The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-05-11
THE REFORM SCHOOL.
Annual Visit of Governors Council and
Invited Guests Yesterday,

!
The Institution Progressing Better Than
Ever-Tendency Toward the Cottage
Systematic Boys to Become Military
Students, Armed With Wooden Guns
Made by Themselves.
Yesterday was notable day.in the his
tory of the Reform School. 1t was the
occasion of the annual visit of the Gov
ernor and council, and it found the insti-
tuition doing better work than ever, and
on the threshold of still further improve
ments.
The distinguished party of visitors in
Guided Hon. Fred Atwood, chairmansof
the council committee on reform school,
and most Jealous supporter of the IN
stitution; Hon. E. o. Clark of Walaohoro,
and Hon. Waldo Pettengill of Rumford
| Falls, the other mem bers of the COM
mlttee; Hon. Marquis f. King OF Port
land, Judge L.G. Downs of Calais, and
Hon. IA. Harrington of Norridgewock,
other members of the council; President
Albion Little, Mark p. Emery, John j.
Perry, and Ansel Briggs of Auburn, of
the board of trustees; Mayor Baxter
judge Enoch Foster, DR.. Horace B. Hill of
Augusta, H. K. Morrill,, Esq, of Gardin-
er,T Frank Jones of Portland, Miss Tay-
lor, principal of the School for the Deaf,
| and others. Most of the gentlemen
were accompanied by their wives or
some other ladies. The governor was una
BILE to be present.
| They went through the main building
III the forenoon, where they were served
a lunch BY Mrs. harrington, and then
! visited the farm buildings and the Far
rington cottage, where the boys greeted
them in military. array, dressed in uni
form and armed with wooden guns made
in the workshop of the institution. This
is new feature, and the intention il to
begin military instruction Immediately
for all the boys. Captain Baker, who
drills the High School Cadets, in this
city, will begin Immediately to go out
there twice week and instruct them
in military tactics. The visitors were
given a banquet at Harrington cottage.
The afternoon exercises were opened
by President Little with an address OF
welcome. He then introduced Hon. Fred
Atwood as the presiding officer of the
occasion. Speeches were made by
Mayor Baxter, Judge Foster, Councillor
King, Mrs. Annie Halves of Stroudwater,
member of the visiting committee and
Superintendent harrington. There was
programme of entertainment by the
boys, consisting of manual training ex-
ercises, declarations, etc. The exhibit
ton was very gratifying, and signif-
can't of the good work of Mr.. and Mrs.
Skiliings and Miss Moreland, who taught
them.
The work Of the management and offic-
ials was very ahighly endorsed, and it
was the general opinion that the cottage
system is what is needed, and what
ought to prevail entirely at the institu-
ton.
There are now 80 boys in harrington
cottage, and in the main building there
are thirty more who are ready and suita-
BILE for this system of reform and free
dom from imprisonment. Another cot
tage is needed and the state will proba-
bly, be asked for it in the hear future.
Already, in the main building chang
es have just been made preparatory to
the cottage system Of treatment. of the
boys. Three. classes no longer eat their
meals on the bare tables and benches,
but chairs, table cloths and napkins are
supplied them. OF course there are
those who think that such good treat
ment will defeat the objects of the in
stitution, and that some boys, when they
learn that everything is SO much more
enjoyable at the reform school than at
home will do something to get there.
But there. are many Others who think |
differently. A letter was received by
Hon. Fred Atwood the other day from
Maine boy who left the reform school in
'91. He is now travelling in the eastern
part OF the state as the special CORES
pondent of one of the largest Boston
daily papers. He wrote the letter spon-
taneously, because he desired to say that |
if it had not been for his three years at |
the reform school ands the traiuing of |
Superintendent harrington and the 9TH
ers he should now be citizen of Thorn |
aston prison instead of free citlzen.n
An Omission.