Danville intelligencer. [volume] (Danville, Pa.) 1859-1907, 1906-08-17
At THE HOUSE
Of REFUGE

ell Daniel Candy to the house of ref
uge last week, on his return, Satur-
day, gave an interesting description
of the institution, which will prove a
revelation to many of our readers, who
had preconceived of much more re-
pellent place.
The house of refuge where Daniel
Candy was taken is situated at Glen
Mills, twenty miles out from Phila-
delphia, toward West Chester. On the
way there the sheriff and his charge
were obliged to spend half an hour in
Philadelphia The short sojourn in
the metropolis afforded the boy n new
experience. He was half terrified with
the tumult of business and traffic and
while dodging the street cars, the
automobiles and the hundreds of
vehicles he seized hold of the sheriff
with tight grip. He was much i'm
pressed with the statue of "Billy"
Penn on the tower of city hall and the
sheriff was kept busy answering ques-
tions.
The "house of refuge" is in reality
farm of 556 acres, occupying one of
the most beautiful sites in the coun
try. After leaving the cars the visit
or climbs hill and there two hun
dred feet above the railroad the broad
acres with the beautiful and imposing
buildings spread out before the eye.
There is nothing to suggest diugy
prison house enclosed with frowning
walls; on the contrary the blue sky,
the broad fields and the growing crops
the busy scene presented where over
six hundred boys are working out their
destiny. carries with it the suggestion
of freedom and contentment rather
than the harsh idea of restraint and
punishment.
To be exact there are just 636 boys
at the institution apparently between
the ages of or 10 and 49, That the
boys are under firm discipline there is
no doubt. but every effcrt is made to
make life. pleasant for them and to
win them over to the better life by the
strength of beautiful examples, by
tender treatment and kind counsel.
Thus whatever spark of goodness re-
mains in the little fellows is develop
ed, while the propensities toward evil
are held i'll check, so that by and by it
I,a Of .
to be respectful, truthful and law
abiding. No difficulty whatever is ex-
perienced in keeping the boys at the
institution and large number of per-
manent reforms are effected.
The work on the farm is done by
the boys, who are also taught useful
trades Many of the buildings were
erected by the inmates. There is a
school at the institution and portion
of each day must be spent in study
under competent teachers. Neither is
religious training neglected. Promin-
ent among the buildings is large
church where each boy every Sunday
must attend worship. At 80 there
is mass for those of the Catholic faith
at 10 o'clock there is service for the
Protestants, while the afternoon is set
apart for those of the Jewish faith.
| The boys are required to go to bed
each night at s o'clock and to arise at
6 a. III. Believing that clean, well
nourished, we'll developed body is in.
| separable from a well balanced mind
and proper moral conceptions the ply
steal welfare of the inmates is very
closely looked after They are given
the best cooked and most nourishing
food. AS the first thing upon arising in
the morning each boy is required to
take shower bath, while the most
striking building is gymnasium, ap
proxi"ately 300 feet in length, which
cost $50, 600. 1t contains swimming
pool and in winter is heated witt
steam.
Sheriff Maiers was impressed will
the contentment shown by the boy!
and the fidelity and the willingness
with which they seemed to perform
their tasks. He could readily under
stand why none of them wished to rul
away. Even Daniel Candy seemed tt
catch the idea that in some way III
was to be benefited and offered no OBJ
jections whatever when the sheriff
left, but remained behind in the bes
of spirits.