The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1913-01-17

CndI Ine percentage of divorces rela-
tive to the population is constantly
increasing.
Agricultural Department.
The administration of the agricul-
tural department during the past
year and a half has been one of which
the State should feel proud.
The work of the Farmers Institutes
and the agricultural trains have been
useful in bringing the department
close to the average farmer.
The bulletins and newspaper work
OF the department have been remark
ably well handled for the education
of the farmers of the State.
The idea of establishing demon
stratlon farms in the various counties
has been promulgated by the depart
ment and has taken hold of the peo-
pie as a practical method of demon
strating the agricultural possibilities
OF each county The operation of
such a farm should be directly profita-
bic to the county and would be of
vast benefit to all the farming inter
ests of the community in the increase
of fertility and production and the
demonstration of the adaptability of
the soils.
Compulsory Education.
If it is wise for Tennessee to tax
Its citizens for the maintenance of
1ree school system, it is wise for the
State to follow the matter up and
make sure that the children get the
benefit of the money. Manv thou-
sands of children are being deprived
Of the blessings Of the States educa-
tlonal benefcence by the negligence
Oh parents or the greed of employers.
! favor and recommend a Compulsory
Education Law. Such a law has al
ready been enacted for several coun.
ties in the State. It should now he
made general, and should be made
strict enough to bring results in the
immediate increase of the attendance
upon the public schools.
Tennessee Reformatory.
The Legislature of 1907 made an
appropriation of $4,000 for a re.
tormatory for juvenile criminals
With this money a desirable tract of
land was purchased at Jordonia, near
NASHVILLE. No further steps were
taken toward the establishment of the
reformatory until the Legislature Of
1911 made an appropriation of $50
900 for building and $4,000 for addi-
tional land. The reformatory owns
l66 acres of good farming land.
bought at reasonable prices. In ac-
cordance with the action of the last
Legislature, the $4,000 appropriation
mas been expended in the construction
Of buildings. Without going into de-
TALL, it may be stated that the Board
Of Trustees have erected substantial
and commodious buildings for white
and colored boys, respectively, on the
opposite ends of the farm. A visit
to this institution will convince
Legislators that the States money
has been well spent, and that there
Ire further needs to be supplied by
he State.
The originanl act creating a re-
provided that all boys un-
ier the age of eighteen, convicted of
elonies, should be sent to the re-
instead of the penitentiary.
Since this law was passed various
Juvenile Court laws have been en-
cted which empower these Juvenile
ourts to commit boys to the State
teformatory. A condition has re-
ulted from this fact which ought to
'e corrected. The juvenile courts
re filling the reformatory with boys
hat would not be sent there by the
riminal and circuit courts of the
tate. AS is well known, the proce-
ure in juvenile courts is somewhat
TX and liberal Boys are picked up
nd committed by these courts with I
ut little semblance of a legal trial. {
The reformatOry was intended to re-
eve the penitentiary of the custody ;
boys under eighteen years Of age \
rom all over the State. and not to :
erve as a convenient place of deten- q
on for prisoners from Juvenile n
ourts, nor to assume the aspects Of I
local institution. r
MY meaning can be pest illustrated n
the following figures, showing the :
opulation of the institution since its r
)ening, February 10, 1912.
Total admitted, two hundred and
,ur.
Total Davidson County Juvenile
ourt, one hundred and one.
The Reformatory Board will Droba- I
y present to the Legislature further T
lggestions along this line. I
tate Board of Examiners of Nurses. f
The last Legislature enacted law a
eating a State Board Of Examiners v
Nurses, and provided for the re- c
llation OF the practice of trained 7
rising. One object of this bill was a
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