The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1917-02-22
IDEAS
COINCIDE
Osborn's Methods Are
Explained
Address in Portland Conforms With
Mrs. Wight's Views.


The ideas as to Prison Reform OF
Thomas Mott Osborne. former warden
of Sing Sing, the great New York
prison. and those of Mrs. Gertrude S
Wight. superintendent of the new
Maine Woman's Reformatory, are
very similar.
The Independent Reporter repre-
sentative was fortunate enough to bt
able to obtain standing room SUNDAY
evening. when 1900 people crowded
Square church in Portland to the
doors. and heard the wonderful anC
impressive story of the Mutual Wei
fare League as told by Mr.. Osborne
and his secretary, Harry Belasky
now 24 years old, who has served sen
tences aggregating II years
The fruit Of the prison is and al
ways has been crime" said Mr.. Os-
borne. stating that statistics show
that two-thirds of those sentenced to
prison are persons who have served
previous sentences. In the term OF
Mr.. Osborne's service as warden of
Sing Sing there were 1900 prisoners
released of which number only fifteen
of the work of the Mutual Welfare
League which Influenced the prison
ers to seek honest occupation instead
of leading a life of crime.
To teach the inmates trade
thereby giving them something to take
up their mind and with which they
may earn an honest living, seems tc
be the crying need in both prisons
and reformatories. Thomas Mott
Osborne believed in it and founded
the Mutual Welfare League; Mrs
Wight believed in it and came tc
Skowhegan to start a little Mutual
Welfare League of her own within
the confines of the Reformatory. The
inmates at this Maine institution are
taught laundry work, basKetry, rug
making and all the many and various
duties pertaining to housework, hel
theory being that the prisoners must
be kept busy and not idle. They will
also learn to do light work on the
farm thus beneftting from the out
door life. 1t is also planned to have
a school later so that the women may
be taught TO read and write if they
are not able. A Bible class is to bt
established in the near future and the
various clergymen will conduct oC-
casonal services there.
Like Mr.. Osborne, Mrs. Wight doe.
not believe in the wearing of prison
garb. This practice they both con
denim on the grounds that it pro
claims to the world that the wearel
has sinned, is marked man, and
therefore, placed at a great dsadvan
tage when freed from prison because
he is unable to again get good start
People of this world are slow to rec
ognze the fact that despite his prison
stripes, a man may still atone for his
former mistakes and never agaiI
stray from the right path if only he
be given a fair chance.
The women at the Reformatory viii
a NJ
print house dresses have been made
for them and thus simply and ser
viceably attired, they will enter upol
their round of duties and be giyeI
the opportunity of learning to be o
some real use in the world.
The sentences for the women are t'
be indeterminate, still further carry
ing out the Osborne idea. Should I
DOCTOR" asked Mr.. Osborne of hi
Sunday night audience, be allowed
the privilege Of saying how long III!
patients should be kept in the hospi
tai? If man has the grippe shoul(
the doctor send him for a week
time9 Or if small poX, for thre,
months? How will the physician
know whether or not that man can b,
cured in the allotted time 1t il
just the same principal that we shoulc
be called upon to observe in prisons
he thinks In other words, the person
should be sent to prison and KEEP
there until he is cured" of his par
ticular sin.
Thus the work of the Reformator.
is being accomplished. 1t is BIZ
task that Mrs. Wight is called upol
to do but she has begun it brayely
we'll knowing the many discourage
ments which may block her path
There are now nine inmates at the in
stitution who are being CAREFUL,
guided by the superintendent and he
assistants, gradually upward and on
ward toward a worthy life.
Last Friday evening a family part