Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-11-13
THE DISTRICT REFORM SCHOOL.
Facts From President Falls Report to
the Attorney General

L 1890 RbOAA u reSlOeuC E0AlS' Report 10
the Attorney General
THE NEcRssJrY OF rEAcHINa TnApEs-A REVIEW
OF THE TwESTY-oNE YEARS WORK OF THE
| scHooLr-MoRE ROOM NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. CON-
VINCE THAT REFORM SCHOOLS DO REFoBM.
Mr.. A. J. Falls, president of the board OF
| trustees OF the reform school, has submitted
his annual report, as required by law, to the
Attorney General. The report says: Twenty
| one years ago this school was organized. and
/ up to and including the 30th Of June last there
! have been received 1903 boys. At the begin
| ming OF the last fiscal year there were 1875 boys
| in tho school During the fiscal year ending June
| 80, 1890, there were received III boys, making
during the year q population of 302. OF these
| boys fifteen were committed by tho Supreme
Court of the District of Columbia sixty-one by
the Police Court, nine by United States cour Is
outside of the District of Columbia and thirty
| two by the president OF the board Of trustees.
I One hundred and eleven we're received upon
| first commitment and six upon second commit
| ment. The average age Of boys received was
| twelve years, eight months. The maximum
| number OF boys in the school during the year
| was 200, minimum. ITO; average, l85.
The number Of boys discharged during the
year by order Of the board of trustees was
ninety-eight; by change of sentences by court,
| four; absent without leave, two.
BUT NINE DEATHS IN TWENTY-FIVE YKAIG
For the third consecutive year no deaths
have occurred in the school, and from tho date
| OF it, organization up to the present time but
| nine deaths have occurred out of 1903 boys,
| covering period Of nearly twenty-five years.
Comment is unnecessary upon this subject. MS 1t
speaks plainly for itself as to the care and at
tentlon the inmates receive from the superln-
| tendcnt and matron and other officers in charge
! of the school
For further information your attention is in
vifed to the report OF the physician, which il
made part of this report.
| Great care and attention is given by the Off.
GERS and physician to sanitary conditions and
! regulations. Every precaution being taken the
result speaks for itself-no deaths, as Aforesaid,
having occurred during the year, and no sick
ness OF any amount having prevailed. Such
| sickness "a did occur was Of 6 mild and trihiug
character, readily yielding to treatment.
VI the l02 boys discharged during the year
| all were returned to their homes or provided
with suitable places by the superintendent, il
being primary rule Of the board that no boy
\ shall be discharged unless no has home or a
suitable position provided for him.
THE BOYS AFTER LIFE.
After boys are discharged as far as possible
| they are kept In view by the superintendent
and trustees, and it is with pleasure that it is
at work and doing well, with promise of max
ing useful, upright, honorable citizens, evil
dencing that the treatment, care and discipline
| Of the school have worked well for them.
Almost daily our boys arc to be seen on the
streets of Washington. happy and contented,
with profitable employment, and earning their
way through life and providing for themselves
| suitable and comfortable homes
INSTRUCTION IN TRADES.
I again invite attention to tho necessity for
the establishment Of other industries for the
purpose of teaching boys additional and useful
occupations whereby upon leaving the school
they can readily obtain for themselves honest
and profitable employment.
In my last annual report it was recommended
that additional mechanics be employed for this
purpose, and this recommendation il earnestly
and strongly reiterated.
While it may be true that the work Of the
boys in these callings may not be remunera-
tive while in the school, it must be said that a
reform school is not intended to be a success
financially, but is intended to provide means OF
enabling its inmates to support themselves
after leaving il, and the only way in which
this can be done is to provide them with a
suitable education and with trades. but with
out necessary funds for this purpose it is need
less to say it cannot be done.
In the estimates of appropriations needed for
the ensuing fiscal year additional foremen Of
workshops are asked for, and we hope and be,
lieve that Congress in its liberality will grant
this modest request when it considers the great
Importance OF the good to be accomplished.
EsTIMArEs.
Estimates OF appropriations for the next
fiscal year have been submitted to you and the
honorable Commissioners Of the District Of
Columbia as follows:
For salaries-One superintendent, 81. 800; one
assistant superintendent, $1,000; six teachers
"a N
school, 5000; three matrons of families, each
S1S0. $40; three foremen of workshops, 81 $50;
one farmer. $3.50; one engineer, 1896; one as.
sistant engineer, 1900. one baker, $500; one
cook, one shoemaker and one tailor $500 each,
5000; two dining room servants, one seamstress
and one chambermaid, $l44 each, $50; one
laundress. $3.50; one florist. S400; watchmen,
not exceeding six III number, { ,440; secretary
and treasurer, board Of trustees, 5000; in all,
$15,602.
For support Of inmates. including groceries,
Hour, feed, meats dry goods leather and Shoes
gas, fuel, hardware, tableware. furniture. farm
ing implements and seed, harness and repairs
to same, fertilizers. books stationery, plumb
ing, painting and glazing, medicines, medical
attendance, stock, fencing, repairs to buildings
and other necessary items, including compen-
sation not exceeding $1,000, for additional
labor or services, and for transportation and
other necessary expenses incidental to securing
suitable homes for discharged boys, not ex-
ceedihY COW, all under control OF tho Commas
sloners. S2S,O00
FOR BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS.
Permanent boiler house, OF brick, 81, 500;
one l0O-horse power boiler for steam heating
and connections, 1880; steam fittings and
steam pipes to old family building, radiators
and connections II 500; two brick water closets
for use OF main building and "A" family build
ing, $4,000. In all, $500.
The superintendent paid over to the treas
urer during the last fiscal year the sum of
S2,317 Is, derived from the industries of the
school and other sources, which was turned
into the Treasury OF the United States, one
half to the credit of the District Of Columbia
and the other to the government.
SEPARATING THE boys
''Some time since, as far rs possible, the
larger boys were separated from the smaller,
which plan has worked most admirably. Be-
sides keeping the smaller boys from the infiu-
ence of the larger it divides tho school into
more families, and it is Of the greatest import
ancc in work of this character to keep each
famlly's number as small rs possible Our
families now average about fifty boys EACH
Even this number Is too great but with our
limited facilities better cannot be DONE
Should Congress in the future in its liberal
ity grant US another family building then the
number OF boys in each family can be de-
creased and the number of families enlarged.
This Of course, would entail additional ex-
penditures. But no appropriation is at present
asked for this purpose, but in all probability
such application will have to be made at an
early date as the school is already overcrowded