The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1914-02-19
HOW THE MIRROR
WAS FOUNDED
Cash Subscriptions From the Inmates Fur
nished the Nucleus Twenty Seven Years
ago, From Which This Paper has Grown
to its Present Size.
NAMES OF FOUNDERS


From a tiny acorn grows the
sturdy oak-sO has it been with the
Mirror, the oldest prison paper pub
lished in the world.
Beginning twenty seven years ago,
little sheet with l76 inches of read
ing matter, the paper has gradually
grown, and this week we present 1t
to the readers again permenaDtly
enlarged to full six column news
paper size, which means weekly
composition of Ala inches or 29S
inches more than the original Mir
rOr contained.
Apropos with this enlargement we
believe it would be interesting to
the readers to know just how the
Mirror started. who it's founders
were. it's aims and objects and who
the officers of the prison were at the
: time of Its establishment. For this
reason, we print the Salutatory,
copied from the first issue. 1t reads
as follows
1t is with 10 little pride and
pleasure that we present to you,
kind reader, this our iDItial amber
of THE Prison MIRROR, believing
as we do, that the introduction of
the printing press into the great
penal institutions of our land is the
first important step taken toward
solving the great problem of true
prison reform. With this our maiden
issue. of The MIRROR is born a new
innovation into the heretofore dark
dreary, mOnotonous existence OF
those whom fate hath led downward
to the narrow confines of prison
cell and branded as social outcasts;
upon the darkened lives of such. it
shall be the one great mission of
The MIRROR to reflect glad ray of
hope to light and encourage them
upward toward a higher and nobler
life, to Danish from their hearts the
midnight gloom Of prejudice. envy
and malice, and in their bosoms re-
fleet the cheering hight of reason,
truth and love.
The Mirrors Mission.
1t shall be the untiring mission of
the MIRROR" to encourage prison
literary talent, and instruct, assist,
encourage, and entertain all those
within our midst, and to scatter
words of warning upon the unwary
~athway of those in the outside
world, whose reckless footsteps may
be leading them hitberward. In thus,
sending forth to the world this hum
BILE little sheet, we trust and pray
that it is destined t. become the
corner stone of the great pedestal
whereon shall stand the living stat
ue of truth, bearing aloft, the fam
ing torch of mercy, justice and rea-
son; and from the sands of this tiny
brooklet there may be gathered many
brilliant gems of truth to forever
decorate the sovereign heads IF honor,
manhood and right 1t shall be our
earnest endeavor to bury melancholy
estrangement. and enmity in the
vast region of the past, and to SOW
in the hearts of our readers the gold
en- seeds of charity, hope and love.
In thus extending to us the pri-
velege of publishing and sending
forth to the world The Prison MIR
RoR, our Warden, Mr.. H.G Stordock
has. we feel, extended to us most
elevating and beneficial privilege,
which we trust, will be most fully
appreciated and honored by each
and every prisoner within our midst.
The great success which has hus
far attended our little enterprise has
already been far in excess of the
most lofty dreams of it's founders;
which fact we owe to the great
kindness. encouragement, and assist
ance of Warden Stordock, Deputy
Warden, Jacob Wesby, Asst Depu-
ty Warden John Cover, and our
rustling" outside business manager,
and treasurer, Mr.. Geo. P. Dodd,
Prison Store Keeper, and to the Of
ficers of the prison, in general, to
whom one and all, we return our
most earnest thanks, and deepest
gratitude. We also appreciate most
highly. the many kind words of en-
couragement which has been extend
ed towards US. by the boys"
The entire profits of THE MIRROR,
above the running expenses, will be-
devoted soley to the purchase of
books and periodicals for the prison
eprary, thus being part and parcel
rsreOf in accordance with tho fol.