Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-01-14
IMPORTANT REPORT.

fem of the public charitable lnstltutIohs VI 'AS
Commonwealth, and to recommend such
changes and such additional provisions as they
NAV deem necessary for their economical and
efficient administration" presented their report
to the Senate, Thursday. We make the fol-
lowing abstract:
The nine public charitable institutions di-
rectIy under the control of the State archie
three lunatic hospitals at Worcester, Taunton,
and Northampton the Reform School Tor
Bows at Westborough; the three State aims
houses at Bridgewater, Tewksbury, and Mon
son; the Hospital at Rainstord Island; and the
State Industrial School for Girls at Lancaster
| Annual grants are made by the State to four
| other institutions, viz the Perkins lnstltu-
tion and Ma sachusetts Asylum for the Blind at
| South Boston, the American Asylum for the
| Deaf and Dumb at Hartford, Connecticut, the
Massachusetts Eye and Ear lntirmary at Bos-
ton. and the School for ldiotlc and Feeble
Minded Youth at South Boston. The atten-
| tion of the committee has been directed chiefly
to the nine first mentioned.
The committee refer to the various anoma-
! lies in the organization and management OF
| these institutions, occasioned by the fact that
| they have been. created at different times,
without reference to one another, and each upon
| particular SySIcIl, ttuu uldhS
| datiou that "the duty of constantly supervising
| the whole system of public charities, in order
to secure the greatest usefulness without I'M
necessary expense" be entrusted to ''perma-
nent State Board of Charities" 1t is proposed
that this Board shall consist of five members,
| appointed by the Governor for terms OF five
wears each, so that, after the first appointment,
| a new one shall be made each year the mem
bers not to be removable, except for cause, and
to receive no compensation for their services,
but to be reimbursed for their necessary ex-
penses. 1t is proposed that the Board shall
choose a Secretary, who will devote his whole
time to his duties, and receive the same yearly
salary as the Secretary Of the Board of Educa-
| ton, viz: $1,000. This arrangement is made
| on the same plan as that which has proved so
successful in the organization of the Board of
Education and, it is thought, will effect a
considerable saving to the State. The powers
proposed to be given to the Board thus consti-
| tuted are the same that were given to the COM
| mittee and extending over all the institutions
| in which the State is interested; and, also, the
| power to transfer inmates from one institution
| to another. Further than this it will have no
| interference in the management Of the institu-
| tons, except by offering counsel and advice,
and endeavoring to cooperate with their man
ayers and leading them to cooperate with each
| other.
The Boards of Trustees or Inspectors of the
several institutions are, of course, retained, but
| the Committee recommend that the number be
fixed uniformly at five for each institution, Tex
cept the almshouses and pauper hospitals, and
that the selection be made, as far as practicable,
from the neighborhood of the institution.
1t is proposed to abolish the Board of In
spectors at Rainsford Island, since the State
Board can perform all its duties, especially
when the operations are reduced to the scale
| proposed in a subsequent part of the report.
A bill abolishing this Board was passed by the
last Legislature, but accidentally failed to re-
ceive the signatures of the presiding officers,
and did not become a law.
LUNATIc HOSPITALS.
The Lunatic Hospitals having become self
supporting Institutions it is proposed to dis
continue the payment, by the State, of the
salaries Of the principal officers, leaving them
to be classed with the other expenses, which
make up the amount from which is deducted
the rate to be charged for board; the State
continuing to pay the board of pauper lunatics,
at such rate as may be agreed upon.
STATE REFORM SCHOOL.
The State Reform School for boys at West
borough has caused the committee much anx-
ious thought. They say: SIT cannot be denied
that this institution has failed to accomplish all
the good which was expected of it." The
Committee, however, acknowledge the value
of reforms lately instituted by the voluntary
action of the Trustees.
The Committee, after dwelling upon the i'm
portance Of restoring the farm belonging to the
institution, a five years lease of which, to the
State Board of Agriculture, ends in April next,
continue as follows
"The Westborough institution is twice too
large; its internal organization is cumbrous
and unwieldy, and, accordingly, far too expen.
sive. The staff of instructors and overseers
must be considerably reduced. We would re-
commend that, as far as possible, the school be
divided into classes of forty or fifty, and that
each Of these be placed under the care of a
single person, who should endeavor to acquire
a familiar acquaintance with all the boys in his
own class, studying their peculiarites of dispo
sition as moulded by nature and circumstances
This special instructor should always be with
his class at prayers, meals, study, play and
work. y n There should be somebody to whom
each boy should feel that he can at all times
turn, during his stay in the school, for sympa
thy, advice, and encouragement This should
be the master Of his particular class. The re-
covery OF the farm will enable the trustees to
employ the boys in simple agricultural labors
This should be done to the utmost extent Dos
sible. Regard should be had, not so much tc
the profitableness of the labor, as to the advan
tage, both to the mental and physical constitu
tons Of the boys in keeping them at work. es
pecially out Of doors. We saw nothing more
dIscouraging, anywhere in our visits, than two
large rooms at Westborough, during work
hours, full idle boys. Means must be found
to prevent this.
There ought, moreover, to be regular ant
IN Off 70 g,,I 4 u
where they can enjoy the influences and as
sociations of home Something has already
been done in this direction by the exertions O
the chaplain, under the direction of the trustees
and we hope that that measure will be persis
tently continued"
In reference to certain abuse of the beney
oence Of the State, the committee sneak a,
follows:
'This place is styled School purposelv IF
relieve its inmates from the stigma of crimi
nails it follows that parents sometimes are no
unwilling to send their sons thither, especial,
tlose VINO are troublesome, in order to saw
the expense of keeping them at home"
After mature deliberation, in concurrence,
with the trustees, we have determined to rec
ommend as the best safeguard against abuse
of the kind described, that the town or cit,
from which any boy is committed to the Stat
reform school at Westborough shall be held +
contribute fifty cents a week towards his sun
port; with the right of recovery of the sam
by the town or city from the parent or guar
dian of the boy"
INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL FOR GIRLS
The committee have nothing to propose i
relation to the industrial school for girls at Lar
caster, which is in admirable condition. In
they express the hope that the institution wi
, not be enlarged.
STATE ALMsHoUsEs.
/ The committee give considerable SPACE