The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1907-02-07
The State School for Bows.
A Journal Correspondent Accompanies the
Legislative Committee to Westbrook.

JouindA correspondent Accompanies the
Legislative Committee to Westbrook.
Your correspondent accompanied the
legislative committee which left Au-
gusta on the morning train Jan. oath
for an official visit to the State School
for Boys in Westbrook. At the Union
station in Portland special electric
car was awaiting the party, which num-
bered As. They were Joined here by
Hon. Fred Atwood of Winterport, long a
trustee of the school, in which he has
ever maintained an active interest, and
by several others connected with the
institution. At the end of the car line
the party were transferred to barges
and conveyed mile or more to the in
stitution.
On entering the main building the
visitors were welcomed by Mr.. Went
worth, the superintendent, and all pro-
ceeded to the reception room to warm
up after the cold ride. Next in order
was the inspection of the buildings
This was my first visit to the institu-
ton and it was a revelation. Many of
my preconceiyed ideas of the school
were found to be erroneous. In the
first place all idea of a Jail or prison
must be set aside There are no signs
of CRATES or bars except in the old sec
lions of the buildings and these have
no practical use under the present sys-
TEN of management.
THE COTTAGE SYSTEM
There are four cottages in which are
housed the $50 boys, more or less.
These cottages are nicely finished in
hard wood and well furnished. There
are about forty boys in each building,
who are a distinct and separate family,
eating, sleeping, working, and attend
ing to their studies by themselves. 1t
is claimed that this system insures
greater freedom from contagious dis
cease, better personal control of the
boys and of direct personal interest in
the physical, intellectual and moral vel
fare of each inmate as an individual.
and in the individual greater love for
the home life and more intensive 10y
ality to the school and to the State.
The general system of management
and control is the same in all the cot
tages. In each is large room where
the boys sleep, each in separate bed
all being arranged in hospital form.
The bedsteads are of iron, the coverings
white and the room presents a very
neat and attractive appearance. In
each cottage is master and matron,
who sleep in an adjoining room, and
next to them is the hospital bedroom
where any one who is sick can be easily
cared for The teachers have rooms by
themselves. Each cottage has its
school room and each is we'll supplied
with everything necessary for the pur-
pose, including a musical instrument
1t is intended that each boy who
leaves the school shall have at least
what might be termed a common
school education and be we'll fitted for
the common business of life. The din
ing rooms are neatly arranged and
everything is scrupulously neat and
clean, we'll calculated to educate the
boy who comes from home of
filth and poverty to a sense of the
comfort, and value of neatness
and respectabiIity. In one cottage we
had the opportunity to see the boys at
dinner. They filed into the room in Or
der, each to his place, and stood at at
tention: then at the word each was
seated and all heads were bowed over
clasped hands while in unison a bless
ing was invoked. Then quietly and in
order the dinner was begun. The food
was wholesome and appetizing in quail
ty and sufficient in quantity.
The various departments of labor
naturally attracted our attention, as
it is very important that every citizen
of the State should be instructed in
some form of manual labor. In one
room the boys were busy repairing
their clothing and some specimens of
their skill in repairing dilapidated gar
ments would do credit to any house
wife in the State. In another room
they were working and repairing shoes
and doing very good work. In another
room they were doing excellent laundry
work. In the wood working shops were
evidences of much mechanical skill and
| we were told that some of the recent
labor on the buildings was done by the
/ boys and in workmanlike manner.
This work shop business must prove of
much benefit to the boys, as they readi-
ly take to tools and can here gain prac
teal experience in some trade that
will be of value to them in after years.
In fact, practical education as an ar
tisan may change the destiny of a boy
from a worthless tramp to that of a
producer and man of responsibility.
Each cottage has garden attached
and the boys attend to the work upon
it, TIE buildings and shops are warm
ed by general system of heating and
are light and comfortable. The sani-