Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1891-02-12
PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS,
The Educational and Eleemosynary
Charges Of the State.
An Interesting Report by Special Com
mittee - Radical Changes and Re-
forms Recommended Use
less Institution.

The special committee appointed by
Governor Francis to visit the various
educational and eleemosynary institu-
lions of the State have submitted re-
port to the House and Senate. The
committee is composed of Senator John
G. Piersoll and Representatives w. E.
Parkinson and G.. NJ. Lane. The COM
mittee qualified December 3. Under the
head of management of the institutions.
the report says:
The evils heretofore complained of in the
matter OF purchasing supplies, expending
large sums of money without letting the con-
tracts therefor by advert isement to the low
est bidder. and of diyerting appropriations
in whole or in part to other uses than those
for which the specific sums have been ap-
prOpriated, have mostly disappeared, the ex-
ceptions being the special eases to which we
call attention in those parts of this report
dealing with tue separate institutions. Your
committee has been surprised at the great
diversity of methods employed in keeping
the books and accounts of the various
institutions, some of them being poorly
kept that neither your committee nor the
parties in charge of the books themselves
could tell the exact financial condition of the
institution without 4 great deal of delay and
examinations. if even then. We note quite
difference in the salaries paid book keep
ers well difference in the salaries of
OfncerS ana teachers IN the various inStitu-
tiOnS. and also more less difference in the
mana cement and control of the different in
situations of the same kind, and for these and
other reasons, not necessary to give here,
we feel constrained to agree with the recon-
mendatioms of the committee preceding rs,
Ut least far enough to ask this Legislature if
it would not be manifestly better and cheap
er in the end to have one State Board of
Managers for all institutions of the same
kind ut least, whose duty it should be to sys
farsR ..S-
tutions under their charge, take the place of
the numerous separate boards now in
istence, and have at all times a watchful care
and control of them.
THE ASYLUMS.
The great majority of the inmates OF the
asylums are heavy burden upon the tax
payers of the state, with no hope of relief or
profit in a pccuniary sense, and yet a burden
which is borne freely by all humane people.
We find the following facts to be freely con-
coded by both those who have had expert
ence and caring for those unfortunatcs and
Others who have given the subject close
attention: ID The per cent. of those CON
fined in these asylums who can be cured is
comparatively small; ~ 1t is injurious to
those who can be cured to be placed among
so many incurables; 81 the greatest bcne-
fits and comforts to the hOpeIesSIy in
sane to give them plenty of fresh
air, diyerting scenes and amusements
and exercise to- occupy their time even to the
extent ia many cases of hard physical labor
The superintendent of the ASYLUM at St
Louis, DR. Atwood, tells US that many of his
patients frequently beg him most piteously
TO give them wcrk-sOmething to do That
this he can not do for want of grounds and
suitable work foT them. On the farms of the
State asylums many of the patients work
cheerfUlly and well These things. taken in
connection with the further facts that all of
the state asylums, except the one at Nevada,
are now practically full, and that one soon
will be at the present rate, and that it is Ger
tainly great mistake to erect these immense
and costly three and four story buildings as
homes for the incurdble insane, lead to
make the following suggestions, to wit That
steps he taken at an early date to secure for
the state a tract of good farming land. cen
trally, or at least conveniently. located of at
least 1000 acres, and that there be erected
thereon, from time to time. - the necessities
demand, cheap one or, ut most, twO-stOry
houses in the form of barracks, and the in
durable insane sent there. There, under the
care of kind and competent Superfntend-
Cnt, they would be better and more humane
ly cared for at Il less cost to the State. In
fact, it IL believed that many of them would
almost support themselves by their labor
This would leave the present asylums free
to discharge their highest duties as hos
pitaiS to those for whom there is hope Of
curing. There are now separate hos
pitfalls at any of the asyIums, and should CON
tagious disease in malignant 70 rm break out
in one OF these institutions the result would
probably be appalling. Even in the absence
OF such an outbreak the death rate is in some
instances very high.
ST. LOUIS LUNATIC ASYLUM.
The Lunatic Asylum at St Louis is not
state institution, but az the Legislature ap-
propriateS $4,000 every two years for it's
support, deemed it our duty to visit it,
We found in connection with ITS manage
men the following facts which we deem of
sufficient interest to report None of the
money appropriated to its support goes into
the hands control of the superintendent
any of the officers of this asylum, but
is all paid into the city treasury and be
comes part of the general fund of the
city. Then the city authorities aDDro-
pirate much they think best to
the support of this asylum. The total
amount so appropriated for it's support for
the last two years was, in round numbers,
$1,000 per year, so that practically the State
pays about one-half the cost of maintaining
this asylum; but this does not include the
insane kept at the expense of the city at
what is known as the poor house. These,we
understand. are nearly equal in number to
those at the asylum proper. The per capita
cost of maintenance is much less at this
asylum than at either of the State asylums,
being but about thirty one cents per day.
The number of the inmates is $50, and the
wards are badly overcrowded. At all of
these aSyiumS we found the wards kept clean
and neat, the food abundant and wholesome,
and the inmates kent as clean and comfort
able. apparently, as the circumstances would
admit and very little evidence, far as we
could see, of cruel or harsh treatment by at
PENDANTS.
STATE UNIVERSITY.
Durin Z their visit to the State University.
your committee became thoroughly con
WINGED that there were greater number of
professors in the faculty than are necessary
or desirable, causing unnecessary in
crease in the cost of maintenance and that
hay fol NsSsr f1arp..
of opinion that the board of curators should
arrange a reduction of the force employed
and a reassgnment of duties to the end that
each member of the faculty should bear
more nearly equal burden. The COM
mttee desire to compliment Dean F.
ID. Porter of the Agricultural Col
ment since he assumed charge, and
Superintendent \. c. Nandivcr and Henry
j. Waters on the improved condition in
which it found the Agricultural College
farm. Despite all the advantages offered,
however, this department is not now and
never has been what was contemplated or is
now desired by either the legislators or the
agricultural class. The Agricultural College,
as a department of the University, is so over
Swallowed by the other departments that the
attendance has always been nominal and the
benefits derived very meager. Aside from
the work accomplished at the Government
Experimental station. we do not believe
the ends sought by the creation of the Agri-
cultural College can ever be accomplished
so long as it remains a department
of the University under the present plan,
and recommend that it be separated
thercfrom and made an independent inStItu-
ton and that suitable college buildings and
q club house should be erected on the farm,
and the college there conducted in connec-