Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 15.djvu/483

 AMERICAN REFORMATORY SYSTEM 469

cardboard constructive form work; clay modeling; cabinet mak- ing; chipping and filing; and iron molding.

6. Trades instruction based on the needs and capacities of individual prisoners, conducted to a standard of perfect work and speed performance that insures the usual wage value to their services. When there are a thousand or more prisoners confined, thirty-six trades and branches of trades may be usefully taught.

7. A regimental military organization of the prisoners with a band of music, swords for officers, and dummy guns for the rank and file of prisoners. The military membership should in- clude all the ablebodied prisoners and all available citizens of the employees. The regular army tactics, drill, and daily dress parade should be observed.

8. School of letters with a curriculum that reaches from an adaptation of the kindergarten, and an elementary class in the English language for foreigners unacquainted with it, through various school grades up to the usual high-school course; and, in addition, special classes in college subjects and, limitedly, a popular lecture course touching biography, history, literature, ethics with somewhat of science and philosophy.

9. A well-selected library for circulation, consultation, and, under proper supervision, for occasional semi-social use. The reading-room may be made available for worthy and apprecia- tive prisoners.

10. The weekly institutional newspaper, in lieu of all outside newspapers, edited and printed by the prisoners under due censor- ship.

11. Recreating and diverting entertainments for the mass of the population, provided in the great auditorium; not any vaude- ville nor minstrel shows, but of such a class as the middle cultured people of a community would enjoy; stereoptical instructive exhibitions and explanations, vocal and instrumental musical occasions, and use of elocutionary, recitatory, and oratorical notables for inspiration and uplift.

12. Religious opportunities, optional, adapted to the heredi- tary, habitual and preferable denominational predilection of the individual prisoners.