Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1913-06-25
Warden Sanders Has RevOlutiOniZed
System of Prison Management.
ON HONOR
KEEP BEST OF DISCIPLINE.
Prisoners Save Their Money and
Purchase Musical instruments
Are Treated As Human
Beings.

II wouldn't run a dog fight with
out music" Such is the statement
of James C. Sanders, warden of the
Iowa penitentiary at Fort Madison,
who was the first to introduce mu-
sic in a penitentiary in this country,
and who has attracted attention
from all over the United States be-
cause of his new methods in hand
ling men convicted of crime.
Men, after all, are largely like
animals" said the warden in COM
menting on the discipline of the pen
itentiary, "and they are accordingly
crossest when they are eating.
Trouble in penitentiaries and asy-
lums of the country, you will find on
careful investigation, always starts
in the dining room or the kitchen.
Approaching this fact I applied the
soothing effect of music, by organ
izing an orchestra and having it play
during the meal hour We have had
mo trouble in the dining room since
the music was introduced.
Music appeals to the better side
of men. | found the prisoners will
ing to learn to play musical instru.
ments and to participate in the band
and orchestra. We now have an or
chestra of twelve pieces and band
of seventeen. In the orchestra are
two violins, one viola, one cello, one
cornet, one clarinet, one bass, one
drum, two flutes, one trombone, one
saxophone. In the band are two
clarinets, one cornet, one baritone,
two bass, two altos, three saxophone
one trombone, two piccolos and one
bass, three drums.
I'VE have instrumental music at
our Sunday services. This interest
in. instrumental music has created
an interest in vocal music and the
penitentiary has choir Of male
voices that would compare favorably
to any similar body of men without.
"Most of the instruments in the
orchestra and band are owned by
the prisoners themselves, having
been purchased with money they
have saved from the meagre pit
tance allowed them by the state for
luxuries. They have been bought
instead of tobacco, fruit and sweets.
dare say the prisoners now own at
least $500 worth of instruments. /
believe music is one of the greatest
means of discipline that could be Sc
cured 1t should be in every prison
and every asylum in America. 1t
will appeal to the better side of a
man when everything else fails"
Since Warden Sanders demonstrat-
ed his theory music has been install
ed in a number of American peni-
tentiaries. The Iowa warden has
blazed the way for radical prison re-
form. When he first took charge
of the Iowa prison and issued or
ders, all authorities of the United
States threw up their hands in
amazement.
He took the clubs away from the
guards.
He abolished the lock step and
substituted the military step.
He introduced music.
He organized lecture course and
brought talent from without to
speak, all paid for by the prisoners
themselves.
He abolished the stripes, except
ing for worst criminals.
He made the men polish their
shoes and comb their hair, for he
abolished the shaving of the head.
He made the gloomy walls echo
with the sound of singing men.
He introduced basketball and
baee ball.
He put men in prison on their
honor.
He created in them some self re-
spect.
For this he was at first severely
but now is praised. Dur
ing the last year, offers of positions
have come to him from half doz-
en- different states.
A great cry went up few months
ago when it was made known that
several prisoners were permitted
outside the walls of the prison,
went to the city on errands and
work out of the institution. But no
prisoner yet trusted has run away
But recently man insulted Mom-