Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-10-04
HON. CHARlESS. HICHBORN IN ELOQUENT
ADDRESS ON THE new ORDER OF THINGS
AT MAINE STATE PRISON, TH0mAS10N


meeting of the Kiwanis Club at the
Augusta House. Thursday evening;
might be broadcast to many more
thousands of people. the Kennebec
Journal secured verbatim report
of the eloquent address, which
stirred the Kiwanians and their
guests until at its conclusion they
cheered the speaker to the echo. Mr.
Hichborn since becoming member
of the board of prison directors has
labored ceaselessly for a new order
of things at the Maine penitentiary
at Thomaston. His sincerity Of pur-
pose is we'll known to all who have
heard him speak on the administra-
ton of the institution since the fire
Of 1925.
The address delivered before the
Kiwanis Club is such a splendid en-
position of the present attitude TO-
ward those offenders against the
laws OF State and society who are
there confined, that the Journal pre-
sents II here in full for the informa-
ton of its readers:
Mr.. Chairman and Members
of this Club:
I should be untitled for the worE
that | have been called to do. were
so constituted that l did not appreci-
ate such a welcome in such a City
from such a body of friends, and
from such Club.
I do appreciate it, do appreciate
it and | thank you most sincerely.
1t is most appropriate, Mr.. Chair
man. that I talk of this work TO
body of Kiwanians. for it bears, from
its foundation to its cap-stone. the
hall mark of your Association.-the
mark of service and of sacrifice. OF
faith in God and of love Of fellow
man.
understand something of the
spirit of Kiwanians. l know thai
they appreciate human frailties
that they sorrow for our common
sins; but that with broad sympathy
and exalted purpose. they undertake
by the exercise of Christian fellow
ship to lead men to a higher and
nobler citizenship.
Now, if you were to fully under
stand this work, it would be neces.
sary for me. as background. to tel
you the story Of the past: that from
that story and that past you coulC
draw your own conclusions as to the
worthiness of the present conditions
of which l am, in sketchy way, t
tell you.
But that would take much more
time than is allotted to me, and fol
the sake of the good. name of thi.
State, / am disposed to leave tina
where 1t belonss,-an unholy and un.
happy memory.
You will permit me to begin, there
fore with the new story and at thu
time of the fire, which occurred OF
the 18th day of September 1923. ant
lead you up to the conditions and tn,
spirit which we now enjoy.
That fire, which you probably
thought,-and which most people o
this State thought.-was a calamity
was. my friends indeed a blessing
1T was the act of a just God, who dc
termined, in His Wisdom. that TIL,
time had come to wipe that blacI
blot off the escutcheon OF this State
and in four raging hours He reduce,
1t to ashes.
fortunately for us we had Chic
Executive big enough, and broa,
enough and courageous enough t
grasp the situation. to visualize tn,
future and to recognize the oppor
tunity which Providence had give,
into his hand
Before the ashes were cold he ha,
given instructions for the re- build
ing OF the Institution on the mos
approved lines. according to the high
est standard that architectural an,
engineering ability could suggest
Ana he found the engineering abilit,
in this State, and the architecture
ability in this State. in this City :,
Augusta. and in the person of ;
member of this Club, now sitting IL
yonder table.
Every man who has had to do Will
rebuilding,-architect. building en-.
gineer. yes. and the men who wer,
living under the shadow of dark
ness,-they all have done their part
faithfully and we'll The State as ;
whole never will recognize it, posi-
bly,; never will fully understand blu
am telling you that among thos,
men down there in Prison were som,
of the most loyal and faithful soul
that ever served the interest of an,
State.
They buildcd without thanks: the,
builded without compensation; the,
builded without complaint, and the,
builded well.
will not characterize the century
old buildings which were DESTROYED
because ] want to keep my peace o
mind. They are gone, and in thei,
stead we have as fine set of build
lngs as can be found anywhere
work shops clean. light and airy
a r,nr f irtn IF
all brick and steel. and concrete. anc
Win sprinkler system from base
ment to roof.
The old, old cell blocks, horrible
horrible, horrible,-all gone, and fin,
modern steel cells in their places, -
all painted white and each having Al
electric light. No more old smeIlin:
buckets as hourly companions, but ;
toilet and lavatory in every cell: n,
more cells with their sides reekin.
with water from the first of July un
til the first of September. in which
men slept and froze in the hotties
weather. No more dog -holes.-ab
solutely without light or ventilation
without bed. or table. or chair-noth
ng-nothing-no more of those,
Everything clean and wholesom,
and helpful. Is what we ha g,
In place of what the fire consumed
But. my friends, the fire burne,
only the buildings, the System re-
manned. and the System was the old
est thing about the whole Institu
ton. 1t was found in all the pena
institutions of this country prior I,
dozen years ago. Thank God. al
awakened public conscience has mad,
some improvement within that time
System Is a generic word. 1t i!
used by all prisoners in all prison.
OF the world. 1t typifies that form
OF government which was founded
thousands of years ago, and which
had never materially changed thai
form which is based upon the idea
OF retribution and punishment ant
hfiffa fornn.