The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-27
HOPKINS HAS IDEAS
Assistant Superintendent of
State Reformatory Here,
HON TO MAKE BOYS GOOD
Comes Here to Take R. H.
Owens to Reform School.


W. T. Hopkins, assistant superintendent
Of the State Reformatory, was down from
Hutchinson yesterday. He came after H
r. Owens. who was sentenced in the Sedg.
wick county district court to a term ir
the reformatory for committing a felony
and took Owens back with him last night
Mr.. Hopkins gave a reporter for the
Eagle some interesting information regard
ing the Hutchinson institution that is OF
| interest to the tax payers of Kansas, and
also enlightening, perhaps to many per-
sons who are interested in the humanitar-
ian side of life. The institution accepts
persons from 16 to % years of age There
are at present 21s boys in the reformatory.
Thirty per cent of the inmates are colored,
while the colored population Of the state
is only four per cent. a comparison which
! is, in Itself, a very interesting feature to
mediate upon.
Mr.. Hopkins says that the $40 acres of
land furnishes work for all those who do
not want to learn trade. Last year they
| raised all the vegetables required, besides
5000 bushels Of corn, 100 bushels of pota-
toes. They are feeding $50 head of hogs,
100 head Of beef cattle, % milk cows and
other stock about the farm. The institu-
ton operates its own laundry, makes its
own shoes and clothing and does all kinds
Of repairing. besides making state officers
uniforms, etc.
Twenty-nine officers are now required to
conduct the reformatory only fifteen of
which are said to be incompetent and I'M
worthy Of continuation in Office under the
Stanley administration
Mr.. Hopkins is of the opinion that politi-
cal greed often defeats the principal aim
Of elemosyRary and charitable institutions.
because" he said, men have to be fitted
by nature and experience for such work
as we have in the reformation of the in
corrigible youths of our land. Experience
counts for a great deal. Now, / suppose.
it will be only little while until Mr.. Stan
ley VIII dump the present crowd. The in
mates that have learned our ways and are
progressing nicely win then be compelled
to obey the mandates of another boss. who
may perhaps be totally unfit for such a
calling. I believe that men ought TO be
retained in such institutions as these when
they have been found to be capable, and
only then, no matter what their politics
may be. The chronic demand for political
preference is the worst foe of the charita-
bic institutions Of this or any other state"
Mr.. Hopkins says that in his opinion the
present force of employees are more capable |
than those under Morrill,, but Mr.. Hop
kins is a Populist, and the Populists are |
out
The assistant superintendent poured hot |
shot into the w. c. T. L. department of
prison work, and he is of the opinion thar /
the sickly sentimentality poured out upon !
wicked and incorrigible humanity is a /
wasted effort This w. c. T. L. prison /
committee work is all rot" said Mr.. Hop /
zins. Experience has taught me that You
must teach these boys the law and the
rights of others by applying the rules of
he institution and enforcing these rules in
4 rigid manner, treating these boys the
same as a policeman would treat them
when they dLsobey the common law. Sen
iment don't go. 1t requires rigid disci-
oline. If a boy IS not made to obey the
'ules governing his conduct in the reform
itory, he will not obey the laws of the
country when he gets out"
Mr.. Hopkins left with his prisoner last
light for Hutchinson.