The Saint Paul globe., 1904-10-23
THE STATE TRAINING SCHOOL


The Globe wishes to indorse in
the strongest possible terms the plan
outlined by Mr.. jacobson, of the state
board of control. for the future ar
rangement and conduct of the state
training school. The Women's Federal
tion is to be credited with inaugural
ing a strong sentiment in this direc-
ton. The board of control will ap-
prove it, as must every right thinking
man and woman in the state We can
not believe that after all the circum-
stances are understood and made pub
lie there will be single man in Min
nesota unwilling that the state should
make whatever reasonable appropria-
ton is necessary to accomplish the
suggested changes.
These are principally two. 1t is in
dispensable first of all to separate the
sexes at the state training school,
and it is no less Indispensable to di-
vide the girls sent there into two
classes that shall be kept as entirely
apart as are the sexes. These are re-
forms that ought not to wait a moment
and that should be provided for as
soon as the legislature can meet and
supply the necessary funds. They
seem to us to require no argument,
but to stand amply fortified by the
mere statement of them.
Considering the history of the young
persons who are sent to the state train
ing school, most of whom have al
ready been either offenders or incor
rigib1e, it is horrible thing to think
of placing boys and girls where they
can meet and form acquaintances. 1t
is like starting match factory in
powder mill. No matter how carefully
the regulations and the enforcement of
them, evil must result. All latent tend
encies and all old habits which the
individual may be trying to repress
are startled into new life by the nee
essary suggestions of propinqulty. The
very name of .straining school, and
the very word reform" are mean
ingless when applied to such situa- Z
ton. We believe that all that can be
done is done to prevent evil results,
but it is the situation itself which is
impossible. The institution for girls
and that for boys should be removed
far from each other as soon as the
necessary accommodations can be pro-
vided.
Not less important is it that dis
tinction and separation should be made
among the girls themselves. 1t is one
of the frightful delinquencies of our
so-called civilization that its penal and
reformatory institutions make little at
tempt to keep apart those stepped in
crime and those who have as yet made
but a single false step. Go into our !
jails and Iockups and you will find the
young and the old mixing freely. They
are yeritable schools of crime. in which
the juvenile delinquent learns all the
evil arts from past masters in the
game
1t is even less tolerable than this TO
think of little girls who have been
merely froward or contumacious or
neglected put into closest contact with
those whose whole moral natures are
tainted. AS well might we daub the
walls of our stately capitol with pitch
and slime and expect it to maintain
its white purity and beauty. For every
life that is ruined and every soul that
is sent down to destruction by this
reckless casting together of the pure
and the impure, thoughtless or neg
Iectful state is responsible. In heav-
ems name and for the sake of very
decency let this thing go on no longer.
Let the state decree division of
the children at the state training school
on the lines suggested not merely by
the experience of its management but