FOURTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE STATE REFORM SCHOOL, AT WESTBOROUGH: TOGETHER WITH THE ANNUAL REPORTS OF THE OFFICERS OF THE INSTITUTION. BOSTON: WILLIAM WHITE, PRINTER TO THE STATE. Commonwealth of Massachusetts. FOURTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE STATE REFORM SCHOOL. In obedience to chapter 4, section 1, and chapter 5, section 11, of the General Statutes, the Trustees of the State Reform School for Boys, at Westborough, herewith respectfully submit to the Governor and the Executive Council, the Fourteenth Annual Report of the condition of the school for the year ending September 30, 1860. The reports of the Treasurer, Superintendent, Chaplain, Physician, Steward, and Farmer, will show the expenses of the school, the commitments, discharges, employments and amount of work done during the year; the religious, intellectual and physical condition of the boys, and the yield and present state of the farm. REBUILDING. During the last winter and spring the legislature gave authority to the Trustees (Resolves 1860, chapters 48 and 128,) to fit the "farm house" and the "Peters house," each, for thirty boys; to build an additional farm house, of brick; to rebuild the chapel, and to alter the old building, so as to provide precautions against fire and to adapt it to the classified system. For this, $30,000 were voted. It was necessary first to provide for the lodging of the boys, particularly as the lease of the mill in the village, where there were one hundred and fifty, was out in August. Accordingly, as soon as the season allowed, work was begun on the detached farm houses. At the present date, the "farm house," so called, is finished and occupied; the chapel is quite done, and a correctional department, of fourteen cells and a workshop, placed under it. Another farm house, built on the north-east corner of the ruins, is nearly completed. Besides this, parapet fire walls, and doors cased with iron, have been put up throughout the main building, and additional apparatus introduced, to insure plenty of water. The "Peters house" has never been touched, partly because it was not needed, and partly because it was old, low-studded and otherwise unfit. No very great changes will be required to arrange the main building for the classified system, and the necessary plans have already been drawn. LAW OF COMMITMENTS. The legislature, following the suggestions of the Trustees, in their last Annual Report, have reduced the maximum age for commitment to fourteen years, done away with the alternative sentence, and ordered that every sentence should be during the minority of the boy (General Statutes, chap. 76, sections 18 and 27.) As the power to commit has lately been restricted to the judges of the superior and probate courts, and as the legal process itself has been made more complicated by recent Acts of the legislature, it is now found that scarcely any boys are committed at all; while many cases have doubtless occurred, where fit subjects for this school have either been suffered to run at large, or have been condemned to the houses of correction. The Trustees, therefore, beg to suggest, that, in their opinion, some extension of the power to commit is desirable. LABOR AND CONTRACTS. As it has been found that shoemaking was an unhealthy trade for the boys, considering their limited opportunities for out-door exercise, the contract to furnish Messrs. Cole, Wood & Co. with a certain number of shoemakers, has been ended. The business of chair-seating, however, is still continued, under the contract with Messrs. Greenwood and Hogan. SCHOOLS AND LIBRARY. The schools have been kept up as well as could be expected, considering the great interruptions and inconveniences conse quent upon the fire. The boys' library has been increased by some three hundred volumes. The Rev. W. T. Sleeper, who, for four years, has proved himself a faithful and devoted Chaplain, resigned in June last, though he has continued his services to the present time. In his future course he will carry with him the good wishes of all who know him. FARM. It is believed that never, since the foundation of the school, have the crops been so large as this year. By simple means and without unusual expense, Deacon Brigham has succeeded in producing these welcome results. HEALTH. Only three inmates of the institution have died since the last Annual Report. One boy, also, who was too sick to be discharged, died in the hospital of the school, some weeks after the expiration of his sentence. NAUTICAL BRANCH. On the 26th of July, fifty boys, picked out at Westborough by the Trustees of the two schools, were transferred to the school ship "Massachusetts." These boys, under the instruction of Capt. Girdler, have already become quite expert seamen, and have confirmed the success of this important experiment. A majority of the Trustees, in making this Annual Report, have availed themselves of the records of their predecessors, in which they have full confidence. In consequence of the recent appointment of all but one of their number, they are not able to report from their own knowledge upon transactions which occurred before their appointment. WESTBOROUGH, October 10, 1860. THEODORE LYMAN. CARVER HOTCHKISS. |