The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-10-26

teachers institutes. has been greatly beInf,Ii
Tor the improvement of the Schools With
some changes IN the law, that will readily
suggest themselves after our past experience
IN us operation, the institutes can be even
more effective than now
through the hberality of DIR. ]. L. NJ. Curry
lhe en1clent agent for the distribution of the
Peabody fund, this feature in our public
school system was inaugurated and ex-
cluslvely maintained until recent action by
our legislature r-
This generous aid should receive at the
hands OF the general assembly suitable rec
ognltlon, not only in proper expression but
through corresponding appropriation. to in
crease and enlarge the interests the generos--
lty of the Peabody board inaugurated
When this shall have been accomplished
the state Will even then have made but little
advance IN normal training-aiding only
In0Se who are already teachers. Our system
Will always remain inefficient until, with
proper appropriation for equipment and
maintenance, the general assembly shall es-
tablish one or more normal schools wisely
and well organized, for the training andprep-
aration of those who expect to become teach
ers.
The constitution of the state provides;
There shall be thorough system of com
mon schools for the education of children in
the elementary branches of an English educa-
tion. "
A thorough system cannot be built IN
through incompetent teachers. Normal train
ing Is the only means by which we can secure
competent teachers. Georgia is far behind
her sister states in this feature of her system.
Inc normal SchoOhl regard as the most i'm
portant factor now lacking in our system. and
ask for this recommendation your earnest
consideration.
A REFoRMAToRY
If there is any principle or policy in our
system Of government that authorizes or re-
cures the appropriation of money for the in
tellectual and manual training of the children
OF the state to prepare them for citizenship. 1
am compelled to believe that the same
and cir flaY~ fCf 4lo
form OF those children who, because of neglect
or vicious environments, become nuisance
to the community and a burden TO the tax
payers of the state.
A distinguished statesman has said: "All
the vagabonds In the world begin in neglected
children" If this statement be true it
authorizes us to believe that all the criminals
in Georgia have come from an abused child
hood.
Some place, other than the penitentiary or
county chain gang. should be provided for the
incarceration of children and some INSIDE
meanor convicts. The disgrace of confne-
ment and the wicked influences which sur
round the child in the penitentiary prevent
reformation. The object Of Imprisonment
should be reform as well as confinement at
hard labor. The state owes it to the young
criminal to place him in contact with circum-
stances that will tend to soften, rather than
make him more obdurate and vicious The
state has an interest in every child she rearS.
Every good citizen made out of what was ma
terial for a vicious, bad citizen is an immense
advantage to the state as a self-governing
body. The same thing is true of the state as
a social body.
When it is considered that several hundred
such citizens can be made from such material
every year, the effect upon the population of
the state is easily seen As such citizens are
producers of wealth, the money investment
for their reformation would be profitable to
the state.
of our history, at each Of its sessions has given
great consideration to the enactment of laws
for the punishment Of crime, but we have
never vet recorded a law of practical value
for the reformation of criminal.
Without such influences, our penitentary
and convict camps are but training schools
for criminals.
With 1900 convicts in our penitentiary and
about the same number in our county chain
gangs we stand appalled, at the prospect OF
the deluge of crime to be turned upon the
state when the limited service of these Crimi-
nails expires.
In our state prison there are 2,168 convicts
confined. OF these, 275, or u per cent, are
below the age Of Is. OF these latter 141 are
below the age of 49, so below the age of IS; 40
below the age of IA; p below the age of 10; Is
below the age OF II; two 1 1 years old, and one
at the tender age of 10. Thirty six per cent.
of the convicts in the penitentiary are below
the age of 20.
Below the age Of 10 our law hardly recog-
niZes the responsibility of a child, and some
times tolerates if it does not excuse his
crime. With adegree of Indulgence we leave
him unrestrained, menace to society until
he attains somewhat to years of discretion
and perfected rascality, or cOntine him with
criminals to be made an outlaw and fiend.
The alarming Increase in all kinds of crime
throughout the state demands the thoughtful
study of those whose duty it is to guard the
public veal by suitable legislation not only
for restraint, but for reform.
If the state owes no duty to its children
born and reared in poverty and crime, ii does
owe to society the best protection against
their lawleSSneSS and violence. The best pro
lection reached I1grb
the punishment Of the criminal as the pre-
vention of crime.
The last Tinted States census reports As 600
criminals cOnnned IN the prisons OF the states.
Georgia furnishes per cent. of this number.
The same census reports 1900 young cOnvjcts
in refOrmatOries for correction. OF this mum
Der our state does not report one. Our young
convicts are thrust into chain gangs for Grim
inal training, and subsequently transferred
to the pententiary for further development
and education in crime.
1t is for the general assembly to say
whether this stain shall longer remain upon
the state.
The policy am commencing for your con
sideratiOn is not an untried experiment. For
many years 1t has been a part of the penal
system Ofmany Of the states, with good results
to'the peace and good order Of society, and an
elevated standard of citi genship.
The records of majority of the leading re
of the United States show that
more than 20 per cent. of those turned out
from Juvenile reformatores became law
The cost to the state is not to be considered
when we regard our duty to the unfortunate
or seek the protection of society against
lawlessness and vice. If the direct tax neCeS-
sary to maintain such an institution is an ar
gumcnt against its esta Adjustment, ii may be
well to estimate the tax levied upon the coun-
ties and the state for the capture of crimi-
mails and the punishment of crime. One Grim
inal in this state cost one county $40 900 be.
fore he was brought to punishment Another
criminal cost another county $50, 900 At this
rate of expenditure the saving would soon
establish a reformatOry that would greatly
reduce the crime, and at the same time save
the honor of the State.
COUNTY CHAIN GANGS.
respectfully urge upon the general as 4
sembly consideration of the special message,
sent in at your first session, calling attention
to the management and control of our county
chain gangs
Upon investigation, you will find this sys-
tenn subject to all the criticisms that have
been Justly made by the general assembly. |
from time to time, upon our penitentiary syS
tenn and yet entirely without control and
by the state.
These conVictS are hired or leased to pri- |
vate parties for the purpose Of personal gain. |
So are conVicts in our penttentl&ry. In the |
one case. conViCts are turned over to the |
mercy of those who have bought their muscle, |
without knowledge by the state as to their |
term of service. physical and moral condition |
Or general treatment. In the other the state |
provides proper and diligent officers who look |
10 the proper enforcement of the contract, the |
re cord of the term. the discharge from SER |
vice, the medical care Of the prisoner, and |
the designation of the proper party to |
administer punishment. In the penitentiary. |
he convict is the ward, in some sense, OF the /