The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-08-04
TEE PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS.

A committee OF the Citizens Association OF New
York recently examined into,the condition and man.
agement Of the institutions under the charge OF the
Commissioners OF Public Charities and Correction
of the city or New York, and have made the follow.
ing report thereon:-
The department Of Public Charities and Correction
has the care and maintenance Of four classes or in
BLtutiOns:--
First-Prisons for the temporary confinement Of
prisoners-Penitentiary, Workhouse.
SecOnd-Almshouses, lunatlc asyiums, asylums for
inebrates.
Third-Hospitals.
FoWut-Nurseries for children.
There is no department OF the city government
where capacity economy and honesty arc more re-
ZION; but in this department there also required q
love OF the WORK and strong sympathy with the un-
fortunate classes with whom the department deals.
want OF IL is the cause Of the loss OF much money
merely to the public; but in this department the
want Of honesty not only causes loss OF money 10
the public but Is positive cruelty to the poorest
the most unfortunate, the most helpless in the CON-
munijy.
Your committee visited the various institutions
examined by the committee OF the association last
year, and was pleased to ind that the same order,
efficiency ana economy which were evident in the
management or every department under charge OF
The Commissioners q year ago continue to distin-
gulsh this branch OF the public service.
Your committee does not consider Is necessary Mt
this time to make detailed mention OF the condition
and managemen OF each institution separately, but
last year Tor specific information connected there
with.
INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL.
The commissioners are entitled to commentator
for the credltable beginning they have made IN the
Inauguration OF the Industrial school on Harris
Island, into which are gathered those boys Known
as "incOrrlgible." Here they are thoroughly ia.
sructed in the essentials OF good common school
education under competent teachers.
NAUTICAL SCHOOL.
The design is to educate this class OF boys specially
In the science OF navigation and by the authority OF
the late act Of the Legisa ure establishing a nauti-
cal school to give them aiso practical instruction in
this direction. The Industrial School gives great
promise of success, and your committee trusts that
1t VIII develop INTO some positive system whereby
the 10000 or 1900 children In our city growing up
with only the education OF the street may be rescued
from ldloness and immortality and reared to honest
pursuits.
Your committee would recommend that the ASSOC
citation should assist the Commissioners 10 Obtain
the legislation necessary 10 enable them to provIe
better and more ample accommodations Tor the in
sane. The buildings devoted to that purpose are
more than full and are entirely inadequate to the
present and growing wants OF the public In this
regard spacious, commodious and well ventilated
buildings should he erected wherein this, the most
vided for Al present the Recommendations are e So
meagre that only the greatest attension and most
efficient management on the part of the commits.
OF the insane tolerrble.
In such centres OF population aud business as New
York cry inc accommodations for the insane should
SIR Henry Maudsey, in his late work on "rhe
Pnyslology ana Pathology Of the Mind" Justly OBJ
interests the numerous passions and the great
strain OF mental work Incident to the multiplied |
Industries ana eager competition Of an active civil.
cation, can scarcely fall one may suppose, to aug
ment the liability TO mental disease. There seems |
therefore. GOOD reason to believe that with the pro-
gress OF mental development through the ages, |
there IT, as is the case with other forms Of organic
development, correatlve degeneration going on, |
aud that an increase Of insanity Is penalty which
an increase Of our present civilization necessarily
pays" In the treatment of the insane Il should DO
that advanced eojenco hse establiehed
The position that insanity 10 nothing but disease OF
The Elind ana tnat like tho disease Of the body IL
,en be cured An insane hospital should NOS be |
considered as hospital for incurabes to which the
insane are TO DC sent and provided for until death
emoves them.
IDIOT SCHOOL.
The commissioners have In most successful opera
lou school Tor the elementary instruction OF idiot
hildren. Tpe proficiency OF these children lmost Of
vhom before they entered TINS school were unable
ven to distinguish color or form is most remark
bic, many OF them reading With great nuency.
1SrkEre' HOSPITAL.
Your committee wolil respectful call the atten.