Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1895-09-15
THE REFORM SCHOOL.
An Institution of Which the State May
Wen Feel Proud.


Wen Feel Proud.
Grafton, w. Va, Sept, 14.-Most peo-
pie are aware that The State has re-
forma-ory for boys at Pruntyown, this
county, but only those who have visited
it have any conception of It's magni
tude.. Your correspondent had the
pleasure of visiting it the past week
while the board of directors were In
session. There were present OF the
board, Col. J. K. Smith, J. Hop Woods,
Henry Raymond, and w. G.. WOrley.
The board seemed to be very much in
terested in their important duty. The
State owns there 1876 acres of land UNI
der good cultivation; the farm is under
the immediate control of William Cor
bin, a very industrious and wide awake
young farmer.
There are about ten buildings there
of different kinds for the benefit of the
school and officers.
The school building proper is a brick
and stone structure 115 by 40 feet and
four stories high. including the base
ment, which is used as a kitchen and
pantry. The second floor has two
large rooms, one of which is used for
dining hall for the boys and the other
is used as a sitting and reading room
for them. There Is also on this floor,
Office rooms for the directors and Su
perintendeut. There are large and
commodiOus hall ways all through the
building.
The third floor has two large school
rooms in it and several small class
rooms and Offices The fourth floor is
used as a dormitory or sleeping apart
ment. It is 45 by 60 feet. Here 1t is
that all the white boys sleep, every one
by himself on a spring cot with a straw
mattress.
As I stated the whole building is
heated by steam from the basement
and the ventilation is perfect in every
respect. The building throughout is
finished with hard wood and the floors
are filed. oiled and vanished so that
no dirt or germs of disease can get into
chem. The sanitary condition of the
building and scholars are carefully
looked after, and the boys all seem to be
healthy and hearty.
There have been, since the school
was established, 243 scholars admitted,
and there are now in the school 105.
The white and colored boys are kept
separate, botn in their training and eat
ing and sleeping.
There have been discharged from the
school since its establishment 1873 boys,
most of whom have shown to be greatly
improved by their training, and have
gone forth and are now useful men in
the business and social world, cleansed
from their bad habits and saved from
the penitentiary, or possibly worse, the
gallows. Not only that, they learn a
good trade usually and receive a fair
education.
Hon. D. W. Shaw, the superintendent,
is an able, painstaking Christian gen
tleman and has the respect and good
will of all the boys under him. His es-
Unable wife is matron of the school
also, and is liked by all who know her,
and they both command the respect of
their able assistants.
Let this State now establish a similar
institution for the girls who are so I'M
fortunate as to need such training,
and then the State will be well supplied
with all humane Institutions The
school was established June. 1891, and
there has been appropriated $4,000 for
the school, and the expenses are so
carefully looked after that ii only costs
S or 8 cents per day to support boy.
The direcors are: Hon. Geo. E. Price,