Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1888-06-08
A WONDERFUL ExnIBIr.
The Work OF the State Board or
Charities for the Ohio Centennial.

Chnrltles Tor the Ohio Centennial.
We take the following extract from
lengthy and complete account of what the
State Board OF Charities are doing 10 illus-
trate at the approaching Centennial ut
Columbus the progress OF the world In the
treatment Of the unfortunate aud Grimm
u classes:
"ln no department has the world made
greater advancement during the past hun
dred years than in the treatment, cure and
education OF lis unfortunate aud criminal
classes, The stocks, the c,t-o'-ninc-lnil.,
the brutal schoolnaster's club, the infrm-
AIRY directors rod and miserable fare, the
fifth and iuIlumanily of jails either have
disappeared or are fast disappearing, aud
newer aud better methods are taking their
place. The wider aud deeper culture of
the people aud the consequent broader
| humanitnrianism Of the world have rele-
gated to the past the horros Of public
punishment and executions; the work OF
| exposure IN the methods of ignorant and
vicious schoolmaslers begun by Charles
Dickens has gone on until the educational
systems OF the day are more wonderful
than the schools of philosophy that -four
ished IN the days OF Grecian glory; the in
firmary horrors, 80 viyidly described by
Edward Egleston, are not all gone as yet,
but are fast fading away under the lgh,
and warmth of careful inspection and hu-
name regulation; while the scken ing
scenes that were once so common in prisons
and insane asylums have been banlshed 10
ignorant and unenlightened sections, and
are being hunted on; of even their precincts.
"Nowhere has this march OF progress
made greater advance than in the land
which, hundred years sgo. was known as
the Northwest territory, and save for few
hardy and courageous pioneers was inhab
tied by only the wild beast and wilder In
dian. The eleemosynary institutions which
have been founded in Ohio and adj lining
states stand at the very head of the list in
the new world and in the old, while IN the
penal establishments the broader ideas of
reform and correction, rather than of blind
aud brutal punishment, have been given
full sway. In Ohio especially have the au.
thortIes taken an advanced sland-the es-
tablishment OF chillren's homes, the build
ing of improved iufirmaries and jails, the
organization OF unequaled asylums for
deat-mutes, blind and imbecie children
and the enactment of laws for the reforma-
tion OF young culprits and for r more rig
id treatment OF habitual criminals attract
ing the attention Of the whole world.
"lt seems therefore, most appropriate
thing for the officers uf the board OF state
charities TO prepare an exhibit for the GEN.
tennial to show the advancement that has
been made during the past hundred years
IN the departments under their supervision
DIR. A. G.. Byers, secretary of the board, has
about completed his plans for the exhibit
which will add to its intrinsic merit the
attraction OF being the first OF its kind
made.
Zone OF The most important and inter-
esting features of this department of the
exposition will be an exhibit showing all
the improved methods Of instruction Of
leaf-mute, blind and feeble-minded youth.
Very few people have adequate ideas of
the wonderful results that are reached in
the education of these unfortunate classes
1t is generally thought that the INN ates
of the Imbecile asylum spend most Of their
time staring into vacancy, or uttering un-
meaning glbberish. The fact Is, however
that there Is seldom found person so des
titute OF the usual faculties that he car
do nothing, On the contrary, nature seem,
to have adopted rule Of compensation BY
which when she obscures one or more men
tai faculties, she makes others shine al
the more brightly and there are very few i'm
beetles who cannot be taught enough tc
make them seli-snprortng. In order Ia
lead the fnll-powered faculties through
the maze OF rubbish and dead timber that
retards them, The most skillful teachers
must be employed and the most successful
methods must be adopted, and that is ex
actly what has been done AT the Ohio In
stituliuh for Predetermined Youths"