Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-18
BOYS REFORM SCHOOL
INFORMATION FURNISHED BY
DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS.
Response to Criticism Regarding the
Aingfng Of Boys and Men
at the Institution.

Considerable discussion has been aroused
through an article published in The Star
several days ago concerning the alleged
minglng of men and boys at the boys re-
form school The attention OF the authori-
ties was called to the condition by DIR. w
Z. Parsons. who recently conducted
religious service at the school. Dr.
Parson said that many OF the inmates are
over twenty-one years Of age. and that the
boys and men mingle. which. he says. pre-
cludes good administration and manage
ment
DR.. John Franklin Crowel secretary Of
the social and economic section of the
American Association for the Advancement
of Science. with headquarters at 1885 +
street northwest became interested and
wrote to the District Commissioners. asking
If this condition exists and making other
requests for Information.
In reply the Commissioners haze had
prepared the following memoranda:
The government is vested in board or
trustees appointed by the President Of the
United States upon the Recommendation OF
the Attorney General.
Power to commit boys under seventeen
to the reform school Is given 10 the Judges
of the criminal and police courts OF the
District of Columbia and to the president
of the board of trustees. However. IL wound
seem that boys over seventeen are some
times committed.
The power to release. either conditionally
or Absolutely is given to the board of trus-
tees.
Not Under District Authority.
The authorities of the District OF Column
bia have nothing to do with the manage
ment of the school. except that the law
provides that one of the Commissioners of
the District shall be ex officio member OF
the board of trustees. The annual appro-
priation bill for a number of years has
provided that the money appropriated for
the Reform School should be under the
control of the Commissioners OF the Dis
trict of Columbia but the same act also
provides for the salary of treasurer of
the institution. However. all acquisitions
for money must be obtained through the
Commissioners and all accounts of the
treasurer must pass through the Office of
the auditor OF the District. The board Of
Charities has powers of visitation and SUI
pervfsion, and has authority to request
such information and statistics may be
required and to prescribe forms for re
ports. The Commissioners may order an
investigation by the Board of Charities
into the management OF the institution. but
neither the board nor the Commissioners
have power to enforce any recommended
tions they may make. The money for the
support of the school has for many years
been appropriated on the half and half
basis, in the same manner as for the other
departments of the District government.
Commitment by United States Courts.
United Sattes cases are sent to the re-
form school by the United States courts.
This has been the practice since 1890 but it
is only within the past few years that they
have been committed in considerable num-
bers. Seventy boys were committed by the
United States courts during the fiscal year
1904. and there are now over one hundred
such boys in the school. in addition TO some
two hundred boys from the District of CO.
lumbia. The school is very much crowded
A change was made in the law provld-
ing for the support of the school at the last
session of Congress. AS the United States
had no reformatory Of its own, II was
deemed best by Congress to make this
school entirely a United States institut on,
and to authorize the support of boys Il ON
the District of Columbia therein on a Per
capita basis. Accordingly. the sundry civil
bill for the fiscal year 1906 carries an ap-
preparation of S29552 from the United
States revenues for the support of tie
school. while in the District bill an appro-
priation of S200D1 is made TO enable the
board of charities to contract for the care
of boys committed to the school by the
courts of the District OF Columbia.
The Age of Boys
The law authorizes the commitment OF
boys under seventeen only, but prov des
that they shall be allowed TO remain until
twenty-one, unless sooner discharged or
bound out as apprentices To find out ex
actly what the relative Importance in
numbers is of men and boys among the In
mates at any one time ii will be necessary
to apply to the authorities of the school
OF the 1i3 boys discharged from the school
during the nine months from July. 1904, to
March, 1903, twenty were nineteen years
of age five were twenty and four were
twenty-one. The cottage system in use
at the school enables the authorities TO
classify the boys to some extent.