Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-12-22

deputy warden and to the prison farm
by the chaplain.
The State prison Ia under general
control Of the Prison Commission, 4.
w. Wheeler Of Brunswick. Leslie
,Boynton Of Jefferson and F. H. Har-,
graves Of Buxton; appointed by the
Governor for six-year terms. 1t is I'M
der the immediate supervision and
charge Of Warden Frank J. Ham.
The prison was. generally speaking. in
as clean and sanitary q condition as
could be expected when the character
of thej construction OF part Of it
and its great age are considered. Ex-
cept for the faults Of the structure it.
self, the men appear to be well cared
for and under good discipline.
There are still a few women prison
ers; no matron. This Is unquestion-
ably wrong. So long as women prison.
ers are kept here there should be
matron, whatever the cost.
The new shop. mess hall and store
room building now under construction
win be q most valuable addition to
the prison equipment The men in the
shops were busily at work. Every
thing appeared business like.
It was noted that in some Of the
shops there were guards in addition to
the foreman. The necessity for this is
questioned. With guards on the walls
it would seem as il the money devoted
to hiring guards in the shops who do
no. work could be expended to better
advantage in SO arranging the hours OF
the wall guards that someone would be
on duty there during al Of the day.
light. The men could then be given
the run of the prison yard before and
after work, the same as they are now
on holidays and Sundays. thus i'm
proving their health and doubtless also
the morale
There were only $50 men at the pris-
on, the smallest number for a consid-
cradle period Of time.
The prison farm was visited. 1t was
noted that there are but six prisoners
regularly working at the farm. The
value Of out door work for prisoners
has frequently been demonstrated il
other states. It is believed that it
would be well to employ larger num-
Der Of men on the farms, even though
they did not produce quite as much
revenue for the State as when work.
ing in the shops. The shop work
could be reserved for winter weather.
These men are to go back into 80
ciety, eventually. and work which will
send them back in better physical
health should be adopted even though
the immediate profits are less; the
profits to society. and society is the
State. win be greater in the end.
The chaplain appears to be much in
terested in his work. He should be,
and undoubtedly is, a valuable aid to
the warden in the maintenance of
discipline. A part of his duties are
that of school teacher. The State
compulsory education laws require that
grade in school, if physically and men
tally capable of receiving such in
struction, before he is allowed a work
permit to go into industry. Why
should not the State require that all
prisoners capable Of receiving such in
struction should attend school at lea st
| half of every day until they have at
tanned that grade?
If this We're acquired. the duties Of
the chaplain as school teacher would
be very materially augmented. to the
ultimate profit Of the social fabric
when the men are ready for parole or
release.
Recommendations and Suggestions
That If practical more of the prison.
| ers' time be given to work on the
,, farms and in the school rooms and the
guard force be so arranged as to give
some time in the yards each day.
That whenever there is a woman pris-
oner there should be matron in charge
of the women's department, whatever