Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-01-14
STATE REFORM SCHOOL
The Annual Report of Councillor
Wood of the Visiting Committee


/ have made regular monthly visits to the
I school as required by law. and have the pleas
ure Of reporting that no complaints of a
seriou. nature have come To nv knowledge.
E The committee have inspected all departments
Of the school at nearly every yisit-rhe several
schools while in session, the chair shop.
mechanical department, the dormitoEy,
hospital, dining hall kitchen, bath ROOM
and have found everything neat, clean, and
orderly. No complaint Of the food given the
boys has reached me : on the contrary every
boy questioned concerning what he hal to
cat has stated that he hal enough and that it
vas good fool
The boys have made frequent use Of the
letter box, not always for entering complaints
but often to tell the committee how they were
getting on, many containing the cheerful
intelligence that the writer was well and
happy and getting up in grade. \ large
number Of the BOYS seem to consider il a
great privilege to be called up by the COM
mittee, and many of their letters, after giving
an account Of the writer's struggles for the
month, his successes and failures, would
close with request to be called up
When ushered into the room alone with the
committee aud asked hat he wanted, often
the reply came, Nothing only wanted to
see Mrs Hunt, and tell the committee how
was ye,,ing along And after G.tening IN
tho cheerful and ,no,berIv word. of Mr..
HINT tho bov ,could return feeling have
I M dotl, mare manly and AZ least an inch
taller than when he came in.
The few complaints which have come to
the knowl ledge Of the committee during the
year when investigated have proved 10 be
groundlcss or frivolous. and the boys making
them when reasoned with or had the matter
r,nIaineJ IN tben have Admired that they
w,r,. +, the .yor, and that tho rula. Of tho
s,l,,,.t ,v.r,. mot rnrecessariIv e,,ctiog II
; /. 10 he eYnect.J with one hundred and
thirteen bovs brouoht toge,her from snch
homes ar ,rant az homa. a. tha.a hovs came
/ fron, ,bere would he moro or loss friction
and vel Doubt If thcre ha. been NOR. at rho
Reform School than in MANY of our common
country schooI.-certainlv M moro than at
Tia. Iittle rcd school bous3 ,rher. attended
,,hcn "a how
II must be admitted by all who are con-
ver.ant Win The institution that the STATE j..
DOING a mobile work Of charity far theso I'M
f,rtunat. hoys and We, am sure il il nnt
doin, its full dntv When tho state takes
, ho, iutn rho Reforn, Scbool il assur,os TO
do fnr him all that a nayent stould do and l.
in drt, bnund IN ,,ive rim, GOOD moral ami re-
liginrs instruction and a cnmmon .rbooI cd.
ucatinn and in This the State its full
dutv Tho resnonsibilitv of the STATE docs
/ mot c.as. here h, opv ra,ns If a how i
con,nctI.d IN remain il, tho schooI untiI no ia
niyhtopn ar t,yent,, vears If 400 he sbouId
/ he ton,,bt some means of ,,,ining a livelihood
whnn h. /. set NJ liberty f. ia trun many nf
tho bovs learn tho business of farming and
,ll lou, IN hottnu chairs Rut some how
Ga ,i,.iikc f.r,ni,,,, and ,b, o,,ie, r.tirau,.r,
+ of c,n,,,ry lif. no, tI,oy nraf.r ia liv., IN =,
+ ,i,y '.ye, ;f ,h.y h,v,. IN hoo, or st.,I thnir
/ fnnl apd lnJgc IN tho statio9 hon.e. whiIe
~ h,,gi,.,,. ~ l,,,,,,,,i,,, ,,s,,at ehoir,
/ ga limited ,h,t fa,y co,ntar,tiy.lv can fud
cr,Jnynen, in tl,is ,ir.ctinn rho ,occbani-
cal J.,artnent urder thn management If ite
rnu,,,,c,t ,nJ g.rtIcm,plv Snnor;ntend.r,
1 Mr. Kcnnisnn il a hInssing IN many Of the
4 hnys U.ro thn, ara. ,,;,an instruction in tho
NV. If tn,Is and thc rorkin,, If wood mini
thcy are ouitp proficient rarpenters and
sou,nl,.s of tb.;- han1iyork ara. foupI !, and
,h,nt the srbnoI bnilIirgs which wouIJ do
,raIi, ia NAM. , bryt-cI.ss ,,nrLp,ar In
M, judgement the STAT, .hopll ma1r liberal
,,,,.s,',,r;a,;,,,s orl,r,,a this fnatnro
~ ,h,! s,hnsI so th,t. All M. boys ,,bo Jn.ir.
!, r,r Pom il. hrnrft. win rho small
s,,,,o ,syi,,,o,l,bis dcn,rtr,ert only tv,Iva
( h.,.. .,,,I,,,rl -, ,", t;mn ,rbosc tvcly.,
vnrk baIfo ,Iav and twelve more the re-
NAMING half ,lnv constituting fulI class of
t,,rnty-four which ar, ali tbat can ne t,u,bt
a, nns timr thi. usrfu1 brarch If industry
re.prctfully recommend the nrxt Ipyisl.tnre
tn annro,ri,ta , .,m If money sufficient 10
c,,lar',.. tIi. ,lanartn,e,t and establish others
of bt, nat,r. sn th,t ,u bnvs cam h, in
.truct.J in some us.fuI trade which will
eu.Il,. tbrm to At once find some resuertablr
rn,nloyn,.nt when th.v leave the scbnol
Tbr SIAN. can mover discharge il. fun obli-
y,nons IN the bnvs brought nnder its care
mil ann. ,u.,,. ,,rr aJnntr1 IN senarato the
nll.r,nI mar, yicio,s HAYS fr,m tbosc who
ar. .,n, IN the school for cnmmitting some
r,i,or ,,tf.r,, aud vbn ,re naturally gonI
hnys h,,t Who Inv, f,lIc, i,,to hal babits
frnm l,rk nf pronrr instruction and the min
+ ..,,,.,.,r .,,.,t I,,,,.,s II j. s,1 f.r, tL,t
man. hn,. .,nt :, tbc srbooI are confirmed
.',l'lna'', anu 'uGi' /" paw n''h Sent ~ Jai
L.. ain, ,,,,,,,ror bo,s ., .,ptamir,to and