The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-06-19
A NATIONAL DUTY.

The census bureau has in preparation
a bulletin upon the subject of Inmates
of Juvenile Reformatories." Four tables
are presented, giving the details by
States, grouped in geographical divisions,
the distribution separately of male and
female inmates and a table of compari-
sons and ratios. Among other start.
ling facts is this, that the number of
children in reformatOries has increased
in the last decade. OF course this NAV
mean that the law is following them up
more closely than before, but the infer.
ence that crime among the young is on
the increase is just as plausible if not
more so. Statistics also assure us that
the whites Outnumber the colored twelve
to one. Also. the number of native
white is over ten to one of foreign born
though this is partially offset by the fact
that the greater part of these native-born
are the children of foreign-bOrn parents.
There are no juvenile reformatOries in
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas,
Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indian Terri
tory, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New
Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota,
Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South
Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vir-
ginia, Washington, West Virginia or
Wyoming
All this teaches three lessons and i'm
presses them strongly. They are First,
to restrict our immigration. This has
been often talked of and even attempted,
but the law thus far has been evaded
largely. The matter should be earnestly
talked up and our Nations authority
demonstrated. Second, the system Of
reformation stands in sore need of i'm
provement in many States. Here, as
elsewhere, politics are allowed to take
much too prominent part in the selec-
ton of proper management for these in
situations. Third, and most important
of all, our educational system is far from
perfect. Compulsory education should
be the law and it should be strongly en-
forced, even if the Nation has to take
hand in its execution.
We are deficient in methods. Drop
ping Vermont's unfortunate school regI-
latiOns out of sight for the moment, the
fact remains that as Nation we are de-
ficient Fair-looking school buildings
are as yet too much of rarity all over
the country and out in the back districts
the school privileges are almost useless.
Then too, in only a few cases are school
work. They know well that while their
term of service may be limited only by
their ability for service, yet at its close
there is no provision made for their de-
Ginning years. They cannot retire from
business as merchant would, for the
reason that the salaries are usually SO
small that they will hardly serve for a
support, leaving no chance except
through the most rigid economy for saw
ing up against rainy day. The result
is in too many cases that teaching school
is resOrted to in order to bridge over the
chasm between school-wOrk and life
wOrk-merely temporary occupation
instead of being considered as a profess
sion, and the whole system is thus dc
graded.
The remedies we would suggest are
these: To make the salaries of teachers,
as well as the materials and convenience
with which they work, Of such value as
to render the positions desirable as a
continued occupation. Provide that the
qualifications for these positions shall
be such that only the competent can re-
ceive employment. Remove the political
element; and particularly so in Vermont,
where the school law was merely hash
up Of an attempt TO provide fat Office
for two or three who were sin it,
Then as a last measure, provide a pen
sion system and retired list, ON which
all who can show proof Of certain num-
Der of years honorable service can be
placed, and thus be sure of a sufficiency
during the years when active work shall
have become impossible,