Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-04-26
SIX MONTHS WORK.
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT OF
THE VIRGINIA PRISON ASSOCIATION.
The Superintendent and Bfatron Report
Encouraging Progrcas-The Training
Discipline and Results.

II seems proper to give to the public the
substance Of what was laid before our first
annual meeting last Monday evening. As
already stated, being without either re-
sources or experience, it was deemed best
TO concentrate our efforts upon the estab-
lishment of State reform school for boys
though we have also attempted something
in the direction Of attention TO individual
cases of discharged prisoners and Others
coming within the scope of our chartered
powers.
The practical details and results of our
reform work for boys will be best presented
by the report Of the excellent superinteh;;
dent and matron OF our school. Mr.. ana
Mrs. Samson addressed to our secretary,
Mr.. Williams, who by no means confines
himself within the narrow round OF secre-
tary's duties, but in quiet, constant deVo-
ton IS the very soul of our entire WORK.
Prison ASSOCIATION or VIRGINIA,
INDUSTRIAL School,
VARIEA Crow, HLSRIco COUNTY, VA,
April 3, 1891. }
Rer. ". b. Williams. Secretary:
Dear Sir,-I desire to make the follow
ing report of our work TO present time:
We commenced duty at this place sep
lighter articles Of room aud bed-furnish.
ings and our horse and wagon. we az
once went TO work 10 get our rooms ana
place in habitable order, rainy weather al
first DELAYING work. Carpenters com,
menced repairs and work October sth and
completed November 1st Plasterers' Work
was completed shortly after.
Painting, whitewashing, and much other
work was done without extra help.
20 in
a dlning-room, kitchen. sewing-room or
Office. and store-room; on second floor
stting-room and bedroom.
In school building q school-room, two
small rooms for employees on first floor, ana
q large dormitory and convenient clothes
room on second.
We also had built small stable and
boys closet. The mill-building, when
cleared of machinery, will make an In
pOrtant addition 10 our room.
The building would then give room tor
twenty-five boys, and with crowding per-
haps "A few more.
Our first boy was received November 3,
1890, and we nave now thirteen in all;
Their average age is thirteen and one
half years. running from nine to sixteen,
and though so young, with one exception,
all have been repeatedly arrested and most
of them have served one or more sen
fences in the common jail.
TRAINING AND RESULTS.
Regular daily school instruction Is
given.
A friend kindly furnished our first boy,
Walter Turpln, his school outfit and
magazine for one year. This boy when he
came with u could not read the simplest
sentence. He now reads intellIgently IN
the Second Reader. writes letters to his
friends, and adds figures rapidly and accu-
rately.
A part of each day is employed in such
manual labor az may be desirable and pos
siblc, such as keeping our own place and
rooms clean and in order, grading school
yard, work in tailor-shop and kitchen'
laundry-work of the school, cutting, saw
ing, and splitting fre-wood, clearing
grounds of brush, and grubbIug and pre-
pairing for garden.
-rurs ,rcSTpr