The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-02-01
REFORMING BAD BOYS
Annual Report Of Jamesburg
State School Full Of
Interest.
SnecfaI to the Jerseu Ciau NeaN.

TRENTON. Feb. l. 1S96.-The annual re-
port of the New Jersey State Reform
School for Juvenile Delinquents, at James
burg, shows that the institution is in a
prosperous condition and that 537 boys
nave been cared for during the year. There
are now S76 boys in the school and So of
them are colored. Only two boys were
sent to the school from Mercer county DUR
ing the year, while % were sent from Hud-
son county, 20 from Passaic. IA from Cam
den. 10 from Essex. and smaller numbers
from the other ounties.
During the year III boys were received
and lie were discharged. Of the boys re-
ceived, 10 were committed for incorrigibil-
ity. IA for larceny. II for petty larceny, Ii
for burglary. and the others for nearly all
crimes except murder and forgery Three
boys only eight years old were committed
for minor offenses. The boys admitted
during the year included 50 Protestants
and 30 Catholics. Twenty boys escaped
from the institution during the year, and
but four died.
In the sewing room nearly all the cloth
ing worn by the boys were made and re-
paired: in the laundry more than 25O,OOo
garments We're washed. in the shoe shop
1874 pairs of shoes were made and 1892
pairs We're repaired: in the brush shop. g.
I'll brushes were made: and / 5000 bricks
and 1900 drain tile We're made in the brick
yard. The value of the farm products
during the year was $50. 49, 81 and the prof
its aggregated Sc, 40. The boys did
nearly all the work in these departments.
The cost of operating the institution dur
ing the year was $S1, 928. %, and of this
amount $4.957.2 was expended in the con-
struction of a new hospital.
Superintendent Ira Otterson. in his report
says that there is a large increase in the
number of very youthful boys committed
under the head of incorrigibles. He is led
to, believe that in such cases at least
other provision should be made for these
the fault is that Of the parents. who
If not punished. for the neglect Of their
offspring. At the same time, no doubt,
the; children are better taken from them
than left to their further neglect. While
several have been received during the
o gfag ag Put t lhit}e f ha any B Besn th those low9 reea lIm,5
as near the highest limit of age. Upon
several Instances that they were long past
the age of sixteen years. and, in fact, the
appearance OF some of them would denote
that they were e%orrect; thus bringing in
one institution those that are not more
than eight years. if so old, with those
above sixteen, and some Of them who
years 81 age. was committed for grand
arrested twice before for the same Of
fense.' Once he was sentenced to three
months in the penitentiary and once he
ss The v T aanaea agen II e. e. SSua sSina ail- in his
report, says. tina he has made diligent
efforts to visit all outside minors who
NJ Ea Onna under rn1aaSa nr indanf1raA q r
sition. THOSE ffa1saH fonhsd i iS laain to 'n 80 right isiif
doing doy gus Wilfuily ao or fgsonlaaso Wong aaa 'n aTe
brought to a plain understanding of their
position and kindly efforts made to re-
them to the school for further care, dis
cipline and instruction. Scores nave been
bsnsitted and saved by directing and as
Of whom he afterward found holding po-
sitions Of trust and profit. OF the boys
cent. have found employment and their
employers speak well of Shem. Only %
Pc per .,S sent - Of T,e sne na mp In, were fsn, found nuIHl 70
prisons or ja,ls.
Mr. Nathaniel $. Rue. president of the
we ask that an ample ppropriation
be placed to our credit, that we may
erect with the bricks made on the
ground, and a large portion of the brick
laying and c~arpentering work being done
by the boys under instruction. a suitable
Dalld1ng our IN s Wnlsh is tf Far b traaes ner si 8s
ter States in equipment of Institutions
of this kind. We feel that it would be
an injustice to the trustees and those
to eompete with Institutions Of, other
States unless means are placed at our
disposal with which we can supply NOT
only places to work in, but tools TO work
with. TIE trustees in this respect have
no hobbies to ride or whims to crafty,
but they believe they have the best in
terest Of the boys at heart. and are doing
YOU and the people Of, New Jersey, as
calling this matter to your attention. but
urging that the institution be equipped
to do the best that can be done"