Page:U.S. Department of the Interior Annual Report 1871.djvu/32

30 making 104 juvenile offenders who have been cared for during said year. The criminal court committed 3, the police court 43, the beard of trustees 10, the mayor of Washington 1, and the mayor of Georgetown 1; 15 had lost both parents, and 24 one. Their ages range from ten to eighteen years, the majority being from twelve to fourteen years old. All but 11 were born in this District and the adjoining States; 4 were of American parentage, and 37 were committed for petit larceny. There were discharged during said year 38, and 1 escaped, leaving 65 in the school on the 5th ultimo, although the board report that but 60 can be properly accommodated at present. Of those discharged, 2 were fully reformed 27 were released by the expiration of their respective terms of sentence, and 9 were sent away to make room for others committed by the courts, although, in the judgment of the board these last should have been longer detained, in order to effect a more complete reformation. They, therefore, earnestly recommend that the law governing the courts in the premises be so amended that said courts shall be required to give notice of the sentence, in each case, of juvenile offenders to the president of the board of trustees, and await his order to forward the boy to the school; and, also, that all such offenders shall be committed until fully reformed, or during their minority, giving the board discretionary power to discharge when, in their judgment, a complete reformation has been accomplished.

The board report very favorably upon the general behavior of the boys, the improvement in their morals and their proficiency in their studies. They are required to work on the farm half the day and to be in school the other half. Especial care is also taken for their moral and religious education.

No appropriation for the support of the school having been made at the last session of Congress, the board would have been compelled to close the school had not several humane gentlemen merchants and others, agreed to furnish the necessary supplies, and await an appropriation by Congress for payment of their accounts. The indebtedness, thus contracted, for provisions, clothing &c., amounts to $3,646 49, and the treasurer of the school having permitted the superintendent to over-check upon him to the amount of $230 97, the total indebtedness of the school on the 5th ultimo amounted to $3,877 46. The cash expenditures for salaries, provisions, clothing, &c., during the year ending on that date, amount to $7,066 62, aggregating, with the indebtedness of $3,646 49, the sum of $10,713 11, as the total expenditure of the school for said year. Unless an appropriation be made by Congress at an early date the beard state that they will be compelled to close the school.

The board report that they have been unable to obtain any money from the city of Washington since the school was commenced. The amount due prior to the recent change of government in this District was $3,345 80, and since then the sum of $1,034 08 has accrued making a total of $4,379 88. There is also due from parents and guardians the sum