Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1885-03-28

principle he gives an account OF the
Reformatory at Elmira, New York,
/ from which we make brief extract. 1t
is State institution to which prison
ers between the ages of 16 and 30, who
have not previously been convicted of
any crime, are sent at the discretion of
the Judge. Mr.. Warner says:
| Let us follow a man in this institu-
tional life. Upon his reception he is
subjected to bath, clad in the plain
/ suit that is worn by the intermediate
grade, and locked up in cell for a
| day or two, to give him time for re-
! Election. He Is then taken before the
! superintendent who makes thorough
examination of him, a complete dag
nosis of his physical, mental, and NOR
al condition. His antecedents are
ascertained, the habits and occupation
/ o. his parents land grandparents, if
possible,) whether they were temper
| ate or incorporate, lived cleanly and
/ honestly, and otherwise; what the
mans home life was, If he had any,
and at how early years he was turned
loose upon the world; what the crime
| for which he was sentenced. An ex-
animation is then made of his physical
condition, his inheritances, and not
| simply the actual state of his health,
| but his physical texture, whether fine
or coarse-grained. His intellectual
capacity is next ascertained, and then
his requirements. Is he bright or
dull, can he read and write, and how
far has his education gone? Inquiry
is then made into his moral condition;
has he any sensibility, any shame, any
susceptibility to praise or blame :?
| What sort of moral fiber has he? AT
ter keen investigation of an hour or
so, Mr.. Brockway thoroughly knows
his man; long practice and a very
deep knowledge of human nature en-
able him to diagnose the case pretty
accurately. The subject finds himself
in the presence of a man who proba-
bly, wins his confidence, and whom, he
very soon discovers, it is of no use TO
try to deceive. The result of this ex-
animation is entered at length on the
page of big ledger; the superintend
ent commonly outlines at the bottom
the proposed treatment; and the new
conner is instructed in the rules of the
institution and what is expected of
him, and what he must do in order to
"get out"
He goes at first into the second, or
intermediate grade, and it depends
upon himself whether he goes up to
the first or down to the third. He is
made to understand the minute rules
of behavior that he must attend to; he
is assigned to the class in school fitted
10 his capacity and requirements, and
be is put into the workshop that Is
best adapted to his health and train
ing. He is informed of the maximum
time for which he can be detained,
and that he can, by perfect conduct in
these lines OF effort, win hiSrelease in
one year. To effect this he must gain
a certain number of credit marks; and
these credit marks are constantly lia-
BILE To be cancelled by negligence or i'll
behavior. He is tested at every step
by the mark system. In the shop he
is marked according to his diligence,
his sharp attention to his work, his
voluntariness at his labor. Ii he is
lislless, Sights his work and does not
give his mind and energy to it, he not
only misses credit marks, but he will
get discredit marks There is no es-
cape for him; he must work with a
will. In behavior he must be perfect
in obedience'of the many and minute
rules laid down, of which he is fur
nished printed copy. In school he
is required to study according to his
capacity, and the marking is much the
same as in well regulated high school.
D,,t HI 10 hn L. hn-
havior he will pass in school if he
Us he enters upon this course of disci-
pline and study, an account is opened
with him in another big ledger.
The process of his release is this: II
he is reported perfect in three things,
labor, school and cOnduct,-for each
of which three marks are required
each month, nine in all, for six months,
he is advanced to the first grade. If he
remains perfect in the first grade for
six months more, gaining nine good
marks each month, he may then at the
discretion of the managers, be sent out
on his parole. But he is not released
on parole until place is found for
him, in which he can get employment |
and earn his living. If his friends |
cannot find place for him, or he will
not be received back into his former
if he had any, the insti-
tuition places him by means of cores |
pondence. On parole he must report |
his conduct and condition every |
month to the superintendent, and |
this report must be Endorsed by some
one of known character. If the pa
ii 30 hnb q,
six months, he receives his final dis |
rested, brought back, and must begin
over again.
The grades are three, and they mark
difference in privileges.
The tirst-grade men wear light blue
uniform with a military cap. They
occupy better cells than the others.
They dine together in the large mess
room, at small tables, accommodating
eight to twelve, and are permitted to
talk freely, and to spend the noon
hour in social intercourse. Up till
a summary of the news of
the day, culled from the newspapers,
was read To them once a week at table,
but there is a substitute for that now.
They have somewhat better food than
the other grades. When they march
from cells to workshops, to dining
room, etc, they march in columns Of
Jour, and they are officered by cap
AIMS and sergeants, chosen by the SUI
from their own number
Monitors in the corridors, clerks and
officers for the next grade are chosen
rom them. Besides their privileges,
, measure OF confidence is reposed in
hem, but they are also under strict ,
and are liable to be degrad-
ID for neglect of duty or failure to re-
port delinquencies in their capicity as
monitors and sub-officers. The second.
,r intermediate, grade wear citizens /,
lress, with Scotch caps. They march
n columns of two, oficered by mem.
,ers of the first grade. They take their ,
meals in their cells, and have generally .
ess privileges than the first grade. :
The third, or convict, grade, wear suits
4 red clothes, eat in their cells, march g
n the degraded prison lock-step, are |