Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-09-24
ITEMS OF LOCAL INTEREST
REPoRr ON THE FERRIS REFORM
SCHOOL.


A meeting of the board of managers o
the reformatory school was held in til,
office of DIR. Caleb Harlan Thursday af
ternoon, to hear the report of George S
Capelle, Alfred Gawthrop and William ID
Pickels, who were appointed committe,
to visit the Connecticut State Reforma
tory School for boys, which is located al
Meriden, Conn. The committee visited
that institution Inst week, was kindly re-
ceiyed and its report embodied facts
which will prove valuable to the board
of managers of the school here. After
the report had been discussed, the board
adjourned to meet at Woodside on Friday
afternoon, to decide upon alterations and
improvements to be made there.
A meeting of the board of managers Of
the Ferris Reform School was held at
Woodside Friday afternoon. It was
decided TO erect bake and wash houses
and make some alterations in the man
sion. The improvements will be COM
menced at once and completed by the
November term of court.
The board has adopted some recon-
mendations made by George Il. Howe,
superintendent of the Connecticut State
Reform School, at Meriden. MIR. Howe
recommended the open system, devoid OF
all prison appliances and something like
we'll regulated boarding school. The
best plan of home under this system is
the cottage or family system, which pro-
vides for separate families of So boys in
separate cottage having its own
officers, consisting of a man, his wife
and competent feminine teacher.
The salaries of these three officers will
not amount to more than 81 300 per
annum. Mr.. Howe has loaned the board
plans and specifications of one of the
cottages at Meriden, and thinks TINT the
mansion at Woodside can, with slight
alterations, be made TO accommodate one
family of so boyS. For future increase
he recommended the erection of ad-
ditional cottages. Regarding the increase,
he does not think there will be more than
100 boys admitted during the first
three years and there probably will
not be more than 25 or 80
the first year. He is of the opinion that
boys should be committed until they are
2l years old, during which period they
can be dismissed from the school but
will still be under its control. Many boys
are prepared to leave such schools on
probation within year. After school
is in fair running order, after it has
existed two or three years, the
number of inmates seldom increases,
it generally being diminished by the boys
being indentured. In indenturing boys
to farmers or mechanics, it is the custom
to allow them. in the presence of the
superintendent, to make their own bar
gain and without any indenturing papers.
In reform schools all boys are required to
work f1om five to six hours each day, to
study three, and go to bed at o'clock in
the evening, the balance of the time being
diverted to play or reading. Some lads
are employed ut Gaming chairs
and making brooms and clothing,
but most of them are employed
in the laundry, bakehouse, dining and
sleeping rooms, or on the farm. Many
prefer the last. Mr.. Howe recommended
that the farm at Woodside be kept under
the boards control; and that man who
understands farming and is acquainted
with the reformatory work be employed
to superintend it. Such man, he says,
could be secured for $40 per month.