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University Daily Kansas Wednesday. May 4. 1960
Intelligent Students Found in Prison
There is one point of agreement among the men who have taught KU extension courses at the U.S. Penitentiary in Leavenworth; Campus students are intellectual dwarfs, compared to prison students.
Three Lawrence men who have participated in teaching the prison inmates are E. E. Bayles, professor of education; Jack W. Zimmerman, Lawrence newspaper man; R. M. Samson, Lawrence high school teacher.
Prof. Bayles made a typical remark in comparing campus classes with prison classes:
"The inmates are intensely interested in their classes. When I 'toss the ball' to them they catch it. When I 'toss the ball' to my undergraduate classes on the bill, they let it fall and let it lay. My undergraduate classes here just sit and wait.
"That supine attitude is the thing that particularly distresses me. The students seem to think, 'Okay, professor, teach me.' Those men at Leavenworth asked serious and intelligent questions on problems of society."
Situations Are Interesting
Mr. Samson, who teaches English at the penitentiary, tells of some interesting and unusual situations arising out of his teaching there.
"After one of my classes, one or the men came up to me and said, 'I teach a Latin class here at Leavenworth. It is strange that I, a Hawaiian, teach Latin to a Chinese man.' That was especially unique because the Hawaiian man spoke with an Oxford accent."
Mr. Zimmerman, who taught journalism in the Leavenworth institution three years ago, admitted that, "They have more interest in their classes than I had when I was on the hill.
Mr. Samson says he has run across some fascinating people in his teaching experience at the prison. The vocational agriculture teacher at the Leavenworth honor farm related this incident to him:
"Pets are not allowed inside the prison, but one prisoner had three toads as pets. He kept them outside the building and saw them daily. The prisoner had taught the toads to line up and, when he hollered 'chow!' they would drop their mouths open.
"In another case," Mr. Samson said, "a man had less than an eighth grade education when he was convicted of bank robbery and sentenced to a term of 30 years. He read law in the Lewenworth prison library, filed his own writ, and reduced his sentence to 10 years."
Understanding Is Needed
"It is too bad," asserted Mr. Zimmerman, "that more people cannot teach at Leavenworth to get a better understanding of the inmates. Too often they are regarded as monkeys in a cage. They are quite human."
"One man learned that I liked to fish, so he told me of a perfect place he knew of in Colorado. He told me that if I was ever out that way I should try it. 'Just tell the guy you know me,' he said."
Mr. Zimmerman said that one of the most important things to remember in teaching a prison class is to take command. You get better cooperation after you come to an understanding with the class members. He recalled that in one course he taught, after the last class session nearly every man came up and shook his hand, wishing him good luck.
Martin Chapman, KU Extension
opportunity to improve themselves. On the whole, I think it is a good enterprise. I just wish we had the same thing in the state institutions." Mr. Chapman said:
"At the completion of the courses, each man gets a grade card and certificate of completion which can be, and often is, framed by the student for display. We do not give a certificate to others who pass extension courses, but these prisoners are extremely proud of their accomplishment."
Marston M. McCluggage, professor of sociology and human relations, expressed approval of the extension work.
"I visited some of the classes," remarked Prof. McCluggage, "and they seem to have an excellent effect on the men. It makes better prisoners of them because they are given an
He said $45 a month is high pay for prison employment. The shoe factory, furniture factory, brush factory, clothing plant and printing plant pay wages.
Mr. Chapman explained that the convicts pay $8 an hour for their courses. Classes meet for two hours one day each week. The men either have to borrow the money from family or friends on the outside, or earn money inside the prison.
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representative, pointed out that the KU Extension courses offered at the institution are the first and only attempt at university education in a federal penitentiary. He said that officials in Washington, D.C., endorse the program heartily.
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