New-York tribune., 1896-10-26

70 undertake The Training School is to occupy
the building formerly used the Villa de Sales
Academy which stands back a little distance
from EIGHTEENTH ave. and is pleasantly situated
In q plot Of nine acres of ground. The law Great
ing il passed by the last Legislature Boys
between the ages of seven and fourteen years
to be committed to the school either as va
grants or when convicted Of criminal offences
other than felonies
Superintendent Downing was visited on Satur-
day by representative OF The Tribune. to
whom he talked ntegenty and interestingly
In reference to his future work and what he
hopes 10 accomplish in the Training School
He Is about thirty years old with a clear-cut
and clean-shaven face. dark penetrating eyes,
and an abundance of rich. dark hair Mr.
Downing has had no personal experience in re-
formatory work: he has devoted most Of his at
tention since leaving college 10 biology: yet his
studies have prepared him In marked degree
for the work he is entering on. No one can
converse with him long without being convinced
that this is the
He Is graduate from Albion College. in
Michigan. From this circumstance one would
infer that he is a thoroughgoirg Westorner. but
he was born in Boston. and did not leave The
East until he eight years old. His college
class was that OF 1889. and among his class
mates was Homer Folks. Of the United Charities
In New-York City.
After his graduation Mr.. Downing taught In
en- academy in Alabama for two years. and
then accepted place i'm Beloit College. Wis
consin. as an instructor in science in the pre-
paratory department. whore he remained FOR
five Years He has been engaged in the study
Of biology at tn. University of Chicago as a
non 10 sdent student and for The las: TWO sum-
mers has pursued his studies in that depart
ment at the summer school al Woods Hole.
Mass. An address on the subject OF evolution
which he delivered before the Alumni Associa-
tiOn of Albion College has been published
twas the opinion Of his cassmate. Mr. Folks,
that Mr.. Downing possessed special aptitude for
charitable ard reform wOrk-Or. to put the mat
ter broadly. for sociology. rather Than biology
and. at his friends suggestion. he turned his
attention in that direction. with he result that
he was selected by the Board of Managers of
the rev Training School as its superintendent.
Since his appointmei Mr.. Downing has
visited a large number OF institutions engaged
in reform and educational work. among which
may ne mentioned the Armour and Lewis In
s,itutes and the Hebrew Industrial School, in
Chicago; the Illinois Reform School. at Pontiac;
The Wisconsin State Reform School. at Wau-
kesha: the State School for Dependent Children.
at Coldwater. Mich. the State Reform School. at
Rochester n. Y: the State Industrial School
at Westboro. Mass. the Boston Childrens Aid
Society, and the Catholic Orphan Asylum. In
New-York City. This week he intends 10 visit
the New-York Catholic Protectory, and later
h~ will look over some institutions in Philadel-
phia. and in the future he will make a
visit to the Elmira Reformatory He has never
seen that institution. but has a high opinion
Of the work done there and the results at
tanned.
SO far as Mr.. Downing has been able to learn,
there is no institution in the care OF any city
that Is doing just the work he is hoping TO ac-
compiSh in the Brooklyn Training School.
Just how much we shall be able to do. said
he. lit is hard TO say at present The building
is large enough to permit us to receive I'M boys.
hut probably we shall limit the number to 100
for the first year. We have no means OF know
ing how many boys will be committed TO the
school! hut the Board OF Managers have power
10 limit the number. 1t was the old idea in re-
form institutions 10 care for the boy In the in
s,itution it is the modern idea to care for him
after he leaves it. The true line OF progress IS
TO care for him before ne arrives That is to
say. prefornation is better than reformation
"A reform school offers an opportunity for
one phase OF the study Of the criminal. We
have idea what proportion OF the boys sent
TO us will be abnormal. and l hope to make
some interesting Investigations in that line.
Little has been done in that direction as yet
Last summer had the privilege Of visiting the
gymnasium and psychological laboratory at
Harvard and had the system OF tests and
measurements employed there explained 10 me
by Dr. Sargent and Mr.. Lough. ! hope to make
similar tests and measurements at the Train
ing School
''As to the method OF dealing with such boys.
there is no doubt that segregation is better than
aggregation. The best plan is TO arrange them
In groups Of twelve. each with a separate cot
tage and in charge Of a single person, who VIII
he a mother to the boys in her care. That
is the plan employed with success in Eng
land and other European countries. We can
not adopt II in our building. but the same re-
suits can be achieved by dividing the building
In such a way that small groups can he ar
ranged. This system has not been tried in this
country to any extert
MY idea Is that the boys should do all the
work OF the instituton-the baking, laundry
work, chamberwork. carpentering gardening.
etc I regard the outdoor work as most impor-
.ant Besides this work, We shall have regu-
lar course In manual training and regular
school course. No extensive changes will be re-
on.-ed in the building to At II for our purposes.
and we expect to have II ready by January l."
REYNOLDS is RECOVERING.
Daniel p. Reynolds, 4 printer who. az the
rss.,lt of Dolitical argument Saturday night,