New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-08-12
vanced realism which one or two propneuc
writer's have already produced.
A CONFLICT SCHOOL.

~
getbcr number Of papers and reports regarding
tho singular experiment in prison management
which has been In progress for some years at
tho Elmira Reformatory. IL Is printed by the
r,isoners themselves. Comparatively little seems
70 be known by the general public regarding inc
Tlmira system Only such cOnvicts are sent
,boro rs arc between the ages of sixteen and thirty
ond have never been in State prison before
Thov are sentenced for an indefinite term. sub
ioct "a the discretion Of the Board OF Managers
Init cannot be detained longer than the maximum
period for which they might have been imprisoned
under the law. If, for example, man has oech
convicted of burglary, he may be kept in Elmra
for ten years but no longer, because that is the
maximum sentence under the law. But IL the
management, or rather the Superintendent Mr.
Rrocl,vay-who is practically the head OF the
Observation-Disclosures from his record there that
he will lead an honest life on emerging, he may
be discharged at any time after one year
To obtain his release he must get perfect
record in three branches-for conduct zeal ana
efficiency as o workman. and proficiency ana
diligence as d scholar In this latter held IS
found the distinguishing characteristic Oh tne
Elmira system. 1t Is, in fact school 1or con-
victs and the results Surprising. On the
average it is said slAty per cenc
OF the convicts released from State prisons ma
their way back but thus far 80 per cent OF the
discharges from the Elmira Reformatory during the
eight years the experiment has been continued are
believed to be permanent reformatons The 1ul
significance OF this will not be understood uhiess
il is remembered that in the newer prisons every
Improvement has been introduced not inconsistent
with proper discipline, looking to the health and
general wc-being OF convicts. Strenuous efforts
have also been made to surround them with cheer
ful and eevating Influences but it cannot be dis
covered that the proportion Of reformatlons has
greatly increased.
The Elmira system proceeds upon the principle
that thorough and lasting reform can only be
obtained through a decided change liz the intcF
lectual character OF the convict. Christmas DIN
ners the privilege Of reading good books ana an
occasional holiday, which are conspicuous among
the amelora ting features Of life in various prisons,
| are not believed to furnish sufficiently radlcai
| treatment At Elmra the convict is not invited
| TO read TIc is compelled to study and to WORK
| over his books as he does over his bench in the
workshop because it is only by making perfect
record as u scholar as well as in the other two
| branches that he can shorten his sentence. Inc
schools are held in the evening after the eiSht
hours of labor required in the shops have been per-
| formed. The subjects run as far up as the hlgher
| mathematics, American and English history, poll
| ties, English literature and political economy
| One of the classes was in practical ethics
| This began with only seventy pupils
because the convicts seemed averse to the idea
Yet interest in it grew so rapidly that the MEM
bership increased to about 300. The discussions
turned upon practical questions in the morality Of
daily life. and had no immediate bearing upon re-
| ligiOus dogma, so called.
| The course in English literature became so popu-
Lar that the class increased in less than year from
| sixty to more than 50O-tive-sXths OF the entire
| convict population. The account given by the
| school secretary Of the growth or this course IN
popularity reads almost like q fairy tale No
regular class meetings were held except at examl-
nations, but the study was followed in private Dy
each prisoner, with helps and suggestions through
| circulars. or in talks with the instructor. Inc
| history of English literature was taught through
| leaflets prepared by him, while the texts OF the
| great masters were read by the pupil. each being
| assigned every month portion OF an author for
| study As with the subject OF practical morality,
| English literature was regarded at the outset as
n nuisance by the men selected to form the class
They looked upon it as another method OF making II
difficult for them to earn the marks which woulo
no necessary to secure a release. Many showed a
great dlstaste for the study, and some exhibited
nos,tivc amer Yet IT, was not many months be-
a curious spectaclc-convicts porting over the
Canterbury tales. the story Of Evangeine. and
even RACES of Bacon and Browning II one could
realize, says the secretary, the mental processes
of n tough from the slums OF the metropolis VINO
after passing up from class TO class of our school, Il
forcod TO appy his intellectual faculties for the
arst time to the careful reading of an essay OF Ma
caulay or u poem OF Goldsmith, to enter in short
the terra incognita of good literature and II ono
could then conceive Of the state of the same tough
when after six months Of application with grow
ing susceptibility, he reads up for pure pleasure
the history Of the Renaissance searches the page
Of Dante for illustrations of the text Of CHANGER
ransacls our reference library for specimens o
eorlv English; if one could do this he could com
3 nrcbend in some measure what has been done BY
orr class in English Literature" Such worl
cannot be DONE OF course, with men who wer
wholly uncultivated Some were well educated
and all had been stimulated and developed by tn
carrier studies.
The experience of those engaged in this worl
r is directly against the theory that intellectual
DEVELOPMENT only increases the capacity of tn
, criminal for wickcdncss. They find, on the othe
; hand. that even the so-caed intelligent crlmina
seems mentally deficient as soon as he passes GU
. Of the groove in which he has been accustomed t
exercise his cunning lie takes narrow and dis
C torted views of life The process of intellectual
culture which is carried on in this institution, the
G believe broadens the convicts mind until he
lifted out of this narrow groove and is able 10 Sc
u | the wisdom Of good morals The experiment
e unique, and may have most important lhhuenc
/, upon the future Of penal science
--
/ rs He DEMENTED'