264 LYMAN D. DRAKE 



thought, and regard the word reformatory as a misnomer. 

 Within my own experience I have seen boys who were fed 

 much after the manner you would feed dumb brutes. I have 

 seen meats in a decaying state, intended for their food, cooked 

 and thrown into a large pan in the center of a table, and after 

 a display of civilization, insomuch that a pretense of asking 

 the blessing was made, where the boy would cover his face with 

 his hands, yet all the while looking through his fingers with his 

 eyes fixed upon a piece of this flesh, waiting for a signal when 

 all who were so fortunate might get his hand into this much 

 sought-after pan and gather to himself something whereby his 

 hunger might be appeased. 



I have also followed, with silent tread, a line of woe-be- 

 gone fellows wending their way to a basement to partake of 

 bread and water, this having been measured out to them as a 

 punishment for some infraction of the rules of the institution; 

 and the length of stay in this basement or the number of 

 meals of bread and water depended upon the gravity of the 

 offense committed. 



I saw a man who bore the title of officer subordinate in 

 authority only to the superintendent, with a heavy cane in his 

 hand, deal blows that would render his victim unconscious. 

 I have seen boys placed in confinement for weeks at a time and 

 fed upon bread and water, while their quarters were so infested 

 with vermin, that their minds gradually gave way under the 

 strain. I have also seen the stocks used as a punishment, 

 compelling the boy to sit in a broiling sun, with feet and hands 

 pinioned, not being able to move them — and all of this taking 

 place within the last quarter of a century in the midst of a so- 

 called Christian and philanthropic people. Do you wonder at 

 the delight occasioned at the dawning of a new era? So on 

 through the years we are witnessing a gradual change from 

 those methods which would be regarded as barbarous to the 

 modern, well equipped, well managed, industrial training 

 schools of to-day. While it has been distressing to me to 

 furnish so painful a picture, yet another may be seen that 

 brings joy to the heart and an inspiration causing us to go 

 forward in this great work of uplifting humanity. 



The cellular idea as heretofore referred to, has given place 



