The northwestern bulletin-appeal., 1925-07-04
PRISONERS LEARN
BY MAIL COURSE
Larger Percentage Finish
Than in Civil Life.

life, according to officials Of the Ma
tional Society Of Penal Information.
William B. Carver, secretary in charge
Of the educational work among pris-
oners, recently explained the society's
aims as follows:
"we desire to assist prisoners to get
on their feet after they complete their
terms. Through the agency Of the Wei
fare League association we supply
correspondence courses to prisoners In
New York state, In order to increase
their earning power and develop In
them the habit Of initiative and con-
tinuous effort inseparable from intel
ligent studies" said Mr.. Carver. "our
statistics show that from 80 to 90 per
cent Of the prisoners taking the courses
complete their work, an average far
In excess Of those people who take
correspondence courses in civil life.
Prison work should be looked upon
as an educational matter, aside from
the idea Of punishment or retribution.
Prisoners hate the word reform, 50
we call II social re-education.' We
try to develop social tendencies, to en-
courage unselflsh service and manly
self-development
"The fundamental factors we have
struck In our employment work are
that the prisoners previous training
does not tend to form habits of contin-
uous effort, and that many are poorly
prepared to take their part in the life
Of the community.
Prison Schools Inadequate.
The prison schools are inadequate,
They teach men to read and write and
give a little arithmetic. Prisoners are
not obliged to attend, but many 60 to
avoid the work In the shops. The
prison classes are often run by inmate
teachers, who give little enthusiasm,
and supply no vocational training.
"Our society furnishes courses to Q
limited number of men. At present we
have Al still taking courses out Of 81
who applied, and In most cases COM
pleted their work. Most Of these men
are In New York Clinton
prison at Dannemora, Auburn, Sing
Sing, and Great Meadow at Comstock
but We have one federal prisoner at
Fort Leavenworth who Ia taking
q course In advanced English.
Most of the men prefer the courses
issued by the Massachusetts, state d.
vision Of university extension, under
the department Of education. whose
courses are chiefly practical. includ-
Ing such crafts As steamfitting, sales
manship and traffic management. How
ever, ten or twelve Of our men are
taking courses given by Columbia uni
versity. One man Is studying jour
nalism; two are studying advanced
English; one, a former engineer, Is
studying technical German. One Of
our students is taking a course In
higher salesmanship from La Sale uni
versity, Chicago.
We receive most enthusiastic letters
from our students. One student Of
steamftting worked his way up from
the coal hole to the boiler room at
Dannemora. Before he entered he
was a common laborer. Another boy,
twenty-seven years old, with seven
years already spent In various institu-
tions and a term till 1888. Is studying
the modern gasoline engine. One Of
our graduates took a course In sales
manship, and just wrote the society
that he had secured q job. Another
man, confined for ten years, writes
that he has memorized every page of
his lessons on traffic management"
Limited by Money.
The funds for this work are supplied
by the Welfare League association, rs
West Forty-third street, and 1t was
stated that the number Of applicants
for correspondence courses was limit
cd by the amount Of money at their
disposal. Every prisoners application
must be indorsed by the head teacher
at his prison, and Is then forwarded to
the Welfare League association for
action. According to their funds, they
order the course from either Columbia
or Massachusetts,, and the rest 10 in
the hands Of James A. Meyer, director
Of the Massachusetts, extension
courses, and Of DR.. James G. Egbert
Of Columbia.
1t Is hoped to extend this work from
New York into neighboring states.
Through the work thus arranged the
prisoners are becoming part Of the ed
ucational system; education is over
coming the ignorance which leads to
crime. In Its work among released
prisoners the Welfare league has
helped 1915 men, getting Jobs for 5O4
Of them. These men came from %
states; some wanted advice, some
medical assistance, but most of them
merely wanted to report progress and
obtain encouragement.
The executive committee of the or.
ganixation includes: Thomas Mott Os.
born, former warden Of Sing Sing, who
sponsored the Mutual Welfare leagues
Of prisoners at Sing Sing and Auburn
prisons. president; Frank Marshall
Knight, chairman; Paul w. Garrett
secretary and treasurer; John Jay
Schieffelin, George w. Kirchwey, Spen
Ger Miller, Jr., John ]. Molloy, employ.
ment secretary, and William B. Carver
educational secretary.
Wants to Be los
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