The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-09-22
WORK IN THE PRISONS.

tftHlHB the dependent, defective an,
delinquent classes will be presented b,
experts. The y cooperation OF IN
churches VIII be enlisted I'm the work
and the last Sunday in October will b,
generally observed in many states az
Prison Sunday" 1t Is expected thai
this viii be done In Rhode Island
Concerning Prison Sunday" Mrs
j. *. Barney of Providence, superin.
tendent and prison evangelist OF the
w. Z. Il. u, has said i'm a pamphlet is
sued by the Massachusetts Prison As
ISOLATION upon Prison Problems: What
III majority of the ministers, preyi-
GUS 10 this set day should very ear
nestly ask, Lord what wilt thou have
ME TO do in regard 10 these brethren in
DorldsY Then wait upon their knees with
spirit ears open. not only to the signing
OF the prisoners but to the forceful
words, not willing that any should per-
Ism. Surely there would come some of
the profound inexpressible feeling
(which made Paul cry out. Il am debtor
both to the Greeks and to the barbara
ans; both 10 the wise and TO the un-
wise.
Paul taught divine logic when he
reasoned that the power of the strong
Is shall | say. divinely mortgaged for
the interests OF the weak The sinner
or the sufferer whom / have The means
OF reaching has a God-given claim upon
me which i may not evade."
The words arrested sentence be
hind prison bars and released would
no longer be meaningless terms. Crime
and It's varied causes. the work of pre-
Vention. as related 10 the home. soci-
ETY., business and the church, would be
emphasized. The Importance of dealing
wisely with those who have fallen by
the way, and for whom the time of in
carceration should be made corrective
and remedial. would apI ear. together
b..e Al.
help, when. at the expiration of SEN
tsnce. they again face the world and
its temptations"
Mrs. Barney has visited prisons, and
spoken, when allowed To the inmates
In England, Canada, Honolulu, New
Zealand. Tasmania, Australia, New |
South Wales. and I'm the United States. |
ranging from the far East 10 the ia |
nous San Quentin prison in California. |
NO one is better able to give accurate |
Information on prison work. She says: |
I'm the United States much is being |
done in the way OF alienation, rescue
and reform. There has been "A notable
Increase OF police matrons In all the
provinces of CANADA faithful work has
been done. In Ontario the Prisoners
Ala Association, unsolicited, placed
representatives Of the w. G. +. U. on |
their board. Quebec is added 10 the
number OF cities having police matrons
|
work In prison and gaol. Great Britain
has Systematic visitation of work
houses, infirmaries. ana hospitals. The
police matron movement is gaining !
ground. Hawaiian Islands superin-
teudent gives account OF personal work |
in Honolulu. The long continued ef-
fort 10 secure the appointment of police
i'm New Zealand has been
with success in the principal
cities. Splendid work fs reported in |
Tasmania. especially among women
prisoners. Similar work is being done
In Victoria, New south Wales. Queens
land. South and West Australia"
The Massachusetts Prison Associa-
hon was established in 1889 having
among It's principal purposes the study
or questions relating TO crime and
criminals, and the promotion of the
adoption of improved IN, thods OF deal
ing with those who violate the laws.
The history of prison reform shows that 1
progress has ttstiaiy come from the or
sanized work Of persons not directly I
with the administration of 7
prisons /
The Association studies prison prob
ems, Keeping in touch with the most (
lctive and intelligentIy progressive $
Local neeu,s are also studied and the !
people are kept informed regarding ,
prison questions S
This Associations successful work
'roves that the complete success of a
efounation work i'm institutions de- d
lends largely upon the existence OF an &
Intelligent and Interested constituency II
utside the prison walls, in fun sympa-
ny with reformatory methods. and | Il
fllhng To extend practical help To those | n
'ho have ceased To be prisoners. IN
AS early as 1887. Hon Edward Ever IL
u, then governor Of the state OF Mas b
achusetts offered a resolution cover q
Acrf Inn. ,a.,,,u To,
nd methods. In his address given In n
upport OF the resolution he said: "The "
esolut on | have the honor 10 send to Ia
ne chair speaks OF the improvements -
J prison discipline as among the most =
iferesting achievements OF Christian
enevolence in modern times To iusti-
7 this remark. We ne a but - r. feet is
moment on what prisons were before vc
lese reforms were introduced | think
may be said without exaggerat.on. II
lat. witAin the walls of many of them. Y,
10 capacity Of the human victims to
idure suffering was put to the sever WI
4 test" te
The researches OF Howard first Cl
the attention Of tn civilized
orld to this subject. Suggestions were go
ade by him tending perhaps To most ~
the reforms that have been adopt dc
=" th
BY successive steps the public mind ca
as prepared for the most important OF,
ep-that OF converting prisons into
aces OF moral reform. into what Is no
piled I'm the name Of ''penitentiaries"
That there has been great improve va
cnt i'm methods all over the country We
Is been well proven. our own state 90
stitut ons are an excellent example OF
. improved system. s"i
BOYS CLUB. r,i
The Boys club organized last spring cor
Providence is now located i'm the old the
lestnut street church. corner OF deg
lestnut and Clifford streets. The she
ors were first opened for the recep- bes
m of the street boys last week. on Ch
)nday evening. The attendance has tiol
en large and ever increasing from one
e first. IN
rhe writer recently visited the club /
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