The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-11
WHY SOME WOMEN RELAPSE,
DEFECT SAID TO EXTST IN CITY
REFORMATORIES.
Miss Alice Smith Think $ n the Inmates Wcre
Educated and Enabled TO Earn a Living
They Would Be Likely to Fall Back
Into Their Did ways when Released.

Educated n Enabled TO Earn a Living
They Would BE Less Likely to Fail Back
into Their Old ways when Released.
Miss Alice Smith, probation officer at
the Yorkville police court, is trying to find
a remedy for the fact that many of the
Young women committed by the courts
TO reformatories such as the House OF
Mercy, the Magdalen Home and the House
of the Good Shepherd, for periods OF from
ak months TO three years, often fall hack
into their old ways after their release.
II have been considering the situation
seriously OF late said Miss Smith, and
T have come to the conclusion that the
remedy lies in better educational facilities
at the reformatories. l do wish that some
Of the free educational advantages Law
ished on this community in the form OF
free night schools and day schools and
free classes in the trades might be included
In the city reformatories.
III a girl were turned out an accom-
plished laundress from one OF these insti-
buttons the case would be less serious, but
women committed to these reformatories
have told me that they were never per-
mitted to do any but the very plainest
ironing. One girl during a six months stay
ironed pocket handkerchief only.
Some OF the inmates, Hebrew girls,
for example, do not take kindly to laundry
work at all. Hebrews rarely go into the
laundry business. AS an alternative to
the laundry work there is sewing-the
making Of the garments and household
articles used in the reformatories, such az
plain cotton dresses, underwear, sheets
and pillow cases. At the House Of the
Good Shepherd shirt waist and shirt max
ing are taught. 1 believe, to those who
show an aptitude for the work or have
worked at the trade before being COM
mitted.
"To the best of my, knowledge milli-
merry, dressmaking and other Industries
by which young women may support them,
selves are not systematically taught, and
what is more, girls who cannot read or
write when they enter are equally ignorant
when they leave. A large proportion OF
the cases committed are foreigners who
@Just by way Of comparison, let me say
that the State prisons are fairly well equip
ped with educational facilities and that
the Home for Friendless Girls teaches not
care to learn, but also has day and evening
educational classes. If the reformatores
/ speak of would follow the same plan OF
work, many Of the girls committed by the
courts would be saved, / am sure. don't
say all would be saved, but very many
would be greatly helped.
"As it is, many of the women l have come
in contact with who have been sent from
the streets to one of the reformator1es men
toned are not equipped TO earn their nymg
can be taught a young women In aver slH
months or one year, provided her prefer
ences and abilities are discovered and en-
couraged.n
presented to a directress Of the Magdalen
Home she admitted that at the present time
no systematic effort TO- teach trades or
furnish schooling to the inmates was being
made and that the laundry was the Chlei
industry practised at the institution, which
at the present time cares for about sixty
an the past said this direotress, we
have been handicapped by lack OF funds,
but now, having taken possession OF our
tons generous enough to carry on educa-
tional work under a paid teacher.
Just now we are weak in educational
work. We have no system OF schooling.
Yes, nearly so per cent. Of the women who
come to us from the courts and other sources
can neither read nor write,
I'VE nave a sewing room here where
inmates may learn to mend and to make
the clothing %Grn in in. the he. h n,'i,s n AND u s our
nav learn to be experts. We take in the
finest sort Of laundry ,work-children's
and infants clothing and table and bed
linen Of the handsomest desoription--ali OF
which must, OF course, be handled by skilled
A printed annual report Of the Magdalen
Home for 1904-05 gives the sum cleared
by the laundry in twelve months as SS,l94
and shows that in the same time $2,5Se
had been paid to the institution for city
commitments.
emphasizes the giving OF religious instruc-
ton, makes no mention Of any industries
taught other than those connected with the
laundry and sewing room whore the gar
ments Of the inmates are made. The
laundry receipts for the year were only
1925 and from city commitments 1855
There are eighty-four inmates.
The balance of the amount needed to
carry on the work Of the House OF Mercy
and of the Magdalen Home is supplied by
voluntary subscriptions. In both instltu'
tons the desire Of the management is to
do everything possible to send inmates out
better equipped to live a decent life than
when they entered.
At the House of the Good Sheppard,
which seldom has fewer on its roll than 400
inmates, most Of whom are committed by
the city courts, no information is ever given
out relating to how the women are cared
for and what they are taught. No report
Of it's receipts, disbursements, number OF
inmates or what they learn while there Is
ever issued.
Consequently the knowledge the proba-
ton officers have of the educational cur,
riculum of the Heuse of the Good Shepherd
is based only on the information furnished
by former inmates.
Said City Magistrate Barlow regarding
the question of preventing these relapses
in first Offenders:
My opinion is that girls committed TO
these reformatories should learn to. read
and write and be encouraged to follow
their bent, whether il is millinery, book;
keeping or laundry. ! always supposed
this was done till Miss Smith enlightened
me to the contrary
City Magistrate Cornell made this state
ment:
Personally l have not visited the three
reformatories 10 which we commit girls
and have not given much attention to what
the prisoners are taught. There is no
question in my mind, however, that if some
Of these unfortunates were taught an occu-
nation To which they had q natural leaning