The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1877-01-10

respect 10 the management OF the benevolent
institutions. agree with him that they
tered. The expenses should be reduced az
least Ia proportion 10 the reduced cost of the
supplies and 10 correspond somewhat To the
habits OF close economy which the people have
been compelled 10 adopt In their private eX-
penditures; These Institutions should be
maintained In the spirit OF the constitutional
requirement and with no abatement OF care
and expenditure that would impair their use
fulness or lessen the substantial comforts OF
the unfortunate classes for whom they are
provided. The hospital for the insane and the
schools for the blind and the deaf mutes are
the three great benevolent Institutions OF the
state. The proper managemen OF the insane
requires the constant care Of "a large number Of
faithfu; attendants and the supervision Of
physicians OF good professional attachments.
The inmates To be cared for ~ diseased
persons under treatment for their recovery,
and the food must not only be nutritious but
suited TO each particular case. A hospital FOR
the cure of the insane Is necessarily an eXpen-
slve institution, and am not prepared 10 say
that DIR. Evert's estimate of Si.oO per week for
each patient i too high. But Il VIII be the
duty Of your appropriate committees 10 make
a thorough examination and ascertain
any superfiuous expenditure struck OF. This
Is now the more important because OF the fact
that before the next legislai ure VIII meet the
new hospital building viii have been COM
pleted, and, probably, six or eight hundred
added 10 the number OF patients, and increas-
ing the annual expenditures Sl5OOtO.
The institutions for the blind and for deaf
mutes are schools for their education and for
teaching them some useful trade or business
that may make them independent
ture life. The education Of the blind
and the deafis difficult, because they are each
lacking in an important sense. They require
greater care, because they are less able 10 take
care of themselves than any other children,
nary schools. take these facts into cOnsideTa-
ton, and yet the expenditures appear extrav-
agant.
The children are at the institute but forty
weeks each year. During the twelve weeks of
vacation in the summer they are at home. The
state Is at no charge for clothing or transport
alton. For these expenses, provision Is made
by the parents or the counties. BY reference TO
the report of the superintendent of the instt-
tute for the blind you VIII see that ths cost OF
the forty weeks of attendance is about $3.50
per week-about So per person more than the
expenses of the insane, and three times
greater than the care, education and clothing
of the soldiers children at the soldiers
orphans home. IL is proper 10 suggest that
the number of pupils is much less than that of
those provided for In other Institutes, being
but an average OF one hundred and three, and
that the expense, per CAPITA must necessarl-
superintendent OF the institution for the edu-
cation of deaf mutes, estimates that your ap-
preparation should be s2l5 for each pupil, that
Is at the rate of S5.37 per week for the forty
weeks of attendance. That is largely above
the estimate for the insane hospital, and more
than two and a half times greater than the
per capita expenses at the soldiers orphans
home.
The boards Of trustees in charge Of the
benevolent institutOnsdO not give that pro-
lection TO the state which was intended. They
vouchers and accounts, and look through the
wards and rooms, but generally receive their
There is not that thorough investigation and
rigid control which should prevail.
had thought Of recommending that the In
stitutions in the immediate neighborhood OF
this city should be placed n charge of the state
officers, but il has been suggested that such a
control might introduce party politics into
their management, which / would regard as
an intolerable vice. BY some change more
direct control and res ponsibtlity for the eco
nOmical and proper management OF these in
situations should be placed upon the governor
and state officers. They are state institutions
supported directly from the state treasury and
should be under state control. Perhaps II viii
be sufficient TO place shem under one board, TO
be appointed by the governor with the APP
prevail of the senate, forbidding any partisan
organization OF the board.
1t has been and Is the practice for the super
intendents and assistants to maintain their
families IN the institutions. suppose ii may
be necessary in the hospital for the insane but
not i'm the other institutions. The expenses of
private establishments should not be mingled
with the public expenditures. Like other pub
lie officers, the superintendents and assistants
should provide their homes and expenses en-
public expenditures. That would result
in the expenditures, and would also allow a
large increase of the number of children to be
for family purposes into rooms for the in
mates. II can not be necessary that IL shall
cost 81, 100 more to take care OF and educate
two hundred and ninety-nine children in the
institution for the deaf and dumb for forty
weeks, without any charge for clothing, than
to clothe, educate and take care OF two hum
orphans home for fifty-two weeks. 1t is due
the commissioners and trustees TO say that
their expenditures have not been in excess of
the appropriations
THE STATE PRISON NORTH.
On the 18th day of December, 1875, there were
five hundred and eleven convicts in the north
ern prison, and on the 18th day of Deoenber,
1876 there were six hundred and three, being
an increase during the year OF ninety-two.
1876. the revenues of the prison amounted to
Sl45,7l2.J9, no part of which was from the state
Treasury. During the same period the expen-
amounted to Sl30,O59I6. The revenues of the
prison have exceeded the ordinary expenses in
the sum of sl5.65S. 43. Some expenditures have
been made out of that sum In payment of
former Indebtedness, and in making some
necessary permanent improvements. For
statement of the expenditures out OF the APP
preparation made by the last Legislature, for
the construction of workshop
and an additional dollhouse, 1 refer you
The work has been well done and at
economical rates 1 call your attention to the
recommendations made by the directors for
the early completion of the dollhouse, and the
construction of another workshop. The ap-
preparation necessary for the completion of
the dollhouse should be made at once, so that
the house may be ready for use early in the
spring. The directors estimate that by the
close of the spring terms of the courts the
number of cOnvicts TO be provided for will
reach seven hundred. With but three hun
bred and eighty five cells, 1T is impossible suit
ably TO provide for that number. repeat
what l said TO the last legislature that "it is
hurtful to health and discipline to cOnfne
more than one prisoner in single cell.- re-
peat, also, that "there are constantly insane
convicts in both prisons. They should not be
kept with the other prisoners. | concur in the
of the wardens and direc-
tors that provisions should be made for their
separate confinement"
The contractors for the prison labor have
been paying prices varying from so to 10
cents per day for each man. In November last
they gave the directors written notice that
they could not continue their employment at
those nrices- and thai they Wonld abandon