Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1888-01-12

my personal observations, after carefully
weighing the arguments in favor of our method
of employment aud others, and from the fact
that experiments are now being made In other
States that viii later enable us to profit by their
experience, aud from the further fact that we
have now only small number Of convcts up-
Ger the contract system, think we cannot do
better than 10 continue that system for the
present, In a few years the other prison will
he completed and we shall then have more
knowledge upon the subject aud shall risk less
in experimentation. flour contracts are TO be
rc-let We should secure more favorable terms
than We have at present
.rENiTENTIARy AT ANAMosA.
General progress has been made in the con-
struction OF the prison at Anamosa, the work
being prosecuted under the careful personal
attention of the Warden. The building for the
criminal insane is ready For the roof and in
closed hy stone wall Sufficient funds should
be provided for the completion of this depart
meat AS II is sadly needed, AT present, the
criminal insane are confined In the Hospitals
for Insane, and adequate accommodations are
not provided. Their removal 10 new quarters
viii make room for n number OF additional
patients at the Hospitals. Upon the compile
ton of this department., additional legislation
viii be required before IL Is occupied. Work
has also been commenced on the building for
female prisoners. Appropriation should be
made made for continuing the work OF con-
structionand keeping the convicts employed.
Al the beginning OF the period the convicts
numbered 255, and at its close BIB; average
26, The expenditures were Sl1IiiSl4. The
discipline has been good aud the general man,
agement excellent. While the Prisoners Aid
Association is animated by the most generous
and humane motives, In my Judgment the
funds used by that Association would accom-
plish much more good IL placed In the hands
of the Wardcus, and used by them In such
manner as they see proper, 10 secure employ
ment for discharged convicts.
CoNyICTs DECREASING,
The whole number of couvicis In the two
Pcnitentiarics at the beginning of the period
was go; at its close, June 30, 1887, 613; nm In
crease Oft The numccr at the beginning and
close Of the previous period was respectively
Coz and GGi, an increase OF to. During the
period ending June 80, 1881, ~ convicts were
pardoncd out of the Pcnitcutarics aud for
that ending June 30, 1887, l6, January l, 1883,
the whole number Of conVicts was 6iS, These
figures indicate a gratifying decrease In the
number of our Pcnitcntiary convictS n result
largely due, doubt not, To the enforcement OF
the prohibitory law. The complete enforce
mcnt of that law in all parts OF the State will
unqucstionably still further diminish the Grim
inal class.
PARDoNs, SUSPENSIONS, COMPUTATIONS AND
REMlssIoNs.
During the two years closing December 81,
1887, ] have granted conditional pardons,
which may be- revoked nj any time, to ri cou-
victs in the Pcnitrntiarcs, The suspensions
were -, communications ., rCmissions IL. The
suspensions of sentence, which were also con
ditional, include temporary suspensions In
several cases toawait the prosecution OF appli-
cations for pardon, aud In at least two eases
pardons were afterwards granted, so that the
same case appears under the head OF ardons
and also suspensions. There were also five
cases of transfer To the Hospital for the Insane
which are included In the suspensions. In
most of the suspensions the action was only to
release from Jail in cases Of violation OF the
prOhibitOry liquor law, AMI did not release from
the payment Of the Tine imposed. A full nc
count Of these parlons ETC., with the reasons
for granting them, will be presented to the
General Assembly in another communication.
INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL.
The Trcstccs Of the Industrial School IN
their report speak words of gratitude and
congratulatiOn because the institution com
mcncCd In an humble way twenty years ago,
has at last gained good footing among
| the permanent institutions Of the State, and
is doing noble work in its efforts To ''rcscuc
the pcrishiug." Since its beginning $50
children and youth have been under Its in
struction aud care many of whom are now use
ful ana respectable citizens In this and other
States. On the thlrtieth OF June, 1887 there
were in the Boys Department at Eldora $50,
| and in the Girls Department at Mitchelville
liz The expenditures for the period were $780,
b99li. There is need, In the Boys Depart
mcnt especially, of greater facilities for en-
ploymcnt. An idle brain Is the devils work
shop. Perhaps some of our public print
| ing might be done at this school with profit
to il and to the state. This Institution Is one
| Of much Importance, good results are being
secured, and | commend the reports Of the
Trustees and Superintendent to your at
| tcntion, and trust you Will give the
school the support and encouragement 1t
SO justly deserves
| The Superintendent of Public Instruction
Is able 10 report a most satisfactory and pros
| porous condition Of education throughout the
entire State. The number OF school houses,
| their aggregate value, the number Of teachers
and the school population have steadily In
| creased There are now 2,444 school-houscs,
valued at 81 ,3G0,472 The number Of schools
| Is li,S29, and the number Of teachers 4,G15
| The permanent school-fund is gradually in
| crcasing and now amounts To n, lST, S95.W;
and there are 53,.27.sS acres Of school lands
| still unsold. The average monthly wages
| paid male teachers Is $50, and females
S!9l0. The disbursements for 1886 were,
>chool-house fund, ss52 dOG5; c)Lt'ngent
| fund, 81 ,86l 1899; Teachers fund, SiOOs,-
sS3.5i; total, sii,3gi, ii2.42. In the same year
the whole number Of children between the
| ages of five and twenty-one was GiS, 1876, and
there were enrolled In the public schools 49,
| iSS, with an average attendance OF 2Si So,
! The Superintendent reports that the law OF
| the Twenty-tirst General Assembly requiring
| instruction In the public schools IN relation
| to the effects of stimulants and narcotics on
| the human system, has been generally obeyel
! There has been unwllingness on the part of
some parents to purchase the necessary text
| books, but with some amendments, which he
| Suggests, including this and other
points, the Superintendent believes the law
would be well and generally observed. There
has been an increasing number OF teachers In
attendance upon normal institutes.
The last General Assembly, by concurrent
| resolution, requested the Superintendent OF
Public instruction TO embody In his next blcn-
NAL report an exhaustive treatment of the
| subject Of Compulsory Education, and the
| Superintendent deyOtes some forty pages OF
this report to that subject, giving its general
| history the opinions of eminent educators,
and some comparisons Of the United States
| with other countries with reference TO school
| attendance not very Dattcring to our national
| pride. / commend the subject Of compulsory
education TO your thoughtful attention and iu
Gciois action. The people have just pride IN
| their public schools and In the report of the
| is,t national census. which showed that our
| state then had the lowest percentage OF
iitcracy Of any State In the Union. But we
may wcil fear when we look at the small aver
| age Attendance In our public schools In com.
| parisOn with our school population that
| He slIall not maintain our previous adyanc.
ei posilionuulcss some decisive steps are taken
TO bring into the schools Of the State all, or Mt
| least a much larger percentage, of those who
nught To partake Of their advantages Com
| lulsOry education Is not an untricd experiment.
1t Is la successful operation In many of the
| most enlightened and cultivated States and
| Nations Of the world and It may well lie
| considered whether the time has not fully
| come when II ought 10 be adopted In Iowa. In
any judgement Il has and r,coTnend the PAS
sage Of a suitable law IN referancc thereto.