Henderson daily dispatch., 1939-12-16
riisoners To
Get Training
Daily Dispatch Bureau,
lin the Sir Walter Hotel

Raleigh, Dec. l6-Start on a pro-
gram OF vocational training for State
prisoners will be made Friday at the
Cary Prison Farm camp near here,
j. 10y SoX, educational director for
the state prison division. said today
At the Cary camp classes will be
opened in auto mechanics, radio, typ
ing, poultry raising, and general cleo
trical training. Mr.. SOX said that
plans are being worked out to extend
this sort of training into every prison
camp in North Carolina, if a feasible
method OF doing so can be worked
out.
Last year start in the direction
Of vocational training for prisoners
was made at Cary and in the print
shop of Central Prison here, but this
year the director of education is de-
ternined to make the effort more
thorough-going than ever before. In
camps where it is found impossible
to hold classes regularly for the pri-
SOnerS, arrangements will be made
with a we'll known correspondence
school to provide courses for prison.
ers desiring to take them
Inauguration of the program of VO-
cational training is strictly in line
with the general program Of educa-
ton and rehabilitation being pushed
vigorously under the active direction
Of Mr. SoX.
Last year there were conducted 80
schools in as many prison units scat
tered all over the state; and during
this year this number has been in
O1,0oCo6 Iox1 of lnocf hof
are now in operation more than two
score schools in which prisoners,
many Of whom never before had a
chance at any sort Of education, can
learn to read and write if they are
illiterate or can pursue their school,
ing from whatever point it was
broken off.
1t is estimated that more than 1900
inmates are this year attending
schools. Last years totals were 1902
and when the 1889 figures are avail
able shortly after the first Of the year
it will not be surprising, says Mr..
Sox, if they show that as many as
1900 have attended during the cur
rent year.
Teachers for the schools are pro-
vided by the WPA adult education
project under the general direction
of Mrs Elizabeth c. Morriss in Ra-
leigh.
More than 200 prisoners learned to
read and write last year and it is
estimated that this figure, too, will be
increased, as interest in the schools
has grown by leaps and bounds.
Mr.. SoX cited as examples the
WOman's prison here, where out Of
some sixty white inmates no less
than ~ enrolled for classes. At the
Cary camp for boys there are 68 en-
rolled out Of a total population Of
1853. In a camp for Negroes in Per-
quimans county the average attend
ance has been y out of 1873 inmates
The general and vocational educa-
ton program go hand in hand with
directed and supervised recreatiOnal
activities The division has worked
out an athletic program which reach
es practically every camp in the state
Boxing, baseball, soft ball, football,
volley ball, basket ball and wrest-
ling were among the sports included
on the program. Boxing bouts are
held at various camps, and often in
ter-camp matches are scheduled.
Mr.. SoX says there is no doubt that
at least half of all the prisoners in
the State take some part in the re-
creatiOnal activities; and he cites teS-
timOnials from prison officials and
camp superintendent to show their
value in making discipline and rou-
tine of the camps much easier to
maintain