The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-07-04
Agricultural Training For
DELINQUENT Boys
Youthful Inmates of the National Training School for Boys
Seem to Prefer the "Cal Of the Farm
Bv BILL PRICE.

The interesting fact disclosed that the punishment records
for the close to 800 boys inmates Of the National
Training School Boys the Bladensrg road show
lower percentage Of rules violations among those engaged III
farm work than among those assigned to shops
This institution comes the Federal Superintendent Of
Prisons but board Of trustees is mainly composed OF
prominent Washngtonan The inmates sent here by
Federal judges from all the United States The appropr1a
ons for maintenance expended by the Department. OF
Justice.
One of the most serious problems confronting this country
rapid away from the farms Thinking men are
calling national action that will make farming more arac
tive and result "bacto hefarm movement What will
be Of this movement forete but in
meantime there thousands Of boys in and
correctional institutions where industrial training rather than
agricultural training is emphasized.
An excellent opportunity present itself for almost
exclusive agricultural training for the boys in the National
Training that the boys there prefer the out
door work Of the farm and are most happy and contented
when thus engaged not only point the way TO more
successful reform the number of specially trained
young people available replace the losses the nations
farms Certainly there could healthier training the
future boys better assured than they followed their
training by ife-wOrk farms
There nearly land belonging this
national refomatoy The opportunity for learning scientific
farming exceptional Poultry raising and darying are
carried proabl and hog raising factor Of Importance
# the ohe-country policy helpful for the normal
boy it is worth while training him to become expert
farm operator, it not equally valuable in solving the
problems connected with delinquent boys7 The average
1nQuSCf1aI SCHOOL
American boy With the exception Of those coming from sur
rounngs Enthusiastically vicious in restricted the
victims social conditions imposed upon them by circum
for which they not remotely responsible these
correctional school impress being little worse
than healthy 'Tom Sawyer" HuckleberTy Finn" This
estimate certainly true Of approximately go cent Of the
boys the residue including the lads who apparently illustrate
Emersons theory that In each family at certain intervals
individual appears in whom there to be poted all oil
vicious unsocal instincts properly dbuable among al
long Crmnologsts them natural born
predestined nnately doomed criminals Eliminating this latter
element and those grouped too closely with it, is not al
satisfactory solution correcting Of undesirable traits
developed by between the ages eight and sixteen years
be found in farm training rather than in trade training
which the most cannot be carried out in entire praccab
in the classrooms Of refOrmatory institutions?
The natural facilities Of the Training School especially point
agricultural training rather than academic trade training
Dayng poultry raising and truck farming attractive and
interesting to the boys the majority Of whom become good
citizens when they leave the institution.
There criticisms Of the school recently These may
be expected Experts always differ and free in portray
ing the superiority Of their particular brands Of reform
but doesn't take expert indicate that the natural boy
happy when close to nature The majority
of boys in correctional and reformaory institutions
predestned criminals cr1minoogists class them They
natural boys who have been led into whose
surroundings anything envable Treated kindly but
firmly subjected to humane discipline put to work in the open
and encouraged be Industrious they become good useful
citizens.
these boys trained in agricultural pursuits and on
leaving the reormatores put in touch with farmers who
need their services many them will become of fine
farms-producers, Moreover they will be
removed from the temptations of city life and the reckoning