1937
INMATE POPULATION DECEMBER 31, 1937: 3,337
Horizontally striped prison uniforms are discontinued. Legislature agrees they could be made until the material runs out, which is in 1938. Uniforms with a single strip down the outside leg continue for several more years.
Inmates in horizontally striped prison uniforms.
BRADFORD COUNTY TELEGRAPH
2 APRIL 1937
PRISONERS LIKE MEAT - TALLAHASSEE - On the monthly menu at the State Prison Farm at Raiford is 58,540 pounds of meat. Inmates also consume approximately 500 pounds of seasoning a month as well as 4,600 pounds of Irish potatoes, 3,000 pounds of rice and 5,000 pounds of sugar.
1937-1938 Prison Band. (Photo courtesy of FPC.)
BRADFORD COUNTY TELEGRAPH
27 AUGUST 1937
JULY PRISON RECORD - Supt. L. F. CHAPMAN said yesterday seven inmates died, one was paroled and fifteen were pardoned at the Florida State Prison, Raiford, during July. Twenty-six others completed their sentences and were released during the month. The superintendent stated 101 prisoners were committed to the institution during the month. At the end of the month the prison population was 1,497.
1938
INMATE POPULATION DECEMBER 31, 1938: 3,575
BRADFORD COUNTY TELEGRAPH
7 MAY 1938
RAIFORD TO HAVE LIGHTS - The Florida Power and Light Company will soon extend its service to include the town of Raiford, it was stated this week in a communication received from Senator Charley E. JOHNS, who has made several trips to Miami in an effort to have this service started.
Early education classes at Raiford were held in the largest rooms available.
1939
INMATE POPULATION DECEMBER 31, 1939: 3,753
The Arcadia Road Prison is built. This wooden structure is later replaced (in August 1963) with concrete block construction.
Prison administrators begin keeping more extensive statistical records on inmates. In addition to the usual race, gender, offense type, and sentence categories, they added more personal characteristics. Some of the new categories included: "Age at which the inmate left home," "Venereal Diseases," "Admitted Vices" and "Special Abilities." Special Abilities included boxing, acting and playing baseball, for example. Information on marital status, number of siblings and children, religious affiliation, citizenship and military service is also recorded.
Florida State Road Prison No. 8549, located in Ft. Lauderdale. (Click for larger view of this September 9, 1939 photo.)
Women's Ward at Raiford in the 1930s. (Photo courtesy of FPC.)
Woman assembling shirts in the sewing room. (Photo courtesy of FPC.)
This Raiford Prison baseball team set a new record with 52 consecutive scoreless innings. Players: 1. Steve Jenkins, 2. Tom Gowan, 3. C. Daugherty, 4. Lefty Ellisington, 5. Ben Craft, 6. Chappie, 7. Manager Ritch, 8. Tex Hayes, 9. Robert Fritz, 10. Bob Harrison, 11. W. Jabolonsky, 12. Robert Walton. (Photo courtesy of FPC.)
The center of inmate social activity took place in the center court of the Main Unit (Florida State Prison at Raiford), known as "The Rock."
