The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-07-30
STATE SCHOOL FOR YOUNG BOYS

H. L. Reade. Of Jewett City, trustee
for New London county, writes as fol-
lows about the Connecticut school for
boys
Few IN eastern Connecticut and per
! haps fewer elsewhere, know as much as
they should about what was once called
what it should be truly, the Reform
school, but now the Connecticut School
for Boys. 1t came into being by legls-
lative nactment In 1851, forty-nine
years ago. It's government was vested
in a board of twelve trustees, one from
each county and four from the vicinity
of the nstitution-Meriden- be APP
pointed by the senate and to hold office
four years, vacancies to be filled by the
governor.
The first name on the list of trustees
is that of Gideon Wells of Hartford, at
forwards a member of President Linz
coins cabinet. With him was Phile-
mon Hoadley of New Haven, widely
known in educational circles; Philo M.
Judson, lawyer Of repute In Norwich;
Deacon Erastus Lester of Plainfield,
and prominent in his realm, Henry D.
Smith of Middletown. Immediately af-
ter these came John P. CULVER and
Moses Pierce, notable Norwich citizens;
Deacon William Swift Of Windhan1,
Horace Gaylord of Ashford, with others
following, In all more than eighty per-
sons who had held the office Of trustee
and given more or less time and
thought to the boys sent to this insti-
tuition in the half century of It's life.
LOCATION AND BUILDINGS.
The institution is located In Meriden.
The farm contains one hundred and
ninety-five acres including the land on
which the buildings stand. These have
been erected on a considerable hill on
the farm and overlooking the city and
consist Of central edifice three hum
dred feet long. fifty feet deep and four
stories high, with wing one hundred
and twenty feet long and three stories
high, all of brick; a chapel with seat
ing capacity for five hundred boys and
FIVE cottages which can accommodate
about fifty boys EACH
Various industries give employment
to most if not all Of the boys Those
who are capable learn biography, print
ing and others are taught some Of the
less intellectual, but equally useful
trades. The work on the farm 1s done
wholly by them and the yield Of pota-
toes last year. amounting to more Tran
fifteen hundred bushels, will give clue
to the work required In the other de-
partments
Most If not all the work In the home
is done by the boys, and their success
in clean housekeeping is specially no.
tceable All the clothing needed for
the boys Is made, Repaired and kept
clean by them, and speaking for the
whole. 1t may be said that the work
pertaining to cooking, the dining room,
the laundry, the sleeping rooms, etc, is
In their charge and all is done excep-
tonally well.
THE FOOD.
The quality Of the food placed before
the boys could be no better. Good
grades of -four are used meals are of
the best quality; fresh vegetables from
the home garden in their season, and
from one to two hundred quarts Of milk
from the institution dairy, with other
things both needful and inviting, are In
constant use, the idea being to NEE in
the best most hetlthful way the ormal
demands Of the body Of growing boy.
SCHOOL, MUSIC, ETC.
All the boys attend school three hours
each day ten months in the year. In
the school there are eleven divisions,
which gives each pupil opportunity to
study in a grade suited to his attain
ments and ability, Having an average
mind, he can secure an education which
a 1t hn ht1S rf
an ordinary life.
All are instructed In vocal music, and
there 10 band Of about forty boys
whose performances do honor to the in
stitution.
Leaving the discipline of the school,
with the end in view and its moral and
religious training for later time, some
facts in Its history will be Of interest.
Since the school was opened there have
been 6,25S inmates At present there
are In the school 44S boys, divided SUBJ
stantially as follows: From Hartford
county, 20; New Haven county, 54
Fairfield county 80; New London coun-
ty 10; Middlesex county. s; Toland
county, Q; Litchf1eld county, 10; Wind
ham county, 4. During the past nine
months 1873 boys have been placed In
families Of given occupation elsewhere,
only eight Of whom have been returned
for any criminal cause.
The whole aim of the school Is to help
the boy to overcome evil. His possibili-
ties are made as clear to him as can be
to one of his perception and his age,
and from the day he enters the school
he has all the help that judicious and
1t trAt,
can give him.