Rensselaer Union, Volume 1, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 August 1869 — How Bad Boys are Reformed in New Jersey. [ARTICLE]

How Bad Boys are Reformed in New Jersey.

The New Jersey State Reform School, at Jamesburg, has sixty boys in charge. A Newark paper gives the following account of the discipline of the institution: The school lias a farm of 500 acres connected with it The boys thus have an opportunity to engage in all kinds of farm work—plowing, preparing manures, fitting the soil for seed, planting, haying, etc. The smaller of the inmates are mainly engaged in planting, weeding, and training the small fruits—a work in which they seem to take great satisfaction. It is designed to turn the farm into a purely fruit farm, and thousands of peach, pear and other trees, etc., are now being planted. Last year the whole products of the farm amounted to $5,902.51, of which there were consumed by the families products of the value of $926.50. In the school the boys arc divided into two grades, according to their proficiency. One is in the school in the forenoon, and the other in the afternoon. They arc taught all the common English branches, and have generally made commendable proficiency. Many who could not say their letters when they entered, now read quite fluently, and are improving in other' studies. Just now, when the growing or ripening crops makd pressing demands for labor to cultivate or secure them, the exercises of the schoolroom are temporarily suspended. These harvests and other vacations are, however, made up to the students. When snow covers the ground, or the weather is inclement, the school hours are doubled. In summer the boys rise at 5 o’clock, and after washing perform the tasks assigned them, assembling for prayers at a quarter to 7, this being followed by breakfast and the departure of all to their various points of labor. At half past 11 all come in, and at 12 have dinner. An hour is then allowed them to play, and at half past 1 they return to work, at which they remain until half-past 5. In the evening they have various exercises, another hour for play, etc., and nt half past 8 retire for the night. In winter the order of the day is somewhat different, the time being given rather to study than to work. A careful examination into the expenses of the institution during the past year shows that the cost of the pupil averages three dollars per week for board and clothing, fuel, light, salaries and incidentals.. The cost to the State per pupil is about $1 .20 a week, the proceeds of the farm equalling about SI.BO each week to every inmate of the school. It is confidently believed that as the farm becomes developed the institution can be made self-sustaining. The addition to the building authorized by the Legislature is now in course of erection, and will very materially enlarge the capacity of the instiution, which has hitherto been entirely too small for the purpose designed.

—A citizen of Philadelphia Who used a weak solution of carbolic acid as a wash to neutralize the offensive odor arising from a canoer, discovered that the latter wad entirely removed by the application. The solution consisted of one-fourth of an ounce of acid diluted in a quart of water