Perth Amboy evening news., 1905-12-06
VISIT TO The
REFORMATORY.
Impressions Of the Great State
Institution for Maynard
Youths and Boys.

stands one of the greatest institu-
lions the state of New Jersey pos
sesses and which is indeed m
thing the citizens of the a%pplejack
state can boast of with just pride.
1t is the State R~eformatory, and its
high dome a be seen, on a clear
day, for miles around. 1t is built
of solid brick, and while the many
bars on the windows may give 1t a
somewhat sombre appearance, yet,
when the grass is green@standing
as it does in the center of, and being
surrounded by fields-it gives out a
very pleasing impression.
The State Reformatory was con-
ceived by men who, in an endeavor
to reclaim foolish, or, rather,
thoughtless young men who had
gone on the path that is not straight,
brought their influence to bear on
the legislature and were fortunate
enough to see their plans eliminated
in the erection of this structure of
brick and bars. 1t was about six
years ago when the state accepted
the building from the contractors,
and the work of reformation was
Immediately begun, when the var
ious courts of the state began to fill
it with refractory boys and young
men, until now it is practically filled
to overlooking. 1t is filled to such
an extent, in fact, that an appeal is
to be made for funds to erect the
other three wings necessary to COM
plete what may now be called only
an unfinished job. The need of the
other wings may be explained by the
fact that under existing conditions
thOrn 80 MT crf1ninnt C~lpanin0 an-
c~ommodations for all the inmates,
and, since it was the intention to
give each inmate a cell for himself,
and the idea of what is called "doub-
ling up" is considered inexpedient
by those in charge of the institution,
a large number-probably nearly a
hundred-are obliged to make their
beds IN the long corridors facing the
cells. Just at present about 400
inmates are quartered in the institu-
ton, and among them you may find,
as in all large bodies of men and
BOYS, all sorts of minds and condi-
lions.
1t may, perhaps, be a difficult task
to find proper guards, keepers and
instructors to cater to the require
ments of this conglomeration of
minds, but it must be admitted, on
personal observation, that this task
has been most satisfactorily accom-
plished. On a recent visit to this
reformatory, it was the pleasure of
the writer to observe many little de-
tails as to the characters of the men
in charge and the manner in which
they perform their difficult duties.
Kindness prevails throughout, and
the first aim is, apparently, to reach
the heart of the newcomer as he
makes his first entrance.
While this is intended for only a
general description, it may be well
to go into some minor details. On
entering, and after having been en-
tered on the ledger, "a boy proceeds
to the photographing room, where
as good a likeness is taken of him as
could possibly be done by any expert
photographer charging an exorbitant
price. In this case, however, it is
taken without charge, as the picture
is retained for future reference by
the institution.
The inmates are formed into three
classes, each one being plainly dis
tinguished from the other by the
clothing worn. First, there is the
plain but substantial suit for those
first entering; this suit is retained by
the earer until, if his behavior
has been perfect during the time six
months have elapsed; and then he
receives a bias piece of cloth of
lighter color than his suit on his
sleeve and also a chevron or two,
which places him in the first grade.
The second grade, without the chew
rons, but with the bias on his sleeve,
is for boys whom it took eight or ten
months to become acclimated to pre-
vailing discipline and to behave
themselves as they should. The
third class-"the bad lot" as one of
the guards said-is made up of boys
who are thoroughly bad and who are
always in trouble of some sort or an
other. These wear a suit of what
may be called maroon color. The
latter receive no privileges at all;
cannot see visitors, receive no let
tiers nor write them; are excluded
from entertainments and Tin sum-
mer time) baseball or other outdoor
games. 1t is a pleasure to state, in
this connection, that there were only
twelve of the latter, and, of these,
seventy-five per cent. belonged to the
colored race
By the above will be seen that
Eel here boys must carr the privi-
leges they expect to receive. Close
confinement and plenty of idle time
may be considered by some boys just
what they want, but when they re-
ceive a good dose of it, as some do
in the reformatory for bad behavior,
then it becomes monotonous even to
them, and they begin to plead to be
permitted to do something" This
privilege to work is not given them
until they have proved that they
may be trusted, when they may be
allowed to work in the carpenter
shop, the shoe shop, the tailoring
establishment, the laundry, or to
make themselves useful in either
bakery, dining room or about the
buildings.
Electricity is the great lever that
starts all the machinery. You find
it in the carpenter shop in the build
ing to the rear, waere some good
cabinet work is turned out by some
of the more skilled inmates, while