The New York herald., 1872-10-05
TEE JERSEY SOLDIERS, crrLDaES's BONE

Report or tho Investigating Committee
Appointed by Governor Parker-Every-
thing Lovely In the Management OF the
Institution.
The alleged brutal treatment OF a Child In the
Soldiers Children's Home Of New Jersey, few
weeks ago. was followed by an investigation at the
instance of Governor Parker. The details OF
the case were fully given IN the HERALD
at the time. The committee held q secret session
and they have at last submitted their report to the
Governor. They set forth that the institution is
well managed, that there are no grounds for the
charges OF crneity alleged against the keepers,
but that the particular case in point was
exceptional. The punishment Of the child
by Probasco was unjust and excessive, they admit,
but not SO severe as represented. The man who
indicted it is no longer in the employment Of the
institution. The other OF cruelty investigated
were visited by the managers with dismissal OF
those who perpetrated them. The discipline is ex-
cellent and the accommodations are comlOr table.
The institution Is conducted by a matron, at
salary OF S40o an assistant, who Is also teacher,
at salary Of $500; housekeeper, at s2os; a
principal and four teachers at salaries respectively
$780, $3.50 $685. S225 and s22o per year, and boys
three laundresses, two chambermaids and
two dining room servants The whole
force n numbers 10 persons at an annul expenditure
$4,000 per year. The cost OF the whole institution
is $3.50 per child, with the $4,000 salaries, and
cannot possibly be conducted at these figures with
out good management and strict economy.
The report, which Is very lengthy, Is summed up
as ollOws:-
Ftyst-That the children are spirited, healthy,
happy, comfortably clothed and supplied with an
abundance OF food They are well Instructed, both
mentally ana morally, and superior to most in their
freedom from vice and wickedness OF every kind.
The discipline has been uniformly mild and pa
rental, ana corporal punishment Is rare and not
excessive, unless in very few instances.
Sec0nd-As TO the management. The buildings
are commodious and kept scrupuousy neat and
clean. The division OF the labor and oversight
effective attention to every department OF the Home
In Its mnutest details. The chief defect in the inte
fior management Is the absence Of definite
ana supreme head The conviction Of the COM
mttee Is that this defect should be remeaed by the
employment OF a matron, in whose temper, eXpe-
flence ana qualifications fun confidence may re-
posed, ana tat she should have full authority over
| The whole household. The BOARD should have the
appointment, but the matron should be mistress Of
! the lnstitutiOn--tlc head OF the family.
inc want OF q good play-l0om, especially in cold
| ana stormy weather, the imperfect ventilation and
the wretched condition OF the Outhouses are next
| alluded to. The whole amount invested by the
the site, has been $4,000 Adding the bedding and
furniture and other materials, 1t will reach S7500o
Ihey, therefore, recommend, i'll addition to the
insurance, the employment Of u night watch
man. The report gives the population OF the
Home Tor the past few years :-lS66 40; close OF
1857, 1895 close OF 1865, l62; 1862 1913: 1870, 222;
1871, 20o, the present number being 1G5. Fifteen
years OF age being the point of residence at the
Home, the inquiry, says the committee, arises,
| what viii be the number Of inmates In 1876 Z?
The committee were Charles ID. Deslcr, Charles
| Il. Elmer and General Gershom Mott.