The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1870-01-05

leenleu an experiment which II Is IN |
expedient for the State to try until its |
advantages are better understood, 1 submit |
that the least that ought now to be at |
tempted is to provide for classification of |
so as to separate beginners in crime |
from hardened offenders. Whether this |
can best be done by alternations and an
extension of the present penitentiary or
by the erection of new one, is for your
wisdom to determine"
In several other States voluntary as.
soclatlons have been formed to provide
for, encourage, and furnish employment to
discharged convicts, and their efforts have
been Of lncalculable benefit to this unfor-
tunate class. If similar association
should be formed by the benevolent citi-
zens of Ohio, they will reasonably expect
to receive proper assistance from the Gen
eral Assembly, and in that expectation
trust they will not be disappointed
The total number of persons of school
age in the State in 1860, was officially re-
ported at l,03S, ,e75; an increase of II los
over the previous year. The total num-
Der enrolled in the public schools in 1869
was 74O,3 ,3S2, an increase of s, 500 over the
year 1865. The average daily attendance
IN the public schools in 1869 was 434, 1865,
an increase over 1868 of "a ,144.
The total taxes for schools, school build
ings. and all other purposes, the present
fiscal year is Sc, SIS, 1858 an increase
over the taxation of the previous fiscal
year of $6l6,795.6S. Of this increase of
taxation, the sum of $l7S33.86 is in the
State taxation for school purpose, and the
sum of $596, SOL 80 is the Increase of local
school taxation.
The State Commissioner of Common
Schools, in his report, Will recommend the
adoption Of county superintendency, the
substitution of township boards of edu-
cation for the present system of township
and sub-district boards, a codifcation Of
school laws and other important meas
ures, to which your attention is respect
fully called
Prior to the organization of the Board of
State Charities in 1867, there was no pro-
vision for a systematic examination of the
benevolent and correctional institutions
under the control of the State and local
authorities. The members of the Board
serve without pecuniary compensation.
1t is simple justice to them to say that
they have faithfully performed the thank
less task of investigating and reporting the
defects IN the system and in the admin
stration of our charitable and penal laws,
and have furnished in the reports infor-
nation and suggestions Of great value. If
it IS true that an abuse exposed is half
| corrected, it would be difficult to overesti-
! mate their work. They have, their reports
show, discovered abuses and cruelties
| practiced, under color of law, IN the midst
of communities noted for intelligence and
virtue, which would disgrace any age.
| Let the Board be granted increased pow
ers and facilities for the discharge of their
duties, and it Will afford security-perhaps
| the best attainable-to the people of the
| State, that the munifcent provision which
| the laws make for the poor and unfortu-
nate, will not be wasted or misapphed by
the officials who are charged with its dis
| tribution.
During the last year more than nine
| hundred persons, classed as incurable in
sane, have been lodged in the county
infrmaries, and almost one hundred have
been confined IN the county jails. Besides
| these, a large number of the same class oi
unfortunates have been taken care of by
relatives or friends, The State should nc
longer postpone making suitable provision
for these unfortunate people. The treat
| ment they receive in the inirmaries and
| jalls is always of necessity unsuited tc
their condition, and Is often atrocious. Tt
! provide for them, would not recommend
| an increase of the number of asylums fol
the insane. 1t is believed by those best
acquainted with the subject, that botI
economy and the welfare Of the patient.
require that the chronic insane should b,
| provided for by additions to the asylum!
| already built, or to those which are nov
building 1t is probable that in this way
such patients can be supported at less ex
pense to the people of the State, than II
infrmaries and jails. However this MAJ
be, their present condition imperativell
demands, and, 1 trust, will receive tn
serious consideration of the General AS
sembly Although commonly classed a
incurable, it is quite certain that, b,
proper treatment, in suitable institutions
the condition all of them viii be vastf
improved, and, it may well be hoped, tha
many of them can be entirely cured
The expediency of establishing a
asylum for the cure of inebriates has no
been much considered IN Ohio. The en-
couraging results which are reported b
the officers in charge of the State Inebriat
Asylum of New York, induced me to re
commend that the General Assembly pre-
vided for full investigation of the sui
ject.
The Agricultural and Mechanical Col
lege Fund, created by the sale of land
script, issued to Ohio by the Nations
Government, amounted, on the first instar
to $404, ,9ll373. The State accepted tn
grant, out of which this fund has bee
created February 10, 1864, and Is bounC
by the terms ofacceptance as modified b
Congress, to provide mot less than on
college, on or before July 2, 1872, wheI
the leading object shall be, without e,
cluding other scientific and classical studit
and including military tactics, TO teac
such branches of learning as are related I
agriculture and the mechanic arts" Th
manner in which this fund shall be di,
. posed of has been amply considered b
=. preceding General Assemblies, and in tE
messages of my predecessors IN the E.
4 ecutive Office l respectfully urge ths
f. such action be had as VIII render this fun
available for the important purposes fC
/. which it was granted. 1t is not probab
that further delay viii furnish additions
. information on any of the important que
tiOns involved in its disposition. Niue
| time and attention has been given to II
!. subject Of the location of the College. n
/ doubt it will be of great benefit to IL
county IN which IT shall be estabishe
=. but the main object of desire with the peop
l of the State can be substantially accon
4 plished at any one of the places whiC
e have been prominently namedas thesite
G the College. I therefore trust that Il
friends of education will not allow diffe
- ences upon a question Of comparative,
3 small importance to the people at larI
longer to postpone the establishment of Il
e institution in compliance with the oblig
ton of the State.
A large part of the work required
e complete the Soldiers Record" in p1
= suance Of an act passed March II, lS6
: has already been done at an expense
t about $1,000. and the Propriety Of makir
r an appropriation sufficient to enable Il
l. Adjutant General to complete it. is 7
:, spectfully suggested for your consider
4 ton.
If During the war for the Union, Il
: people Of this State acknowledged the
obligation to support the families of the
absent soldiers, and undertook to meet
C not as charity. but as partial compel
q sation justly due for services rendere
- | The nation Is saved and tina oblipatir