The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1877-01-16

Der JOth, 1879, being All that can b(
cared for. The current expefses foi
| the year were e27 7,6l25l, an average ol
1926. 60 for each child. When IL il 70.
membered that this institution is not Z
permanent home, but only q door way
10 home for the houseless, homeless,
poorhouse children Of the State, and
that while under its care they must be
clothed, fed, and educated, il will be
seen that the expenditure per capita il
very slight. From its first opening
up 10 the present time, 10 has been
economically conducted. The board
estimate the current expenses at S33,.
600 per annum, and they ask for thir
and other purposes the sum OF 800, ,00C
for the ensuing two years. OF this
sum 5000 is for deficit account, ON
the erection OF the new cottages and
the construction Of new sewer. The
necessity of these expenditures was
submitted TO me, and they seemed OF
such absolute importance TO the health
OF the school, that 1 cordially approved
OF them, though creating an indebted
ness.
In the estimates Of the board 81, 900
is asked for the purpose of paying the
expenses OF an agent in finding homes
for the children. As similar appro-
priation In asked for elsewhere, i rec
ommend that this item be stricken out
and that the balance asked for, viz. 4,
SS9, 900, be granted. II must be borne
in mind that these children, for whom
this appropriation is asked, il not un-
der the sheltering care OF this institu-
ton, would be in the poorhouses OF the
State, so that the money expended
from the State treasury is so much saw
ed TO the counties. The State Public
School is in no sense q penal institu-
tion, or n hospital. Ii is only design
ed for neglected and dependent chill
dren of sound mind and body and free
from criminal taint--yet some others
will unavoidably find their way into it.
Though fully deserving its care and
benefit, they should not be kept in the
school, owing to their influence upon
the rest. The board should be given
power, under careful restrictions, to
return to the counties idiotic and per-
manently diseased children. There
are a very few such children now in
the school, who can acquire no good
for themselves by remaining, and
whose presence is injurious to their
more fortunate comrades. commend
this institution TO your consideration
as one OF the means that will by and
by save you the expense Of another
prison; as an institution that will, in
time, make other institutions unneces-
sary-provided that the underlying
idea OF its founders, viz: that il is on
ly temporary home, be always kept
in mind.
THE REFORM SCHOOL.
desire to call your especial atten-
ton TO the reports OF this institution
for 1875 and 1876. "After many days, "
il is now q Reform School, the bars
and iron doors have disappeared, the
high fence that walled it in is kindling-
wood. And the results are, no corpo-
raj punishment, no escapes since its
opening, less destruction of State prop
erty, a general tone of comfort and
cheerfulness in all its surroundings,
and brighter, better look, in the faces
Of the boys. The general ontft OF
the school is greatly improved. The
table furnishing, the clothing, etc. are
better than heretofore, and all tend to-
wards lifting this institution out OF
prison mire, and on to the higher
plane Of a school. The expenses for
the two years ending September 3Oth,
1876, have been s6l, 773. 46, besides the
Mount received for the labor of the
boys and other sources. OF this
amount, Sl7, ,6SS. 46 has been expended
under special appropriations, made in
1873 and 1876, and s44, ,0si for current
expenses.
All the buildings are now lighted
with gas, a new boiler and oven has
been put in; a new fence, wood-shed,
and a play-shed erected, the main
building thoroughly repaired and
painted inside aud ont. and rooted with
iron piping through the grounds and
building, with six fire hydrants; large
number OF fruit trees and vines have
been planted, and many other perma-
nent improvements made. There Is
room for 100 more inmates than il now
contains, and i can see no necessity
for further expenditures in buildings
or permanent improvements for many
wears TO come. The board ask appro-
priations Of S25, 900 per annum for the
years 1877 aud 1873 for current expens.
es, 50, 500 for each year for repairs and
improvements, and $500 each year for
| the library. am of the opinion that,
with the increasing productive capacity
Of the farm, and in view OF the fact
that the buildings and grounds are
now in complete repair, the amount
asked for repairs is not needed, and
that S26, 900 per annum is amply sufti'
cient for current expenses. including
repairs and improvements OF every ma
ture. The amount asked for the libra
ry is none too large.
The average number in school for
1865 was 241, for 1877, go; average age
Of boys when received, thirteen and
one-half years.
The receipts from the labor OF the
boys have decreased very largely, and
the outlook for remuneratiye employ
ment in the future is discouraging
The only mechanical labor now being
done IL chair bottoming, aud this n
very low prices. 1t is Of no advantage
to the boys when they go out, as it is 4
business not carried on outside of pen
al institutions, and would not support
them il it were. The board, superin
tendent, and myself have given earnes
thought and much time to the subjec,
of employment that would teach the
boys some useful trade, and at tn,
same time add TO our revenues, bu
without success. In the present de
pressed condition of our maDufactur
ing industries, there seems to be moth
ing better than the work the boys ar,
now doing. The farm work is success
full in pecuniary point Of view an,
highly beneficial in every other way
aud with the additions that have beer
made to the fruit trees and vines, th'
board hope soon TO realize an Increases
revenue from this source.
The Board of Control again ask tha
the law, authorizing commitments h
the school, may be amended so tina
boys Of eight years, instead Of ten ma
be received from parents without com
mitment. have given my views upol
this subject elsewhere. They also asl
that the limit of detention may b
changed from twenty -one years to eigh
teen, and I earnestly hope this may b
done. II school does not it boy ;
60 then, he is not ft to stay and ds
moralize two or three hundred young
or boys. II at eighteen a boy afte
years Of instruction and care. Of rs
straint and-discipline, still has bis fac
turned the wrong way. 10 would sect
asif the State charity must cease an
let justice take it's place. The histor
OF the Reform School shows that tber
are few such boys. and IL shows ful
lther that they have been Of great dan
age 10 their comrades ~ more tends