Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1899-01-06
STATE FEFORMATORY.
A Curfew Law Commended
as Good for The Young,

} following statement, under th'
heading. "Reformatory Need
ed. " It is said that there are
over two hundred convicts il
the State prison nov who arc
minors, many Of them mere
boys, according to Warden Pus'
} 'eII's statement these boys "be
gin to get worse as soon as they
come to the prison. Only this
week, one little white boy. elev'
4 years Old, and small for his
age, at that, was received at the
prison to serve a five years SEN
tence In this day of enlight>
enment and progress, this is a
d plorable record to be entered
up against our good old State,
whose people compare favorably
with any other people On the
face of the globe, in intelligence
enlightenment. and what goes
to make up the civilization of the
present day, among nations and
people. AS | stated in a former
article. "The very warp and
woof of the nation is wrapped
up in them (the boys, and it is
certain that the national lite
cannot rise higher than the
source from which it springs
aud certainly no higher duty
devolves upon a State, or nation,
than that of elevating and ups
holding its citizenship. 1t
might be asked where shall the
work begin, and to this question
| would answer in the enaCt>
ment of wholesome laws looking
to the protection of the
children of the land. The
enactment Of a Curfew Law"
Empowering the cities and
towns of the State to enact or
dinances requiring the children
under fifteen years Of age to be
in their homes by eight o'clock
in the summer, and not later
than halt past seven in The Win
ter, unless accompanied by par
enls or guardians. or have leave
of absence. This would stop
the children from being on the
streets and gathering around the
groceries and other places ct
common resort, where gossip in
it's worst form is indulged in by
worthless fellows, who have no
useful occupation and who do
not desire any. We all know
how susceptible the young are
and what vivi5 imaginations
they have, and Nat they are
proned to take in and absorb
such things with Listing harm
to themselves. Now the Cur
few Law" is no idle dream,
tor it has long since passed the
experimen stage and been in
successful operation in over 800
cities i'll the United States for
several years, with the practical
benefit Of decreasing crime
among the young. The arrests
deceasing in some cities, as much
as aeveaty>hve per cent. The
practical tests seems to Indicate
that 1t is one of the most import
ant steps for municipal reform
prom oted during this century.
To the Observant it will be sten
tibet properly managed the Cnr>
lew Law" will be a great aid
and adjunct to State Refor-
natory. This is one step for
the protection of the young. aud
another, and perhaps the great
est is to enact law establishing
a Reformatory, or State Trains
ing School for young crlmlnals.
1t is a we'll known fact when ap
piled to the young, the criminal
law is not reformative, as the
article copied from your paper
too plainly shows. 1t Las been
we'll said. "The more brutal
forms of punishment seems to
harden, rather than to correct.
Therefore by some method the
heart must be reached, and the
am bition to higher and nobler
deeds must be instilled. This
can be done, and has been done;
and among those who have im>
bued these higher ambitions
and nobler purposes, was Bishop
Wakefield. What a grand
life his was, and what a useful
citizen of the British Empire
he beclme, is now matter OF
history. This is only one in>
stance Of the many. where the
Individual life has BEN cleared
of the criminal taint, aud made
more perfect and useful. Can
ANYTHING be of more importance
than the accomplishment OF this
high and holy purpose The
r Reformatory should be establish
ed near some enterprislng city
or town, when the busy hum or
the industry may be heard,
ot,;o that 70 be useful, is to