Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1897-01-21

I =
: This Institution has an income of &30, 200, of
which, for the year ending June 80, 1896,
! a. 1869 was received as fees from the
model department, special classes and ir-
regular students. One hundred and eighty
Ave children are instructed in the model de-
partment, which is utilized for training pur-
| poses Ninety counties are represented at
the institution. During the last ten years
| II ,O18 pupils have attended the State Nor
NAL school, coming from ninety-four coun-
ties Las year there were students from
| twelve other states and territories Two
thirds of the present attendants are ladies.
1.-THE board of regents urge that the law
providing for the recognition of State Nor
NAL school diplomas for cities OF the first
| and second classes be made so specific that
there could be no question in the minds of
anyone as to their legality as teachers GER
tihcates. 1t occurs to me that the state
owes 1t to itself to see that this is done. If,
after all the money expended, the gradu-
ates of this institution are not fitted to teach
any of our common schools, the institution
is failure We know that our state nor
NAL ranks high among similar institutions,
| that its students are as efficient, curriculum
| as liberal, Its instructors as proficient as any
| of its rivals; therefore, It's diplomas should
be as good, at least, as the certificates issued
by the county board of examination.
"The board of regents ask that GER
tain improvements and additional room be
furnished. Under the head of educational
institutions recommend that 1t would bet
ter serve the interests of the people to es-
tabllsh an auxiliary normal school in some
other portion of the state, rather than to
erect more extensive buildings at Emporia
The State Penitentlary.
1.-THE penitentiary contained SOL prisoners
women. For the fiscal year ending June 80
1896, the expenditures of the institution
were 1851, 600.29, the earninhs S149, 916.50,
The report of the warden, board OF direct
ors and officials contains an exhaustive
treaties on the expenditures and necessities
of the institution. But few realize the mag
nitude of this institution or the careful at
tention which 1t should receive from the
legislature In order to keep 1t abreast of in
stitutIons of the same kind in sister states.
At times in our history this has been self
supporting institution. At other times 1t
has been considerable of a burden to the
taxpayers of the state. Like all other insu-
tutions where manual labor Is performed,
the state prison at Lansing makes the best
showing when times are good, money
plenty, and the worst during hard times.
THE output OF coal from the penitentlary
has been It's principal source of revenue,
yet there is sentiment in portions of the
State against utilizing this coal except for
state institutions In another portion of
this message certain recommendations are
made in regard to the surplus after the
state institutions are supplied. This, in my
judgment, at this time is as far as we can
go on the line of correcting the placing of
coal mined by convict labor in competition
with free labor. If 1t could be so arranged
that instead of producing so much coal,
other manufactures could be established
which would not compete with the free
labor of the state, 1t would be better than
our present system. There are certain rec
concentrations made by the board to which
your attention is directed. The principal
necessities seem to be the completion of
more cells for the use ofprisoners and addi-
tional clothing for cOnvicts
Reform School Criticisms.
IF there is any institution in the state
which is open to criticism, in my judgment
the Reform School for Boys, situated in our
capital city, Is that one. Not that I would
charge incompetence upon its management
or employees, bnt from the fact that it is i'm
possible to reform boys in idlencss. The
miniature man is so constituted that he
must have something to employ his mind
and hands, or else he will invent something
for himself An old proverb, of doubtful
origin, says: Satan always finds work for
idle hands to do and If this be true, and I
accept it as as true, think his satanic mai
esty is quite likely visitor at the Reform
School.
II am informed that when this school was
established the object sought was to take
the erring boys and lead them to better
and higher life. In order to do this they
should be taught trades and made useful
citizens For some reason unknown to me,
the legislature has failed to make appropri-
atoms for buildings and mechanical appa-
ratus for carrying out this idea. True, a
drill master has been employed and the
boys are being trained In the manual of
arms for the life of a soldier. cannot
agree with the superintendent report that
this is proper and right My experience is
that nine out of ten boys who go astraY do
so through the influence of dime novels and
cheap literature, wherein bandits, highway
men, blood and thunder and gunpowder are
promiscuously mixed. Any training which
they might receive In the line of creating
bloodshed and CORY war inculcates the same
idea In the inside that brought them there
from the outside. In my humble judgment
they should be taught and instructed in the
line Of peaceful citizenship, rather than
that Of soldier and war.
II recommend to the Legislature that If it
is thought impractlcable to furnish appa-
ratus suitable for teaching them trades,
that additional appropriations be made for
the Hutchinson reformatory, and that the
| boys be removed there, where they can have
the influence brought upon them that will
lead them in the right line. A continuation
of Dick Turpin and Jesse James ideas inside
the walls of this institution will not reform
the boys, and, while it may hold them in
restraint for the time being and relieve So
ciety of their presence and influence, yet
when they are turned loose their moral
| judgment will not be improved to any great
extent
The Hutchinson RefOrmntory.
ITO reform the erring and make good clti-
zens of young men and boys who have been
led astray is one of the noblest works in
which men engage. With the view of doing
this the reformatory at Hutchinson was
established by the legislature In 1885, was
made ready for occupancy In 1895, and
opened with thirty of the least hardened
criminals from our state penitentiary. The
report of the board and my knowledge of
the institution lead me to believe that 1t has
proven a success and Is solving the problem
of what to do with the young criminals who
| are started on a career of crime. The rooms
now completed are crowded to their full
capacity, and the board of directors are
asking for an appropriation to complete
certain portions of the building so thatit
can be used to accommodate other inmates.
This will necessitate more help, and, in my
judgment, the requests should be granted
The Board of Agriculture.
I'm its past in our history the board Of
| agriculture has been a matter of public de
rision. but in later years, in the hands of
competent men and men who have taken
IL A.