The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-02-15

more Of ths boys upon tNeis
and 70 rely upon thess4 70 rornnl
least by placing oonddonoe n q ~
his later manhood y more apt m III
reached than II - By treating h1lm ~
q prisoner.
What dirty lot Of boyrl Not a.
Dirty hands. dirty faces. dirty 60
clothes and dirty shoes. Water W8N
needed, and warm water at thai. III
was q holiday. q time when = box r
expected to look his best What b0<
on q holiday can have proper regpgVf
for himself when 20 unclean, and ~
a boy does not respect f.mselk m
cannot develop the best that y ~
him. 3
The State Of Virginia Is reepous4b16
for part of the unkempt aprsx. anoo
of these boys. 1t does not furnfsh
enough money to prove the proper
clothing for them. WI some have =
chance OF top clothing others hAvel
not The sAoes OF rnsny were worn
out With only one git OF cloghea.
no boy can always pT.sent 3 9tpc i
appearance. iii
Not Allowed to speacS
The dinner was good. bus Ift
in vegetables, which might be Uf&H
on the farm at little expense. TIE
deathlike silence at the dinner taba~s
only broken by the sound OF KnfvSS
and forks and the occasional move
ment of the feet, was depressing.
According to the rules, these boys
must not speak while eating. A I
sat few moments later at the tAbsA
OF the superintendent. eating an ex-
cellent dinner and enjoying the com
versatton and laughter OF the as
sembled diners the enforced s1lenc6
OF the three hundred and twenty-fivo
boys. whom had just left, frequently
came to my mind. Possibly that
large family was being managed the
best way at the table. but who
believes 1t except the authorities az
Laurel? / hope no such rule is en-
forced at any other home in Virginia.
The greatest weakness at the
Laurel Reformatory is the failure ia
train each boy so that he may be-
prepared to make his own living when
ne leaves there. The little attempt
| at farming, gardening and brick
| making ameants almost to nothing.
The carpenters shop should not Be
Idle. These children and youths ara
the wards OF the State, whose evil
environments lead them to violate
the law. and the little or no home
training which they had, failed to
give them the strength to resist temp
tation- They belong to that claas
that have not had a chance. and It ID
| the duty Of the State to give them q
chance These boys are to be either
good or bad citizens OF the State.
Most of them, IL given the oppoF-
tunity. will make honest, industrious
and law abiding men. Now, q Large
number OF them leave the reformar
tory unchanged. only to sink deeper
into crime. This has been the re-
suit with several who have come
under my observation. returning Il
Norfolk from the reformatory.
Should Be Well Trained.
Tba State should furnish ample
money to enable the officers q,
Laurel to train these boys along IN.
dustrial lines. Those who remain
there a number OF years should come
out f1rst-class artisans. 1t should b
found out what work each has I
natural bent for. and the opportunity
should be given to him to follow +
II he In a boy from a farm and
has any taste for farming, the liant
Is there, and he should be taught Il
till 1t properly. The carpenters' shoI
now there should be utilized. Othel
buildings should be constructed u
which the trades are taught Until tn
State has done this. 1t has fa1ted q
perform its duty to the inmates Of thfl
Institution. The expense to the Stat
would not be very large. and ths
money spent IN this direction wouis
pay the State as much interest In tn,
amount that It would make In imprOy
ing the character OF its citizens ~ an
, money that 1t could expend for N
!. other purpose. No dishonest yo1l
can be made honest II permitted 20 -
main tdfe. Work takes him away frur