Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1889-06-29
THE REFORM SCHOOL.
The Result Of DR.. Lindley's
Visit to the East.
THE OPEN SYSTEM THE BEST.
How Institutions of This Kind Are
Conducted in Other Parts of
the United States.

WhlCh hO uu0C III NOAhPdbJ "ANA
party, whose special purpose it was to
visit and examine into the management
of reform schools. DIR. Lindley's brother,
Hervey Lindley, is one of the trustees
for the new institution, which is soon to
be put into operation at Whittier, known
as the California State Reform School
for Juvenile Offenders. The party con-
sisted Of the Hon. Josiah Simms, of
Nevada City, who is one of the trustees
of the new institution; ]. NJ. Damron,
who is the author of the bill creating the
school; and R. B. Young, the architect.
Several of these gentlemen were accom-
panied by their wives.
The party visited Reform institutions at
the following places: New Orleans, Gin
cinnati, Washington, Philadelphia, New
York (Blackwell's Island, Winchester,
N. Y, Boston, Sockanosset, r. l., Mer-
iden, Conn.,, and PlaiI field, Ind. Sew
eral members OF the party also visited
the institutions at Pontiac, ILL.,, and Lam
sing, Mich.
A reporter of the HERALD visited Dr.
Lindley yesterday afternoon and asked
him variety of questions concerning
the information gained by the party upon
the trip.
'"The effect" said he, "of our study
and inspection of all these different in
situations ought to have the effect Of
helping US to make our State School the
model of the country. The other States
have passed through long period of ex-
pertinent and have, at last, evolved a
very successful system. We have the
benefit Of their experience, and it is the
intention OF the Board of Trustees to
avail themselves of it in the highest
degree.
"The difficulty in planning and ope-
rating institutions of this character is to
prevent their defeating the very object
for which they are designed-that of
reforming, not Furnishing, the inmates.
There is great deal of difference be-
tween q reform school and a peniten.
tiary. While the evil-doer is young,
there is always hope that he may change
his ways and become an estimable man.
The boys who are committed to these
schools are not always criminals; many
of them are simply incorrigible urchins,
whose parents cannot govern them, who
will not attend school, and who, if LETT
uncontrolled, are likely to drift into evil
ways. An institution which protested to
be reformatory might be of an exactly
opposite character, and have the effect
merely of restraining the bad conduct of
the boys or girls while they were there,
and turning them out hardened crimi-
mails.
"The old fashioned Reform School was
nothing but species of penitentiary.
The inmates were treated as prisoners.
There were barred windows, locked
down, and high stockade fence. The
new Reform School is conducted on an
entirely different principle. No effort is
made to keep the inmates from escaping
and everything is done to make their
Life in the school 30 pleasant that they
will have no desire to leave.
"But the unique feature of the new
system, wherein it has enormous advan-
tage over the old, is what is called the
Open Cottage Plan Instead of one
enormous building, in which the way
ward youths, of whatever sort their pre-.
vious life and character may be, were
huddled together, the worst ones to cor
rupt the better, in the new plan the resi-
dence houses are small houses in
which not more than fifty boys or girls
are allowed to live. There is Usually a
central building where the chapel, the
offices, and perhaps a factory of some
kind is located. Around this, are farm
or piece of good land large enough to
produce plenty of vegetables for the con-
sumption of the inmates, and the cot
tages, each one, presided over by man
and his wife, assisted by a special teach
er. The boys sleep in large rooms, In
separate cots. They are thrown as far
as possible upon themselves for self
government, and in many of the insti-
buttons, it is remarkable to what success
this is carried.
The old institutions, which have not
adopted the "open cottage plan," are
shat off from many of the advantages
which the others enjoy. At Blackwell's
Island there are 900, for example, in one
establishment, and in Westchester there
are $500. In dealing with such numbers
it is, of course, necessary to enforce a
strictness of discipline which can be
easily dispensed with in less compli-
Gated system.
.What do the boys do with their time ?
The system was the same in most of the
institutions that we visited. They work
at some regular trade or occupation for
five hours of the day. They are taught
tailoring, shoemaking, willow chair
weaving, type setting, and other trades
not requiring much machinery. In the
Westminster Protectory there is large
and very successful electro-typing
establishment. During four hours
of the day they attend school
and those who show special aptitude
often succeed in becoming very well
educated. At Westchester, which is a
Roman Catholic establishment, and one
of the best schools OF all those we visited,
there is for the girls large class where
typewriting and shorthand are taught.
The girls become quite proficient, and on
their departure from the school obtain
good positions. The girls, as rule, are
taught cooking, shirt-making, glove-mak-
ing, etc;
is made, as far as possible, to grade the
inmates, putting those together who
are likely to receive the most
benefit and the least injury
from one another's society. Boys
of and 10 are often received, and these,
instead of being put with those who are
older and are likely to lead them into evil
ways are kept by themselves. When boys
reach Is years of age they are allowed
to leave, and if at any time before this
the authorities think that they have
received sufficient benefit from the insti-
tuition to get along without its aid, they
are allowed to 60 on species of ticket
of-leave. Their course is watched for
three years, and by that time, if all goes
g.