River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1889-01-17
STATE INSTITUTIONS
Third biennial Report Of the Board of
Superyi-i IN.


Supervi-i ln.
The State Board Of Supervision has its
third biennial report for tie fiscal period
from October ], 1856. up to and including
September 80, ISIS The board has under
is care the School for the Deaf, School for
the Blind, School for Dependent Children.
two Hospitals for the Insane. the Indus
trial School FOR Boys and State Prison
seven institutions. These institutions cost
the state s3iS,62l So in 1887 and S406, $50 IS
IN 1888 Their average aggregate popula-
ton IN 1851 was 2, 2S5; il 1855 2,3I9
The average yearly cost per capita was
tito % in lSs1 and Sl75.36 in ISIS. The
average weekly cost per capita was g 10
in 1851 and s. 81 in 1SsS The board says
that the six institut ons in equipment
discipline, moral tone and efficiency are
among the best in the country, and the
people Of the State may reasonably regard
them and their work with pride and satis-
faction.
The average population of the State
Hospital for the ms me decreased from
523 IN 1855 to 40 in ISIS, due TO the estab-
lishment OF the county chronic insane
asylums.
The average attendance at the Northern
Hospital was $50 during the fiscal year Of
1857 and G34 the following year In this
kinds have been abandoned with CRAFTY.
ing results.
The past two years attendance at the
School for the Deaf averaged respectively
lg7 and 206 being the largest in its history.
The total commitments to the Industrial
School during the past two years were
262 and releases Ia; average attendance
for the fiscal year Of 1857, S35; for 1855,
$50 The per capita cost in 1857 was
1886 Is: in 1SSa. SI36 IS. The number Of
escapes from the institution was nine, five
less than in the preceding two years.
The number OF pupils in the State
School for the Ri nd the past year was the
largest in its history, the enrolment be-
ing l0l and the average attendance So
The State Public School for Dependent
Children was opened for pupils Novem-
Der 10, 1856 In the first apr prlation
for the schoo! the State gave $50 600 for
the purchase Of a site and the erection OF
a building. In the last Legislature an act
was passed appropriating S65 600 for the
erection and furnishing of a central build
ing and two cottages-also a barn and
such other Outbuildings as the board
should deem proper. Under this act the
buildings-not including the barn, which
cost s1.572-were erected at a cost Of
S44, g7s 80; the steam heating the main
building cost 50 036 and the furnaces for
the cottages 81. 200 The furnishing of
these buildings was done at cost OF
s., 047. So The buildings accommodate $50
pupils The children admitted from the
time the school opened to October l. 1SSS, is
301 Of these eighty-three have been ind n
turei to families, nineteen are in families on
trial, and f. ur have been returned to coun-
ties as inn roper subjects for the school
sent to the Industrial School The per capi-
tai cost of maintaining children was s. a
per eek in 1857 and IS. 81 in 1855
The board in repoT ting on the State
Prison d scusses the contract labor prob
lem at some length and concludes that it
is not possible to employ convicts at any
productive work which ! not in conn ETH
ton wi h some one outside the prison
walls and it holds that the interest of the
State in keeping its cOnvicts on productive
work is not different from that of individ-
uals who compose the State. If il
be for the interests Of the peo-
pie that persons who prey upon them,
contrary to their laws, that is, live of
their substance, should be shut up in
prison for that reason, does il not logic
ally follow that they should during the
period of their restraint, be compel ed if
arrest and condemnation Of a man. at large
expense for fOrcibly or stealthily living
off society imme iiately change his reia-
tions thereto, and entitle him to support
at society's expense so long as he is in
prisonl And must the State be charged
with being in small business if it adopts
measures to remove the burden from so
ciety's shoulders TO his owns To ask
these questions is TO suggest their only an
swer
The average population of the prison for
the biennial period just closed was 446
for the previous enc. 449. The board rec
ommends the enactment of law provid-
ing for indetermipate sentences. The net
expense of maintaining the prison in 1887
was 1908; for 1855 1t was SO l67. The
contract with Wells q Co., Of Chicago, in
the fiscal year 1857 yielded the sum Of $50 -
25S Is and in 1885, S4S 9O6.9 o., or S9g. I65 II
for the biennial period During the same
period the net expenses of the prison ag-
gregated S120 099 40
The report is signed by Charles Luling,
James Bintliff, Charles D. Parker, Nicholas
Smith and Lewis A. Proctor, members Of
the board.