Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-05-14
THE NEW JUVENILE INSTITUTION.

The San Francisco Alta comes to the
front in sensible and vigorous article
against maintaining the new Amador State
Institution for youths as reform school.
1t well says that we need to train children
not to reform them. 1t enters several pro-
tests that are well taken, but unfortunately
the Alta is too late. Why did it not step
in and aid the RECORD UNION when it,
single-handed and alone was battling for
home-tinding and training rather than
reform or industrial school This paper,
we DO not speak of it boastingly, alone of
all the press of the State protested against
the whole scheme of the Preston School.
We held that the Massachusetts, system,
which is practically followed by the Boys
and Girls Aid Society of San Francisco, is
the only correct one-that is to say, it is
opposed to the institutional idea wholly.
Its aim is to secure for deserted children,
and those manifesting maynard spirit or
who have been guilty of slight ofenses,
homes and employment far distant from
their old associates. These children should
not be cooped up in an institution one mo-
ment longer than is necessary to ascertain
what is the best thing to be done with
them. They become wards of the State,
but they should not be known as having
any relation to a reform or State institu-
ton. They should be branded by no uni
form, and not raised up as reformed youths.
The new institution is to be under the
direction of the State Board of Prison
Directors, and however faithfully those
well-intentioned and humane gentlemen
may serve, and however they may endeavor
to lift the school, the simple fact that the
State Prison administration is the school
administration will brand the new institu-
ton with an ineffaceable stigma of shame.
The Alta says of the institution:
1t is to turn the young aside from the path
which leads to the State Prison. Its method
should leave no stain upon those with whom it
deals. II should not be in any sense a Jail, and
should have none of the prison air and tone
about ii at all. Therefore let il not have the
State Prison Board to manage il. Can't
society see that the beginning of evil in boy
is in his not being permitted to satisfy his am
bition TO be like man, except in the wrong d.
rection2 Therefore let us not try to reform
him Let US train him. 1t is we who need re-
foIm. II We did not parade our vices before
him, and II we let him initiate us in our manly
activities and not in our foilies, We would need
less 70 consider his reformation. What the boy
needs is right training. Let him have contact
with manly occupations and initiate them ac-
cording to his years and strength. So let us call
this school and egslste' reform out of its title
Next, as TO its buildings. If there is to be the
usual large dormitory, TO mass hundreds under
one roof like prisoners in cel-room of a pri-
son, let US hope that some boy will burn il
down. The buildings should be cottages
grouped around a plaza, with a school house
handy, and general dining room. In these
cottages the boys should be housed, by Ovid
ing them in families, and over eacn family
should be put good woman, of mature age
and motheriy heart. This brings home iafu-
ence in play at once. Then keep these boys
Clean keep them busy, keep them in at night,
Eeep them at school at proper times, and let
them have the care of horses and cattle, pigs
and chickens.
But the better plan is to have even the
cottages serve as temporary homes only;
receivers so to speik. What should be
done would be the employment of State
agents, who would hunt out good homes
for the bo3s, where they could be taught
useful occupations and have the paternal
watchfulness Of good men. The State
should not lose sight of her wards, but by
her agent correspond with them. look after
their interests, and do all that can be done
to build up these youths into good self
respecting and respected citizens. 1t is
upon that plane that Massachusetts, moves
in her care of hayward children, and she
has not failed in three per cent. of her
cases. We have one Industrial School in
this State now under State control, and its
record is kissing and its name a byword
in the mouths of men. If the law is broad
enough to permit the Board OF Control to
relieve the new school from the institu-
tional character as far as possibly can be
done, then there may be some hope for the
experiment. The RECORD UNION will
throw no obstacles in the way of the effort
to make an effective experiment, but it will
watch it with interest, and in the belief
that the true system has not been founded.
If its fears are proved groundless, none will
rejoice more in the success Of the school.