The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1890-04-17
Association.

LII paper OI recent udCo T0aO all ac-
count OF an experiment made by a Russian
nobleman of confning three children. be-
tween the ages of two and three years,
alone in separate rooms. Feeding them
we'll but giving them no clothing and allow
ing no intercourse of any kind with
them. The result was they deteriorated into
veritable wild beasts, gnawing their food,
biting. snarling and going on all fours.
This of course is not very wonderful. In
fact any one with even ordinary intelligence
would predict like result. But it effect
ually demonstrates the fact that education
and association are the only things that
elevate mankind above the level of brutes.
We arrive in this world as nude in mind as
in body, and all the knowledge we ever
have of this worlds affairs is either taught
us or we acquire it from study or assOcia-
ton. Reading or study is really mental as
sOciatiOn, and as we cannot very well be
taught without assOciating more or less
with our preceptOrs the whole thing narrOws
down to association. What great truth of
science was ever discovered or work of art
or literature ever accomplished by a single
artist or author, as the case may be, but do
not take into account his or her researches
into the accomplishments of other minds
that has fitted him or her for the at
tainment of the object in view. And yet,
with fuller knowledge of the great hu-
manizing and educating influences of as
sOciatiOn, there are, in this advanced and
highly civilized and enlightened age of the
nineteenth century. educated christian gen.
tlemen. who are called philanthrOpiSts, who
insist that silent and solitary cOntine-
ment is the correct and proper way to man
age penal institution.
Why is it so hard to drop these relics of
barbarism and pass from the OlG Mosaic
law of, An eye for an eye and tooth for
tooth, into the kindly. loving dspensation
of Jesus Christ who, when He saw the
woman sincerely repentant told her to 20 her
way and sin no more? And some of our
administrators OF the law might also profit
by reading and remembering few more of
His words on the same occasion. If | re-
member rightly, when the mob clamored
that the woman might be stoned to death
according to the custom, He said, HE that
is without sin among you, let him first cast
stone at her."
BY no means do | advocate letting a
criminal go just because he shows up with
wOe-be gone expression of cOuntenance
and says he's sorry he done it. But if the
intention is to show him the error of his
ways to teach him what is right to fit him
for an honester, manlier life on his re en-
trance into his rights of citizenship. can it be
done by degrading him to the level of the
beast of burden? which the separate and
silent system surely does.
Throw mind entirely on its own re-
sources and it will certainly retrOgrade; it
will not develop and it cannot stand still.
Furnish entertaining and instructive read
ing, allow proper intercourse, insisting only
on manly department and faithful dis
charge of duty, allow debating societies and
literary circles, lectures by outside or home
talent. and everything that will instruct.
educate and refine.
Allow me to illustrate the effects of in
tercOurse and association here. Take a
walk through the cellrOOm any Sunday
morning during our hour of recreation.
Here is group of quiet, orderly, gentle
manly appearing young fellows. Except
for the stripes which is another relic of bar
barsm that still clings to us), convers-
ing on current topics in quiet orderly
manner and in an ordinary tone of voice;
here are several in a cell admlring the Oc-
cupant's handiwork in the shape of pin
cushions, canes or some invention. Further
along in another cell are couple with a
hymn book, guitar or violin. practicing a
piece of vocal or instrumental music. And
so on through the whole building. But how
different only one short year ago.
never shall forget my first holiday in
this place. 1t is indelibly stamped upon
my memory. 1t was Independence Day.
and about two o'clock p. M, everything be-
ing in readiness to allow us a couple of
hours of liberty, the gong sounded and the
bars were thrown back; when Immediately
there arose from the throats of the four
hundred inmates yell which would have
| brought the blush Of envy to the cheeks OF