Research

Scope and Content Note

Minutes are in the form of original and carbon typescript hearing transcripts.

A committee investigating the problem of runaways at the institution took testimony from cottage supervisors concerning: necessary personality traits for good supervisors; methods of discipline and preventing runaways; punishing runaways; frequency with which inmates should be permitted to visit home; superiority of present over past conditions at the school; reasons for inmates running away; effectiveness of the "merit system" of rewarding good behavior with visits home or other activities; criteria for assigning inmates to colonies; and possibility of regular meetings of cottage supervisors to exchange ideas on treatment and discipline of inmates.

Bylaws of the institution authorized the Board of Visitors (previously the Board of Managers) to exercise overall executive and supervisory powers over the operation of the institution.