The record-union., 1897-12-04


and the ultimate decentralization of the
school.
I disclaim any interest or knowledge
as a special critic upon the existing
state Of things in our California or
ganizations, of the personnel Of which
we know but little, and hence speak
unprejudicially and without fear OF
offense when we hazard the opinion
of the utter viciousness and inherent
weakness Of any system, from either
a theoretical or practical standpoint,
that in the least deprives its accredited
head of the right of supreme author
ity in matters for which at the same
time he is held primarily responsible
| submit the selfishness and injustice
of such policy is self-evident and
needs no further comment ship
that had one master fore and another
aft with an indefinite number inter-
mediate, each with an individual claim
for HIS tenure of office upon the owner,
would fare i'll in storm or fair weather,
and very likely land nowhere.
That particular adaptation on the
part of the Superintendent to the work
In hand is prime requisite to an eff
cient mana cement goes without say
ing, but it also holds true that wrong
or selfish policy would handicap the
most efficient officer. AprQpos of the
above, the executive head of a re-
formatory should himself be man
whose personality is above reproach
l speak only generally, for so far as
the writer knows such has uniformly
been the case in California State re-
formatories. The very association OF
the name of the nominal head with
vicious tendencies or evil practices, say
nothing OF the habits sought to be
eliminated from the lives of these
moral delinquents themselves, would in
lnself be an anomaly sufficient to rele-
gate. him to permanent retirement y
reformer who needs himself to be re-
formed is but a poor figurehead for
such an institution, and cannot but
work untold decentralization in one that
embodies the high water-mark of
the reformative concept The same
structure holds equally true of every
subordinate under him, none of whom
have any business to patronize the vices
they effect to discipline out of others
Youth is very quick to perceive the
Inconsistencies of example, While to
preach virtue and practice vice brings
the whole subject into contempt The
personnel of such an institution is of
course it's vital working force, it's moral
capital, upon whose intrinsic merit and
effectiveness its value as an institution
depends. The technicalities and details
of mere institutional work as such are
largely routine that readily adjust
themselves under the eye of a wide
On lxsa
from an incompetent official is-resig-
nation.
OF course space would not permit to
note the many features that character
iZe institutional work of this kind The
personal equation is ever a puZzling
one and the complexities of human
nature in it's varied moods in this par
ticular line of work is doubly ac-
centuated by the abnormalties that
enter into it and complicate it still
farther. For instance, the question of
the lnfifct1on of proper corTectives and
deterrent punishment upon inmates has
vexed even the more stable institutions
OF the East, where the larger problems
have been practically solved, leaving
the pettier one as a thorn in the side
to irritate, perhaps frequently less
through any serious consideration than
exaggerated sentimentalism That pun
ishment in some sense is a necessity
none would seem to deny who have
given the subject any attention, but
the form, the manner and degree in
which it is to be administered, is the
subject of perplexity.
Aside from any purely physical con.
siderations, the main question of proper
correctives narrows itself down simply
to one of comparative effectiveness
upon the subject himself Punishment
applied by brute force, and that ends
merely in infiicting pain, is the least
deterrent in effect of any that can be
devised 1t arouses only resentment
and infiames the passion, and hence as
may be readily inferred, possess none
of the corrective principles The sting
soon passes away, but the resentment
rankles, while desire Ito get even" say
nothing of the unnecessary humiliation
(Which lis always detrimental to self
| respecting manhooO remains.
Close observation in like field for
number of years has confirmed the
writer that such punitive measures as
reduce the convenfenceS of the offender
to a minimum and curtail his instict-
I've desire for ease and, comfort to the
last degree is the ideal method of
bringing the culprit to terms and oper-
ates as a healthy deterrent in his moral
training. A stone floor, with utter dark
ness, (but good ventflation) coupled
with spartan Inconvenience reduced to
science, all finished off with a thorough
treatment of the bread and water re-
gime will reduce the luxurious natures
of the most incorrigible to speedy cap
itulation and with more satisfactory
results than all the floggings and tor
lures that can be devised.
There is absolutely no more sense in
whipping a youth to reform him than
there is in pinching a baby to make it
good, and only results in arousing the
lower nature without affecting the
higher ends. Kindness mingled with
firmness and the swift but sure retri-
button of a uniform system of pun
ishment as above suggested reduced to
the last point of physical inconvenience
Will cause the offender, like Shakes
peares Antonio to set himself down
an ass" for his unreasoning disobedi-
ence with a promptness and sincerity
that is closely allied to the humorous.
II is the kind of punishment that con-
duces to a spirit of contemplation and
healthy introspection and hence very
liable to awaken a spirit of repentance
| that needeth not to be repented of.
AS before stated the problem of the
reformatory presents difficulties, as al
ready outlined, most of which, however,
owe their force as may readily be in
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