Evening star., 1926-01-24
DETENTION HOUSE
HELPS MANY BACK
Work of SaIvaging Human
Lives Headed for Rocks
Carried on in Silence.

Giving that hic second chance Ia
those who have stumbled over the
ru.k- OF lCmptati tiOn on then lourneF
ur NE : highway has been the dom'
tna:,t policy Of the House of betcn'
Ton at Fifteenth street and ONO
f '-erue. and the accumulated statistics
~ the last seven wears speak an el0-
QI>en. testimonial in behalf "i the
hl'msne ideal that there must ne
some good even in the worst Of us.
To the visitor who IS permitted tu
wf..Ch the House of Detention III its
lai'y work Of reClaiminC good citizen
<h'p from the very brink of Crlmlna J.
~. and even SalVa@inG human nN"%
fInm the depths OF the underworld
D. Immediately becomes apparent that
the home is ill-adviSedly named. II
might better be christened THE
House of Opportunity" for nowhere
is that door opened wider than AT
the House of Detention.
Although the House of Detention
ucccsSa riIy deals considerably with
juvenile deliuUuents. it has an equally
broad acquaintance with adult delin
urentS many of them men and WON
cu who have not vCJ taken the tira'
step into Crimnalitr. anG some wh"
have sunk Ia the uttermoSt depths of
de-ra datiou. TO tho latter il is sci
dom that the House of Detention can
IL "f sc'-viCe. because it only acts aS
? hrief abode until conveyance can H."
hId t"-rhe District jail
Shielded From Publicity.
Erlt 90 the first types mentioned. tho
jUycni'" dcliupu"uts and the full
fed-cd members of society who have
tripped The House of Detention has
tried tn make jtSolf q willing helper.
rather than u place tor punishment
It has, demanded the right ~ shield
thos." Unfurtun1t"s from The hliGhtjn-
li-ht of publicity. because Lieut.. Nina
N@n Wrinkle and her assistants h"-
loved their prisoners could he sal
va@Cd. ana m;ny times prisoners have
even hc"u loaned muucy 1" pay their
collateral
l'uon first Cnrcrin: rhe House Of
Detention. all prisoners are diveSt ed
of their clothing and given good. hot
bath. Thcy are then furnished clean.
fresh underwear. new shoes and stock
inSs and clothes more suitable for use
around the house. Boys and girl:
are carefully segregated from older
prisoner whose influence might
icnpardl.e them. and the SleepIO.;
quarters of whi'c and c"lored prison
e." are segregated. too Where iuH
nile prisoners display tendencies thar
might lead tho other child prisoners
astrd". they. TOO. Hrc removed from
the society of The les; violent group.
Routine l, Simple.
The routine nf the day is simnle.
An ample breakfast i served in tho
dining halls. the sexe@ aIuav& heiu-
kent apart. The dining rooms of the
House of Detention are As attractive
and clean aS many Of the moderately
expensive cateteriaS around Washing
ton. They are ro; filed with long.
hare tables. hut neatly decorated in
Grvidual tables are scattered around.
and the NinGuW~ hung with attractive
curtains.
Aiter breakfast. heairhful exercises
are in urler and school begins iui
The children immcdiat@ly afterward
This school is in charge of the Board
~ Education. the curriculum l.; the
same ~ that nf the public h""ls. and
children are given ,reGit !"f full-lim'
attendance in their "}"n cla<$rooms
while they arc ATTENDING. tne school
IL, the House Of Dcr"nti"n. Nff";
tch"ul hours. The Youngsters may
lave their recreation.
IN warm day This c.-eIc;sc may ~,
had in the hi-. open ward. In Wei
Weather ~ ON cold days. the girl
uS-allr spend their time reading AMI
sowing. while the boys. urd"" III"
vatchful eye of 70 =u@"dian. enjoy
mcrc strenuous forms - diversion.
The boys and girls each have thoir
tr2fonolas. and when games hora
them. music usually brings back for
"ctfulne&s and c"ntcntment. The IA
miliar rule of early t. bed and early
tu rise" is. Of course. strictly invoked.
Kitchen on High Plane.
atinner is served at noon. and il is
d feast Ia icmrt til" palate of n most
particular person. \ reporter for Tho
STAR dropped in FOR dinner recently
without previously ma!,in" known