New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-25

IN THE CITY OF NEw-YoRK'
rIE BOYS AND GIRLS ARE
TRAINED 70 BE sELF-sUr-
PORTING AND SELF
RESPECTING
The House Of Refuge for Juvenile delin-
ouents on Randans Island II Undergoing one
a, its many transformations. In recent years
NJ 10 to the time OF the adoption Of the new
constitution OF the State Ia 1894. its inmates
by their labor paid a large proportion OF the
annual cost Of maintaining the beneficent in
stitution. But the Constitution forbade the sale
o, the product of any State institution. and re-
s,ricted them to making various articles which
could be used in some one Of the various asy-
,ums hospitals. State prisons and like State cor
porations. The consequence Of this new rule.
40 far as the House Of Refuge Is concerned. has
been to turn the attention Of its managers to
the discovery of new methods Of employing the
girls and boys in their care with the thought OF
having them learn some trade by which they
can earn livelihood after they leave the In
stitution.
william f. Stewart. the president Of the State
Board of Charities recently visited the
Refuge" with a member OF The Tribune's
staff. with the object OF observing its growth In
a new direction The buildings OF the House or
Refuge. as Is well known TO all residents OF
New-York. are situated upon Randalrs Island.
A small tug the Refuge. runs from the foot OK
East ed-and-twenty-ffth-st every
half hour week days TO convey visitors to the
island. Upon the day OF the visit: October 10
the sun shone almos, "a flercey upon the city
OF New-York as though 1t were midsummer. and
the tenement-houss population of the city was
obviously suffering greatly from the untimely
heat AS the Refuge dropped down the East
River toward Randsll's Island, the big buildings
Of the House Of Refuge doomed up through
haze Of heat waves Yet. when Mr.. Stewart
stepped ashore from the tug. the air on Ran
dalrs Island seemed 90 per cent cooler than that
OF the city, and none of the children in the
House Of Refuge. 1t was found soon. were con-
scious Of it's being day Of exceptional heat. 1t
WAS q warm but not hot day to them. and
clearly the separation Of the buildings OF the
institution from those in the city gave the chill
dren a chance TO obtain purer air and air at
lower temperature in the summer 1t Is probable
that the managers Of the Refuge first removed
II from its first site in Madisonave. to the pres
ent site OF Bellevue Hospital with the aim of
giving the children an opportunity TO breathe
purer atmosphere, and then again removed it
to Randall's Island with similar aim.
The House OF Refug" managers now control
thirty acres Of land upon Randals Island but.
large as is the space. II may be doubted whether
II is sufficient for a good many OF the purposes
Of the institution such as teaching the boys
the processes of farming and gardening. Be
fore any more large buildings are put up by
the State. either on Randall's Island for the
House Of Refuge, at Rochester for the State
Industrial School. the policy Of buying far more
x,,ct ,tcid oP Tnrk
and Rochester putting up modern buildings
and removing the inmates Of the schools named
to these new buildings. in the opinion Of many
charitable people, should be considered. 1t is
probable that the managers of these institu-
tions would look favorably upon this policy Of
removal II they believed they could persuade
the State Legislature to make the appropria-
lions.
Mention should be made Of the fact that al
though maintained by annual appropriations
from the State Treasury the Refuge cannot be
legally classed a State institution. One OF
the Oldest Juvenile reformatories In this coun-
try. 1t was Incorporated IN 1924 as the Society
for the Reformation OF Juvenile Delinquents IN
the City Of NewYork." and this continues to be
the corporate name Of the Refuge. The man.
ayers are a self-perpetuating private board. and
are not appointed by tie Governor and con-
boards Of managers Of State charitable institu-
tions recently described in these columns The
State does not own the land. the fee OF which
remains In the city Of New-York. subject to a
lease TO the managers OF the society. remaining
in force so long az they shall continue upon the
property the reformatory work for which the
institution was founded. Large appropriations
have. however been made by the State for the
buildings.
The Refuge receives the same class OF Juvenile
delinouents from New-York and Kings counties
and the other counties Of the Second and Third
Judicial district as are committed to the state
Industrial School at Rochester from the other
judicial districts OF the State.
Mr.. Stewart was conducted over the House Of
Refuge by Elisha NJ Carpenter. the superin-
tendent. who both at Rochester and in New
York has had many years experience in the
training OF children OF the class who are sent
to the institution. In the year ending Septem-
Der 80 1896 Mr.. Carpenter stated that the man.
ayers Of the school had taken care or 1,362 chill
dren. and OF these $50 had been dismissed to
the care Of parents, friends or employers or
these there were 638 white boys, - white girls
70 colored boys and p coored girls The week.
Is average Of children cared for was $50. AT
present there are about 600 boys In the school,
and the proportion Of girls Is about the same as
In 1896 MI Carpenter also stated that most
Of the inmates Of the institution are sent to 1t
after conviction for petty larcenies. Boys under
twelve years OF age are sent to the House OK
Refuge for felony. The institution takes boys
and girls from twelve to sixteen years OF age
who have been guilty OF petty larceny. and from
sixteen to eighteen years Of age those who have
been guilty Of some offence not amounting to
felony.
Those sent here who are between sixteen
and eighteen years Of age" said Mr. Carpenter
are usually street loafers. who VIII not work.
,r boys who have fallen into bad company ana
need training. We try to instil into them hapits
Of industry They can be discharged from CUSTODY