New-York tribune., 1901-02-18
and books for the use Of


there being in the reception house three bathtubs
10 every fourteen girls.
No pains have been spared 10 secure equal per-
fection in administration. both in the details Of in
stituton economy and. more especially in all that
relates 10 the object OF the institution. which is
the reformation Of the young women committed 10
H. These Will be for the most part women guilty
Of misdemeanors a class OF offences which In
cludes being drunk and disorderly." vagrancy and
petty larceny. Such offenders have usually in the
past been sentenced 10 short terms in the work
house a county Jail. with the inevitable result
of deepening their degradation. There are on
record cases OF women who have passed fifteen
twenty-five. thirty-hve and even fifty years of
their lives in prison. having been committed in
some instances two hundred and fifty times. with
out gaining any good from the punishment. on
the contrary. they have gained from this treat
ment an incalculabe amount OF evil. with which
they have infected others in the intervals between
their terms Of Imprisonment and worst of ALL they
have become mothers Of children almost certainly
foredoomed 10 similar lives OF misery and shame.
EXPERIENCE OF sUPERINTENDENT
Only women between the ages Of fifteen and
thirty years 10 he admitted. and the minimum
term OF commitment is three years although In
mates may, al the discretion Of the officers OF the
reformatory be released parole at any time
after one wear
Realizing that the character OF the officers would
he the most important factor in the reformation
OF the inmates. the managers have made their ap-
pointment with the greatest care. The supern-
tendent is Or Katharine Bement Davis DR. Davis
received her early education IN Rochester. " y
her native city After teaching for several years
IN the High School al Dunkirk. " Y. she entered
Nassar College, from which she graduated in
1882 The year following her graduation she spent
In studying the chemistry OF foods al Barnard
College. For the next four years she was head
worker at the College Settlement in Philadelphia
The scholastic years OF 1sSSs and lsSs9O she spent
in studying sociology the University OF Chicago
where she received her doctors degree IN June
1900 The Intervening year was devoted 20 socioloet
cal studies al the universities Berlin and Vienna
both IN Philadelphia and Chicago DR.. Davis leet-
ufed on Domestic science She planned ana had
charge OF the workingman's model home which
formed part OF the New-York State exhibit AZ the
worlds Fair In 1888. In order 10 inform herself
concerning the conditions OF the poorer classes OF
Prague she lived for a time IN tba r,r,t,. =, :
workingman OF that city
since her appointment last September Dr. Davis
mas been occupied with business pertaining 70 her
ONCE. and since January she has lived near ,ba
retormatory and supervised the work going on
there VA
She has planned IN detail the organization and
administration OF the retornatory and ts entb,s,-
astle over its prospects. The educational aspect ~
the training is the one she dweIls most unon a.
thoush she has given the disciplinary side due AT
tenuon- When asked concerning the methods %
be employed. DR. Davis said 10 rribyna re,o-,.-.
" ee Intend 70 make the Industrial work the Lead
To ne seIe ot the training Every girl will be trained
sec1rsnS IISeIPorung This is the only means OF
rt 80 4lsI sIleton and practice IN COOKERY seUin@
Mork. Those showing special aptitude for ons g.
4 aHYuner OF these branches OF Household ,pGre,r,.
out OF door life Is expected fo DO - amen Slo, ,..,
grl the moral and physical regeneration OF the
gsraening The gardening course Viii incIda IA
frames market gardening and the rsisi5 81 "a % Toi1
IrI1!es' 1s' AS believe games have great eSrcattona
mere VIII be croquet grounds anu as SOON
ss pIacticable provision for other snorfs ~ AZ
tion 10 Emnst, tralning Will give special atteu-
music 70 hesf Snsi . not have teacher OF vocal
IN time The oT55spGt sh; pGt hope we may have one
tSa for The present IN the two schoolrooms % I
sos ssssioas & day hs the girls attending each sss
fndus-r4sT hsli OF the day they VIII devote "a
nneq f all o. which viii be done 9r Sy ihs oi rls ths
These matrons are 20 he women ., ,,,,.--
tages tbe VINO no,E VII mother The girls In the cot
While about their work VIII ear a, ~ We girls
greatly upon The WIN mem IN the evening I rely
ana ana girs Tor the success az the work We bII
derstand from he ana each girl viii be made to un-
her coI,c; hos On her past record, but wholly on
place cannot be better expressed than ip oI ne
..t--,., I'LL Minch mink Of taking for our motto
forward" iu' We press
EDUCATIONAL TRAINING.
Dr, DAVIS Intends TO base the educational training
As tar as possible on the system devised by Dr.
ifN PR
mary school which is maintained IN connection
with the department OF pedagogy AZ the T-rJ,e-s,,.
or chicago. OF which department DIT Dewey Is the
head The central idea OF this system IS tha pres
entaton OF school subjects IN such a way tbat
the pupil feels them belong to his own usa ana
experience instead Of being lust lessons 20 ha
learned. When the pupils are children they are
encouraged 20 repeat IN their school work as All
children tend 10 do IN their play the experience q,
the race Thus they use loom and spinning wheel.
make clay dishes. and even build huts and RATS
while learning about the earth and the peonle
upon IT, They study plants and animals In connec-
ton with these occupations and with cooking and
learn the use OF spoken and written language Incl
oentaly as a means OF expressing the knowledge
they have acquired or for the purpose OF acquiring
more This system requires some adaptation 10 IN
II to older pupils. but DR.. Davis believes that n
VIII prove most valuable in bringing the REFORM
story training into direct relations with the reau-
ties OF life In her opinion the Introduction q, tbs
able and ambitious college graduate 10 do eociet,,
sSs sefEioe ana at the same time make a name for
SAID sa's OF the prejudice against institutions she
! cannot sympathize with all OF the talk against
INSTITUTIONS. Institutions have their place We
cannot DO away with them. What we should strive
unit their inmates 10 return "a tb ey % VIII M not
bIfls VINO are 10 come 10 could have had "a rlir
they would probably never have been sent here
An institution does not necessarily 'nstitutionize'
tiOna the aim OF work at Bedford viii ~ "a
NJ the grls 10 return 20 the outside world as soon
as possible The least possible restraint Will be
exercised. There are no bars except in the reoep-
tion house Neither will there be any prison walls
only fence OF wire netting. which being nesrl,
Invisible. will not give constant sense Of heinz
shut in. There will be no uniform no marchipp fo
and fro In squads few rules -
Each new arrival at Bedford will be taken IA tho
reception house. Here she will be examined b,, ~
resident physician and viii have a bath and re
ceive new clothing: after which she win have a
private interview with the superintendent
A room IN the reception house will be assigned to
her, and she VIII remain there until judged worthy
OF promotion TO cottage life. The arrangement OF