The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1890-01-16

ing the criminal the subject was confined to
the necessity of educating the wholly illit-
crate class that is found in all penal institu-
education in prison. 1t is well known, and
is often looked upon as strange, that so
many men possessing good average abili-
ties should form so large a part of our
prison population. Many of these men are
capable of filling positions wherein skill
and good judgment is a primal requisite.
and it may be set forth that lack of educa-
tiOn is not the cause of their present cOndi-
tOn. Yet lack of education, in the full
acceptatiOn of the phrase. is undOubt-
edly the real cause of their being
here. They lack the practical part of edu-
cation that makes knowledge a power.
They are without confidence in their own
ability because in youth they were unwill-
ing to begin at the lower rung of the ladder
of life. Some of them are of that class that,
having learned the theory of bookkeeping,
or some such accomplishment at school,
would not accept low position in an office
for the reason that they felt by SO doing
they were lowering themselves loOsing dig
nifty. And it is this fact of their not being
willing to begin life humbly that is the
cause of their falling to succeed.
A large percentage of the people do not
take kindly to doing anything for the Grim
inal save Furnishing him. While the peO-
pie at large are justified in looking upon the
criminal as their arch enemy it is lack of
diplomacy. it nothing more, to allow him to
remain an enemy when it is possible to
transform him into friend and benefactOr
of his kind. 1t must be admitted that it is
hard for a man who has been robbed one or
more times to look with any patience upon
that class of which his depradatOrS are a
part. But to gain victory over the enc
mics of society it is necessary that society
shall deal with them in a spirit of helpful
ness and forgiveness rather than in a vim
dicitive manner. 1t has been fairly we'll
proved that criminals cannot be eXtermna
ted by punishment and harsh treatment.
At the present day the largest prison pOpu-
latiOn is in those states where no attention
is given to reforming criminals; and this is
most especially noticeable in the South. In
some northern states considerable progress
is being made toward giving the criminal an
opportunity to reclaim himself. The Ell
mira n. Y, ReformatOry is standing eX
ample of what may be accomplished by SyS-
tematc education. There no expense is
spared to provide diversified education. and
the good results are lauded on all sides.
And yet in that same state no particular at
tentiOn is paid to those called criminals.
The latter go in and out of prison often Serv-
ing three and four terms. and the only
precautiOn taken is to ensure against their
escaping while confined. In all penitentiarieS
it is the prevailing notion that the carrying
out of the letter of the law is sufficient Sc
curity for the public. The falacy of this
notion is visible in the prOpartiOnate in
crease of crime where such is the prevailing
idea. We have before us both sides of the
question and their separate results. In those
states where attention is given to improving
the mental vigOr Of the criminal crime de-
creases; in the states where no thought Is
given to other than the secure confinement
of the criminal crime increases.
Those men in prison who to all ntentS
and purposes have a good education are
really as much in need of practical training
as the most iIliterate. They may not like
to admit this fact and probably will not.
Such line of action would be in keeping
with their past mistakes. Men who think
they know it alp are usually the very
hardest to do anything for while in prison
as we'll as outside. The best way to reach
such men is by so arranging their routine
of employment that they must of necessity
acquire new knowledge daily. Make the
prison a school wherein it will be possible for
those who already have good foundatlonal
education to further improve upon it
and make it of practical value. All prisons
at present are schOOls-the majority being
dedicated to the advancement OF crime.
A prison cannot be a mere passive agency
of the social system-it must have some ef-
feet upon those under it's control. Men
confined to Imprisonment come out either