The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-09-02
CONVICT AIDING Plan
Kansan Regards Writing of Lib
erty Helpful to Prisoners.
A NATIONAL CONTEST HELD.
Eleven Prizes Awarded to Men and
Women In Various American Prisons
For Essays on Subject Of True Free
dom-How Articles Were Judoed,

VOOGS0s
a. G. Gates, ex-chaplain of the Kan
sas State Industrial reformatory at
Hutchinson. Kan, recently brought to
a successful conclusion a very inter-
esting contest. A few months ago he
wrote a letter to the various state
penal and ~reformatory institutions
throughout the country offering a
series Of prizes for the best articles
written by prisoners on the subject,
what Is True Liberty, Its Value and
How ObtainedT" There was a ready
response to the invitation to compete
in this contest, and the prizes were
awarded a few days ago.
One hundred and f~orty-seven manu-
scripts from institutions in twelve
states were received by MI. Gates,
and eleven prizes were awarded-a
first prize of 500, a second prize Of
$40, a third prize of S. and eight ad-
ditional prizes OF 81 each. No. 1892,
Massachusetts State reformatory, was
the winner of the first prize, Convict
j. Z. T., Alabama State p~enitentiary,
won the second, and No. 1910, In
diana State reformatory, was given
the third prize. The winners of the
first rank in the dollar prizes were:
N. B., State Industrial School For
Girls. Beloit. Kan; No. ALL and No.
5,O1S, Indiana State reformatory, the
three being given the same grade of
merit. Other institutions winning 81
prizes We're Ohio penitentiary, North
Carolina State prison. Missouri peni-
Tertiary, Iowa penitentiary, Iowa re-
and Allegheny County
workhouse, Pennsylvania.
In explaining the manner in which
the contest was conducted Mr.. Gates
said to a Kansas City Star reporter:
After the II hundred and forty
seven articles were carefully read by
me, and some of them reread several
times, thirty-eight Of the best were
copied on typewriters that the manu-
script might 60 into the hands of the
judges in uniform style. And that
ia AAAeA W liz luSSlAoll 1ukSGNl Nv
any n as to the absolute fairness in
the grading Of the papers a complete
OF these copies was placed in the
hands Of each of four judges, who re-
side in different states or different Sec
Of the same state, with the writ
postoftice address omitted and his
name or number marking the author !
ship Of the article. The judges We're
the Rev. ]. Kent Rizer, pastor of the
Lutheran church, Upton. Ia:
Miss Kate Smelser. 4 member of the
Alumni association, Earlham college,
Richmond, Ind; Mrs. Cora G.. Lewis,
kinsley, Kan, and the Rev. W. z.
Gray, pastor of the First United Pres
byterian church, Hutchinson, Kan. !
After the work of each of these
judges was completed the articles re-
the ranking positions as indi- !
by each judges grading were ,
in the hands Of the fifth judge, |
w. Winans, ex-state superin-
tendcnt of public instruction, for final
l feel that this gave an alb ,
solute correct ranking Of the various
efforts Of the prisoners and n good idea
Of their several abilities. I believe that
contests not only help to develop
mental faculties of the prisoners,
but cheer their spirits as we'll, indicat.
Ing, MS it does, that there are persons
on the outside who are interested in
their welfare" |