Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-11-25
WANTED, A REFORM SCHOOL
Women of South Carolina institute
An Important Work.

Women of South Carolina institute
An Important Work.
About seven years ago the women
of Alabama, seeing the great evil
done to youthful lawbreakers by as
ISOLATION with adult criminals, In
augurated a movement for the es"
tablishment Of an industrial school
for white boys. A committee was
appointed, which presented to Ger
tain legislators the great need OF
such an institution. The legislature
granted a charter for a "reformatory
and industrial school, to be estab-
lished under the care Of the state OF
Alabama for the benefit OF
orphan. helpless and wayward chill
dren," and said school Ito receive
and provide for the welfare OF white
children between the ages Of eight
and sixteen, who, by reason of their
conduct or surroundings, are likely
to become base or criminal. or hurt
full to the state or the best interests
of society or such children as
shall have committed petty offenses
or crimes" said children to be COM
mitted to the school or reformatory
by any judge or other proper officer.
The legislature appropriated three
thousand dollars for this school, which
appropriation was supplemented by
contributions from public spirited
citizens, and a school was establish
ed at East Lake, near Birmingham.
The legislature has since made In
creasing appropriations, and now W
boys are being clothed, boarded, edu-
Gated and trained m useful indus
tries. A prominent judge recently
said that Alabama could better do
away with every other public insti-
tuition than the industrial school.
Tennessee has had an Industrial
school for fifteen years. Careful rec
ords kept Of the subsequent careers OF
the thousand boys dismissed show that
less than two per cent reverted to evil
ways. Experience having shown that
1t is cheaper to prevent crime than to
punish the criminal, all save fourteen
of the United States have established
such schools.
In the last fifteen years, how many
South Carolina boys have been allow
ed to commit one petty offense after
another, and left unpunished and I'M
cared for, until old enough to perpe-
trate crimes leading to terms in the
penitentiary.
The South Carolina Federation Of
Women's clubs. having undertaken the
work of securing school modelled on
the lines of the one successfully oper-
ated in Alabama, asks and confidently
expects, the hearty support OF all cit
izens of South Carolina.
1t is proposed to form an industrial
school association, with vice presi-
dent for each county, which vice pres
ident will organize the work in her
county, endeavoring to arouse inter-
est in the movement. The following
committee urges the cooperation OF
all women in South Carolina who be-
lieve in giving every boy a chance:
Mrs. NJ F. Ansel, Greenville; Mrs.
w. B. Wilson, Rock Hill; Mrs. Ira b.
Jones, Lancaster; Mrs. ]. M. Visanska,
Charleston: Miss f. McClintock, Co
| lumbia: Miss NJ. +. Waterhouse, Beau
fort; Mrs. John g. White, Chester;
Mrs. B. G.. Clifford, Union; Mrs. Chas.
Petty, Spartanburg; Miss M. Caroline
McIver, Darlington; Mrs. Mortimer
Glover, Orangeburg; Mrs. A. F. Nc
Kissick, Greenwood; Mrs. r. d.
Wright, Newberry; Mrs. S. Bleckey,
Anderson; Mrs. F. w. P. Butler, Edge
field: Mrs. w. H. Carroll, Bennettsville;
Miss Dulce Noise, Sumter; Mrs. j. o.
c. Fleming, Laurens; Mrs. Martha Orr
Patterson, Greenville, chairman.