Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-02-15
JAIL CONDITIONS SHAMEFUL
Supt- Barss Says Men and Boys
Arc Kept in Idleness.
Worse Than q ssiess to work fo. Spirit-
uaI welfare Of ChiIdsen When
TAeif Minds ana BOdies
Are DNfOrmed.

Superint endent j. n. Barss OF tho In
dustria school at Ncrgenncs put over
some additional facts and figures con
corning social conditions in Vermont, at
Tho Strong theater Sunday afternoon.
Mr.. Barss spoke under the auspices of
the local Y. NJ. e. A.. the address being
the third in n series Of Sunday meeting.
for men. conducted by the Y NJ. G a.
The auditorium was we'll filled and she
meeting was presided over by city Judge
c. 3. Palmer
Apparently. IN view " tho fac. that
some OF his statements concerning crime
IN Vermont have been criticised IN the
past Mr. perss was armed Sunday
afternoon with statistics which he mad
gathered from various sources. showing
the conGit' ons &c they exist
Mr.. Barss stated IN opening ina. he
wished to ctrrect Il ,nsapprehcnsion that
existed c1n"orrinr his attitude toward
sheriff. Allen and his associates here
The spcal,or said he had been accused
of c:i,icis'ng Mr. Allen hut that he had
not cone So. He had criticised he said
tho Institution over which MI Allen
presided, the county jail. The conditions
under which tails are operated. said Mr.
Barss. are a disgrace. Men and boys are
placed In confinement and kept there in
idencss FOR months The time is coming
he said. when people will look back at
the system now in use. and consider it
a relic of uncivilized days
The speaker said he had been called
n pessimist and had been accused of
coloring conditions too highly. In order
"a OH IT.
quoted statistics TO show what proportion
Of tho inhabitants OF the United States
are in jails. one person. said he. for
g, cry 1870, is IN Jail In Vermont accord
ing to Mr. Barss there are IN Jail AS
people for every loo 600 population. There
has been an increase of crime In YER
mont during the last decade according
to Mr.. Barss of 125 per cent. and during
the last seven years crime has increa sed
in the state sever ,er cent.
Speaking of the conditions in Vermont,
Mr.. Barss asserted that the attempt 20
advance the spiritual welfare of children
when their minds and bodies are deforned
is worse than useless. The speaker
strongly advocated the presence of the
| physician in the schools.
Won canno: build children menta!lv.''
| said Mr. Rarss until they are physically
| right and YOU cannot build them
| spiritually until they are mentally and
! physically right, The speaker scored
| parents who preach to their children
! against card playing. drinking. smoking
and other habits and still indulge in the
same pursuits under other names. The
children observe these Inconsistent teach
ings on the part of parents and draw
! their own conclusions
! Mr.. Barss. touching on divorce stated
| that Of 100 children who are in the school
| at Nergennes. IS are from homes that
| have been broken up Divorce he said.
has increased in Vermont SO per cent.
| in Il few years.
| The present methods employed in YER
mont Of sending men 70 the Legislature
| came in for a roasting at the hands Of
Mr.. Barss The young men are not sent
| to Montpelier because the old men have
! to have their turn
! Speaking of some of the cures for the
conditions that exist in Vermont Mr..
Barss advocated clean home life ana the
| placing of responsibility for the condi-
tions upon the. voters. The rural problem
| he said should be tackled ana an effort
| made to get the people together by means
| Of consolidation of the rural schools The
| speaker advocated the Improvement Of
| highways so that the people in rural com
munities may get to social centers The
| boys in the hills must he looked after,
he said. if they are not to lose their hold
| on life. Al present they have no
| stimulus to strive after the better things
OF life.