Morning journal and courier., 1885-04-15
CONGREGATIONS.
The Reform school Boys.

To the Editor of the JOURNAL COURIER: In the Reform school last November were 4O7 boys; of these 232 had been received dur ing the year, 36 upon old commitments and g upon their own motion; 232 had been dismissed during the year, of whom 204 were sent back to the old homes from which the State had rescued them. So that the average time of remaining at the school is somewhat less than two years, and the State only takes them when they are under sixteen years old it follows that nearly ell the 204 are less than sixteen years old when the State sends them back to the same old evil associatia6s and evil companions who broughtz em to trouble; and, saddest of all, it sends them there with nothing to do, idle hands that easily go back to the old ways. Two years is not enough to permanently wean these boys from their old habits.
 The law now gives the trustees power to bind out these boys with their consent or, that of their parents or guardians. The law ought to give the trustees power to bind them out without their consent. If they were boys who know such a course would be best for them they would rarely be in the school at all; it is precisely because they make the wrong choice that the State with out their consent takes them into the school in the beginning and after a few months it sends them out without providing them any employment any person specially respon- sible for their being trained in a knowledge of some good business that shall give them a living and chance to become good members of society.
 A bill is now before the legislature care fully drawn and intended to remedy this glaring defect in the law. It is approved by the trustees of the Reform school with a. single exception and by the superintendent, by all the Committee on Humane Institutions and has been passed unanimously by the Senate; it has been rejected by the House, and committee of conference has been pro posed. It is q bill certain to save from six to eight thousand dollars year to the State and enable the State to really accomplish the work it undertakes by the school. Now with the present plan the State, rescues over two hundred boys from bad homes, to drop most of them back into the same places after less than two years training
 The bill is objected to because someone has seen the need of it and is urging it's adop- tion. The bill provides that the board of trustees shall appoint an agent to do this work for the State, save this money and the boys, and it further provides that that agent shall be paid fair days wages for fair days work; less than $2 for every boy pro vided with good home and less than $1 for every $5 he will save the State.
 The atrocious part of it is that the man who has seen the need of this change of the law and has urged US adopt1on mlght poss1- bly, be appointed by the board of trustees to do the very work he calls attention to. He has done marvelously we'll in a precisely similar work in the Industrial School for Girls but not being able to give all his time gratuitously to the State it is proposed to pay some agent to do this work
 It is proposed in the House to defeat this wise and humane amendment merely be. cause the trustees may possibly appoint the man of all others in the State the best quali- fed by experience and common sense and quick sympathy with, and knowledge of, boys, to do this work we'll for them and the State.
 By all means pass the law, even if pro vision is inserted that someone without any experience or special fitness must and shall be appointed as the agent.
 But best of all, pass the bill and put the re- sponsibility of appointing good. agent upon ii trr1st aes of tha Reform school.