Many of the inmates are unable to read or
write when they are brought in, but after a
few months’ detention they are able to do
both. The copy books show steady

progress.

In the reformatory, boys followed a schedule,
responded to a bell, and spent most of their
time on school work, religious instruction, and
controlled outdoor exercise. In 1898, a
timetable provided in the annual report shows
how these offenders spent their time:

Time Table Shewing How Prisoners’
Time Is Employed

7 AM.

Breakfast at the table. As each boy finishes
his breakfast, he proceeds upstairs to the
lavatory and empties his cell pail and
washes, stripped to the waist, each in turn;
he shakes out his blankets and rolls them

up.

Each boy has then allotted to him the task,
spelling, which will keep him occupied in
his cell whilst the Superintendent is absent
at breakfast.

8 to 9:30 A.M.

Learning lessons in cells. The Warden of
the Gaol is informed of the departure of
the Superintendent by signal on electric

bell.

10 to 10:30 A.M.
Repeating lessons learned in cells.

10:30 to 11:45 A.M.
Arithmetic class.

12 noon
Dinner.

Interval for exercise and recreation in the

yard.
2to 4 P.M.

Afternoon school, writing in copy-books,
dictation.

4 to 4:45 P.M.

Interval.

Quiet amusement in school-room,
sometimes a run in the yard.

5 P.M.
Supper.

5:30 P.M.
Boys go to cells with reading books.
Superintendent leaves, returning in the

evening,

Two prisoners are told off each day to do
the necessary scrubbing, sweeping, etc., and
to lay the table for meals, remove chairs
from school to dining-room, remove ashes
from stove, carry in coal from yard, and
generally to do all necessary work.

Some of the rules and regulations that were set
out for the gaols were adopted in the
reformatory. For example, in 1898, the
provincial gaol regulation of allowing five days
remission of a sentence in each month for good
conduct was used in the reformatory with
“gratifying results.”

Punishment of juveniles was similar to adults.
For serious offences, boys were confined to
their cells with bread and water for one or more
meals, but not exceeding three days for any
incident. Punishment also included being hit
with a cane ot whipped with a “cat” of six tails.

In spite of these measures, disciplinary
problems persisted in the gaols. In 1901, a
commission of inquiry was again held at New

32

Corrections in British Columbia