The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1888-10-03
Essential to Reform.
c. H. O'NEIL.

Now, that we are undergoing an enforced
all occasional day of labor, l hope that
| may not be considered presumptu-
Gus in calling the attention of the authori-
ties to the present. as being most propi-
frequently and respectfully urged through
the columns of THE MIRROR, viz, a school.
In uniting with those who have already
preceded me in request of this kind, am
actuated by no selfish motive, but simply by
a desire to benefit such of my fellow untOr-
Inmates whose former pitiable condition,
has. by reason Of suspension of work, be-
come almost uncomfortable. l allude to those
among us. who for want of. or neglected
opportunities are unable to read or write,
and who constitute very considerable pOr
ton Of our community.
This institution deServedly ranks among
the foremost in the liberality of its admins
tratiOn. and general welfare of its inmates,
but strange to say, the Importance OF estab-
fishing a school has thus far been over
looked. The initiative steps were taken
more than year ago. when one of our
number made the rounds for the purpose of
securing the names of those who desired to
become pupils; but for some reason the
matter has long since fallen into ''innocu-
Gus deSuetude." While we have been dis
cussing the feasibility of the matter, other
states have taken action, and in every case
where such action has been favorable to the
establishment of school, none but the
best of results have followed. In order to
show that we are not alone in our advocacy
of education in prison, and that the idea
did not originate in the fertile brain OF the
subscriber, or any of his fellow cOnvicts, |
beg leave to quote the following extract
from the report OF a prison labor reform
commission of the state of New York.
The commission submitted it's report to the
legislature February s, 1887. The extract
reads: compulsory education, or attend
ance upon class exercises. should be re-
quired OF every inmate of a prison. old or
young. first offenders or incOrrgible. lg-
norant persons of advanced years may not
learn easily, or perhaps not at all. But
even for them to listen to profitable readings
or lectures upon religious, moral or eco
nOmic topics, or to give attention to pro-
gressive educational exercises. can do no
harm and may awaken new impulses.
EDUCATION IS ESSENTIAL TO REFORM.
Eight hours each working day are enough
for convict labor, and two hours may profit
ably be spent in study or class exercises"
Such is the recommendation of those gentle
men. after months of patient and thorough
investigation as to the needs of the New
York prisons. They not only recommend
education as being necessary to reformation,
bnt insist that it should be compulsory.
If this be true of New York. is it not
equally applicable to this. and other states
that are confronted with a like condition of
affairs? If. as is now generally conceded,
the reformation of the criminal is one of
the objects sought to be accomplished by
his imprisonment, how is it to be attained
in the absence of the most favorable con-
ditiOnS? Of what use is library contain
ing the choicest selection of books, from
which many good lessons may be derived,
to person unable to read? \ bible or