The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-11-05
A STATE REFORMATORY.
How the Plan Works Out in Mis-
souri,.

. DUuAAs
Some Personal Observations Made By
Mr.. T. P. Ravenel-Four Hundred
Youthful Criminals Being Taught to
Mend Their Crooked Ways-How
They Are Instructed and the Elects
Of Their Teachings Reformation
Plan Thought to Be a Good One-If
it Works in Missouri, it Would Work
in Georgia.
The question of state refOrmatory is
one that suggests itself to almost every
! thinking citizen every time a youthful
| criminal is taken up and sent to the
chain-gang or the penitentiary, as the
case may be.
IGis a matter, too, the consideration and
/ test of which IS Of no little Importance.
/ If they are institutions, such as will ben
| eft community, it is well worth the
while TO have them established where
ever needed; but if not, the question
should as well be decided, so that some
/ other means could be adopted for the cor
rection and punishment of the. young and
| inexperienced criminal, whose early mis-
doings may lead him to more grave Of
lenses.
HOW IT IS DONE IN MISSOURI.
! Mr. T. p. Ravenel, who is just back
from a western trip, spent some time Wis
iting his brother at Bonneville, Mo, on
the Mississippi river, some distance
north of ST Louis. 1t is there that the
Mi ssouri State Reformatory for youthful
criminals is located, and while there, he
had an excellent opportunity to observe
its workings and inquire into their eff
fects.
The buildings, he says, are located on
! the river, and there is nothing whatever
| to prevent approach to them, and seem
ingly no way in which to prevent the es-
cape of the inmates should they make
the attempt to get away.
FOUR HUNDRED INMATES.
There are kept at that place now some
thing like 400 youths of almost all ages
from or 9 up to IS. They
are not taken there when above the lat
| ter age.
The only precaution, Mr.. Ravenel says,
| which is taken against the boys escaping,
so far as he could see or ascertain, was
that when they retire at night the clothes
of each one are taken and securely fastened
| IN locker in the sleeping room. Very
few of them, however, ever attempt to
| escape. The objects of the institution are
| to keep the boys there until they are q
| and to reform them. 1t is, of course, con-
sidered a punishment to be sent there
| but the main idea about the institution is
| one of reformation.
IN FOR ALL CRIMES FROM MURDER DOWN
The boys of ages under IS are sent
there for all crimes from murder down.
| They are divided into squads of a number
vErlai he, Of
man, who is considered as much their
teacher as their guard, he controlling and
| lustruCting them at the same time. They
are taught almost every trade and a great
many of the sciences. Their work how
ever, is practical in every particular, and
that of each boy depends upon his traits
and pTOpensities for a certain branch
They are kept continuously at their EN-
ployment from the time they enter the
institution until they are 81 years of age
when they are released. The idea is that
by the time they are of age after having
been under the rigid discipline and the
peculiar forms of instruction and train
ing such as they are given in the reforma-
tory they will be reformed and ready to
become citizens.
PECULIAR BUT EFFECTIVE DISCIPLINE.
Some of them have, at various times,
escaped from the institution, but they
have always been easily caught, and it is
said they never leave a second time.
| What the discipline is that makes them
content to stay there after that or what
means are used to keep them well behaved
and Obedieut, is a secret, but whatever it
is it is said to be thoroughly effective.
Mr.. Ravenel says the inmates are orderly,
and the majority of them seem contented
and satisfied, or if they are not they did
not show it. 1t is believed that by keep
ing the mind continuously employed the
boys forget their criminal inclinations,
and when they reach ages of dis
erection and have the means and ability
of making an honest livelihood, they will
: adopt it rather than return to crime. A
sense of responsibility and an apprecia
ton of honesty are infused into them
which controls their actions after they
have arrived at some discretion.
HOW THE PLAN WORKS.
, In some instances after they have beer
| in the reformatory for certain length
: of time they are allowed to be taken GU
by certain parties as apprentices. They
are permitted to receive whatever wages
7 their work is considered to be worth, bu
{ the party so employing one of them i
/ held responsible to the extent of making
a careful monthly report as to the boy
| conduct, ana if it is not all right, or if h
= goes wrong in any particular, no matte
how slight, ii it is criminal, he is takeI
- | DdCh " lLG llSllLublOu lOE IuEliGE tram
{ ing. 1t is said that instances where the
3 have to take back such patients are yer,
r rare.
FOUR YEARS OLD.
10 The Missouri reformatory has been es
t tablished about four years and its result
= have been good in almost every instance
1t has hardly had what might be called {
Y full and sufficient test. however, but if
G good percentage of the youthful crimi
Y nails who are taken there are reformed
9 for all time as has been the case so far, i
might be well for other sections ans
states to at least give it a test. Human
nature is said to be alike the world over
: and if a reformatory will reform youthful
p criminals in Missouri, why won't it d,
! the same thing in Georgial
: There can be no doubt that Georges
could furnish enough subjects to stock
reformatory in the beginning. Should
one be established, it would have sue
cessful opening, and Savannah would &c
in her full quota of youthful criminals
Examples of such cases in this city ar
e numerous, and there is rarely a time bu
5 that there are all the way from five t,
= fifteen such cases on the county chain
T. gang At all events, the matter is worth
of consideration.