Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1889-03-29
THE REFORM SCHOOL.
FACTS ABOUT THE STATE INSTlTU-
TlON AT VERGENNES.
How Reckless Children are Transformed
Into Law-Abiding and Thrifty Citizens
Methods of the School-Its Oil
cers-How the Inmates spend
Their Time.

cers-How the Inmates spend
Their Time.
Few State institutions have more impor-
tant functions to perform than the Reform
school at Nergennes having to deal, as it
does with the cIiminally inclined in their
tender years, and making application of the
modern methods of reform. Hon. II. G..
Fisk of Morrisville, chairman of the board
of trustees of the Reform school, was inter
viewed by a representative of the FREE
Press while in this city last week and lie
furnished many points i'll relation to its
inmates and methods which will be
of interest to the public There are at pres
ent IS boys and IS girls in the institution,
two or three having been furloughed since
January and not more than four having
been admitted During the winter the boys
are iemployed in the chair shop in the
forenoon. the smaller boys being required to
labor only about four hours. The princi
pal employment i'll this department is the
weaving of cane bottoms for chairs, con-
Germs at Rutland, Gardner, Mass. and 9TH
er points through the country furnishing
stock and allowing an average of about four
cents per chair, the price being in proper
ton to the size. The school formerly re
ceived 81 cents per chair but the number of
reform schools throughout the country en-
gagged in this business has reduced the price
The business is not very profitable, but is
rather refOrmatorv serving to teach the boys
habits of industry. During the summer
time the boys are employed as largely as
possible in work about the farm in the fore
noon to give them the benefit of the open
air and teach them practical knowledge OF
farm work.
The girls are kept busy during the fore
noon in doing the housework and in the sew
ing room, where the all general sewing iorthe
institution and the repair Of clothing is done,
in addition TO some finer classes of sewing.
The girls are under the supervision of two
female teachers.
In the afternoon the inmates are all as
scmbled in the school room at , O'Clock
where they remain until about O'Clock
under charge of four teachers. Most of the
children learn well and some exhibit marked
proficiency. \ half hour is spent in the
gymnasium and after supper the children
are read to or given instruction in every
day affairs The day closes with exercises
in the chapel consisting of piano selections,
singing by the members of the school, the
repeating of scripture lessons, reading of the
Bib e and short address by the supernten-
deht OF one Oh uhe teachers OF olIicera Oh 'he
institution.
On sunday the members Oh the school at
tend one OF the churches III tne ''ly III she
forenoon ana III the afternoon sunday
school Is heid IN the chapel Inc remainder
OF me uay Is ueNo'eu 10 resi-
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