system were with FBI agents or other legal authorities who wanted information, testimony, or confessions in other criminal cases.Except for three twenty-minute meals each day and work activities, there was little to disturb the monotonous routine on the island. As Harrell commented, “any day in Alcatraz was twenty-four hours of pure boredom.”
With so much cell time, reading became the most common means of passing the hours. The Alcatraz library contained some ten thousand books, most of them left by the army. Inmates were not allowed to go to the library, but according to Harrell, “every prisoner had a catalog listing the books that were supposed to be in the library”; books selected would be delivered to, and picked up from, his cell. Newspapers were prohibited, ostensibly to remove the means by which the prison’s gang lords and notorious bandits could have their egos and reputations bolstered. Inmates could subscribe to certain magazines, such as
Popular Mechanics
, but because articles relating to crime were removed, the magazines were “often so mutilated by the censors they were practically useless.” When correspondence courses from the University of California became available, a small number of men signed up for them.
EDUCATION AND RELIGION
Reports from Protestant chaplain Wayne Hunter describe the inmates’ level of interest in correspondence courses and religious services offered on the island. In October 1936 forty-six men were listed as actively pursuing UC courses; another twenty were described as “enrolled but indifferent.” Most enrollees were taking English grammar or “shop arithmetic”; among those completing courses were Albert Bates, Ralph Roe, and Harmon Waley. Two months later, the chaplain reported that 17 percent of the inmate population was involved in various courses including new offerings in the rudiments of music, harmony, advanced shop mechanics, and beginning algebra. Elementary French and Spanish were added in 1937 and one course was dropped because it never had a single enrollee—“training for citizenship.”
Chaplain Hunter was also responsible for the institution orchestra, library, and recreational activities including the baseball league, horseshoes, and handball. Men interested in music had to choose between going to the yard on weekends or practicing on musical instruments; kitchen workers were allowed to practice during afternoons. According to the chaplain, thirty inmates were interested in “musical opportunities and of this number we have developed a 10 piece orchestra. The orchestra has played the three Sunday afternoon concerts thus far.”
Hunter reported that the addition of a Catholic chaplain, FatherJoseph M. Clark, increased biweekly attendance at Catholic services—from 33 on October 4 to 62 two weeks later. Protestant services attracted only 12 inmates on October 11 and 25. An April 2, 1937, report to Warden Johnston indicated that six men had attended Jewish services on March 27. A report in the same month to the Federal Council Committee on prison chaplains included the results of a survey of inmate religious preferences as Roman Catholic, 132, Protestant 131, Jewish 15, and 22 were listed as “no preference.” 10
In the April 7, 1937, report on prison chaplains, Hunter reviewed the programs and activities available to inmates at Alcatraz concluding, “The library is the most important part of the educational and welfare program in as much as reading is the only occupation of the larger percentage of the men during the evening hours. The library circulation for last month was 2045 books and 812 magazines. According to these figures, each man draws on an average of about seven books and three magazines per month. This does not take into consideration the private magazine subscriptions and book purchases.”
ENFORCING A MONASTIC REGIMEN
In addition to making the daily lives of inmates as predictable and routine as possible, the Alcatraz regime
With so much cell time, reading became the most common means of passing the hours. The Alcatraz library contained some ten thousand books, most of them left by the army. Inmates were not allowed to go to the library, but according to Harrell, “every prisoner had a catalog listing the books that were supposed to be in the library”; books selected would be delivered to, and picked up from, his cell. Newspapers were prohibited, ostensibly to remove the means by which the prison’s gang lords and notorious bandits could have their egos and reputations bolstered. Inmates could subscribe to certain magazines, such as
Popular Mechanics
, but because articles relating to crime were removed, the magazines were “often so mutilated by the censors they were practically useless.” When correspondence courses from the University of California became available, a small number of men signed up for them.
EDUCATION AND RELIGION
Reports from Protestant chaplain Wayne Hunter describe the inmates’ level of interest in correspondence courses and religious services offered on the island. In October 1936 forty-six men were listed as actively pursuing UC courses; another twenty were described as “enrolled but indifferent.” Most enrollees were taking English grammar or “shop arithmetic”; among those completing courses were Albert Bates, Ralph Roe, and Harmon Waley. Two months later, the chaplain reported that 17 percent of the inmate population was involved in various courses including new offerings in the rudiments of music, harmony, advanced shop mechanics, and beginning algebra. Elementary French and Spanish were added in 1937 and one course was dropped because it never had a single enrollee—“training for citizenship.”
Chaplain Hunter was also responsible for the institution orchestra, library, and recreational activities including the baseball league, horseshoes, and handball. Men interested in music had to choose between going to the yard on weekends or practicing on musical instruments; kitchen workers were allowed to practice during afternoons. According to the chaplain, thirty inmates were interested in “musical opportunities and of this number we have developed a 10 piece orchestra. The orchestra has played the three Sunday afternoon concerts thus far.”
Hunter reported that the addition of a Catholic chaplain, FatherJoseph M. Clark, increased biweekly attendance at Catholic services—from 33 on October 4 to 62 two weeks later. Protestant services attracted only 12 inmates on October 11 and 25. An April 2, 1937, report to Warden Johnston indicated that six men had attended Jewish services on March 27. A report in the same month to the Federal Council Committee on prison chaplains included the results of a survey of inmate religious preferences as Roman Catholic, 132, Protestant 131, Jewish 15, and 22 were listed as “no preference.” 10
In the April 7, 1937, report on prison chaplains, Hunter reviewed the programs and activities available to inmates at Alcatraz concluding, “The library is the most important part of the educational and welfare program in as much as reading is the only occupation of the larger percentage of the men during the evening hours. The library circulation for last month was 2045 books and 812 magazines. According to these figures, each man draws on an average of about seven books and three magazines per month. This does not take into consideration the private magazine subscriptions and book purchases.”
ENFORCING A MONASTIC REGIMEN
In addition to making the daily lives of inmates as predictable and routine as possible, the Alcatraz regime
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