Litchfield enquirer., 1862-05-15
with the general depression The schools have


 with the general depression. The schools hay, fl been prosperous, larger attendance has beer secured since the commencement of the war, greater number of school houses are provided il good condition. the consolidation of districts arr more perfect classification of scholars, in large towns, is advancing, and the sum raised for tn, support of the public schools in districts ane towns. by voluntary taxation, has been more than doubled during the year. The State Nor nal School appears to have infused lively in terest in the work of teaching into the minds ol it's pupils. the most of whom have been success fully employed in this State and have performed their labors with credit to themselves and the Institution. raA ,Ttsa. sre-s y.-a3
 The general cause of popular education has apparently advanced since the establishment of the Normal School and the present system oi school superintendance. The Normal School has been SO long and successfully in operation that we may regard it as an essential part if no. . the centre of that system which places an educa tion within the reach of every child and may with propriety, recognize it as one of our perma ncnt institutions worthy of an annual appropri. ation for its support.
 1 THE REFORM SCHOOL.
 There gre one hundred and forty-eight juvenile offenders in the State Reform School. The crimes and misdeme,nors for which they were committed are graded from vagrancy, up to for gery and arson. ..- .... ..l. The Board of Trustees, as we'll as the benvo- lent and sympathizing Superintendent and his ! assistants, are laboring for the intellectual and moral improvement of the intimates and are sa- tisfied that the Institution is on a better basis than at any former period of it's history and that thAh ,sot, ~k~I Al-, and stea Hast friends Of the Institution will soon be realized. --..-..
 STATES PRISON.
 The diminished demand for labor has reduced the receipts of the States Prison to within a fraction of the expenditures. The institution appears to have been economically managed and faithfully conducted, not only with reference to the interests of the public but to the necessities of it's one hundred and eighty inmates. On the twenty seventh day of March last, Dan iel Webster, an able and faithful public officer. while in the performance of his duties as warden of the States Prison. was murderolsly assaulted by d convict and died the following day from the wound which he then received. Porter Kellogg, prisoner, saw the assault, immediately rushed to the rescue, wrestled the knife from the mur derer aud thereby, probably, saved the warden from instant death Lucius Rice. another pris- oner. went to the place of danger as soon as he knew of the assault, evidently for the purpose of protecting the Warden, but before he could ren der much service the murderer had been over powered. Such efforts for the maintenance of good discipline in the prison are worthy of special no- ticc. and may furnish good ground upon which you can. with safety to the public, shorten the term for which these convicts were sentenced.
 BENEFICIARIEs
 Of the three hundred and ninety-sevcn pa- t,ets admitted to the Retreat for the insane du'ing the past year, one hundred and eighty eight received pecuniary aid from the State to the amount of nine thousand four hundred and thirty-four dollars and thirty cents.
 Seventy-one State beneiciaries have been dis charged. thirty of whom were cured. twenty-five improved, twelve not improved and seven dead.
 or the one hundred and seventeen cases, re- maining on the thirty first day of March, ma jority are of long standing.
 Broken in body and mind, unqualified to care for themselves or to benefit others. they have found refugee and home, in the Retreat.
 The benefits which flow from the State appro- priation are not limited by the walls of the h. stitutiu. In many instances insanity has visit cd families, without pecunary resources but of refinement and high moral worth, who, by the most rigid economy and self denying labors, have been barely able to sustain themselves, day by day, and but for the timely aid rendered in the hour of increased necessity. from these funds. would suffer prvations which would be Q re proach to our people. The benevolent public still favor the Institution by liberal contributions which, under the supervision of the Board of Directors and the able and devoted Supreintend- eEt, are expended in improving the buildings, beautifying the grounds and increasing the means of restoring the minds of the inmates to sound and heallhful action.
 One hundred patients from thirty-three differ ent towns in the State, have been supported, in hole or in part, at the Connecticut Hospital Society. by the State appropriation, six of whom have died, eigdty-three been discharged, and eleven remain. One hundred and eleven have been, in part, supported ty the State, at the Hartford Hospital, slxiy-four of whom have been discharged, thr- teen have died, and thirty-lour remained on the first of March.
 Both of these Institutions have been invalua ble to our volunteers, by furnishing them with the comforts of q home while sick and rendering such necessary care and medical aid. as could have been secured in no other way
 There are eleven benefciares of tie State, at the School for lmbeciles, under the charge of Doct. H. M. Knight, at Lakevlle seven in the oih'Ho Astilute uuu MASSACHUSETTS fdS1 luiH lOF the Blind, and forty in the American Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb.
 The Institutions of humanity and education require cur constant and favorable consideration. We should not be influenced by parsimony, neith- CT should the heavy burdens of war be permitted to incline us to withhold such support as is es- sential to their usefulness. They are the fruits and evidences of an enlightened philanthropy the barometer by which we can judge whether our country is advancing in the sun light of in- telgence civilization and Christianity, or wheth. CT 1t IS to be darkened and desolated by the storm of ignorance, depravty and selfshness.
 RAILROADS
 The general depression of the business of the country. has had it's influences upon our Rail- roads, and their receipts in consequence, have been reduced seventeen per cent. the past year. The New London and New Haven Railroad having been unable to meet it's obligations as they matured, has passed from the management of the Directors. into the hands of the Trustees and is now operated for the benefit of the first mortage Bond holders in accordance with the provisions of the Act of 1858.
 The Roads are reported in good condition, and the fact that during the past eight years, over twenty three millions of persons have been con veyed over them with the loss of the life of on- ily one passenger while riding in his seat, is evi- denee that they have been operated by their agents, and guarded by the public, with reference to the general safety; + ''7''7' Ta l The Bank Commissioners report the seventy