Daily Republican., 1885-07-18
The Ferri. Reform school.

The Ferris Reform school.
The Ferris Reform school should be
started and carried on not only with a |
view to con6ne boy from the public |
for the good of the public, but for the |
GOOD OF . boy himself. While the
school is really technical place OF |
confinement answering the purpose OF a |
House Of Refuge for Delaware, the true
intention is to make it place where
. boy can be operated upon BY sound
moral reformatory methods that will,
instead OF making him an outcsst from
society when he 10 discharged, will
make of him useful and good citizen,
With q fair chance Of working his way
up to higher social and business use
fulnees.
In this 1t differs from the Jail, the
only place that Delaware has for the
confinement Of the vicious. II the
latter was ever intended to reform its
inmates, he is but . poor student OF
history who does not see that 1t has
utterly failed Of its purpose. Over the
portals Of the iron gates that lead to the
cell should be written, he who enters
here leaves hope behind"
1t has taken the people Of Delaware
too long to become aware OF the fact
that omsthiag more was needed to
prevent vice and crime than to pu nish
them when they committed. we say
it not for the purpose OF irritation. but
because it Is too sadly true that Della
ware is behind all the other States OF
the Union that are advanced in reform
sentiment 1t should lead In morality
and reform as 1T leads in the variety
and perfectiou of its industries.
What we more particularly wish to
refer to is that, as the Ferris Reform
school is about to be put in operation,
NO pans spould he spared to start it
rs nearly right as possible at rst and
i'm prove afterwards. As We under
stand the provisions for 1t, 1t is to be
place not only for the confinement, but
for the education Of boys to habits of
morals and industry, rather than to
send them to jail where, by associating
With criminals, they become worse than
before.
Fortunately there was one man who
had desire that the good work that
he performed while living should be
carried on after he was dead, and to
John Ferris Is the public indebted for
the princsly bequest Of $4,000 to be
invested in such manner that the
many boy waits Of society, who are its
pests, might be furnished with q place
where as they were dashing down the
stream Of immortality, might find o
refuge-night fnd something they
could lay hold Of until they could es
cape from the vortex Of ruin that staret
them in the face. Through Mr Ferris
muuiacence, the gentleman to WHOM
his beq nest has been committed, hsv
purchased q large farm-one hundre'
and ninety acres, with the usual farm
buildings upon 1t, to be used for th
purpose Intended.
This Is right 30 far. 1t implies q
education In industrial pursuits as we
as literary pursuits, and recognizes IL
fact that both must go hand in hand
effect complete reformation.
But Just here is where the labt
comes in. 1t is easy to purchase farm
easy to meet and organize, and ev'
easy to lay out general outline Of Il
plan to be pursued in the reclamatio
of incorrigible boys. AS a natural r
suit Of the purposes of the organic Alto
none but the worst OF boys will be se
to the institution. They will be ser
there from the Municipal Court, fro
the General Sessions and from the loc
courts presided over by Justices Of t
Peace. The candidates for admissi
will no doubt be numerous, and the p
thence of all connected will be sore
tried at first to know what to do wi
the little outlaws. They must
taught of course that the crime tn
have committed is wrong and that the
is q better destiny awaiting for the
In the future as the reward of mo
and industrious life. They are to
furnished with books for learning a
tools for Industry. Tbs whole disno
ton of the boy is 10 be changed In
objection of industry, honesty a
morality. This is 3 great task to und
take, but we believe that In most ca
it will succeed,
The gu perin sendent d the Ferris
form School, W. d. rcsels, is z
tieman of broad s.d practical views
relation to reicfm. and aided by the
teiligent gentlemen who form the Bo
of Managers, we have no doubt Of
success.
There will be difficulties to overco
however from the hrst Room, in
probability more than can now
found, will be wanted, as no two
should be kept in the same room.
will require considerable expense, "
the revenue Of the in nstitutiou will
bear.
There is, however. = clause in
charter that provides that persons
become members of the institution
payment Of two dollars o year. ]
should be two Thousand friends c
form, yes, five thousand of thel
Delaware who would be glad to
tribute in this manner. Five thol
members would raise fund at on
{ n thousand dollars, which wor
ampla to put the institution in
working order. 1t is better to Civ
do lars a year to reform boys and
good citizens of them, than to pay
tnan that In taxes to support th'
prtsons, where they are beyon'
reach OF reformation. AS the II
ton is about opening we comm
to the con sideration of the pe0T
terested in reform. 1t Is a new
in Delaware, and time will be.re
to make everything work smooth
is a big undertaking to take a
hand who has had no moral ira
and who has been so addicted I
honesty that he cannot see the
there is in it, and train him to
hanoat cit iIru