New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-11-15
CONVICTS LEARNING TO READ.
TEACHING A NIGHT SCHOOL IN SING SING.

IEACHlN1 n C'|IlOOb AN PA-'o DAI'Os
A PRACTICAL REFoaM AMONG THE oUTCAsrs-
WORK, NOT MONEY, NEEDED.
Warden Brush, of Sing Sing Prise is large man
whose kindly ways and warm heart have made him
greatly liked by mis- family OF 1.6O0 conyicta He
treats them precisely though they were so many
children while the whole prison regards him in the
light OF father
Come and see my school," said the Warden to q
TK,RuyE reporter, who wa. gong through the great
budiup one evening last week. Then he Iei the way
along the dismal corridors. past long rows Of narrow
cells toy OF tobacco smoke lowered III the air ot the
oall.ries la most OF tue cells the inmates recIin
ing on their cots reading books o. pamphlets and
smoking short stemmed pipes. allow them to
smoke said the Warden, " because Its great com
tort to them and it seems inhuman TO keep it from
them. Friends furnish their tobacco. Those poor
telIows who have ends cheeriully supplied by
their more fortunate companions.'
In the Crea prison chapel the Warden's night school
AS in progress class OF thirty arrayed Ia heir cum
Wet garb were bending over their states. dong
sums" while kcsneyed, bright fellow who had been
a bookkreper and was in for hve-years term tor
forgery was lnsJructin2 them. hait-dozen little
brass lamps furnished dim light. while by sat
a keeper.
How are the children coming long. Sheareri" asked
Mr.. Bush.
..Oh Warden replied the instructor, want you
70 see INV other class. You saw this class when you
were here the time. You must see M other class
so will dismiss this and fetch them In"
The thirty men were told " their cells and
they marched out OF the chapel Presently thirty
file. IN and took their places on the benches Four OF
them were negroes. one was la OF about fourteen
and ome had passed the middle age OF life. Each
Called his sIatr anu rAsS ho"uei schooi-poS
Iii under
Now Warden" sand Convict Shearer gazing at his
class with his features aglow with pride ns Isn't an
hihition Tor they viii say the lessons Tor tonight
tL, same as YOU were not here. Quinn read Your
'1 ne man addressed rose and holding his First
Reader close his eyes, ;uss as boy OF h'e would
have done he slowly repeated
.tm-the-bl-is- S-green-tree. A-nest-is-in
- the tree. In - the - nest - arc -three-green-
'ee ibotll dor said Shcarer ant turning trum-
nban,ly 10 the Warden ana the reporter said g lie
an know mis- letters when no began going to school
'no How old are you - asked the Warden of tho
who had been padlng.
Upward of ntty, air"
Dad you never 80 To SCHOOL peiore'
" Ask biu where be was born I" said the reporter to
the Wsrden. ,y..,. ,..,,.,
out apparcntly noticing the reporters question. The
man sat down and the Warden whispered 10 the re-
porter: .,.,
and II would have hurt his feelings. They're awful
sensitye about their nationality AID don't want 10
say ANYTHING To hurt their feelings"
Then several more read their lessons in the hating,
deliberate fashion of young children They were each
in turn questioned by the " arden and none OF them
knew thau his n ID Is peiofe no Decamo d
pupil OF Convict Shearer
hat man." said the teacher As one fairly good
reader sat down don't know his A Is Us yet. but
RS nickpg Them out. He's learning To read pretty
we'll considering" The negroes were not Leh,nd
their white fellow prisoners III reading; The teacher
said that they displayed great pride IN tner new found
III order not TO ial behind the white men, One young
fellow of twenty spoke with such AN undeniabe Fourth
Ward accent calling the" dc aud with" wid,"
that the reporter VAS prompted to ask him where he
:" From New York city," he responded.
How does it happen interpreted the Warden
that YOU could not sad before you here You
must have had the chance"
g wouldn't stay at home, sir and do as my folks
told mo- replied the young man.
Joe / want you mentally TO multiply 260 by 4 b"
called the teacher. Joe" started to take up his
- o' said Shearer, when / said mentally, l
meant do 1t III your head"
-Four tunes 200 is 500" soloquized Joe. -Four
times 90 is 200; 200 aud 500 LOCO four times 10
is 40-ten hundred aud iorty."
Now say your nine tne.."
The convict repeated tue familiar lines beginning
nine times is nIne" Ut the multiplication table
After that there reading aud ciphering aud
writing II should fater at word his next neigh
Dor was called upon TO help him out" Tho class
uon They psld the closest attention aud instead OF
desperate Law bTt akeTs and burglars. thieves and
murderers their countenances Indicated meeknoss and
childlike simplicity.
- believe that this school Is great help in the
way o reforming them said the Warden. " 1t Is
purely idea OF my own aud have been at II Tor Que
year aud a halt with the most satisfactory results
They want to leara-are keen to do It, Just LOOK Al
those faces there There not hard face in the lot
They do not look deprayed vicious but are just as
simple and earnest children. have place where
they can 20 at night and read school books Every
night OF the week except sunday school goes on
QUE GLASS q night Ttese men though outcasts from
society su have q conscience and not one OF them
commits q crime without he has excused himself TO
himself tor doing IT," -
:. You don't believe in total depravity thenp
No. These men, many OF them are what are csiied
old oien ers and come here time and again. Now they
nearly all believe leave here meaning % live honest
lives but when outside they lind t impossible TO get
bread right of to 20 TO work and they are forced to
steal in order to live believe ii these phanthropsts
would furnIsh work tor released yists instead OF
giving money TO aid them they would be doing them
real service and 10 helping u rue charity"