"HUMANIZING THE PRISONS"

Thomas Motte Osborne '84, warden of Sing Sing state prison, Ossining, N. Y., will speak on "Humanizing the Prisons," in Emerson J this afternoon at 4.30 o'clock. The lecture will be under the auspices of the Political Science club. Although his chief work has been in the line of prison reform, Mr. Osborne was twice mayor of Auburn, N. Y., and also chairman of the New York State Democratic Committee. His prison work really started with his appointment two years ago as chairman of the State Prison Commission. In order to obtain a better insight into prevailing conditions, Mr. Osborne served a voluntary term of six days in the Auburn Prison, spending his time there exactly as did all the other prisoners. Through this he gained a bond of sympathy with convicts, and learned to understand their outlooks.

When Mr. Osborne was appointed warden of Sing Sing a short while ago, conditions there were very unsettled, and dissatisfaction with conditions had reached almost to the point of revolt among the inmates. Taking hold of the problem at once, he instituted a series of changes which almost immediately gained the confidence of the prisoners, and now the spirit of the men is one of co-operation with their keeper. Mr. Osborne's talk this afternoon will deal mainly with his experience with his "prison-going friends." The lecture is open to all members of the University.