The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-08-30

sepss>rscu<scpt Johl~ Tells OF Wat n
nstne Done 70 Ala wsywar,i boys
snd Needs Of Inssitqtson.

AT the last meeting Of this board
- boys were paroled because Of lack
tf room. II took more than two
inonshs to get them or. and all but
three or four have gone. OF the few
remaining. at least one or more will
10 soon. :.
We began the year with 26s. Count
90 expirations. former paroles. etc.
tossthsr with the 81 mentioned above.
lf1actiy III have teen released since
''ur last meeting. Only thirty have
|'ssn received this year. "a since last
l,scstins. Thirty have been refused.
20 these thirty nearly all have been
l'ent through the courts OF general
isssions. The population is now 1GO.
This brings us face to face with
another very serious problem of re-
term work. since the counties have
found that we are refusing boys sent
through the probate courts, they are,
for the most part. resorting to the
lmsthod of regular sourt trial and SEN
sence to force the boys upon US. This
- becoming more and more general.
Three weeks ago ~ boys were sent TO
90 by this method ln one week. re-
iorst very much to- see this. have
urged all along that our laws of com.
\ mitment are too lax. 1t ought not to
b light thing to get boys into tho
school. But'when all. or the greater
part. of ouE boys must stand regular
trial for their petty misdeeds. think
the object Of the school Is missed. I
would like 70 60 further and say that
\ do not believe that any boy who Is
cent here ought to be sent through
ths regular courts, Our boys ought to
b shielded AZ much as possible from
regular criminal proceedings.
Should regular court proceedings
b necessary. I believe that a definite
sentence should not be imposed. II
cur present law should be brought to
. test. think 1t would prohibit q dsn-
mite sentence. . ~ '.3'' . SIN I.
Looking over the whole matter.
Then. and ever keeping In mind the
boy himself. am almost ready 10 con-
trAdict myself and say that no appli-
cation for the commitment of q boy
ought to be refused fear that tho
evils attendant upon forcing boys here
through the criminal courts will kreat-
~ outweigh those coming from the
possibilitics OF imposition upon the
school. The State should provide
room for the boys who need TO come
here. and u shouId open its doors glad
~ TO help any hayward boy back on
his feet. The Tennessee Industrial
school. conceded to be the best In all
the South. pin noe take "a boy II he.
has been In criminal court. This
school combines boys and girls. Last
ysar they reported sos boys and 25G
siria The schooj has been under one
Manaesment since It's beginning more
than thirty years ago.
IL makes me happy to report that In
my opinionlth school In In for better
condition that 1t has been at any time
durine the three years OF my work
here. Compared with our years of
cfcwdIng and CONSEQUENT evils We arc
doing fine. Improvement in every
part OF our work has been noted by all
ccncerned and Is a matter OF general
comspept. The spirit of the boys Is
nns They are getting plenty 10 cat
anc 10 wear. and there is some satla.
fucti"n and comfort about the dormi-
toricf end other rooms. Plots to run
away Gro almost unheard of. and many
ether evils are vanishing from our
minds. II In the first time can ap-
pear before you and say without re-
serve that we are doing the boys
good. We have just passed by two
months Of real good work. Satisfied?
No. no: not half way. But only a lit
tie way along the road of,assurance of
uftipate success. Just start is
snoQsh to bring happiness.
The health Of the boys has been
nns. We have had need Of physician
but twice In four months. One for
h~na cut on the bread slicer. and the
other for wrist broken by jump on
. h9s handle.
The literary department Is the best
II he's ever been. On account of our
wholesale parole only one boy was left
In opr new 9th grade. Therefore this
srade has been discontinued. The di-
vision of the work upon the three
TEACHERS does not give anyone too
much. and gives fair period to each
clap.
The tailor shop has been put upon
q i1rm basis. II Ia now counting Tho