Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-05-14
THE FEEBLE MINDED
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addressed by Mr. c. Dewey Hllies, supfrin-
tendent of the Boys Industrial School OF
Lancaster, Ohio and his subject was eX-
pansion as applied to juvenile reformd-
tories.
AT the close of the century," said Mr..
Hlllies. there remained in the reforma-
tories and houses of refuge of the country,
exclusive of those in the institutions in
the District of Columbia, Montreal and
Utah. from which data was not obtainable,
II $50 boys. and from the same institutions,
Nebraska excepted, 156,005 boys have gone
forth. The average annual cost per cap
tia in thirty-one institutions, Nebraska in
cluded, but Iowa excepted. was s15S.o5. In
almost all the states boys are committed
on indeterminate sentences and can be re-
leased for probationary periods. The aver
age term of detention is 23.6 months The
standing of boys in twenty-four of the
institutions il ascertained at a given time
by means of the badge of merit system.
Two. one of these the Howard School i'll
Rhode Island. use the banking system.
Eight or ten superintendents, prominent
among the number being Mr.. st. John of
Michigan. depend upon memory, Judgment
and constant personal contact with each
boy in forming estimate of character,
conduct and capacity to succeed, If
released.
system in Ohio.
I'm Ohio we debit the boy with dement's
Wnen he enters the ScnoOl, lht HilLlHluiii
assessment being 5000 and the maximum
being 5000. For each Gay of exemplary
department and satisfactory work in school
he receives a credit of ten, with such ad-
ditional reward for consecutive weeks of
good behavior as will make it possible to
cancel the minimum debt in twelve months.
When the reformatory system has
marched onward until it is in jocund con-
traSt to the former gloomy tenements of
crime, and until it would seem it had al
most reached the edge of it's possibilities,
it has merely encountered the law OF
diminishing returns. The system Furnishes
offenders, teaches the distinction between
right and wrong, provides comfortable
clothes, ample wholesome food, healthful
climate, educational opportunities unsur-
passed in the towns of the respective
states, famliarizes boys with military
matters and maneuvers teaches trades,
drives out the moral malaria and enlarges
and steadies the physical forces. The sys-
tenn has adapted itself to surroundings 1t
has moved with the times. 1t has adopted
suggestions tending toward Improvement.
Remedies were applied where flaws were
found. But the evolution is not ended
1T is essential to carry the classified
ton of boys to the last analysis. We mini
mize contamination by segregating the
worst criminals; conditions will be i'm
proved, in proportion, by punching boys OF
the same stature, color, educational ad-
vancement and grade of offense. This may
seem Utopian, but it is not 80 difficult Of
approach in institutions having 500 inmates
assigned to twenty cottages of forty each
While the reform schools have returned
to society $4,000 boys whose careers have
been creditable and useful, the superinten-
dents estimate they have sent out $4,000
who have relapsed into crime and deliber-
ately INDUCED in vice and violence as a
profession.
'One satisfactory step toward stemming
this tide would be to permanently retire
the recidiVist. A custodial farm could be
provided for such criminals as are known
to be incurable."
Relates to the Insane.
Another section was devoted to consider
ing the subject of the insane. Dr. Will
bur DIN Atwater, professor of chemistry in
Wesleyan University, spoke upon the great
Importance of providing proper dietaries
for insane hospitals and other institutions,
in order to achieve the best results with
the patients. DR.. l.. Pierce Clark of the
Craig colony, Sonyea, n. Y, gave some
suggestions for the establishment of colo
MES and pSychOpathic hospitals for the in
sane.
Many of the delegates attended the shad-
bake prepared for them at River View this
afternoon, leaving the wharf at 2:30
o'clock.
The general session of the conference will
be held at Foundry Church this evening,
the question to be discussed being refor-
matories and industrial schools Tomor-
row morning. at Columbian University, the
conference will devote it's attention to the
treatment of the criminal, and Mr.. Charl-
ton T. Lewis. president of the New York
Prison Association, will give his views on
how the state ought to deal with crime.
The closing session of the conference will
be held tomorrow evening.