The Portland daily press., 1884-12-25

Reports of HHrs. Geo. y. Huns aud HON. j.
A. Locke of the Visiting Committee.

ports upon the condltlon OF the Institution.
The report of Hon. W. W. Bolster, the other
member Of the committee, has been printed:
MRS. HUNTS REPORT.
To His EGcehency the GoUsrnor and the
Honorable Council Of Maine:
1 herewith submit my report as a member
of the visiting committee of the State Reform
School, as required by an act Of the legislature
OF 1883.
Adelaide Proctor, in one of her poems, gives
touching picture of the lives of two children.
Ore is born in sin and Graded in want and
shame. His only inheritance is a taint of
body and soul and as years go by he sinks
into vice and crime. He is branded with
felon's name aud st last dies curse and out
cast of society. The other finds at birth an
atmosphere OF purity and refinement. He s
carefully protected against all allurements of
evil; while every good influence which love
can suggest is thrown around him to make his
life worthy OF his Maker. II is not wonderful,
therefore, that he proves o blessing to the
world, and is remembered as its benefaetor.
These constrasts have come vividly before
me- whenever | have gone from my home on
each monthly visit to the Reform School. NV
mother heart has been deeply touched; and
have longed to see something of the bright
ness OF my OVID childrens lives reflected in
the lives of these boys, whose inheritance and
surroundings have led them into wrong,
have therefore especially endeavored to inn
press upon them that they have been sent to
this school, not for disgrace, bat for REFORM
alton. / have told them that it is the kind
ness of the State which gives them this chaacs
OF redeeming their past; whether the wilful
neglect OF opportunities or their evil environ
aent has brought them to offences against
the law. have assured them that they have
here the possibility OF an education, both ia
moral instruction and in that training which
| may hit them to be useful msmbsrs of society.
One great obstacle in the way of NV making
these thoughts OF real value to them, has been
the knowledge of the short alternate sentance
| to jail. 1t seems to the boys question OF
/ serving ont one or two months in criminal
| confinement with liberty afterward, or being
| kept for wears ia the school. Not intelligent
| enough to understand, that with their vicious
| tendencies. the coveted liberty is the worst
| possible thing for them, this knowledge of the
| alternate sentence causes discontent, and
| often deliberate disobedience of the laws of
| the school. This has been fruitful source of
| annoyance to the committee; and the members
| are unanimous in their conviction that the al
| ternate senteuce should be abolished, or else
| made for q term of years.
| The practice OF recommitting to the school
| boy who has already served one long term in
| it and is again under arrest seems to me
| questionable one. II all the conscientious
| efforts made in the past in his behalf have
| been unavailing, what hope of reformation
| can there be when he has become older aud
| more hardened in vioe. He will only bring
| back into the school evil influences and con-
| tamination for his associates. TO illustrate:
| One boy on his return TO the school, had his
| hatband lined with tobacco, and impure
| literature was concealed about his person.
| Only the vigilance of the superintendent,
| prevented any evil communication In this Case.
Another boy recently recommitted, dictated
| to a boy five years younger letter addressed
/ to the gentlemen of the committee
| which contained language offensive and inde-
| cent. His offence was exposed; but these two
| circumstances from many which might be
/ quoted will serve to justify me in calling your
i attention to this point.
| During the year we have received as com-
| mittee 10S letters, besides twenty or more
| which have been addressed to me in person
| The writer of each letter has been allowed an
| interview with the committee, and In most
/ cases we have found the causes of complaint
| trivial. The boys have written from month to
| month of their advancement in grade, or of
| their efforts to secure it; and have expressed
| much qualification at tho interest manifested
by the committee in their welfare. From
| Nov. Both, 1888, to Nov. 30sh, 1884 there were
| 81 boys promoted to the first class, IA of when
| were unable to keep the nigh rank; 80 boys
| were discharged from the first class having
| earned their release by continued good con-
| duct. The composition, spelling and penman-
| ship of many OF the letters would reflect credit
| upon boys of the same age in any rank of life,
| No one familiar with the management and re-
| suits OF the school can for moment doubt
that it is real blessing to the State. The
| charge OF hundred and more boys, never be-
fore amenable to any restraint, is no light
| duty; but Mr. Harrington has won their re-
| spect by his government of the school, and is
| entitled by his faithful and successful work to
| the confidence of the community.
But one OF the things which I de-
sire this report to express most earn
| esty is my conviction that even better
| results might be obtained by the
| adoption of the cottage or home system. Ins
deed, the composition of such school seems
| TO make this an imperative necessity. Here
| are little boys of eight ten and twelve years
| of age, committed for truanoy or vagrancE,
associated with vicious boys of IS snd 10.
| Again, here are boys from the couutFy SEN
| fenced for petty larceny, but with no knowl-
| edge of ihe vices which the haunts of sin have
made SO familiar to the city criminals. It will
| readily be seen against what odds all reform
| atory efforts are made, when such are the cir
| cumstaDcesi and how much the work would
be simpliied, could the school be divided into
| families, as is the case in other States. A
/ small wooden building, to accommodate 90 or
| % boys, could ba erected at no great cost on
| the school grounds; and with man and his
| wife to take charge of them, association with
| the older boys being forbidden, the home sys-
tenn could be inaugurated Maine has not been
| true to her motto-she has failed to lead in
this important method of reformation. Let
her st least be ready to follow the wise and
| progressive plans of her sister States. Ii NV
/ last suggestion cannot for the present be car
ried ont, would respectfully ask if some plan
| cannot be devised by which more home iniiu-
! ence Can be brought to bsay upon the boys w,en
! they assemble for their meals. The present
1 dining room is we'll warmed, comfortably fur
| nished, is kept scrupulously neat, and during
| the past year pictures and notices havs been
| placed npUn the walls a visitor TO the room
| when iG VAS unoccupied remarked that it was
| much betters ia all its appointments than most
| of the boys had ever enjoyed before or
l would be likely to have in the fu-
ture. Yet when the boys are all
| present at meal time. with their food appor-
| toned to each, aud enforced silence (which
| with SO many seems to be q necessary regula-
| tion,) the effect is depressing. One inyounta-
| rily asks If some arrangement could not be
| made for greater liberty of speech, and better
opportunities for giving the boys an idea of
| table proprietes. Gould not the dining-rooni
be divided by partition so that the first class
boys could eat by themselves, with better and
| more home-ike appointments and the privi-
lege of conversation. This might also supply
| an additional inducement to reach that grade
| by fidelity and good conducr.
/ 1t may be still an open question whether the
fear of punishment or the hope of reward is
| the stronger motive which can be appealed to
/ in a reformatorY institution. But l believe
| strongly in the greater efficacy OF the reward
| system and am therefore gratified to observe
how largely it enters into the plans of govern
| ment of our State Reform School Special
| privileges are granted to the first class boys
| (the rank being graded By good conduet) such
4 dp fioitluS Ou pAUilC u6ysy Atl0Qu1ug
| places of amusement, taking excursions to the
| islands, using the library room and books, and
| in general, every innocent or profitable enjoy
ment which can be suggested by kindness and
| good Judgment.
| At present there are 10Y boys in the school,
| and nearly one-half of these are in the first
| class. All are taught habits of industry Ia the
| sewing room, laundry, kitchen, and the gen.
| eral service of the house. In the cbair-snoD,
| while the trade acquired may not be of benefit
| to the boys in alter years, the nicely OF the
| work which is demanded of them and the
habits OF application which they form, must
| be of great present and future value After
| the required "stint' is done, the boys have an
| opportunity to earn a little money for them
| selves. Occasionally this money is saved from
| week to week till respectable sum is the re-
| suit. One boy has bank account of ten dol
| lars or more, saved from his extra earnings in
the chair shop.
| The establishment of carpenters shop was
| move in the right direction. The work done
| by the boys shows care aud proficiency, and is
| alike creditable to teachers and pupils. Un-
| questionaby the knowledge here acquired will
| De for many boys the foundation OF trade by
| which they will be helped to respectable live
| lhood. j hope that IN the near future print
| ing department will also be established il con-
| nectiop with this school.
| In short time the boys could be made COM
petent to print all the reports of the school, as
| we'll as many of the State docu,Aents Such
| department might thus be in the interest of
| 90 Wa oaO If VII a.