loose a flood of light from the lamps at night, and impenetrable darkness fell into the roadside hedges. No monarch newly come to the high dignity of sway enjoyed a thing more than I did this first palanquin journey. INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL FOR GIRLS. NO Massachusetts belongs the honor of establishing the first state farm school for the salvation and reformation of its exposed and criminal boys. In this Magazine, some two years since, we presented an illustrated sketch of that institution, which is located in the pleasant agricultural town of Westborough, and now covers with its benignant shelter six hundred boys. Since its establishment, ten years ago, over a thousand youths have been sent forth from under its training who are giving hopeful assurances of integrity in the various industrial positions which have been provided for them. This alone is an ample return to the commonwealth for all the outlay occasioned by the building and maintenance of the school, over and above the pecuniary loss she must have suffered if they had continued in the courses of vice to which they seemed inevitably predestined. and ink, and other little requisites. Over this shelf, suspended from the ceiling of the palanquin, was a strong open net, capital contrivance for preserving oranges and other fruit, so refreshing on a sultry day, and which on this present occasion was well filled with mangoes and custard apples, which were sadly diminished in proportion as the first day's journey drew to a close. Under the mattress itself, spread out between two sheets, was the limited change of linen, etc., allowed for the journey, and what was soiled was transferred to a flat tin box on the outside, which covered two thirds of the palkee roof. There was, moreover, outside of the palanquin, and just over the front pole, a large open wicker-work basket, well fastened to the iron rods that secured the pole, and which contained a large-sized goglet of water, bottles of wine and beer, a few spare tumblers, and a plate or two. Behind, in a similar position, and similarly secured, were metal basins and jugs, with a wooden camp wash-hand stand, and with what Jonathan calls all the fixings. The sliding doors of the palanquin opened on either side, at least two feet wide, and had, in addition, three distinct sets of curtains, which all rolled up into a comparatively small space at the top. There were green silk curtains for fine weather, oil cloth ones for wet, and euscuss blinds to shut out the dreadful long shore winds, which are bad enough in the best house, but insufferable out of doors. By keeping these damp, and renewing the supply of water at every puddle or stream we came across, the scorching wind lost its effect, and blew in cool and invigorating. Talk to me of luxuries and inventions in traveling. I should like to know what could surpassing illustration, that it is made up of sevthe comforts of that palanquin? It was a portable palace, a locomotive drawingroom, a dining-room, studio, bed-room, everything and all things at once and in one. It was an enchanted castle, (I recollect thinking so at the time,) in which I had only to harbor a wish, and that wish was instantly gratified. I thought "mango," and straightway fisted one out of the curtain; "wine and water," it was at my right and left; so with biscuits, so with anything to read, so with sleep, so with all the shadows from light to darkness; and, at night, vice versa. I had only to close the sliding doors, and the brilliant glare of day was gone; to let VOL. XI.-5 To Massachusetts also belongs the honor of instituting the first industrial school for the rescue of her exposed girls; and also of attempting the first reform school upon the family system as distinguished from the penitentiary. Instead of one large building, elaborate and expensive in its appointments, surrounded by walls, or forming a wall itself by inclosing a hollow square, it will be seen by the accompany eral edifices, plain in their architecture, and arranged to accommodate separate families, forming a little industrial village around their common chapel. The school was opened on the 27th of August last, and immediately began to receive inmates. At this time three homes, as they are appropriately called, were completed. Each house is perfect in itself, having accommodations for the instruction, industry, and domestic training of thirty girls. Over each house two matrons, (one called the assistant,) and affectionately addressed as mother and aunt by the girls, are placed, into whose hands is given the entire care and discipline of the family, the superintendent being their counselor, | (the judges of probate being commissionand affording advice and aid whenever re- ers ex officio,) in the various towns in the quested. In addition to the three homes, state, before whom the girls are brought, is a house for the superintendent, who is and who have authority to commit them also the chaplain of the institution; a house to the institution for the term of their for the farmer, and a chapel. The school minority. The object of the school is to is situated in the quiet and beautiful old succor and save such girls, under sixteen, town of Lancaster, about thirty miles from as are exposed to a life of crime, through Boston; a little aside from the main routes orphanage, vagrancy, unsuitable homes, of travel, but of easy access from all parts etc.; or have been guilty of acts of petty of the state. The town, with its village crime, but have not become habitual and hamlets, stretches along the two branches hardened criminals. It is painful to know of the Nashua, which unite a short dis- how large are the statistics of these classes, tance from the institution and flow at the even in our most Christian Massachusetts. foot of the farm. The great feature of the In the city of Boston alone, the chief of town is its wonderful growth of elms, which police returns, as the result of a careful line all the woods and embower the private examination, four hundred girls under sixresidences. The plateau upon which the teen exposed to almost certain ruin, and school buildings are erected is thickly yet still children, and nearly nine hundred studded with elms of a hundred years' just over sixteen. What a future is before growth, which cover its buildings and lawn these girls! What an expense will they with their venerable arms. be to the city and the state, and after all be lost! As a simple question of economy, how much cheaper to gather them up from their homes of sin and destitution, and train them to habits of industry and virtue! Besides the family system, the institution differs from others in that its subjects are saved from the dishonor of a sentence from a criminal tribunal. No girl is sent to it from the courts; but special commissioners are appointed by the executive, At the present writing, less than six months since the opening of the school, some sixty girls, between the ages of eight and sixteen, averaging about twelve, have been received. The present building can accommodate ninety, and there is abundant room for the construction of edifices for the homes of two or three hundred inmates, the institution being situated upon a farm of a hundred acres. The girls under the supervision of the matrons, perform the house-work, attend to the dairy, make their own garments, and soon will be able to aid with their needles in the support of the institution. About three hours dayly are devoted to the school. Prayers are conducted by the chaplain in the presence of all the families in the chapel, in the morning; the evening devotions take place in the several families under the direction of the matrons. Services adapted to the age and character of the children are held on Sunday in the chapel. Painful revelations are made by the disclosures of these girls, of the exposure of children and the powerful influences that draw them toward a life of crime. In a majority of cases there has been a change in their domestic relations; a large number have step-mothers; some step-fathers; in other cases the parents have separated or are deceased. In a number of instances they have suffered from the intemperance of parents. There is hardly one of them but was so exposed to temptation, or had so far fallen under it, as to create a strong presumption of ultimate ruin if not at once rescued, and there is scarcely one that does not, with the Divine blessing, afford a fair promise of hopeful reformation. Their appearance is often squalid in the extreme when they first make their appearance. They come from homes of sin and from an atmosphere of moral impurity. The miserable rags that cover them are at once committed to the flames, the grimed bodies to an unwonted bath, and it is wonderful to notice how early also the new and powerful spiritual influences seem to transfigure the character of the child. The school differs from others of the same class, in that it proposes to retain its subjects solely by a moral and social power rather than by walls, locks, and bars. It is surrounded by a simple paling fence, and the girls take their exercise as freely upon the lawn as children of the common schools. There have been (in six months) but two slight attempts to escape, and the officers feel no more anxiety in reference to this, after a pupil has remained long enough to awaken a personal affection for the matrons, than parents do in reference to their children. The trustees reason that it is better to be subjected to some inconvenience in securing the return of fugitives, if, on rare occasions, there are attempts to leave the premises, than to break so seriously into the family plan as to introduce physical restraint. In the case of two thirds of the present inmates, no ordinary inducement could lead them to leave without permission. The punishments are simple, appealing rather to the moral sense than to a fear of bodily suffering. The discipline chiefly relied upon, and thus far failing in no instance, is seclusion from their companions in their own or another room, with a light diet, and the affectionate and Christian expostulation of the matron. The most impertinent and obstinate, after a period of exclusion from the society of their companions, and of reflection, yield to the discipline of the school. The fact that they themselves measure the period of their seclusion, and the weight of the punishment, soon quenches the fire of passion by which their stubbornness was aroused. They respond quite readily to the direct and kind religious instruction, which in most cases for the first time in their life they receive; and the most effectual element of discipline is found to be the newly awakened sense of self-respect, and the consciousness that the eye of God rests continually upon them. These girls are placed in the institution until their majority, but the trustees have authority to bind them out in suitable families, whenever in their judgment it will be for the best interests of the child that this should be done, or when the work of reformation is so far completed as to give them confidence in the future integrity and virtue of their previous wards. Our space will not admit of a reference to the interesting personal incidents which are presented in the first report to the Legislature. In so short an experiment marked results could not be expected, but ample time has been allowed to show the feasibility of the system upon which it is founded. As the family is a Divine institution, and is the best nursery of childhood, so when the state assumes the care of its orphaned, or worse than orphaned, children, she should place herself as nearly as possible in the parental attitude. COME, bright improvement! on the car of time, And rule the spacious world from clime to clime; Where barb'rous hordes on Scythian mount ains roam, Truth, Mercy, Freedom yet shall find a home; Where'er degraded nature bleeds and pines, From Guinea's coast to Sibir's dreary mines, Truth shall pervade th' unfathom'd darkness there, And light the dreadful features of despair. Fierce in his eye the fire of valor burns, Ye fond adorers of departed fame, Who warm at Scipio's worth, or Tully's name! Ye that, in fancied vision, can admire The sword of Brutus, and the Theban lyre! Rapt in historic ardor, who adore Each classic haunt, and well-remember'd shore, Where valor tuned, amid her chosen throng, The Thracian trumpet and the Spartan song; Or, wand'ring thence, behold the later charms Of England's glory and Helvetia's arms! See Roman fire in Hampden's bosom swell, And fate and freedom in the shaft of Tell! Say, ye fond zealots to the worth of yore, Encounter fate, and triumph as he falls? Yes in that generous cause, forever strong, |