Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-02-10
Editorial Comment
A Woman's Reformatory.
cortland Press.)

| tPortiand PreSS.)
We understand and appreciate the
financial situation at Augusta. The
State is going to have only so much
income this year, and the amount is
already exceeded considerably by the
estimated expenditure, provided all
the appropriations asked for are
granted. But it will not do to allow a
deficit, and the word is that the outgo
| must be kept within the income. This
is the policy of prudence and it means
probably the pairing of regular APP
preparations and the denial of aid to
special objects, however worthy. On
| general principles the policy is above
| criticism, but if it is possible on a
weighing of the merits of appeals for
| state aid To make at least a beginning
| in behalf of a specially appealing OBJ
| iect, this should be. done. We refer
to the proposed reformatory for women.
The advocates of this have been APP
| plying to the Legislature, session after
session. and so far in vain. They re-
Gently had a hearing before the legal
affairs committee, where they received
| respectful and sympathetic attention,
| and the matter was tabled for further
consideration. 1t ought not to stop
| there. Provision has beer made Tor
| most of the classes in greatest neeo
| of aid There are schools for the aea1
and the blind. there is state school
| for boys, there is an Industrial sehooi
| for girls. and there is a home for the
| Predetermined, but for one class there
has been no provision.
| 1t seems that the age limit for ad-
mission to the Industrial school Tor
| girls is 16 years. and that for way
ward girls above that age there is no
| place Tut the common prison. Those
| who have gone wrong but VINO are
| osnable of being saved are thus sub
| iected to the company and contamih-
.ting influence of the more hardened
| inmates. so that their Incarceration,
instead of being reformative, mas the
opposite effect. There are many snch
| girls ard young women in the state
| hundreds of them, as the records snow
and an institution for them ON the
| reformatory plan is badly needed.
| Such institutions are carried on III
! other States with good results. me
| most approved plan is on the basis OF
| the indeterminate sentence, Win re-
| lease on parole during good oehaNiof'
| incentives to good conduct, graalhs
| into classes with promotion from one
| TO another, the granting OF privileges
| as a reward, education and manual
training-the whole resting ON indiNiu-
| uaI will and choice. so that the IN
mate may go up or down, aecoruihs
10 will. her will being influenced by the
| example of her associates and by ner
| own desire to lead a better lie. IN
/ ,be case of one of these institutions,
the reforma tory for women at beo-
| ford. n. Y, it is claimed that the rec
| ords show that about one-third OF Inc
/ inmates are absolutely reformed an
| other third improved. and the remain
/ der discharged unimproved by .ie
| ..inproved" it is explained that what
is meant is that q certain proportion
of the girls on being discharged MAJ
/ make a few slips at first, but general
| ~ settle down into respectable anu
| useful members of society. EVERY
| girl who goes out is provided Win d
sitnation where she can lead a re-
| sneetable life if she chooses-and the
| figures show that Sc per cent oo
| choose 80 - - r,,;,,t,
| Think of what this means. Iiihh
of what it is to save so large a pro
norton of erring yourg women, WHO
| may have gone astray through ishoi
| onee and through the influence
| of bad surroundings over WHICH
| thew had no control Heredity ana en-
| ,,ironuent-these are at the bottom OF
| n,ncb of the bad as well as OF mucil
| of the good in the world. Ana these
| younp women are certainly not To oe
| hold To blame for their parentage' anu
| oftep NOT for the social conditohs sur
sounding them. They constitute one
| - tbe classes most in need OF the
| he,ninp hand. The normal man has
49, instinct of chivalry-the instinct
| to help the helpless. TO pro.ee' ~,
feeble and to respect womah ~ - ~
| normal man, remembering ms
his wife. his daughter, ms siste,' en-
other good women with whoni ~ tina, ii9s
| have been his good fortune 10 oe aS
| sociated. is led to look upon tue un
| fortunate of the SEX with eoou We.
of charity and to CONSIDER .heii'
i sinned against quite as muci as
| ming The normal man WIFI IN,
measurable disgust repughaiioe
,n6;pnation hears of the unspeakaoie
| 40 &c in the bodies and souls OF Wo-
NON carried ON by wretches IN human
| form and he realizes that here asaiii
,,,cman Is the helpless victim OF rus.
| ona creed. 1t stands to reason tiid'
r,,itb snch an institution here IN Maiiie
| &C is nraved for we could save soou
,,ony voung women who are Wen
| worth saving. 1t would pay
Mexican Pineapples.