New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-07-30
REFORMATION OF GIRLS.
Institutional Discipline and Supervision
After Their Discharge.

Miss katherine 3 Davis. superintendent OF the
New-York State Reformatory for Women az Bed
ford spoke before the Summer School Of Philan-
thropy yesterday morning on The Reformation Of
Misdeneanants.
IF can put ny finger on any one thing that has
done the most place girls in the reforatory II Is
the desire TO have q good time" she said. Most
Of them work in factories or shops where they get
verv roeaEre wages and the desire 10 own pretty
clothes and adorumelts that they never buy out
az their salary and have gay life proves too
strong for their moral stamina
The great majority OF the women who are sent
70 US are unskiIed workers II they worked in
factory. they were the ones who held the lowest
positions there If they worked as saleswomen. they
were the ones VINO were constantly moving on from
one store another. The per cent Of trained
women In reforTnatory Is nouceably less than the
per cent OF trained men
All o. the girls our institution think that there
4. very easy way TO make money. and our most
serious problem is TO give them enough backbone
20 turn 10 iIegirinate money making when they
leave us
wander aiulessly around For those who DO not go
back 10 their husbands. or TO their fate-s and
mothers We find positions. We don't buy their
ticket. put them the train and leave them 70
make the journey alone, but II responsible per
son comes for q discharged girl. some one from
the reformatory accompanies her 10 her destination
We're colonizing Westchester County with
girls. many have been placed in positions
there
In speaking OF the classification Of the girls In the
cottages at Bedford. Miss Davis declared against
The age classification. which is used IN many in
snt9uons some people say thar = Young girl
eegree Of Serrstt1 does nor 10 def ~ - &c
sons age-yOung girls are jusl as Ike.y 10 con
taTnilate oder ana vice versa The most
thoroughly depraved girl l ever knew Nas only
= DO not believe that the seriousness Of an
o1eEce IN the eyes Of the law Is amy better oasis
tor classification woman whose daughter was
IL the TefC-ula tory came - once and said.
I've just ne&rd that YOU have ulrCertrs here.
Il seems II can't stand 70 have ny glr. living
7 thought Of her cauEhter a -tteea-y.ar-oT6
sTl. the biggest girl Tor her age / ever saw. VINO
petty larceny s5s a bad girl IL every way.
Then Thought - litte slxteen-yeaT-old girl VINO
was sentenced for numbering her baby. She had
whole thing was Frch a shorl 10 ber' -1sr ~
was led 70 the crime. She a gentle Ittle girl
who had never gone wrong before. With this case
4 mind said 10 that mother: I have no fear
that any murderer here VIII corrupt your caugh-
The only proper basis OF classification is,
SeEeve, character and conduct When "A girl first
csee 10 rSi5f1 s T sS = ul mo ".l4t IS
,@st hec conduct, and have chance 10 get =
,enous and tries 70 evade the Law she is put into
over elsss but II she tries 70 do right she pro-
tine. less varied food. and fewer privileges than
epend Win 81 ,3i,rs, ~ rcIno T Goes not
marking That. believe. is great injustice. for
= is often true that Inc most hopeless women are
Tfs question OF punishment was brought 10 lust
.hfn by ore " the students For slight INSIDE
fnsaAor. Eirl Is sent 10 her room BY the cottage
Inat-On." said Miss Davis. but for graVer
'Trefcfs she cones 20 ne favOrite form Of re
sistaace Is 20 make a noise al night. and wren a
Ell Keeps that - I put her 10 bed down 81 the
klorer9oin. ius- under nv room. and fasten one
iaaL 70 ne bed. This sounds very cruel know.
- she 3 perfectly comfortable there. ana I'm
e aniv peraOn she can keep awake by her noise.
sc usually Iie;s down soon.
= nen decide that CiTi should be DarOled.
leoinilcnd + - the board % directors. There
Sl%sys I've things TO be taken into consideration
~ physical condition; ability 10 earn her own
FES5 he possibility OF giving her suitable
rtsc,. her conduct while IN the Institution and
hsA we can ind o. her character and previous
-FFrecerick Howard Wines. secretary OF the State
aILlnes Aid Association OF New-Jersev Was IA
--fSe - ne meeting. After Miss Davis's talk he
- er'e'r the subject Of reformation %
,.l,ut-F 7king nOinf OF the n 1icultv OF some
,,1,, -.e - reform He illustration OF
: 81 whom the suDerintendent 81 reforna-
- 'erhsard night praying. 20. God. YOU
wv Wat 10 - good. bat somehow Just can't"