The Big Sandy news., 1913-07-04


lem. With some corrections and
additional provisions it will be a
great power for good. One advant-
age Of this law is strongly shown in
the cases of men with real crimi-
nal tendencies who formerly receiv-
ed sentence. for instance, of one
year for one of the lesser crimes
Knowing definitely that he woald
be released in this shortest possible
period he gave no thought to liv-
| ing a correct life, and usually left
prison worse than when he enter
ed. Not SO with a l to year SEN
tence. Unless paroled he will serve
years. To get parole he must be
correct in his life in prison, and to
keep it he must obey the laws after
he gets out.This forces him to think
in the right direction.
The grading system which was
put into effect in 1908 has proven
very effective in reform work inside
the prison. The prisoners are divid-
ready obtained and the prospects
for greater things.
Results Of Teaching.
At Eddyville the superintendent
of the graded school was hired to
organize the schools for two months,
and since that one of the Deputy
Wardens has been in charge. Vol
unteer teachers from among the
convicts were called for and many
responded. Out of total popula-
tion of about 700 men, 1872 volun-
tarily applied for admission to the
school as pupils. These men were
absolutely illiterate, not one of
them knowing a letter Of the alpha
bet. They were divided into eight
classes, with convicts teachers. The
warden offered $500 to the first
colored man who would write, in
the presence of his teacher. letter
that Mr.. Chiffon could read, The
white prize was won April Is. Five
men met the requirement. On May
Is two colored prisoners claimed
and received the prize. The litter
ates in the Eddyville prison were
230 out a total of 674 men before
the school started. Less than fifty
have failed to avail themselves of
the opportunity presented by the
school, and they are mostly the older
negroes. The color line is drawn
in the schools as elsewhere in the
prisons, but both races have equal
facilities.
At Frankfort about 600 men out
Of total of about 1,42O population
are now in the school. Glasses up
to the fourth grade of common
schools have been formed andhigher
grades will he taken care of as soor
as possible. About eighty white
pupils are taking lessons in short
hand.
The order in these schools has
been perfect, the interest intense,
he results most gratifying. In our
Judgment nothing has been done
hat promises such far-reaching re-
suits for good as the schools. IL
iteracy and. drunkenness are re-
,ponsible for nearly all the crime
in the prisons, and the
removal of the cause should GER
.ainly reduce the amount of crime.
Within few months we hope to
De able to say that every man who
goes out of the Kentucky peniten-
iary and the reformatory will be
lble to read and write. Thus equip
,ed, they face the world with more
more self-reliance. and,
We have a right to believe and
rope, with new and better view
If life. 1t is deeply impressive to
zee the expression of satisfaction on
he faces of those poor, benighted
men when they say they have learn
ID to read. A new light seems to
lave burst into their lives. The
ceiling that society cares nothing
or them and that they will there
ore avenge themselves by doing
heir worst" against society must
acknowledgement before this and
ther helpful work that will yet b,
ONE part of all properly conduct
d institutions of this character.
One of the most pathetic sights
+ the prisons is that of brawny men
truggling to learn the alphabet, or
landing up in class and slowly
eading the childish lessons from
he first and second readers. But
is also an encouraging sight.
The Lash Abolished.
1t is generally known that the
ash had been one of the chief
nodes of punishment used almost
yer since the first Kentucky pen
.entiary was built. The commission
RS found that nearly all OF the ex-
erienced employees sincerely believ-
1t would be impossible to main
ain discipline IL whipping were a.
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