The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-04-24

Superintendent In diana Reform atOrY
stitution net burden to the State of but
So. COO
The problem now confronting the prison
officials Is how are these inmates 10 Occu-
Ply their time when the contracts which are
now on hand expire. OF course. it seems
long time until 1906. and while others are
thinking OF the seriousness OF the situation
Superintendent Whitaker is racking his
brain for some feasible plan of employing
the inmates.
There is not enough work around the in
stitution to keep the 1900 men employed,
and TO let them all remain absolutely idle
will never 40, for il is said that il will
greatly impair them, both mentally and
physically
Superintendent Whitaker some time ago
read paper before the labor organizations
OF Jeffersonville in which he set forth a
plan which will not only give employment
20 the inmates of the Reformatory but Will
also be great saving to the State. In
the course of his paper he said:
The change in the name of the institu-
ton I'm 1897 from the Indiana State Prison
South to the Indiana Reformatory did not
change the manner of employing the in
mates, as contracts had been entered into
which Will not expire until 1906, and these
contracts we are compelled to carry out.
I'VE shall not have the full benefit of
the Reformatory law. SO far reforming
the inmates is concerned, until these con-
tracts expire, and | am one who believes
that for the benefit of the labOring man
and for the welfare of society these
tracts should not be renewed.
'In making this statement, which is not
a one. l realize what il means TO the
mana cement who will have control of the
institution in 1906 Unless given relief by
the Legislature that will meet next year,
ii means not only a loss to the State finan-
cially. but trouble to the management, and
If the Reformatory is carried on as now di-
rected it means very much larger an
nual appropriation than We now have.
SEEKS SUGGESTIONS.
Mr.. Whitaker then invites people all
fnr ba
pIoyment for the inmates which will tend
to look to their physical development and
the mental reformation, and at the same
time make the expenses to the taxpayer of
bringing about the reformation as small
as possible.
The plan the superintendent has con-
ceved to employ the inmates is to haze
them make the school books of the State,
and also the school supplies The text
books that would be turned out by the in
stitution would be those of the ninth
grade, which are now costing the taxpay-
ers over 100000 a year.
He contends that if these books were
made in the institution the cost would be
greatly reduced, or, he explains in his
address: Il am quite sure that this eX-
pense, if the books were made in the Re
formatory, would not be over 90 per cent.
of the amount they now cost, and in this
way the institution would be made self
sustaining.
In speaking of the machinery that would
be required TO accomplish this work Sup
erintendent Whitaker sets forth
THE first question can be answered by
the statement that the entire time Of the
inmates of the Reformatory, if we find it
necessary, can be utilized in the making of
school supplies. This would not be the
case. however. should the State go to the
expense of putting in expensive and i'm
proved machinery with the same intention
as is done by a great corporation that goes
he .
money. Instead, the work OF making school
supplies in the institution should be so
planned that the object would be to make
just what the demand would be each year.
eff this could be done with machinery
operated by hand so much the better, as
the expense of the State would be lessened
in making preparations for the work, and
in addition the trade schools that now
have established could be carried on.
'If after some experience, ii was demon
strated that sufficient supplies could not be
turTed out by this slow process improved
machinery could be added from time 10
time to regulate the demand that would
be made. In conclusion i Will say that L
trust that those who have authority TO
provide this labor will always have in
mind that which will bring about the
| greatest possible good to the institution
and to the people whose duty it is 10 pro-
| vide ways and means for its proper ad-
| ministration."
THREE CELLHOUSES.
At the Reformatory there are three cell
| houses, where the inmates are quartered at
night. These houses are under the charge
! of an officer, who makes daily rounds Of
| inspection and reports the conditions as he
| finds them concerning the cells. and any
| sick inmates confined in them. The sani-
| tary condition is also looked after care
| fully each day, as are the temperature and
all ventilation.
| These cellhouses are constructed upon a
strictly sanitary basis and carefully
| watched by the physicians of the institu-
| ton. They are designated as cellhouses A,