The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-05-12
STATE SCHOOL
NOT A PRISON
BOYS SENT TO INSTITUTION ARE
TREATED LIKE THEY
WOULD BE IN MILITARY
SCHOOL.

Among many people there is an idea
that a boy sent to the state industrial
school is I'm about as unfortunate a
predicament as a man who is sent to
states prison. This is an entirely mis-
taken idea and as matter of fact any
boy who does not have a good home
is better off i'm the Industrial school
than he would be almost any other
place.
There is not a suggestion of prison
about the boys industrial school. There
Is not a guard about the institution
and there is no more restriction placed
about a boy to prevent his running
away than in any school. However
runaways are not common, as the boys
themselves frown upon the practice,
and i'm fact, misbehayior of any kind
results in the culprit being in disfavor
among his companions.
The institution is in many respects
like a military school The boys rise
at regular hours and the entire day is
mapped out according to a regular pro-
gram. Each boy spends four hours in
school every day and four hours al
some industrial work, as the result oil
which he has learned some useful trade
when he leaves the school. When q
boy enters the institution, he is started
at some one of the following trades
accordnging to his inclinations ant
liability: Carpentering, shoemaking
printing, tailoring, farming, dairying
baking, coolSing painting, laundering
stenography and typewrting, electric
work, blacksmithing or flower anC
plant culture Each Of these depart
ments is under the control of a skilled
teacher and many of the pupils show
remarkable proficiency in their work
All of the shoes worn by the boys a
the school are made at the institution
as is all of the clothing, even to under
wear and stockings. From every de
partment practically all of the boy
are turned out into the world equip
ped with trade and assures their be
ing able to earn an honest living.
Divided Into Families.
The 700 odd boys in the institution
are divided into families of about fit,
each. each family living in its own cot
tage, except that all take their meal
i'm one large dining room. Boys are as
signed to families not according t
age but according to their moral nat
ures and inclinations Thus boys VIII
are natural thieves are put in one fam
lily. those who are sub-normal mental
I'm another. those whose mischievous
ness has brought them there i'm anoth
er, and so on. Each family is undo
the control OF teacher and cottaP
manager. who is usually a Marie
man and his wife assists in the worl
These teachers and managers are PEI
sons who have had wide experience
} dealing with the particular kind {
boys put under their charge.
The family system carried into I'll
educational work neccssitates the III
graded country school, rather than Il
: graded city school Boys of fami
attended the same school, and Il
teacher has boys of all ages. AS Il
average length of time a boy spen'
in the school is but twenty month
it is probable that he gains mo-
knowledge during that time than won
p be possible under n graded school syi
TEN. Though most of the boys ha'
been averse to attending school pri,
To being sent TO the institution. thu
have been transformed into interest'
; students, and taken as whole, the q
would probably be able to stand Z
good an examination as an equal nun
her of children of the same ages. 81
lected at random from the publ
schools'of the state.
School Spirit Developed.
One of the most noticeable things
the school is the interest that the bo!
: take in their work. both i'm the schoo