The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1921-06-15

who have no home, or who have been
allowed by their parents to do any
thing they pleased. Boys are taken
there and given training rather than
allowing them to fall into life Of use
lessness and in all probability into
a life of crime Of some sort. 1t is not
penal institution, but an opportunity
school for boys of peculiar mental
ity who, if taken while at or before
the age of adolescence can be trained
to be good law-abiding citizens, but
if allowed to live an irresponsible life
are very likely to be hinderance
to the welfare of the country.
"When boy is found to. be incor-
rigible and is headed in the wrong di-
rection, the quicker we get him the
BETTER" said Mr.. J. T. Fulton, Super
intendent of the Institution, when
asked as to the ACCESSIBILITY Of send
ing boys there. Mr.. Fulton is a
man who believes that many of our
criminals could have been changed in
to good citizens if they had been CIV
en- the proper training when they were
young.
The discipline Of the boys is good.
There is an enrolment of about three
hundred boys who are divided up and
segregated into as many different
classes as possible. They are divided
up into companies which are under the
supervision of an officer. When they
work, they are in charge of another
officer or instructor as boys in any
company may work in any shop or at
any other job.
The boys are under supervision ev-
cry hour Of the day and night. There
is an officer in charge while they are
working and at meals; while they are
having recreation, and from the time
they go to bed until they get up in the
morning. This is done to prohibit any
contamination by the boys who are of
the toughest sort and who know every
thing Of vice that there is to be known
Telling dirty stories and dirty prac-
tees are. watched too closely to be-
come harmful to any of the better
class of boys. There is some one to
take them from work to play and to
meals.
To make more sure of this problem,
the younger boys are segregated from
the others as much as possible. When
a young boy is sent there it does not
mean that he is~to learn of all the bad
things that have ever happened of.
course, that know much about that
sort Of thing, but they do not spread
it to every one else that is here.
There is no doubt but that the prop
er place for boy to be brought up is
in his home and not in an institution.
But this is only true when that home
has a good moral influence upon the
boy. There are many homes that do
not have this. This Institution is no
place for well meaning sensitive boy
who has the misfortune to fall into
some pretty trouble at home. 1t is
the boy who has mentality that nat
urally leads him to do such things that
needs training to guide him in the
right direction. Or it is the incorrig-
ible boy who has no respect for any
one, not even his parents, or the boy
whose parents will not or cannot dis
cipline him that needs to be shown the
necessity Of some obedience. When
a boy is brought up to .disrespect
authority at home, in school, and at
play, it is only natural to expect him
later to have the same disrespect for
the laws of the community.
"This is bad. place for good boy,
but a good place for bad boy"
stated Mr.. Fulton frankly when dis
cussing this question. The need of
more strict authority in the homes
from which these boys come is very
evident.
Because a boy comes from we'll
to do parents and lives in big clean
house, is no sign that he lives under
moral influence in that home," admit