BURNHAM REFORMATORY

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11546, 31 March 1903, Page 6

BURNHAM REFORMATORY

TO THE EDITOR 07 THE PKBS9. Sir, —I saw in Monday's "Press" that Lord Ranfurly was pleased with the eystem of classification that is being carried out at Burnham. Unless a system has been hurried into being since my last letter, I say that Lord 1 Ranfurly has been deceived, in the same way as the public have been deceived. Lord Ranfurly cam know only what tlie manager tells him, and tho manager's schemes, on paper, look well, but they are never carried out. I stated that there was no real classification at Burnham. The only attempt made to separate the boys is at night, when they sleep-in different dormitories. All day* long the boys are together—at work, at school, at meals, Under complete supervision, you say? Well, classification implies strict supervision, but where is tlie supervision that allows tlie teacher's house to be broken into seven or eight times ' in eighteen months? If I am rightly informed, twenty-three boys absconded in three weeks —where is tlie supervision here? Where is the supervision that allows an attendant's daughter (a child about seven years of age) to be brutally assaulted by on inmate, with the intention of doing her irreparable harm? Is there any supervision when two inmates can take a little' boy (the son of another attendant) and teach him what would ultimately lead to the lunatic asylum? Sir, I could give you many such instances, if you had room in your paper for them, but the above will prove what I say, viz., "there is neither classification nor supervision-" We should have perfect supervision, with one adult attendant to every seven or eight boys. If your correspondent " Farmer" will publish his real name and address, I will promise to give him some startling facts about the matters he refers to. He says the iboys are well fed and clothed. Yes, thamks to Mr Saunders, late M.H.R., and Mr T. E. Taylor, our present member, the boys are well fed amd clothed. But boys want something besides food and clothes — they want teaching sobriety and morality. Now, I will give several reasons why boys abscond. Of course, among the class of boys sent to Burnham, there is the nomadic dement to contend with. It is no hardship for some boys to sleep, night after night, in the open air—they are used to it. But the main reasons, given by the boys themselves, are, fear of severe punishment for trivial offences. As a protest against the harshness of several of the attendants, they have noticed that the more badly-behaved they are, the quicker they are sent to situations. I have frequently heard the last reason given by the boys, and unfortunately it is the truth.— Younjj etc., W. H. WICKS. 64 Madras street, St. Albans.