The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1890-10-30
Music i'm the State Penftentiary.

Music i'm the State Penttent1ary.
Wherever man is. there too is Orpheus
with his Tyre awaiting only an invitation to-
make the air vibrate with sweet melodies.
Prison walls may shut out the light of
heaven. exclude the cherrups and trills Of
song birds, the tuneful sOughs of EOlian.
forests, and the rhythmic murmur of rip
ping brooks but they cannot debar the
spirit of Orpheus-he dwells in the soul,
even the soul of the convicted criminal.
And it is a wise regulation that in nearly
every prison the inmates are provided with
some kind of musical entertainment once
week at least. Many of the penal institu-
tons of this country have well trained
choirs. and in some of them may be found
orchestra bands. In our own state prison
at Saltwater they have a very good choir
consisting at present OF double male
uuartette This is the only musical Organi-
cation in the prison. The choir has been
established for a number of years, but it is
only within the past two years. or since
Prof. r. G. RhOades took an interest in it.
that it has been brought to any degree of
excellence. Prof. RhOadeS is a popular
teacher of vocal music in the city of Still
water. Since he assumed the duties of a
guard in the prison he has given much of
his own spare time of evenings to training
the choir But in attempting to keep up a
first class choir he labOrS under many dis
advantages. Not many of the prisoners
can read music, and of those who can. not
all have good voices. But this trouble could
be overcome in short time only for the
fact that about the time he gets man in
good training his sentence expires. There
are occasionally some very fine voices
among the inmates. and at times the choir
reaches high state of excellence. The
chapel is furnished with good organ,
which is presided over by Mrs. Belle Arm
strong. teacher of music in the city.
Outsiders are occasionally invited in to
entertain the inmates with musical and
dramatic performances. and such visits are
highly appreciated.
There is no place in the world 7where
music is more appreciated than~if'a prison;
and the writer is of the Opinf6lf that MUSIC
has strong humanzng influence Over'dthe
rough class of men fOand lin spT S0H,e anddbe-
lieveS that every prison fsanr considerable
population should have aegeOia bands CONS
posedaOfspris0ners.oiT That iteMOuldgnOt hB
difficult toafind enough, IA adtwitho snhlsjeah
h'ears'' to inakeoHp a dband iSs eEidentabSI the
number Ofoinstgpments, that IN light be found
sto,Yed asyaY in, the cells oft hlslp prison. erA
large npmbers9f rthe 1ln m95altIes haye amusical
Instrument of one kind or anOtAeE,r In fact
there lis quite a variety Of MUSICIANS as well
as musical fnstEumants in the prison as one
would readily apprehend were he, to drop
iiito the ceflrOom 81 d Sunday, evehlug when
the Boys are peTmitted to- tune, Up a little.
The latest ACCESSION to the prison 'Orches-
tra"1fs aDutch hand organ With" which" a
Stout Gerniaii mellOwsethe hard stirrUt1dI
7hgs i6f his life bhg dprisoif CELL But unless
helsoon Anearies of grinding out sr IchGI Hab
sieyIantlu aWf1odie tSehultep s4ekusst aus
Observation-Disclosures Die .aWaehto aur 9Rhelk3
eted the prisonersiin his immediatBH neiyht
h0rhO0d threaten an earl ysstampede rfOr stb6
Wisconsin woods eIheres are hddles napd
idtlIes OF all STYLES, fgonH.th Cigar dbeN ito
the factory made articley 'anddI there are
bab i0St q Itars;? Jew SBarps.f SliVpth organs,
flutes, tc0iiceftinas and accOfdiSiis.i Even
OUT rmdfaTi brother ffis MS t6iefuf, ntlt8-
like wHfstfs!witlli &hfrAf' To- epttA5tAte the
avnaspii4ts.1 II However? thefeHisF a good deal
of restraHltipust upUa che owners OF musical
property Dtherw Ases fpai4denf0HIHfn4 W0afd
jAe,au uppressivesotita.de1e compared to- what
Aiae,eellfDem wDaheb beat -titnesdeilsna N*6siI
d11oN hsi;i1a" arrow es7it-4dfe Orpffeas1o9
7e7i!a 10 -7-iitr zrrr7 ~ .Goi1smA
ssdo,.w Having, His Own aWay.s,oa aeT
Mi why did, YOU rpu4 away q fOmM hOme3Y
asks, Joshua WhitcQmh Of tbeIIaggedyonng
tramp, bat7sqs sd o. IS !lia saloi17a eIdErSv bnB
l :,ilBSecanses wanted to- hayet mg7eoMp
I've eS YOU look as .tRVqsaag6 You'd had
Is WhitcohibS sententiouS reply, ,sa4sts
b ne 4bo5vS9W Who Is eager to have, his, own
WAY is cc9odhtinGally' met With. and many
tines it rs a" Extremely nl hard way; The
tyranny TT nome Is 'of the mTfdest sort, he
ffifds, se6hpared With nat ne has to- I'M
dergo in endeavorfhg nave iffs own way.
Many times tie fatts ff7nrO evil company, and
IN fiiitatiiig itifeif Way And making it his
>avn, he discovers himself Unt jttitD way to