The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-11-30

GIRLS REFORMATION
The Industrial School at
Trenton Is Not
Enough.
NEW REFoRMAToRY NEEDED
Opinions of Experienced Penalog-
ists-Dangers of the
Present System.
NEW REFORMATORY NEEDED

Win a numDer OF QlSSOtuJe men anu
women one night recently, because there
was no other place to which the Recorder
could send her, has aroused much dis
cussion among persons interested in the
reformation and reclamation of such per-
sons. The more the subject is studied
the stronger becomes the conviction that
there should be in this State an institu-
ton for young women similar to the
Reformatory for young men now being
erected at Railway.
Under the existing state of affairs there
are in New Jersey only two means of
restraint for such persons as Gussie
Schultz. One is the jails and penitentiary.
the object of which is too weN known
to those who have studied the subject
and which are calculated to accomplish
just the opposite to that which is de-
sired in such cases as that of the Schultz
girl There she is thrown in the daily
company of the debased. the hardened
and depraved of her own sex, whose chief
pleasure is often to lead their younger
sisters in the path they so long have
trod and make them the outcasts they
have been for years
The other means of restraint for girls
is the State Industrial School for Girls,
just outside of Trenton, on the Trenton
branch of the Philadelphia and Reading
Railroad. This institution was provided
for by an act approved April 4, 1871, which
provided that any girl between the ages
of seven and sixteen, who is guilty of
any crime Except murder or man
slaughter), or who is habitualIy disorderIy.
incorrigible or vagrant, is a fit subject
for this school. It is the intent of the
law that all such shall be sentenced to
its custody, and not to the County Jail
or State Prison. Provision is made that
the Justices of the Supreme Court, or the
Presiding Judge of any criminal court.
shall have power, upon a careful hearing
OF cases brought before them, if in their
Judgment the girl is a fit subject for the
school, TO commit her to its care until she
arrives at the age of twenty-one When
complaint is made by parent or guar
dian, they shall give their consent in
writing to such commitment.
The trustees and lady managers are
required TO cause the girls under their
cnarge to be instructed in piety and
. iInol4i,lty and IN such branches of useful
! DKnoWledge as may be adapted to their
s1se ana capacity; also in some regular
course of labor, either mechanical. manu-
.lalctlufing l..lg or horticultural, or a combi-
nation of these, and especially in s11ch
domestic and household labor and duties
as snall be best suited to their age and
strength, disposition and capacity: and
~ sach other arts, trades and employ
ments as may seem to the trustees best
adapted TO preserve their health. secure
benefit '--u Aoeuie {
~ Inc .s;u, trustees have power to bind out
an girls committed to their charge for
any term or time, until they shall have
aaliseu at the age OF twenty-one, as ap-
prehtices, p such binding to be by indentGre,
elsHeu Dy one OF the trustees and the
HaIron and in the same manner and
uhder the same conditions as the Presi-
oenI OF the Board of Trustees of any
poorhouse establishment in any county
q TINS state is authorized to bind out
puor cniiaren And in binding out the
inmates, N scrupulous regard shall be had
70 the moral and religious character of
tnose TO whom it is proposed to bind
them- The matron, with such s,lborCIi-
nate ofilcers as the trustees may appoinf.
snal nave the charge and custody of the
girls and shall discipline govern and in
strucl, employ and use their best en-
oedvoFs 10 reform the inmates In such
viii secure the formation, as far as nos,
habits Au ef1ous
The expenses of the school are all de-
frayed by the State.
II IS the unanimous opinion of thosa
ACQUAINTED with such matters who have
Nut q uiAy watched the institution that the
senooi IS success, and that the work
which 1t has accomplished has heen an n
the whole beneficial and repaid the State
Sor its outlay. The school is in cbarpe
Of Mrs. Mary A. McFaGtlen n nrineines in.s1i I !
ano matron. Since its beginning, Deem
per ~ lS71, there has been admitted fo
baya fae nome pine, 4So glris OF this number 325
- ~ We're IN the school at the date of the
lasI report Hudson county now has 5
gitds e1,as,af1 IA the school and has had there
Ia lar 4<7,--r
general housework are the special in
Gus tries which 1t is sought to teach. as
those expert in those accomplishments are
a1sa t. constant demand, applications for such
tieaP being greatly in excess of the insti-
s1slon ability to supply the demand
EVERY effort is made to conduct the
schooi IN such manner as to remove
from the minds of the inmates ali idea
OF a correctionary institution. IT Is NOT
calied a reform school. and the rooms in.
Wiheh the girls sleep have nothing about
..as, mem suggesting cells: The girls are di-
Y.ded into classes and the entire insfit1,-
llon Us called a family 1t will be seen
az glance that 1t is a far prefer
epie place for such a girl as Lizzie
scnuitz tnan the jail or penftentiary I'M
fortunately for her, and society as well
sne IS just far enough beyond the legal
age to preclude her from the INSTITUTION
where she might be reformed and made
uselui member OF society. Instead she
must go TO jail, Where there is the elight~
est II any chance of her mending her
ways, but rather che will leave tbe nlace e.Se
more hardened and determined to con-
tinue on her downward course This state
of affairs has raised the question Whefher
II would not be to the best interests of
society to extend the age for admission.
to the school beyond 1s years up TO 2i
years.
I called upon the Rev George c. Mad
COCK, Of Trenton, on Saturday, and put
the question to him. Mr.. Maddox "a
president of the Board of Trustees OF the
and has 1.1o. 4.1
institution ten or twelve years. He is an
expert penalogist, is a member Of the
commission of the new reformatory
which IS now being constructed at Rah-
way, and is Protestant Chaplain of the
Trenton State Prison.
don't think it would be wise to ex-
tend the age for admission to the Girls
! Industrial School, he said ''The matter
has been considered by cur Board and
1t IL the unanimous opinion of its mem
bers that such a change would be mis-
take Crib ever that age are generally
fixed in their ways and it is a difTicuIt
matter to overcome their inclinations. The
Influence which they would have upon
pur younger children would be most bane-
ful- Owing to the manner in which the
school Is conducted it would be impos-
sibIe 10 separate them. They would be
Workroom, on the play ground and IN the
ields of our farm. In this way they
would have ample time to SOW the seeds
N the receptive minds Of the younger
yirlc. Our experience has taught us that
he older girl is the less are the chances
H reforming her. particularly those who
IRE committed for sffch offerSes as those