Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1910-03-17
NOT THE PLACE FOR THEM.


from the St. Adams Messengerl
"George st. Peter, II years OF age, and
with no father or mother, Was in city
court yesterday for being truant. lie
was sentenced to the industrial school at
Vergennes for the remainder of his
minority. George has tried to study at
several schools in the city but trouble en-
sued each time. He is weak mentally"
News item.
"Ida Lawrence, the ten-year-old daugh-
ter Of MIR. and Mrs. Frank Lawrence, was
sentenced on Saturday IN city court to
spend the remainder OF her minority at
the industrial school in Vergennes. She
was sentenced for truaney, but there we're
other conditions that made il advisable
for her sentence. Her father was fined
on Friday for intoxication and Saturday
her mother was arrested on the same
charge. The parents admitted that they
had given the child gin and water to
drink at different times. One day last
week the little girl visited O Church st.
drug store, very much intoxicated. She
asked for drink Of strawberry soda and
then fell on the floor on her face. The
clerks revived her after awhile and she
was taken to her home BY a policeman.
Alexander House, aged II years, and
George st. Peter, II years, we're taken on
Saturday to the industrial school to serve
the remainder Of their minorities, for
truancy. News item.
The Messenger has repeatedly tried to
interest the thoughtful people OF Yer
mont in some consideration OF the propo-
sition that, while the state industrial
school at yergennes is most excellent
institution in its way, and, under The d.
rection OF the present high-minded citi-
Gems concerned in its management, is do
ing all that can be expected OF 1t within
its limitations, yet it is not the place for
many waits and strays that are constantly
being sent there for want Of other and
more suitable refuge.
No amount Of sophistry, no amount OF
rhetorical evasion, no amount Of chang
ing of name by statute, can take away the
first and all-pervading fact that this is
penal institution.
Being penal institution, it is no place
to send unfortunate boys and girls whose
only crime is in having no other place to
which to go.
Read over the cases quoted by The Mes
senger again. Consider that time after
time, when the local authorities are In
doubt as to what to do with this and that
orphaned or homeless child, the state in
dustrial school, or the reform school,
as everybody will persist in calling it
despite the law that reehristened 1t and
undertook to make black white by legis-
lative fat is the place that has tc be Sc
lected because there Is practically no 9TH
er open to them.
Who has to be teld that the enforced
componionship of some OF these little
wanderers with children and youth that
are inherently vicious and depraved, some
of them out and out "veterans'i in
wrong-doing, cannot be other than seri-
GUS risk to subject them to, no matter
how carefully the management may try
to enforce discipline that is intended to
minimize the evil
There should he at least two state insti-
tutions to care for these children. There
should be a hretorm" school for the class
that are to be saved from a path OF
wrong-doing upon which they are al
ready started, and there should be
'homen for children that are not vet
criminals and that is open TO save them
to better training so they may never be.
II is an injustice to send boy or
girl, no matter how Iowly or obscure or
miserably unfortunate, to vergennes, TO
with vicious, depraved, degener-
ate youth and to come out al Fl or is
years OF age with certificate Of gradua-
tion from penal institution, when the
only seriously wrong thing they are gull
ty Of is having no home.