1931: Being In County Jail Has Its Compensations In Hot Weather

June 19, 1931

Inmates of the county jail are living in quarters which are several degrees cooler than the average home.

A breeze hits the county jail each day, the cement floors are cool and prisoners lounge around in the decided undress impossible in a household with several brothers and sisters.

Has No Hours

Whereas the inhabitant out of jail must perforce keep up appearances in spite of hot weather and relax only at given hours of the day the prisoner has no such convention to observe; he relaxes all day long.

Hot weather does not temper food served at the jail, however, since practically the same meals are served summer and winter, according to J.R. Glaves, jailer.

Prisoners awake in the morning to a meal of mush, oatmeal, or corn flakes, bread and coffee.

At noon, they have fish, liver and onions, stew or beans, and tea.

And at supper, stewed fruit – prunes, apricots, or peaches – and coffee.

On Saturday night prisoners are given pie instead of stewed fruit, Glaves says.

A special concession to hot weather – prisoners are given iced tea twice a week in the hottest seasons.

“But we aren’t having hot weather, yet,” Glaves said.