Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-09-09
A CONVICT SCHOOL.

"A OON VIII DOi1OOL.
RESULTS OF A SINGULAR EXPERT
MENT IN PRISON MANAGEMENT.
The System Pursued in the Reformatory
at Elmira, n. Y.-Kow Thorough and
Lasting Reform Is Obtained-The Intel
| hgent Criminals Mentality.
A most interesting product Of convict labor
is in the shape of a little book Of 100 or
more pages, grouping together number Of
papers and reports regarding the singular
experiment In prison management which has
been in progress for some years at the FL
mira reforuatory. It IS printed by the pris-
oners themselves. Comparatively little
seems to be known by the general public re-
garding the Elmira system Only such con-
victs are sent there as are between the ages
Of 16 and 80 and have never been in state
prison before. They are sentenced for an in
definite term, subject to the discretion of the
board Of managers, but cannot be detained
longer than the maximum period for which
law. II, for example, man has been con-
victed Of burglary, he may be kept in Ell
mira for ten years, but no longer, because
that Is the maximum sentence under the
law. But If the management, or rather the
superintendent, Mr.. Brockway-who is prac-
ticaIly the head Of the nstitution-believes
from bis record there that he will lead an
honest life on emerging, he may he dis
L.
To obtain bis release he must get perfect
record In three branches-for conduct, zeal
and efficiency as workman, and proficiency
and diligence as scholar. In this latter field
is found the Distinguishing character of the
Elmira system. 1t Is, in fact, school for
convicts, and the results are surprising. On
the average, It is said, 60 per cent. of the con-
victs released from state prisons find their
way back, but thus far 80 per cent of the
discharges from the Elmira reformatory dur
ing tho eight years the experiment has been
continued are believed to be permanent
reformations The full significance of this
will not be understood unless it is renem-
bered that in tho newer prisons every i'm
provement has been introduced, not incon-
sistent with proper discipline, looking to the
health and general well being Of convicts
The Elnira system proceeds upon the
principle that thorough and lasting reform
can only be obtained through a decided
change in the Intellectual character Of the
convict. Christmas dinners, the privilege
Of reading good books, and an occasional
holiday, which arc conspicuous among
the ameliorating features Of life in vari-
GUS prisons. are not believed TO furnish
sufficient radical treatment. AT Elmira the
convict is not invited to read. Ee is COM
PEELED to study and to work over his books
Rs he does over bis bench in the workshop,
because it is only by making perfect record
as scholar as well as in the other two
branches that he can shorten his sentence.
The schools are held in the evening after the
eight hours Of labor required in tho shops
have been performed. The subjects run as
far up as the higher mathematics, American
and English history, politics, English litera-
ture and political economy. One Of the
classes was in practical ethics. This began
with only seventy pupils, because the con-
victs seemed averse to the idea Yet inter-
est in it grew SO rapidly that the member
ship increased to about eight hundred. The
discussions turned upon practical questions
in the morality of daily life and had no bear
ing upon religious dogma, so called.
The course in English literature became SO
popular that the class increased in less than
q year from sixty to more than 500-five-
sixths Of the entire convict population. The
account given by the school secretary Of tho
growth of this course in popularity reads al
most like a fairy tale. No regular class meet
ings were held except at examinations, but
the study was followed in private by each
prisoner, with helps and suggestions through
circulars or in talks with the instructor The
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 litera-
ture was regarded at the outset as nuisance
by the men selected to form the class. They
looked upon it as another method of making
it difficult for them to earn the marks which
would be necessary to secure release. Many
showed great distaste for the study, and
some exhibited positive anger. Yet it was
not many months before the corridors of the
prison any night showed curious spectacle
-convicts poring over the Canterbury tales,
the story of Evangeline, and even pages Of
Bacon and Browning.
The experience Of those engaged in this
work is directly against the theory that in
tellectual development only increases the
capacity Of the criminal for wickedness
They find, on the other hand, that even the
SO called Intelligent criminal seems mentally
deficient as soon as he passes ont Of the groove
in which he has been accustomed to exercise
his cunning. He takes narrow and distorted
views Of life. The process Of intellectual cul-
ture which is carried on in shis Institution,
they believe, broadens tbs convict's mind
until he is lifted out OF this narrow groove
and is able to SEQ the wisdom of good morals.
The experiment is unique and may have
most important influence upon the future Of
penal science.-New York Tribune.