Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-26

mot only have we estaDnSneu NoCd-
tional schools. but we teach the foreign
ers 70 read and write the English lam
suage, and permit all who desire to
study and learn anything they may want.
IL is even possible for them to become
electrical or civil engineers, for we have
correspondence courses In such practical
work, and the men are glad to take ad-
vantage sof the opportunities.
Now, besides fitting the men for work
Mt some specific trade or profession we
also do something else for them we
permit them to apply their trades during
their spare time at making various artt-
cles for sale. and these they dispose OF
for good prices. Their funds are depos-
tied in one of the largest savings banks
In Philadelphia, and when the prisoners
leave most of them have fair-sized roll
of bills to take with them.
PUTS HOPE INTO MEN.
Both these things make them hold up
their heads and feel like men who can
look the world squarely in the face and
begin again, determined TO accomplish
something because they do not have tho
handicap Of having no skill or ability for
any definite thing that will make them
self-supporting and able to support their
oft-times unfortunate families
Now, let us see what the parole sys-
tenn does for the men who are fitted for
honest employment. The law requires
that the men must have employment
and must have responsible persons
to stand as their moral hackers after they
have finished their minimum sentence
in here. What Is the result of this? In
stead of the men going out like whipped
dogs and diving into the first den they
can find in the Tenderloin, they march
out with their chins in the air and with
look of hopcfulness on their faces.
They've got jobs They are probably
going to receive bigger envelopes for
their work than they have ever received
In their lives, and perhaps their first hon
est dollars are before them. They have
certain feelings of independence and self
respect. And we have found that when
they leave under these circumstances
they seldom come back, and as our re-
ports show, they make good in their work
and become citizens of value in the
world"
After this little talk Warden McKenty
proudly turned over the pages of the re-
ports on paroed prisoners, and here Is
what was found:
Since 1909, when the law went into
effect, prisoners paroled, between 1000 and
100: about 125 returned for breaking
parole rules; u returned anI asked to
of more of the influence they had had
while prisoners. and feared that they
might do something very wrong; 80 have
been recommitted to this prison or sent
to some other penal institution for some
later crime, and all others-more than
900 of them-have been reporting regu-
larly, working and living respectable
lives.
KEEPS HIS EYE ON THEM.
Among them are many who have
worked out their parole period, but the
warden keeps an eye on them. and knows
that they are doing well. Several of the
men paroled are In business-one or two
of them we'll known here-and are max
ing profits of as much as $12OO every
month, and the average earnings of the
men on parole Is $40 month. This is be-
licved to be fair wage when 1t is con-
sidered that most of them are working
in the country or small towns and cities.
Every one of the men who came back
for the protection of the warden had
and practically every one who was
brought back for breaking parole rules
was found to have fallen from his
straight path because of drink. Warden
AYERS.
Directly or indirectly THE Preacher
Warden declares, rum sends almost
every prisoner to the penitentiary, and
he has turned the convicts against 1t
so much that more than 500 of them,
without his knowledge. signed a petition,
which is to he presented to the State
Lc sislature the coming winter, asking
that the sale of liquor be stopped
Bob" is firm belieyer in religious
freedom. and only few months ago
Masses were first said within tho prison
walls for the Catholic prisoners. and now
each Sunday there are services con-
ducted by Protestant clerEymen and
Catholic priests, and the Jewish rabbis
also held services for the Hebrew pris-
oners during the New Year holidays just
past. Any religion is good, so long as
It stands for the right, declares the war;
den, and II is the practical Christianity"
that counts most.
HELPFULNESS Is BEST.
practical Christianity means unself-
sh helpfulness." says Warden McIIen-
ty. And that is what Is needed most
among the church people to keep men
out of prison, and to make men out of
prisoners when they get out. Church
people can do most to keep men out by
practicing what they preach. The little
things they do during the weekdays go
toward pointing the way for the tempted
to right living than all the big things
the church people can do on Sundays