Report of the Commissioners of the Ohio Reform School

[submitted to the Governor by] Chas. Reemelin, John A. Foot, James D. Ladd, Commissioners of the Ohio Reform School. Stab-stitched 8vo, 20pp + folding chart. Soil to covers, rubbing around the edges with lower left corner abraded but overall Very Good with minor foxing. OCLC lists 2 digital holdings only.

Prompted by outrage over boys being held with adult offenders at the Ohio State Penitentiary, the bill to establish a reform institution was passed in 1856. The report contains information considered in establishing the "State Reform Farm," which operated from 1858 to 1884, when it changed to the Boys' Industrial School. It was organized on the "cottage system" of reform, which prioritized "delinquents" as pupils and "family" members. It stressed communal action and the role of adults as positive influences to be consistently present for the boys' daily life. 

Includes correspondence on planning matters, considerations of land and combining religious and academic instruction with regimens of farm labor. A long folding chart at rear compares 7 existing reform institutions (listed below) in their architecture, population, diet, modes of discipline and punishment, allocation of time to studies, mortality rate, gender distribution of teachers, medical care, quality of clothing, means of funding and operational responsibility, and "proportion redeemed." The chart provides a fascinating capsule of practices--Philadelphia had chocolate for breakfast, several prohibited tea and coffee; punishments could range from depriving food or recreation privileges, fines from their earnings, solitary confinement, "placed on disgraced list." In one case, corporeal punishment is restricted to once per year.

Institutions represented:
Rochester, State of New York — Western House of Refuge
West borough, State of Massachusetts — Massachusetts State Reform School
New York City, Randal’s Island — Randal’s Island Nursery and House of Refuge
Cincinnati, State of Ohio — House of Refuge
Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania — House of Refuge
Red Hill, near Ryegate, London — Philanthropic Farm School
Mettray, near Tours, France — Agricultural and Penitentiary Colony of Mettray