The prisoners entered in this correspondence school never assemble in
classes, but all their work is done in their own cells, lights being
allowed until nine o’clock for such study. While the prisoner-teachers
rarely, if ever, see their pupils after they have joined the
correspondence school, the hold the teachers obtain upon the respect
and interest of the solitary students is truly wonderful.
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.
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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