Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-03

all prisoners. a lifer librarian, IN Tor
killing his wife, was remarklng 10 MS
state superiors: mo, it should not De
circulated. All the way through tnere
is lots of advice about how TO PICK
lock and break safe, and many OF
our boys would be glad to get IL.
At Sing Sing Warden LaweS pc
lieves in some censorship, as "the aver
age prisoner is unusually responsive TO
suggestion and any literature that may
tend to arouse undue emotlonailsm
should be barred"
The very population or penal mstl-
t,ltions necessitates a wide and varied
library collection, for prisoners come
from all walks in life. Eighty-i1ve per
cent Of them are under the elgntn
grade. IL per cent have attended hlgn
school and the remaining 3 per cent
have gone to college at some time.
The most serious reading in prisons
is done by men under long sentence,
especially lifers, who must occupy their
minds. for insanity stalks the corridors
of every prison. The lifers who DO not
expect pardons and a return to normal
life ego for the books" They develop
ali sorts of hobbies through them ana
make an abnormal life fairly toleraple.
One man, after reading on naVlgatloIl,
built models of boats used throughout
the ages, and now dealers clamor iot
his products. An italian in Wisconsin,
whose entire education in the English
language was received in prison, is
student of literature and q short story
writer.
LITER a Student of Botany.
A California life-sentence man is
botany student, receiving speclihens
from prisoners in road camps. Many
are aviation enthusiasts Zone reforma-
tory now gives ground course to IN
mates. but one lifer reads technical
books on flying, builds model planes
and on an old map charts new courses
of the Graf Zeppelin and Lindbergh.
Because of the length OF their SEN
fences, lifers are used in the libraries.
They know their mems reading tastes
and cater to them. For instance,
New Hampshire lifer reports that "one
hook on etiquette was too high priced
for our budget, but we got one on the
same subject at half its cost. There Is
considerable demand for 1t"
In spite of the good that books have
achieved, they have been used by some
for sinister purposes. Volumes sent TO
prisoners often have carried dope, small
saws, razor blades and code messages:
Sometimes the binding has been opened
and morphine, tiny saws or razor plades
been soaked in a morphine solution.
Friends of prisoners used to underline
words here and there over many pages,
and when read together they formed a
message. These tricks have made 1t
necessary in most prisons to bar GIT
books from individuals, except when
mailed by publishers. In the case OF
community gifts, the books are rebound
or carefully checked over.
Secret Is Disclosed.
Even inside the walls care must be
exercised. In a New England tuber-
cular prison dope and cigarettes were
getting to the patients. The officials
were puzzled, as the only outsiders per-
mitted in the hospital were convtcts
from the main prison, who waited on
tables. In the dining room one day the
librarian saw a quick finger signal OF
3, 4, S flash between waiter and
patient After lunch the patient went
to the library and stopped at stack s,
and on shelf took out book number 5.
He asked that 1t be checked out to him.
The librarian opened it wide, and from
the bullying back slipped cigarettes and
matches. The system" had been dis
closed
However. misuse of books is rare and
| in no way counteracts the vital good
| they do in rehabilitation. With an
average of four unbroken hours each
evening in which to read for study for
years; with, as one prisoner said, mo
fear OF Interruptions from door bells
and telephones" a man may achieve
an excellent education at the. same
time that he is keeping out OF mischief:
Books are not the panacea for all
prison Ills, but their effect Is amazing
| even in prisons where food Is bad,
where housing is inadequate and where
the men are unemployed. The anes-
thetize the past, they offer recreation
for the present and they build hope
| for the future.