Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-06-17
PHILOSOPHY IN PRISON PAPERS,
Interesting Features Of Peculiar
Class Of Journalism.

Few persons know of the field into
which have been making little ex-
cursion-the realm of prison juornal-
ism. Back cf the gray walls and the
barred windows of prisons and reform
atories the thoughts of prisoners often
find expression in print There are
weekly newspapers printed edited,
written. by prison inmates, and they
contain flashes of remorse, of sorrow,
of grim wit even of brightness and
joy. They show that the man behind
the bars is a most human creature.
Prison is sad place. There's plenty
of time for reflection and remorse:--
sometimes think I'd rather be forgot
Than be remembered by the things i've
done @
I've often wished fry name were but a
On mortal scrolls of battles lost or won.
Or rather still. I'd like to be a child
As innocent as In those other days
When from stern duty's path | was be-
guiled
Ere / had reached the parting of the
ways.
But still / see the folly of my fears.
For something seems to say: lis not
too late;
For to whatever port the pilot steers.
He may return. 1t is not left to Fate"
in prison? Remember the days and
weeks Of cell life, the long nights, the
age-long Sundays, the memories of
other days. Nc, there's even good pri-
son verse. John Carter wrote poetry
III the Minnesota stateprison, and the
Century published some of it. There's
much philosophizing upon the reason
for things:
He made us all of flesh and blood
And we. in truth, are kin;
You In your place as ruler stood. =
| in my place of sin
Brothers in spirit and brothers in form,
Only step apart;
One life was lost in raging storm.
one saved by falrer start.
Prison papers carry the deep under
tong of remorse. but not all prison
verse is gloomy. Some is cheerful, rem
iniseent of fairer days:
DE oil norf wind agin de cabin door
Possum's in de pot, an de sweet yams
in de ashes:
Fitch o, bacon IN de pan-Lawdy. hear it
fryin';
Hain't no sort o music OATS near so
satisfyin':
Corn pone am hot an brown-pickanin-
Whoo WHO'D, how de wind do blow!
But all the philosophy is not confined
To poetry. Prose has its share of CON
trihutors. Bear in mind that the prison.
er las plenty of time to ponder on the
fIailties of human beings, including
himself. Here is one prison philoso-
piers view of men,
Men are like cigars Often you cannot
tell by the wrapper what the filler is
sometimes a good old stogie is more
popular than an imported celebrity
Some men are all right in the show
case on display. but are great disap-
peintments when you get them home.
No matter how fine a man is. eventual
Iy he meets his match. A 'two-fcr"
often puts on as many. airs as a 80
center. Some men never get to the
front at all except in campaigns. Some
are very fancy outside ard are select
ed for presents Others have a rough
exterior, but spread cheer and comfort
all about them because of what is in
side But all mon as all cigars, good or
bad. two-fers. stogies, rich or poor,
come TO ashes at last.
Contributors to the prison papers
have a habit of sending in little sparks
of wisdom. Let me pick the following
from column of comments entitled
Pen points:
Many rolling stone stops here.
Some men Who jump at conclusions
land in here.
one satisfaction our folks now have
is the fact that they now know where
We are. nights.
One way to make money following
the ponies is with both hands on the
rIcw handles.
The prison paper is the means used
by the prison administration to convey
notices to the inmates. The Summary
for instance, published every week at
Elmira reformatory. serves such pur-
pose. The Star of Hope, published
twice d month at Sing Sing. Auburn,
Clinton and Great Meadow prisons in
this state. The Mentor is II curious
publicatio of the Charlestown Mass.
state prison. 1t is entirely the product
of inmates. and is mimeographed from
hand written, or rather hand printed,
pages.
Let us skim hastily through a cory
of Good Works, published by the in
mates of the federal prison at Atlanta,
Ga, dated February. 1918. There are
two leading articles on the first page,
tHlflleu tIS I1lUUSllliDS IbI
and Moving Pictures installed.
Moving pictures says one writ
er, will doubtless become. in time.
just as valua bic an adjunct to prison
work as they have already become to
the work of colleges. churches and
schools" local item says Probably
the league pennants will not be deliv-
cred to the winners of the spring and
fall pennant contests until the opening
of the spring season of 1913. as in the
case of the big leagues" For you must
know that there's a prison league of
baseball clubs in this federal prison,
and If the prisoners earn the right
through good conduct and industry
they may attend the games on Satur-
day afternoons.
Let us take now one of the most re-
cent issues of the Star of Hope, the
state prison paper published at Sins
Sing Here are some of the titles III
the issue of February |. 1913: Cinnamon.
modern journalist" tThe story of a
plot between a banker and IL girl. in
which the reporter and Cupid won.)
From day to day" Current events.l
christmas eve on Jupiter" "a contin-
ued story, written by woman inmate