Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-02-10


CANT prices belligerents will contrive to get aid
from neutrals. The Germans have captured
nearly all the arms owned by the French gov
ernment when the war broke out, and most of
those bought since. They have no lack of arms.
If they were needy, in this respect, Americans
would be found to supply their lack, even with
out the encouragement of a special treaty with
France allowing it.
THE Report OF THE BOARD OF STATE
CHARITIES makes bulky volume OF four hun
dred and twenty pages. 1t comprises, besides
the general report of the board, that of the
special agent for the sick state poor, of the sec
rotary of the board of charities, of the general
agent of the board and of the state visiting
agent. The subjects of state charity comprise
several very diverse classes of persons requiring
various methods of supervision, and various
agencies for relieving the necessities, Sc
curing the rights, and improving the mental,
moral and physical condition of each. The sub
jects of charity are classified as paupers, poor
children, persons convicted of crimes, Indians
and vagabonds. The public institutions of
which the board has supervision are the institu-
tons for the insane the state reformatories, in
ending the schools at Westborough and Lam
caster and the school ship and the paupcr estab.
lishments, the almshouses at Munson and
Tewksbury and the workhouse at Brdgewater.
There are also quite number of institutions
which receive more or less aid from the state
over which the board has supervision.
1t is evident from every page OF this report,
that the board does not regard its responsible
ties as matter of form only, or duty which
is fully discharged by inspecting accounts,
buildings, and inmates listening to complaints
if any are offered, and concluding in the absence
of complaint that everything is as it should be.
Its members are manifestly watchful and solicit
GUS for the interest of the state and the welfare
of its wards. They have a definite and we'll
considered policy which they pursue with re-
markable faithfulness and intelligence. We do
not know Of any other unpaid commission which
performs its duties with so mach fidelity aud
thoroughness. 1t is impossible within our limits
to even refer TO all the variety of topics with
which these reports deal. They abound, this
year as usual, with information of great interest
and with important suggestions and wise rec
concentrations. They contain valuable essays
on the topics to which they relate, but it is i'm
possible in brief summary to convey any ade-
quate idea of their contents or value.
The general policy of the board has always
been that of decentralization, that is, of throw
ing off from the state the charge of any respon-
sibility for as many classes of persons and as
many establishments as could be more proper
Inv II;
viduals, but it has also endeavored to establish
a system by which the work of the state could
be done more effcaciously and economically
than it has before been done. The board has
endeavored to discontinue all such state institu-
tons as could be discontinued consistently with
tue public good, to discourage the creation of
new institutions to be supported by the state,
to restrict the operation Of the remaining ones
within narrow limits, and to introduce
gradually system by which all the iu-
situations belonging to or aided by the
state should be, so far as possible,
animated by one spirit, administered by one
general policy, and co-ordinated to one common
end. In carrying out this policy it has been the
aim Of the board, after reducing the number of
persons for whom the state must provide to the
minimum, to collect them together and seques-
trate them from society only when it was necessa-
ry todo so ito surround the unsound by the sound,
the vicious by the virtuous, the idle by the in
dustrous, and to keep the first in as small
minority as possible; TO discourage the forma-
ton of classes, and keep down the tendency for
class characteristics; and to avail itself of exist.
ing benevolent societies and organizations, and
especially Of the family as an example after
which TO fashion public institutions, and as an
active lagency for training and reforming the
young.
Considerable space in the report is given to
the reformatory institutions for the young. II
recommends that more encouragement be given
TO families to receive these wards of the state
by offering a small weekly stipend for thell
board, and an additional sum when the child
shall have arrived at years of discretion, if hi
proves 10 have been well treated and appear
likely to be respectable member of society
This ;heme would not abolish the reformato
ries, but change them TO places of confinement
for the ineorrigible. The board does not think
that the school ship is or can be a success as q
reformatory,sand that the idea that it would bC
useful IN forming class of sailors
Tor the merchant marine has little
real force, and practically schoo ships
can have very small influence in that way
A policy is recommended which would probabl,
cut off recruits frem the nautical branch of III,
reform school, and lead 10 the sale of the re
naming school ship. The proceeds of its sal
might form fund for the support of burea
for apprentcing and supervising boys whom
should he thought best TO send 10 sea. TIL
board are not very well content with the cours
of the trustees of the industrial school at La,
caster. This coarse has been" one, they sa,
"ofopposition, obstruction and delay" they ha,
distracted, and to some extent defeated. Il
operation of Laws from which both boart
derive their powers. Not doubling the intentic
Of the teachers of the industrial school TO a
minister is Affairs according to their best jud
ment, the state board regrets "that their jud
ment does not agree better with the laws of Il
state the best welfare of the people under the
charge and that Of the people whose servan
they are" The went Of harmony betwe
these two Important boards, which has contiuu
since the establishment of the board Of charlie
will probably receive the attention Of the legisl
tpre, and find remedy atthelr hands.