The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-04-10
PAU[SEN TALKS
ABOUT VISIT
To MARIANNE
PROBATION OFFICER MADE CARE
Full INVESTIGATION OF RE-
FORM SCHOOL AND WAS MUCH
IMPRESSED.

Probation Officer H. Paulsen, who
has just returned from a visit to the
reform school at Marianne. and who
made a thorough inspection OF the
school, was very much impressed with
the institution and found 1t even better
than he had thought before looking
over the institution.
To a representative of The Journal
he gave the following account of the
reform school, according to the i'm
pressions he received on his visit there:
The school Is situated on top Of Il
hill about three miles from Mariana
and contains some 600 acres of the
most fertile land in West Florida.
There are two buildings, one for the
white and one for the colored children
and they are about one=fourth of a
mile apart, which keeps the races en-
tirely apart. The buildings are fitted
with all modern conveniences, such as
sanitary plumbing, bath rooms and
sewer connections. The water comes
from an artesian well.
1.-THE first floor contains the man
ayers Office and quarters, dining room
and the matron's room, with kitchen
and pantries. The second floor con-
tains the bath rooms, dressing rooms
and two large dormitories, each fitted
out with about 50 single beds.
In the attic, or third floor. is where
the punishment is melted out when
needed, being fitted out with a line Of
cells on each side Of the building, all
being we'll ventilated and in a clean
and healthy condition.
"All the work around the building
is done by the boys under the direc-
ton of the manager. the educational
part being presided over by a compe-
tent teacher. Half Of the boys go to
school one week and the other half the
next Most of the boys work consists
in tilling the soil, but they are now
building workshop to the white de-
partment where mechanical training
will be given, while on the colored
side they have a brick plant where
they are given Instructions in brick
making.
1.-The boys are furnished with uni
forms, and dressed for church they
look very neat in blue serge clothes
with caps to match. They are taken
to Mariana every Sunday for church
THE boys have a regularly equipped
baseball team, and often neighbor1ng
teams come there and play.
Good behavior is always encouraged
and rewarded with special privileges,
while disobedience and refractions are
punished with solitary confinement.
Corporal punishment is not tolerated.
THE school is raising its own poul-
try, hogs, milch cows and also some
beef cattle They also have a truck
garden of about 80 acres, furnishing
all vegetables needed. They now
have planted 40 acres in Irish pota-
toes, and are fixing the ground for
other crops.
The whole place gives very good
impression and looks more like an old
English country home than place OF
retention.
Discipline, Of course, is very strict,
but kindness and gentleness Is, &C
cording to the manager, their best
weapon towards correcting the unruly.
I'm putting the boys to work, their
physical condition is always taken
into consideration, 50 that no harmful
effect may come from the task given.
There are now at the school 30
white boys and IS colored. There have
been no girls there for some time"