Page:First Annual Report of the Woodbury Hill Reformatory.djvu/17

 Therefore the diminution of ignorance—may, and certainly in our experience does only prove, that the criminal disposition of the boy has ceased to be united with total ignorance, by instruction received under and owing to its course of crime. In fact this whole question turns on the kind of education imparted. All education doubtless tends in some degree to purify and elevate, but if there is a corrupt tendency and vicious experience, the mere communication of knowledge will probably only sharpen the powers for evil. Gaol teaching for boys hardly can impart right habits and motives, form—that is—character—because you want the experimental field. It is vain and a total misconception of its processes, to expect youth to impress on itself principles of conduct by reflection. The whole separate system is mistaken, if not vicious, for boys. The schoolroom is a great auxiliary to us, but it is so subordinately to those humanizing influences, and practical teaching in the daily life, whereby the thoughts are influenced in their active exercise. It is the felt relation of friendship personally inforcing lessons of truth and goodness in the details of daily life, which supplants slyness and meanness by honest cheerful confidence, and which washes off, as it does, the hang-dog look and outcast bearing from most of our boys in about a month. Whatever may be the value of the intellectual element of education, it never single-handed forms the character under very favorable circumstances, how much less then where under strong counter influences the work is very directly and obviously "to repair the ruins of our first parents, by regaining to know God aright."

The financial statement will make ours seem an expensive experiment. The first year is necessarily so. It is all outlay and no income. Next year I hope to shew something on the per contra side from the produce of land, and the basket making. We have an experienced superintendant, and hope to supply everything from a perambulator, if we get an order, to the commonest hamper. Our numbers having ranged from 3 to 28—with nearly the same staff to pay and maintain, makes of course the rate per head very high. Our staff indeed would carry an increased number still, had we but room for them, who would pro tanto diminish the average of the more expensive items. Still segregation not aggregation is the secret of Reformatory success. Each establishment should not be beyond the personal and individual observation of him on whom its character mainly depends. From 40 to 50 I should think about an ordinary maximum. Nevertheless I have no doubt that the cost of our boys has been less than somebody would have had to pay had our boys been at large, living on the public, in Gaol or out of it. "The advantage to the general community"—says Mr. Tuffnell in his late report—"in turning a single criminal into an honest person, taking even the low money view of the case, cannot be less than £100; or, as some one else says, leaving out Christianity, benevolence, justice, and political economy, the mere money argument stands in favor of Reformatories.