Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1878-01-10

their services. the payment of a small fee by |
each person examined as to his qusiihcations
Tor a teacher. Well qualified teachers would
gladly hail the opportunity to procure creden- ]
tials from such body. and municipal officers
would welcome device that would lessen
the risk OF employing incompetent instructors.
The Superintendent also recommends the
holding of Normal Institutes at convenient Z
pisces TO continue not less than four weeks
each. The Teachers Institutes of former years
held sessions Of such brief duration that they
could do little more than inspire their attend
ants with the desire 10 nj themselves more
thoroughly for the profession of teaching.
Normal Institutes. conducted according 10 the
plan suggested. would not only awaken the
desire for Improvement, but supply the means
of gratifying it. Their estimated annual
cost is two thou and dollars. Both the County
Boards Of Examination snd the Normal ln,t-
tutes seem emnenily worthy OF adoption -
instrumeHtslites for remedNlng an eNll that
seriously affects the character of our schools.
The ~ e>ent plan of distributing the moneys
contributed by the state towards the support
of schools. according 10 the number of scholars
in each city, tc~n or psntstios, Is just In prln-
ciple. but ha, no other rccomme ndatlon. The
Superintendent has made calculations to test
the question in all its bearings. and has
reached he conclusion that an apportonment
on the basis OF the aggregate number OF dsYs
attendance would be a. just A. the method now
Ia force, and would be an improvement on the
present system inaslnuch a. II would induce n
fuller attendance. The prospect OF sccom-
p,lshing such result by 30 slight a modiiica-
lion of the law. warrants the change, II only a.
matter OF experiment.
The free high schools were about the same
in number the past as in the preceding wear.
II i not probable that any lncresse OF the APP
proprial ion for them will be necessary. l am
still Of the opinion expressed by me on form
CT occasion. that the state. should exercise some
Supcr,ision over these schools by means OF
a4auainfpl hK the >fafp prIufgntt nj
10 inspect them. The high schools would he
benefited no less than those Of lower grade by
the elimination Of incompetent teachers that
would be effected by the proposed county board
of examination.
The Eastern Normal school aud the West
ern Normal School are both in prosperous
condition and are doing good -erNi ice 10 the
Sis'e. An annual appropriation of fifteen thou
sand dollars from the school fund has been
made for their support. An Inspection oil the
Eastern Normal school building by comPc-
tent architect, at the instance Of the trustees
has led to the making OF repairs on the build
Ing and the strengthening of some portions Of
it. The balance remaining from the last si-
preparation will probably defray the expense
of the work.
THE INSANE HOSPITAL.
The reports OF the trustees and officers Of the
Insane Hospital give highly gratifying exhibit
of the affairs Of that institution. | am conn
dent that the Superintendent l. amply lusuhet
In the declaration he makes that AT no perio'
since the Institution WAS opened Tor the recep
ton Of patients has il been In a more prosper
Gus and satisfactory condition than at the pres
ent time" IL contained four hundred and nv
patients st the commencement OF the year
one hundred and ninety-iour were admit'e'
during the wear. and one hundred ana eightN
three discharged. The daily average numbe
of inmates was a frsction over tour hundre'
and eleven, thirteen in excess OF the ayerag
of the preceding wear seNenty-t~o Of ihos'
discharged are reported a. recovered.
The value Of the hospital property has beef
greatly increase j. and the capacity OF the IN
s,tution tor usefulness judiciously promotes
by the many Improvements made the pa.
Year. The water works have been thorough
completed, the main building has been proNid
ell with approved system of fues for vsuii
alton. and the laundry has been rebuilt and ~
furnished. The eutii, ~ these improve
ments, including the construction of 'i., 80
works in 1876. was So $40 %. all OF which la
been paid from the income OF the hospital
The farm has been improved by LAYING under
drains and making roads, ana The ground
around the main building have been grade ,
The productiyeness OF The farm has been laTgcl
augmented within few years, and the 81
tire estate is IN way 10 reach the hlGht'
possible state of culuyationn and profitable
ness
rho pr Of board has been redueee by III
trustees from 81 10 $50 per week. II l. b
lieyed thst thi, reduced rate will support IA
patients, or trenching IN any degree upon the
customary comforts and privileges. and leave
sufficient balance. with the funds now on han,
may be from time To time required.
| am constrained To invite your attention
the necessity " ich believe exists for snoth,
hospital for the insane. You VIII perceive
the iabulaled history OF the hospital coniains
in the Superintendent report. that the dsi
average number Of patients leaped from OF
hundred and slxiy-seNen IN the year lNi,-o
two hundred and four 1.-THE following wear. az
from that time il has steadily increased fro
year To year. almost without exception. uni
1t reached four hundred and eleven the pa
year. more thsn double the daily ANera.
II 1o ee no. faa a sse Ben Hn so the on
population of the State has remained withol
material change. Although. II, the iru.te.
inform you, no application. for admission ha,
been denied. the capacity Of the hospital hl
been continually strained TO the utmost 10 me,
the demands upon II. notwithstanding the cal
taken TO comply with the restrictions Of q
law IN regard 10 the class OF patients entitled
admission and treatment il i. the opinion ,
good authority that the maximum number
Patients that can be well cared for in an instii.
ton OF this kind, ana under one supervision
l. four hundred and that IL j. desirable in ever
respect that the number should not eNcee
three hundred and ffty. BE that Is it ma,
our hospital has reached the limit of its accom-
odatlons. and IL behoOyes the state 10 auticip,,
the time when the need Of another ins titutio
VIII become too pressing 10 be denied. tn
present number OF patients has been resche
by such gradual approaches r. 10 leave D
room for the argument that II is due 10 tempo
rary and exceptional causes. Even allowiu
that II represents the full probable proportion
requiring treatment for mental disorder. il sti
remains necessary 10 provide isr the proper
ton due 10 the natural increase of the popul
ton of the state. Besides experience ma
prove that the operation Of the law OF ls-i
requiring the discharge of idiotic and incurabl
inmates who may, in the Judgment Of the 81
perintendent, be discharged with safety .
themselves and the pnbiic, has caused the iii.
charge oil some who ought 10 have been re
tanned.
The Superintendent may have been or ma,
be under the necessity OF advising discharge.
about the propriety Of which he has misgIy
ings, IN order 10 make room for more pressn
eases. Furthermore, | venture TO express M
opinion that considerations of economy an,
philanthropy imposes upon the State the dut
oil supporting in part, AT least. and under il
own supervision is the ola-. OF .unfortunai,.
which II now excludes from the hospital.
THE STATE PRISON.
On the thirtieih day Of November. 1876. tn
Slate Prison contained one hundred and sey
enty-one eonsicts. The prediction Of the War
den that the number would be increased to w,
hundred a. the corresponding date Of the fol
lowing year, has been more than verified o,
toe thirtieth day of November last the uumhe,
OF eonyicts was two hundred aud seven. Tn,
event amply justifies the action OF the legisla
ture Of last year In making an appropriation to
The enlargement Of the main building of III.
prison. The extension was Indispensable nee
essary TO relieve the oyercrowded condition 1,
the prison and ensure the safe-keeping OF Grim
lnals. IL has been built in q thorough mauns
aud is now completed with the exception tina
about one-half the cells have not been provided
with doors. Ii contains sixty-iwo cells thirtl
OF which are ALREADY occupied. The State Pri.
on now affords ample accommodations for tive
hundred and tiny convcts and in plan and ap
Polntments leaves nothing TO be desired. II i,
10 be hoped, on all accounts, that its capscit,
Will suffice for many years. AT the close OF tn.
present year II has been estimated that the r,
will be two hundred and tweuty-one criminal
within its walls. This estimate is based upor
the presumption that the number Of commit
menls the current year will be thu same as LAS
year. and that sixtyprisoners will be discharged
during the yesr. Thirty-eight prisoners wer,
discharged last year; forty-ihree the year be
fore. ii there be no increase Of the estimated
number Of commitments the number of pris
oners will begin TO diminish after this year
The statistics Of the prison and jss show 3 ies
SEEMING tendency 10 crimes Of the worst kinds
or the sixty-four persons received by the prison