Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-10-15

one dollar and fifty cents per week. But the
people Of the town know much better than
! the trustees can whether q boy really needs
the restraint and discipline Of the school, or
whether he is sent to get rid of him, and shift
the expense on the State. II providing him
with good home or other means is all that
! is required, he will not be sent TO the school
if the town pays the expense, and still all will
| be sent who ought to be, as the people of the
town are the sufferers If this is not done. The
present law requiring towns to pay fifty cents
per week has considerably reduced commit
ments, but not few improper ones are still
made, and more legislation in this same
direction will largely diminish the numbers
with no harm to the State
HOUSE OF CORRECTION.
Little need be added to the report of the
directors in regard to this institution, first
recommended by Governor Peck and again
by Governor Fairbanks, as the best remedy
for the evils of tho Jail system 1t has an
swerod the requirement. The jals in the
larger towns had become schools Of vice and
crime, enormously expensive to the State,
and serving little purpose for punishment
none for the prevention Of crime. The OK
penses in 1877 exceeded 100000, in 1880
they were less than 80, 900, and the balance
of 81, 900 saved, may be fairly put to the
credit of the house of correction, together
with the better execution of the law, as shown
by the amount of fines and costs paid for
the last year, $4,000 in excess of former
years. The jails, in fact, exerted no restrain
ing influence. Many of the habitual violators
Of the law looked forward to a winter in Jail
as a sure provision for that inclemcnt season.
1t was no object to pay fine the State had
practically assumed to support them in idle
ness for life unless the governor interfered by
pardon The evil was increasing with great
rapidity, as is proved by the increasing num-
Der OF pardons granted to this class. This
was the only course for the executive, and it
was quite as well to do it quickly, for it was
no punishment 10 keep them there. My
predecessor released 1875, remitting fines
amounting to $4,000.
The saving of Jail expenses, and the better
collection of fines will soon pay the whole
cost of buildings and support. The build
ings are well located and conveniently ar
ranged, and the grounds are in good order.
Mr.. Simons has been the local director from
the first, and has had the laboring oar in
planning and erecting the buildings, in the
details Of equipment and organization, and,
with O new institution on q new plan with in
experienced men in all departments, it has
been no slight task. He is entitled to great
credit for his perseverance and success. The
provisions which now apply only to the pris-
on, of Communication of sentence for good be-
havior, and authorizing the superintendent
to pay needy discharged prisoners enough to
take them home, should be extended in some
form to the house of correction.
MANAGEMENT OF STATE PRISON, HOUSE OF COR
REcTIoS AND REFORM SCHOOL.
The law of the last session placed the State
prison and the house of correction under one
board, so arranged that at least one member
should hold over. The working of that law
has been very satisfactory to me, and think
il very important that the reform school
should be placed under the same board. AL
though the institutions differ somewhat in
character, yet this difference does not apply
to the duties of the directors or trustees.
They have little to do with the inmates. In
either case it is their business to settle the ac-
counts, see to the purchase Of supplies, make
contracts for labor, cxpend the appropria-
tions for new buildings, and in general, su-
pervise the business interests of the insttu-
tion.
Now, ole board having charge of the three
institutions will be able TO apply what good
they find in one to the others, and will ac-
quire during their terms in the management
of the three much better knowledge of their
duties they will have a better plan and sys-
TEN of administration. There has been a la
mentable lack of this heretofore. There were,
: for example, three different methods of draw
|
ent one for each Of these three institutions,
different methods of appointing superintend.
ents, about paying over moneys to the State
treasurer, about bylaws, about the appoint
ment of assistants, and other differences Ell.
2 trely without reason. One board of manag
ers will look at the wants of the whole State
If buildings are needed or asked for at all OF
them, they can judge where they are needed
) the most and their report will be some guide
= and help in legislation Heretofore each
, board has represented the wants of its insti
tuition, and it was quite as likely to be ques
t ton of who worked the hardest, whose i'm.
7 portunity was greatest as of whose needs
( were the greatest.
monthly VISITS OF three trustees 70 any OF
bo,tor TIon is 20 bave ono of ,be board nri
4 marilv responsible for each institution visit
= inc Il once a month or MS often ms need be
= He feeIs ther n nersonal resnonsibiIitv and
D will look ofter the details opite as well as q
' hoard of three The whole hoard can meet
. ot stotod tirnes ,erbans once a ouor,er IN,
= savino in cxnense is considernble as the mer,
= nav of n hoard will cost from $500 10 81 OO,
pey vear md n hoard having CHARGE of ali m,
. institutions of This kind in the state and M,
e | rasnorsiLil;,, NJ tba whole evnansa heinz, mn
Y on them is more likely 10 consider noints o
+ economy than a hoard having cbar9e of I'M
4 | 49, ar5 ,rLo ,v;lI vor, I;Loi2 ,vonf 20 ,rorl
t their term NJ service bv some new buiIdinr
Q nv otber imnrovement In other states i
= 6as heen found N bring an imnroved admin
/ istra,ion and n diminisb exnenses to abolisl
Q ali these senarate boards of charities and cor
Q rection and combine tbeir duties in ON,
4 hoard One hoard of tbis kind would b,
: iSoIv IN have Iongsr tenure of Office m h,
/ chosen more carefnily with reference IN m,
imnortance of their positions and 10 acouir
o a hetter [nowIedgo Of their duties THAT m,
f novernor and lisrtenant- Governor should IN
s ev .oficio members of this hoard is wise
f Tbev viii have an interest in tbe spccess n
c tbaiS odn,;nistration and a more direct re
Q sTonsib;Iitv 10 the neonIe
b