The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1859-01-14
RIDt,,Ay. JANUARY Ia, 1859.


. more competent agents to visit every
! township and urge upon parents
teachers and children. the duties es
. seutial to the highest efficiency o
, our schools. This plan has been
; adopted elsewhere with the happics,
effects. Ii adopted here, we need
not fear the disclosures Of ANY iu,nr,
census, or doubt that our system o
Common Schools. already regarded
as model for imitation by other
states, will vindicnte, 10y perfect sue
cess, its claims to admiration an
honor.
While we may reasonably hope
that the illitera,c, as class, will
soon disappear from our society, no
such pleasing expectation can be in
dulged in respect to that large por-
ton OF ths Community whom detect
and disease in neutal or physica;
org anization render proper object
of public care; and whose number
and relation to society constitute an-
other element Of our social condition,
which must engage your notice.
The bunevolrnce OF the state has
already provided three Asylums for
the insane, which have cost for
grounds and construction about
$47l. 900, and are sustained Mt an
annual expense ol $4,000. OK
cluding charges properly belonging
10 the account of construction AMI
interest. Tue cos: of the Northern
snl central Asylums has been about
Sl53, ,O00 each; aud Of the Southern
about Sl6S 900. 'rhe actual value
of the central Asylum is now pro-
baby more than toubie that Of either
al the nthrra
In these Asylums there were at
the beginning Of the last year, 56S
inmates, aud there were received du-
ring the gear 4l4. making the whole
numbyr OF participants in their bcno
ilts 9S2: there were discharged 4l2;
there died 43. and there remained at
the commencement Of the current
year, $40. OF those discharged 30
had been restored to sanity, anJ thir.
ty.fve decidedly improved. The
average expense Of each inmate WAS
about $l5S.
The central Asylum will accom-
molatc $50 inmates, the Northern
$50, and the Southern 100. Each
has been filled to the extent OF its
capacity. Another Asylum is in
progress of Construction in Hamilton
county, for the reception OF the insane
of that county only. Alter its com.
pletion ard opening that county will
constitute the South Western Asy.
lum district.
The number If insane in Ohio, &C.
coriing to the census vi 1850, was
303. This number was doubtless
under,tatcd. | AIN satisfied that the
present number 10 not less than two
thousand. The Superintendent. Of
the central Asylum thinks it does
not fall short Of three thousand. The
arguments which establish the duty
OF some provision for some OF the
insane, require. doubtless. alrluite
provision tor all. Several plans for
such provision have been Suggested.
One coutcmplates the enlargement
of one or more of the existing Asy.
lums; anotier propo e. to provide
for the support an treatment Of the
insane in the County lntifmaries;
while a third, not necessarily ex-
GLIDING the others suggests the enact.
ment of a law tor the establishment
and regulation OF private Asy'ums,
in which large portion of the in.
sane would be provided for by their
friends without charge to the 4ts,e,
| have no hesitation in recommend.
ing the legislation contemplated by
this latter suggcstioh. The inform,
alton necessary TO well grounded
choice between the other plans is no,
yet accessible, My impression lr
that the first will prove most econ.
. omical AMI most bsneticent; if in.
deed, after the completion Of the
South Western Asylum and the eli,
, actment of II judiclous law for private
= Asylums, either shall he found ne
: cessary,
. The condition OF the idiotic. equsl
\ ly with that u the insane, must en-
D gage the attention OF the philanthro
e pist and statesman. A few year.
b ago this hapless class seemed beyon,
: reach OF etfectual relief. r Gently
however, attempts to rescue then
: from their apparently hopeless con
: dilion have been crowned by result
! which inspire hope and encourag
It perseverance,. The judicious In
n mani.y OF the last General Assem-
n bly, inaugurated systematic pla
,f for their instruction and improve
l. ment, which has been SO far exc
1t cuted under your auspices, that nit
n mate success is no longer doubtful
8, " is not, indeed, to be expected tn,
is the idiotic can be elevated to an
N high degree Of capacity; but ver
- many of them can be qualified
o. earn their own subsistence, al
nearly all can be trained to habi
d. Of neatness and propriety. TT
We whole number of idiots in the sta
of is reasonably estimated ut abo
on 2,000. OF these, 500 are Of q pr
Ist per age to receive instruction. In g
"a. Asylum, recently opened tor tn,
n reception, there were, ut the Col
rs tmencement Of the present year, si
ID teen; there were received during I
en- year twenty-five; there were d
W. charged six; there are absent q
ses the number under instruction at [