Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1890-04-21

Another Reform School Needed.
One OF the greatest moral needs OIL
the city OF Wilmington Is reforma,
tory school for girls such AZ Ia provided
for boys In the Ferris Industrial
School. When boys get beyond the
restraints of their parents the bleak
walls OF Jail do not necessarily stare
them in the face now Is formerly, but
through the beneficcnt forethought o.
that good man, John Ferris, reforms.
tory school has been organized and
put in operation tor their benefit, True
II is yet In an embryo state compare
lively, but the amount OF good it il
doing 10 incalculable. Forty boys,
ranging in age from nine to sixteen
years, are in that school, being train
ed to q moral life and to habits of in-
dustry instead of being confined lin o
Jail among hardened criminals, with.
out the hope ct reform. When a
young lad enters Jail he leaves hope
behind, character is gone and the
future opens up TO him nsught but q
criminal course for the remainder oil
his life.
Dul WuAt 10 w UcCula6 Vi TUE pOJt
girls who go out from the paternal
root and go astrsyp There is not even
a dim star of hope for them. No kind
friend has had patrimony 10 leave to
build reformatory Tor them. A Tow
OF them through the commission OF
crime find their way into the jalls, but
the great majority OF them get TO worse
places and the grave soon closes on a
short eventtul life. Poor girls, when
they fall they seem to fall irretrerably.
In some cities and states reformatories
have been provided and muniticently
endowed for the rescue of girls from
lives OF shame end the restoring Of
them TO the walks oil good society, but
there are no such reform schools in
Delaware. II there was one in or near
Wilmington 1t would do an immense
amount of good. Only last week
Frank Stout, agent of the Society for
the Prevention OF Cruelty to Children
rescued young girl from disreputa-
BILE sink OF iniqaity In this city who
had been there two days and two
nights. The girl WIS only sixteen
years of age, and had not yet become
hardened in sinful course. She was
put into tho hands of Matron White at
the police station but there was no
place to which she could bc sent in the
State where she could be trained 10 a
better course Of life. This is but one
OF the many victims that constantly
turn up at tho police office A great
many people entertain this eroneods
opinion that but few Of these erring
girls would reform even If they had q
chance.
1t is unfortunate that such an opinion
| prevsils. lu the investigation just
cloeed into abuses which are said 10
have been carried on in the Phladel :
phia House of Refuge il was given in
/ evidence that eighty per cent. in the
| female department were saved TO the
walks OF honest and pure lives. There
are many instances OF these reformed
girls having become the honored wives
of honorable men. Even should not
more than twenty-five per cent. oil
these erring ones be reformed, tina,
number would pay for all the toll,
irDuble and expense Of years of con
slant and wetchiul care aud attention.
We have referred 10 this subject at
the request OF ladies who are deeply
interested il it, not however as an i'm
piled task, but because We fully be
lieve in it, and we will go farther ant
say that it is shame,upon the civiliza
ton OF our State that no reform schoo
tor girls has ever yet been provided
in the face OF the urgent need OF one
We sincerely trust that attention vii
be SO directed towards this subjec
that those who have the means within
their power respond generously 10 thi
pressing call Of humanity.