Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1920-08-10
SOUTHERN PRISON AS
VIEWED BY WAUSAU MAN
CONTINUED from page one)

ever come to the superintendent, al
most without exception every man in
the institution feels that it is to his
own advantage to perpetuate the hui
name system of government instituted
BY Mr.. Bitch, and he is going to see
that any newcomer who does not full
ly appreciate this is quickly and eff
fectively informed
mo general ever went forth on the
field of battle with a more loyal army
behind him than / have here" en-
phatically responded the superintend-
he was not afraid that sometime this
great body of law breakers might
make things uncomfortable for him.
You could not engineer an uprising
here. The men would not permit ii"
Our conversation with the superin-
| tendent was shortened by the fact
that it was necessary for him to go to
the assembly hall where the gospel
service was to be held, and upon his
| departure, under the escort of the
prison physician, we went forth to in
spect the chicken farm, the dairy barn
and other places of interest.
The gospel service was still in pro-
gress when we had finished our tour
of observation. We felt some hesita-
ton about entering this place, but did
so in response to an earnest invitation
from one of the convicts who acted as
usher at the front door, and we were
mighty glad that we had not over
looked this, for it is one of the potent
| forces that makes possible the con-
duct of this prison with it's five hun
| bred conyictS and no guards.
| Attendance at this service is not
compulsory. Those who desire to at
tend do so. We noticed that most of
those who had visitors for the day
preferred to walk out around the
grounds. The blacks appeared to be
more taken up with these services
than the whites. Their side of the hall
was fairly well filled A Y. M. C. A.
secretary was concluding an address
as we entered, and in his closing re-
marks made some statement which
made it imperative upon the superin-
tendent to say something.
He said it, in a direct, earnest man
ner. There was no maudlin sentiment
tally in his remarks. He talked right
from the shoulder, and as he talked
was given the most intent attention
He took no text, his address was a
mixture of sympathy for those who
were weak, who had fallen, of hope
fulness for those who had higher as
pirations, of the business of the laws
that made it necessary for them to be
in the institution. and on the whole
a yelled plea for their cooperation in
helping to make the world, their world
a better place for them and their fell
lowmen. Incidentally he referred to
the fact that this great and wonderful
experiment now being carried out al
this institution could only be main
ltained and extended through their CO.
Operation. Listening to him, watch
ling him, noticing his great interest in
this work that he was doing, I began
to realize how it had been possible
for him to so impress himself upon
these men that he could dispense with
the guards who had formerly been
deemed necessary part of the prison
personnel.
| think that nearly every black on
the grounds was present at this Cos
pei service, and suppose that the
reason for this lay more in the sing
ing and music than of the address of
the visiting secretary who made the
principal talk" They have mustered
a very good choir, nearly all negroes,
and | noted that when they sang
hymns, especially those of that me-
lodiousness that appeals to the ordi-
nary darkey, that the dark side of
the congregation joined Justify in the
signing, especially of the choruses. 1t
was wierdly fascinating to sit and
watch them, for the time seemingly
oblivious of everything else, men and
women, cadencing sit May Be Best
for Me-
| After the gospel services two of the
prison mines were called off to play a
game of baseball in the grounds ad-
joining the assembly hall, and I want
to assure you that they played good
ball. Others went to the dormitory
and returned to the grand stand with
musical instruments and supplied
music during the game.
| One man who had completed a five
year sentence six months previous
was among the visitors that Sunday.
He had come back to tell the others
how we'll he was doing at Jacksonville,
how honest work was not a burden,
and that there were chances on the
outside for all who wanted to begin
life Alright at the expiration of their
terms. This man felt that his sense