Word: warden
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Dates: during 1930-1939
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...enforcement of its due. But in the last few years an advocate has appeared for the "forgotten race," a man whose penetration, squareness, and sincere faith in humankind have won respect and obedience within, attention and reputation without penitentiary confines. For nearly thirteen years Lewis E. Lawes has been warden of Sing Sing prison, and during that period intermittent magazine articles have revealed a growing philosophy. In his first book, "20,000 Years in Sing Sing," he utters for the first time what may be regarded as a rough draft of the completed product of his meditations...
...placed in a post where he could exercise his theories of rehabilitation. In this second section of the book, there passes before the reader a concise, clear view of Sing Sing today. And in the description of his $3,000,000 plant one discovers the secret of Warden Lawes's success. Mechanical details of organization are duly attended to, but predominant throughout is the personal, the human element. In focusing his attention, Lawes turns almost involuntarily from administration to the individual, the unhappy "con," fighting his way back to decent society. Consequently one is not surprised when the third section...
...book is small but glaring; the ghoulishly sensational description of an electrocution, inserted as a prologue, is neither necessary nor illuminating. One prefers to believe that it can be blamed on the publishers. Aside from this feature, the book is entertaining and gripping throughout. No reader will seriously question Warden Lawes's admirable fitness for his position...
...bring about a millennium. This has failed miserably; typical products of the methods in use are the Philistines, the Babbitts, who cramp all progress by their unthinking complacency. A further indictment of the public school system is evident in the predominance of youth among the criminals and gangsters. Warden Lawes has recently stated that in the last few years he has often looked at his prisoners and wondered whether he is running a penitentiary or a preparatory school. The notable absence of culture in the ranks of successful business men and the number of minors engaged in criminal occupations...
...quickest way to get out of Sing Sing is to come in as warden," was the saying in those days. Warden Lawes has stayed twelve years. In that time he has built a new prison, developed sports, introduced, among other things, a flower garden, even a bird house; organized an industrial system that turns out some 70 articles, turns over some $3.000,000 annually. Prison life at best is bad, thinks Warden Lawes, but men are always men. His central idea is to set his prisoners to doing work useful to themselves, instead of simply doing time. Segregation of prisoners...