in the art of building. Several of them OBJ
iected, saying, ''That will be too much trouble
1 would rather do the work myself"
Gentlemen" was the reply, ''this is school
You are not employed to lay brick and build
houses but to teach these boys how to lay brick
and build. If you are neither disposed nor able
for that duty, we cannot use you" In the course
of the season two or three of the teachers were
discharged for breaking rules and for giving to-
bacco to the boys otherwise the work progressed
satisfactorily. Now boys, said the superin-
tendent to them 'who desires to learn this trader"
Several hands went up. AS many of the proper
age as could be instructed were permitted to
enter upon the work, after this caution: 'The
boy who ceases to take interest, and becomes
lazy will be sent to the work house in disgrace
You are expected to master this trade" Only a
few fell by the wayside, and majority of them
became excellent mechanics. Boys dismissed
from the institution are earning full wages as
carpenters brick-makers, masons, plasterers
shoemakers and tailors Every employe is
teacher
The introduction of machinery on the farm
$1,000 H. .l - 6