Pythagoras and the reformation of prisoners

SARE LERRBAOU, SG» Lass PYTHAGORAS REFORMATION THE OF AND PRISONERS se ode at ae ae ae In the 18% World Congress of Pythagorean Organizations Athens in August 1955, held in I presented the Pythagorean educational system and its perennial value, ‘») On this system, after intensive experimentation I have developed a new method of © aracter training, which is now succesfully applied in different institutions in Greece, This method now is translated in English,French, Spanish, S. Korean, and Portuguese and has been applied succesfully in Spain, through the efforts of Dr, Porcar Gil, Professor of Philosophy in Valencia University, and in S, Korea. There a branch of our O.M.R.Y,. (Organization for the Moral Rearmament of Youth) has been established.The Board of Governors of the O.M.R.Y. in Korea includes among others personalities the General prosecutor of the S.Korean Government and four Presidents of Universities in Seoul. The purpose of the branch in 8, Korea is to"impose on the Korean educational system the new method of character training by Dr. Sakellariou | (1) See Proceedings of the lst World Gongress of Pythagorean Organizations, ed. by Dr. Sakellariou, Athens, 1958, pp. mae. 36 - 2, Also, Jean Mallinger, La_ Prevention des delits, Revue de Postes Bélges,15me Annee,no.6.,pp.cch-226, G.Sakellariou,L' education pythagoricienne et sa_valeur, Forces Spirituelles,9 annee,no. 113-114, G.Sakellariou, An Effective Method of Improving Social Life, in Etudes Internationalesies Psycho-Sociologie Criminelle, G.Sa,o37 riou, A New Method of Character Trainine ete., Athens 1956 pp. 49, G,SakeTlariou, A New System of Moral uducation, Athens, 1957, {publ.in Greek under the titlé, neor over pa tiie dywyfic, ’Ad%vat,1957) See also, the magazine A Lambada, Anno XXVe 1956, Curl tiba-Panama-Brasil, XXVI No.89, Marco

of 1,.The method consists of the application in everyday life the three Pythagorean questions: I do today ? a) What did b) What did I trespass ? c) What duties did I leave undone ? In practice the method consists of the mrking in the schools or any other organized social group of theprogress made not on the learning of knowledge but of practicing virtues in and out of schools, Every member of a class( among students) marks himself once per week before the class after self- examination on a scale from 0 to 10 on the progress he has had in practicing the 12 virtues which are the eomponents of good character. These virtues are explained in special hours by each teacher or officer applying the system. They are: 1. Religious life. 2. Temperance 3, Cleanliness h. Good conduct 5. Courage 6, Contribution to 7. Respect for the 8, Industriousness 9. Truthfulness 10, Co-operation ll. Order and exactness 12, Justice general welfare The teacher and also the parents grade each student and insert/& special place in the bulletin of virtues their mark ; and from the three marks ( one of the student himself, then of the parent and the teacher, indicating the the average is teen, grade acquired each week on the character training. Ethical commands and ideals spread by charts posted

63in schools, buses, courts and in my other place where people Rather guide people toward moral conduct. These commands are explained in special occasions by the teachers, is thoroughly developed The philosophy_of the method and explained in an essay under the title, "A New Method of Character Training Applied on 200.900 Students". In this essay we can find very useful information related to the technique of the method and the results of the application of the method in more tha 1000 schools, and teachers, and the testimonies of parents who testify on the value of the method,

-hThrough this method a student or any subject examining himself becomes a confessor and a judge of himself. His moral consciousness increases from day to day and his Nous, which is given man to "know himself" is developed. The atmosphere of the school changes rapidly fr the better. The student digging deeply within himself sees what his duties are, becomes governor of is set free from egoisn, himself, perfects himself from day to day, becomes able to evaluate material an@ spiritual values, adopts a philosophy of life in view of social unselfishness and social ethics, assures mental health and gives equilibrium to his mind and harmony in his human relations, Parents and teachers improve also. have Inspectors of schools an objective criterion by which to judge the growth of the students in character building, by noting the increase in their average mark from week to week. School and parents cooperate, An ethical revolution is noticed in short time in the school, at home, and in the community. This happens because in this method all factors of moral growth are combined: a) knowledge of bight and wrong, given not onl¥ through teaching about the outside world, but through the formation in oneself of the moral conscience, the judge and the confessor, whom they put in themselves by self-examination,

b) Freedom in the moice of the right, because, as we said, a man who overcomes his defects and perfects himself, who acquires control of himself, through continuous selfexamination, becomes free to choose the right. c) Ideals are proposed, shining as beacons before the Subjects examiniéd,::,ideals about virtues spread by charts, bulletin boards of the schools, buses, posted on the courts and any other place where people gathered, These charts contain ethical commands and ideals of youth, of the nation, of education, of the destiny of man etc. and guide people toward moral “life, as it was tried in a similar way, by the"archontes", (leaders) of ancient Athens, d) Another factor of moral growth with the new system is the voluntary and continuous exercise of virtues.This is guaranteed by the emulation developed in the class by each student to improve and acquire the highest mark or the prize of virtue, awarded to those who have an average mark in all virtues for two weeks in succession, is the highest (10),This helped by the continuous self examination off the 3 Pythagorean questions, e) Noble competition is born, by right means, of all members of the class with one another for the sake of helping their improvement, for reasons we mentioned before.

-6f) Through this system abstract moral concepts ( principles) such as those of the 12 virtues, which seldom are taught either at home,or at school, are presented:.'..coneretely before the subjects students, g)Another factor for moral growth in this new system is: wholehearted cooperation of school and home for the benefit of subjects. This is assured by the love and. interest of the parents for tteir children and by their teachers urging parents to such a cooperation, h) Besides, this method of character training gives to each student the sense of responsibility for himself and for his community in so far as every member of the class or of any organized group is trained in the contribution for the common good and cooperation and not for class struggle or antagonism. This is performed not by an outside force but from a free choice and free will. i) By accustoming students or any member of organized group to approach even their enemies and try to make them friends, it prepares people for a peaceful life, j) It trains men and women to be ready to serve and improve the community wherein they live,their school » family, or factory. k) It helps also for the consolidation and elevation of the family and therefore/ef the nation and further of humanity, because according to testimonies, parents, felt a great improvement being obliged to present themselves as

an example of virtuous parents for imitation by their children, The Method in the Prisons, The same method, with the assistance of the Ministry of Justice in Greece is applied in the prisons and reformatory schools of Greece three years ago. Resuts from the application of the method. Here are some of the results drawn from the reports of the directors of Prisons and reformatories in Greece, Li.The vice Director of the prison of Averof in Athens, Mr, Jiannoulis writes: "From the application of the system of Dr. G. Sakellartou for an interval of one month we observed the following: 1. We notived interest on the part of the guardians, who acted as teachers in the application of the we observed inmates. system; also that the method made a kgod impression on the This improvement is greater among the younger in age. The work of the guardians became more pleasant and the atmosphere of the prison changed for the better. 3. We noticed an emulation for mutual improvement of the inmates, lh. The inmates are today more studious and perform all their

duties voluntarily. Noble sentiments are born in the hearts of the subjects and punishment, is diminished. ‘he inmates look to us now with better disposition. the marking at the beginning was 1 > The time spent for hour and now - after a month- is diminished to one hour, Although it is difiicult in such a short time to derive conclusions from the application of the system on the inmates of our prisons, especially on the misbehaving ones, we may say with assurance that this system will serve greatly the reformatory work in the formation of the character of the vrisoners, especially on the younger ones. We report characteristically soner. an example of a young pri- He,examining himself on the virtue of religious life put the mark (0) for the 2nd week, altough the first week marked himself with(7). Being asked-" Why so low this week ?" he answered: " I cursed, he added: next week, I blaspheredtwice this week.- but I will mark myself 10, because I will not curse at all!ii" II Results of the application of the Bulletin of Character Training,by Professor George Sakellariou of Athens University, for an interval of the first three weeksyin the Prison of Tiryns, The Director of the prison of Tiryns writes: " Applying this method we noticed interest on the part of the employees to whom this work was assigned and good will on the part of the prisoners on whom the system was applied.

“9 Generally speaking, this exercise, in spite of the small interval during which the method was applied gave very satisfactory results, because considerable ethical improvement of the prisoners was noticed and their obedience and diligence increased considerably. Moreover, virtues, the application of the bulletin of as it is easily understood, helps greatly the attempt of the correction service for the ethical and vocational improvement of the convicts. We can therefore without hesitation or doubt say that: this method of character training is an excellent one for the realization of the aim pursued by the corrective service that through the continuous application of it,we will be able tc have in the future very excellent results."

Iitfhe Director of the Meformatory School for Boys in Vocational Education Mr. Ath. Papmtsidakis,after applying system of Character training pn the boys of the school which he directs, reported to us, in a letter dated October 6, 1956: "A good impression and a great interest was observed in general and then a considerable improvement among the disobedient and very difficult to handle prisoners.tThis improvement was observed especially in the God, in cleanliness, order, respect towards love towards all inmates, and discipline. This change is more evident in the older inmates. The atmosphere of the prison hanged for the better and the work of the guardians and teachers became more pleasant. We noticed a great imterest during self-examination and grading and a great competition for betterment. The inmates became also more studious. In the inmates were born feelings like love towards God and their country, solidarity, respect, dignity, industriousness, and they became in general, more clean. Punishments were reduced and the inmates look to us now with better disposition. We may say with assurance that, from the time we have started regular meetings in the prison and we have explained the slogans of the Moral Rearmament of Youth,which were given to

-llus printed on boards, and then started applying the Bulletin of Virtues, the convicts begun improving morally, alttugh their vices were among the most serious. We can therefor say that this excellent system will serve greatly the reformatory work which is so difficult, since it really helps in the formation of a moral character." a anal Iv.A Report about the Application of the Bulletin of Virtues in the Prisons of Chalkis (Euboia) The Director of the Prisons of Chalkis, Mr, Evangelos Apostolou, in a report of his, dated March 1, 1957, writes : ",.Our effort to improve the inmates through the application of the Bulletin of Virtues produced satisfactory results. The majority of the tnmates showed such understanding that their cooperation with the Superttendent was very close wm. They understood perfectly the mechanics of self-examination and are now able. to grade themselves easily and with frankness. Two:only inmates Mm ts ee showed indifference ; but they are abnormal types, and so, the fact that they did not participate is absolutely explicable. Kind competition was created among the inmates so that they tried to show that the one was better than the other. This fact persuaded us that the inmates,bringing in mind their bad deeds, and being under the constant care of the personnel of the prison and feeling for the first time the beneficial influence

of the bulletin of Virtues, will manage, when they leave the prison to start a new life and be virtuous therafter, having as their sole aim in life to do the good and thus help themselves as well as their fellovfen. Up to now no one managed to get the highest grade. They do try hard however, and so we are convinced that in afshort time they will take it. I feel it is necessary to report the fact that the initiative taken by the Organization for the Moral Resrmament of Youth will help a lot,in reforming the character of the inmates and will, undoubtedly, guide them to a safe port of moral progress for the good of their family, whole, society as a and the Nation.” V. Results from the application of the Method in the _ Prison for Women in Athens. he Directress of the Prisons for Women Mrs. A. Fetrandi in a report dated July 20, 1957, sent to the Mtnistry of Justice and to the offices of the 0,M.R,Y. writes the following: "The application of the bulletin of virtues during the first semester of the year 1957, brought about very satisfactory results. The interest of the employers and the prisoners continued undiminished, With the disorderly and the misbehaving ones improvement is always slow but steady. Greater improvement was noticed in the followingsvirtues: a) religious life,b) cleanliness, c) workmanship, d)contibution to the common good,e) good conduct, f )cooperation. The coefficient of improvement is the same, younger and the older women-prisoners, both in the

Being succesfull in applying the system, the employees work now more happily. The atmosphere of the Institution continues to become more and more pleasant. Emulation among the women prisoners was noticed, but not in a very high degree. Women prisoners are less egoistic and more diligent now. Good taste, the tendency o f helping one another and a sense of duty were cultivated among the women prisoners. Punishment is very rare among the prisoners on whom the system is applied. The application of the system must continue because there are always new women prisoners in our institution. One hour is now necessry for every group of prisoners instead of the two or three hours that we needed before, The quotient of the improved women prisoners ,because of the application of the system,reached the point ho *, Six women prisoners are now worthy to take the prize of virtues, These six women were graded for three months continuously with 10 (excellent) in all virtues- from themselves, from their guardians, and from the Birector of the prison. The Bulletin of Virtues, no doubt, contributes greatly in our efforts for reforming the women of the Institution.

During the first year of application of the system we had such cases of improvement in character that we were in fact very surprised from the success of the method." The significance of these results I think is obvious not only from a philanthropic point of view both for the prisones and their families, but from the economic, i.e., the loss on national and private economy from the idleness of the prisoners, witnesses, relatives, Jendarmerie, This loss, according to an investigation in etc. 1932 in Greece by the author, prisons, police and "amounts to more than one billion drachmas per year, By this method extended to other organized groups of society, such as the army and the factories, an idealistic philosophy of life may be spread, which helps to combat the present materialistic conception of the world. So, human interactions and relations may improve steadily and safely, both in school and adult society, brotherhood of man may be practiced and facilitated,-and human society on the whole may continuously improve. (1) See, George Sakellariou, Soctology, 1953. Crime in Greece, Also, Sakellariou,