Ipswich High School - Tiger Yearbook (Ipswich, MA)

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In recent years, a strong tendency has developed to employ convicts, without intervention of private con- trol, on highways or public works. Oregon, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah use this plan. The results have been highly favorable. In Arizona recently, one hundred fifty-seven miles of raihvay have been built at a cost of $298 a mile, or one-fifth the cost if the same work were done by private concerns. Having in mind the development, the growth, and the gradual im- provement of our prison system in the past, it is pertinent at this time to take into consideration further penal reforms that have been sug- gested by experienced criminolog- ists. It is the opinion of most of these experts that our method of sentencing a convicted person must be improved. It is an established fact that the present jury system has many inconsistencies. Too much responsibility is placed on the jury, which is usually composed of men v ho are not familiar with criminal problems. Attempts should be made to assist the judges in their work by field investigations, by psychopathic laboratories, and by other social agencies. It is clear that such in- vestigations need to be extended very greatly, and to these agencies should be transfered most of the work of deciding what to do with the person after conviction. Fur- thermore, more power should be given to the boards of parole. These bodies should be allowed to act without the intervention of politi- cians. These bodies are usually composed of men who are more capable of passing judgment on criminal problems than are inex- perienced outsiders. The crime situation in this coun- try has become so appalling during the past few years that those who are acquainted with the problem are urging the prevention of crime. These believe that our efforts in re- ducing the number of crimes would be more fruitful if we gave more at- tention to the preventive aspects than we have been giving in the past. After numerous studies and investigations criminal experts are generally agreed that proper educa- tion can do much to decrease the number of crimes. These men have learned that the great majority of our prison population consists of men and women who have had little or no schooling, practically no basic religious training, and whose crim- inal careers can be traced to earlv vouth. It is evident that if we are to get anvwhere in preventing crime, it will reouire the co-opera- tion of the home, the church, and the school. The success of anv ef- forts in crime prevention rests snuarely upon the shoulders of these three social agencies. In the future, it is hoped that thev will meet their responsibilitv and make America safe for the law abiding citizen. 22

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Prison management and disci- pline had not fully kept pace with mechanical improvements. The old forms of torture and barbarous pun- ishment, however, disappeared, while escapes became relatively in- freouent. Inefficient management often destroyed many of the good influences which modern penology demands shall surround the pris- oner. While efforts were being made to improve physical surroundings and to bring about better discipline, lit- tle was done to educate the prison- ers most of whom had very little schooling. This condition improved very gradually until the present nlan v hereby it is possible for any inmate to attend classes. In all the larger institutions, attendance at the prison school for one hour a dav is compulsory for all men, who, by education or test, rate below the sixth grade. The teaching is done by educated prisoners under the su- pervision of a civilian head, and the results achieved are excellent. Tests made by a research assistant in the Department of Education of Colum- bia University showed that the pris- oners make more rapid progress than is made by students in corre- sponding grades outside. Corre- spondence courses are also per- mitted with some very excellent re- sults. Recreation has kept pace with education. It gives the prisoners something else to look forward to beside the dull routine of work in prison factories. After work hours the prisoners are given an oppor- tunity to do one of several things. Some take advantage of the privi- lege of indulging in popular sports. Others retire to the library to read newspapers and magazines or to v rite letters to their family or friends. On one or two nights a week, moving pictures, which have an educational and recreational val- ue, are shown. It is evident that every effort is being made to make prison life resemble as much as pos- sible the life outside of prison so that an inmate, when released, will have an easier task to readjust him- self to society. In this country, efforts are con- tinually being made to make profit- able use of prisoner’s time by en- gaging him in gainful and produc- tive enterprises. This purpose is carried out by one of three methods. In the lease system, the convicts are leased to contractors for a fixed sum and period, the entire responsi- bility for the care and safe-keeping of the men devolving upon the con- tractors. This system prevails in a few southern states at the present time. It has led to great abuses and should be abolished. The lease sys- tem is rapidly losing favor because it interferes with good discipline and with private industry. In the Public Account System or State Use System, as it is sometimes called, the state furnishes the plant and material and conducts the en- tire business through its officials, any profits going to the state, anv losses borne by the state. In most states v hich make use of this sys- tem, only such articles are made as will be utilized in other public insti- tutions or departments. This plan is the best yet proposed because the prisoner can be used to the best ad- vantage, and prison labor does not compete with private industrv. 21

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Geology in Essex County By Shirley Knowles L atin is regarded by many as a dead language. It is, in the sense that scholars fifty or a hun- dred years from now who study the language will be using the same works that we are using today. There will have been nothing new written for them to use. They will have at their disposal the same works we have — the same, and no more. Geologists, on the other hand, in their study of the earth will have to aid them the records of former geologists and the earth itself, con- stantly changing with a never-end- ing opportunity for study. Since the beginning of time down through the ages, the earth has gone through numerous changes. By studying the formations of the mountains and bodies of water, the land and the sea itself, geologists are able to dis- cover what did happen and what is likely to happen to this world on which we live. Earthquakes are one factor which contributed to changes in the forma- tion of the earth. A theory has been advanced which would account for the changes wrought by the earth- quakes in the Rocky and Appala- chian Mountain ranges. It is be- lieved that the Rocky Mountains are much younger than our mountain ranges on the eastern coast. The earthquakes are more frequent on the west coast because the Rockies are in the process of being made. They are pushing up through the ground and gradually increasing in height each year. The Appala- chians, however, are completed and are now in a process of degenera- tion. The first severe earthquakes in this vicinity recorded in human his- tory was in Boston, June, 1638. An account of it is given as follows in Bradford’s History: “This year about ye 1. or 2. of June was a great and fearfull earthquake ; it was in this place heard before it was felte. It came with a rumbling noyse, or low murmure like unto remoate thunder: it came from ye norward, pased southward. As ye noyse aproched nerer, the earth begane to shake and came at length with that violence as caused platters, dishes, such like things as stood upon shelves, to clatter and fall down; yea persons were afraid of ye houses themselves.’’ He goes on to say that the people believed it was a sign of the Lord’s displeasure. The earthquake did not last long, but it was especially severe, being felt along the coast as well as on the land. About a half an hour later there was one more shock of less violence. The account closes say- ing, “So powerful is ye mighty hand of ye Lord as to make both the earth and sea to shake, and the mountains to tremble before him when he pleases; and who can stay his hand ?’’ An earthquake of perhaps more local interest to us occurred in New- buryport in October, 1727. In those days the ministers kept the records of the shocks. From the record of Reverend Mathias Plant we learn that it occurred on a Sunday night about twenty minutes of eleven. The chimneys and fences, and dishes and pottery in the houses 23