A teachers’ association was formed recently in the prison, and these men meet at intervals with the prison chaplain to map out lessons and arrange other details of the work. There is almost no limit to the amount of advanced work that may be undertaken.
As the work of the school in the prison progressed it became evident that it kept the men employed and gave them less opportunity to grow morose and desperate. It was found that they were more contented and cheerful, and with education, in many cases, came a pronounced change in character, a reformation that was not assumed in any way, but a natural result of the change from ignorance to intelligence and a knowledge of their own ability to make a way in the world if given an opportunity. The deportment of the prisoners improved wonderfully and has been first class since the school work was started by General Bridges, many years ago.
This spring General Bridges took steps to establish a day summer school for the illiterate prisoners. There are usually about eight hundred odd prisoners in the institution, and from the entire lot about forty were selected as being thoroughly illiterate and have been placed in this newly started class.
In the forty prisoners in the class are represented no less than twelve different nationalities. A mere glance at the men constituting the class is sufficient to indicate that ignorance has been the cause for most of the class finding themselves in prison.
This class in the prison school were allowed to assemble in one room in the institution, and they had desks like ordinary school children. Now every one of the forty prisoners can read, write and cipher in a very creditable manner. It is a new experience to them to be able to read, and their interest in newspapers and stories from simple books impresses one who sees it for the first time.
Some of the men in this illiterate class could not speak English when they entered it, and now they fairly love the warden for having made it possible for them to communicate with their relatives and former friends, although such communications have all to pass inspection before they leave prison.
The ages of the men in this school class run from twenty to forty-five. Some of them will be eligible for parole in a few years and they are looking forward to the fact that they will be able to write out their own applications for such parole.
Police Condemn Crime Pictures.—In reply to requests sent to police heads by the State Charities Aid and Prison Reform Association of New Jersey for information concerning moving picture shows and their influence on the young, these replies have been received: