New-York tribune., 1897-08-16
THE STATES CHARITIES.
Ill.
THE INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL AT ROCHEs
TER

rsHING AND lMPRisoNING TIIEM-TEACHING
TRADES AND MILITARY DISCIPLINE.
lraoM STAFF CORRESPONDENT or THE rRInuNEl
Rochester. Aug 15.-One who visits the State o
reformatory institutions quickly discovers that
tho managers Of them. in this latter part OF the
nineteenth century. are really seeking 20 reform
rather than to punish, the boys. Girls, women
and men sentenced to term OF imprisonment
in them There is severe punishment enough
II is possibly thought, IN their separation from
the world OF freedom that lies outside the iron
gates shutting them into one little plot OF
ground for certain number OF months or
years But whatever the idea in regard to pun
ishment may be the duty is clearly felt Of so
acting in their government as 10 send the In
mates Of these institutions back into the world,
when they do depart. better human beings.
morally and better fitted to earn a livelihood
honestly If they will to act
The State Industrial School in this city Is
good example of this modern idea Of using re-
formatory rather than punitive influences.
Once 1t House of Refuge" crowded with
boys and girls who were treated as though they
were already hardened criminals. The institu-
ton seemed TO he considered primary school
for the three State prsons-and was frequently
so. The discipline was harsh. The inmates OF
the refuge locked up at night in cells
whose iron doors and narrow windows, crossed
by iron bars. impaired a State prison-like ap-
pearance to these apartments" And until
within a few years the labor of the boys and
girls was leased out to contractors as the labor
OF the State prison convicts was hired out to
contractors. There little training In trades;
the contractor could make more money and the
Refuge could be made more "self-supporting
by limiting the number of trades. There was
also a worse feature-the school hours were cut
down and vacations shortened in order that
the boys and girls might do more work for the
contractor Naturally. therefore. the over
worked boys and girls were frequently insubor-
dnate. and many Of them were released in
worse condition morally than when they en-
tered the institution.
BAD FEATURES DISCARDED
All the features Of the former bad system
have been discarded Now the institution is
rightly termed an industrial School" Its aim
is by stern but humane government, by the
teaching Of large number Of trades, by excel
lent instruction in schools and by military drill
to reform the young people confided to It's
charge. and to parole them finally with the
strong hope of their becoming good citizens 1t
is a great attempt. At the present time for
instance. the State Industrial School has
inmates 116 girls and 73l boys They are Of all
ages from ten years to eighteen, and they have
committed all kinds of offences, from the com
paratively harmless truancy to burglary; from
illegal riding railroad to petit larceny.
This mass of criminal instincts must be dealt
with. and. if possible. led into purer channels.
The habit Of constant industry-usually the alb
sent quality Of the vagrant or thevish boy and
girl-must be impaired or the parole will prove
a snare. knowledge of trade must be given
in order that work may be secured on release
and thus criminal paths be avoided. Enormous
as has been the task attempted Of thus reform
ing nearly nine hundred boys and girls the
managers OF the State Industrial School be-
lieve their statistics show that they are sue
ceeding in their design.
The buildings of the Industrial School are
themselves OF imposing character and in
dicate the magnitude Of the work which is pro-
ceeding within them. Even half concealed by
the high gray wall of massive stone that encir-
cles them, they yet so overtop the wall and ex-
tend along its front as to convey the idea Of a
great State enterprise They be discovered
about mile and quarter from the -Four Cor
ners" OF Rochester. the centre of the city TO the
northwas The land Of the school comprises
forty-two acres is situated a slight elevation
between the Erie Canal to the westward and a
, street which leads TO the mouth Of the Genesee
River or the east. The buildings are surrounded
by wall twenty-five feet in height; but outside
OF this is the garden Of the institution The
hospital is also situated outside of the wall.
Approaching the institution from the east one
first discovers a massive gateway between two
towers Of stone. once admitted within this
gate, one sees before him beautiful green lawn
and the long front of the chief buildings OF the
school William r. Stewart, the president OF
the State Board Of Charities who inspected the
school recently. said. he looked at the build
ings. that they appeared TO him to be "a quar-
ter OF a mile in length" While not extending
10 that extent they certainly of astonishing
dimensions. The centre building is S6 feet wide
90 feet deep and four stories in height. From
this building to the north is wing which is
14S feet long. 81 feet deep and three stories in
height above the basement. excepting a square
tower at the extremity, four stories in height A
similar wing extending to the south contains the
new chapel Directly north Of the main building
is large building occupied by the girls depart
ment big stone wall once divided this building
from the boys department. but that has been
pulled down recently, and the day Mr. Stewart
made his visit with The Tribune correspondent a
large number of the girls could be from the
boys department walking about under the trees
back Of their own building. Moreover. second
wall. which encircled all the buildings has been
pulled down by the action Of the authorities the
design being TO decrease the prison idea ,
Entering the main hallway Of the school one
sees that the offices Of the institution are situated
upon either side of it; and also that there are
glass-covered cases against the walls filled with
beautifully made parts of iron machinery and
objects Of art in clay. The cases, you are told
contain the exhibit made by the school at the
Worlds Columbian Exhibition in Chicago In
the office at the left Of the entrance, Franklin
H. Briggs, the superintendent Of the school, was
found. Mr.. Briggs after greetings had been
exchanged. conducted his visitors through all
the departments OF the great school He OK
plained that there Were four diYisnns OF the