Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-11-23
ioWA's REFoRMAToRY ATTRACT.
ING ATTENTION OF OTHER
STATES.
WARDEN MecLAuGhRY FIRST
TO INACCURATE SYSTEM
Plan Of Starting All Prisoners Without
Degradation Adopted by Warden in
Wisconsin and Georgia Before Mo-
claushry Came to iowa-othsrs Fol-
low With Success.
Special to Times-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, Nov. est is not gener-
ally known. but Is true. that Iowa has
a penal institution at Anamosa that Is
making record for perfection OF dis
cipline that far surpasses anything
generally supposed to be possible and
it Is beginning to attract the attention
of the world. During considerable
period Of the past year. and probably
the record is being kept up. the num-
Der Of prisoners reported for discip-
line against whom some accusation
had been made for infraction of prison
rules, averaged only about per cent.
That comes near to being the perfec-
ton Of discipline within an institution
of the kind.
This fact was brought out in an in
teresting way at the last quarterly
conference of the board Of control
Chairman McConlogue had referred to
the very interesting staten; ents made
by the warden Of the Georgia prison,
in an address at the American prison
congress, and especially to the plan of
starting all prisoners in without deg
radiation and only placing them in
lower grades when they have compelled
such action by their own conduct.
Meclaushry Originator Of Plan.
Warden McClaughry. of Anamosa.
who was associated with the warden at
Atlanta, Ga, was asked to tell some
thing Of the plan, and he disclosed. in
a modest way. that the plan followed
in Georgia was taken there by him and
installed.
1t was while he was in charge OF
the Wisconsin prison at Waupun that
Warden McClaughry first put into eff
feet against much opposition. the sys-
TEN of treating the newly arrived con-
vict as if he was of course a model
prisoner and starting him as a first
grader only to be reduced when he has
broken the rules. The old system is
to start every prisoner in as If he was
of course the very worst Of the lot
and to treat him as dangerous man.
placing him in stripes or checks and
giving him humiliating work II posi-
BILE to start with.
Mr.. McClaughry related that it was
at the American prison congress In
1900 that he read paper presenting
to that body his ideas of discipline and
contending for the honor system. Ev-
cry warden present without exception
condemned it at that time. and all
thought the new prisoner should be
made to feel the grind for SIX months
or more regardless Of what lie did The
idea presented by McClaughry was so
contrary to all accepted custom for
centuries that he got small hearing.
When he went to Atlanta he immed
lately put in the system and carried
it out for the six years he was there.
When he went to the AnamOsa reform
atory he inaugurated the system there
for the first time in that institution
and it has been followed ever since. No
prisoner is degraded unless 1t Is for
something he does after reaching the
prison. One may enter the prison as
first grader and remain such to the
end Of his term. AS a result Of this
system Mr.. McClaughry said that the
number Of reports for infraction Of
rules had been reduced to 5 per cent,
which Is as near perfection as ever
will be attained In any penal institu-
ton.
The system is being followed now In
number Of prisons with success.