The daily morning journal and courier., 1894-07-06
STATE BOARD OF CHARITIES.


 CT Matters of Importance Discussed.
 At the annual meeting of the state board of charities held at the capitol this week, several matters of special interest were discussed, prominent among them being the Warden Wood bridge execution device. Since the last meeting of the board, Miss Hall and Miss Whittlesey investigated the scheme of the warden, and declared themselves no more in favor of 1t than President Tracy did. The result was that a motion was passed to the effect that the warden, as state executioner, be notified that the board of charities do not consider the proposed mode of execution as conforming to the laws of the last legislature. It will be noticed that the warden is referred to as the state executioner. As warden he is an- swerable to the state prison directors, but the board has a certain claim on nm as StaLe eXeCuLlOHeT.
 Another matter attended to was that of the establishment of central office where children arriving at their major- ity, can learn something of their ante cedents. In the past the state has kept no regular record of any child. and on being placed in temporary homes and elsewhere, that ended it as far as any knowledge of the child's percentage was concerned. This was on the groun ] that in many cases it would initiate against young persons future and character should he or she learn of his or her origin. This, the board claims, is not just to the child and thinks bu- reau or central office ought to be estab- lished where the records of each chsld's birth and life ought to be recorded. No better office could be had, the beard | thinks, than theirs, and they decided tc | recommend to the next legislature that | all country homes be compelled to make monthly returns concerning all children placed in their care to- the | board.
 The matter of giving the board pow CT to remove children from such homes and surroundings which 1t deems unfit, was another thing discussed. AS it is now the county commissioners have full control The board wants 1t now | There is case at hand where 8 child of thirteen is in home where the man and woman arc not married to each other, yet both are married and living apart from their other halves. The county commissioners will not allow i the child to be removed.
 A fourth matter considered was that of helping the state in taking care o1 its children. The. county homes, knowr as temporary homes, are overhowing 1T some cases and the little ones are put out indiscriminately. The board pro poses that instead. of putting thes' children in the county homes at first to board them out in respectable fami lies, taking care that they be placed ir families in the same lines as those O their parents as far as can be learned.
 In reference to the proposed schem' of Warden Woodbridge in execution the board has heard that the plal worked well in the west. It has ais, been told the board that it had beel legalized in Colorado by the action Q the legislature, but no proofs have beel shown as yet. The board received ac Acknowledgements of the receipt of Prssi dent Tracy's report of last month, bu but there were no suggestions relativ to any changes.
 Dr. Andrew ". Tracy of Meriden wa . reelected president of tho board, an Miss Mary Hall of Meriden was chosel secretary. She declined to serve an Heman C. Whittlesey of Middletow was reelected secretary, and he vii } prepare the report to be submitted t the governor and legislature next win ter. All members of the board wer present.
 The reports of visitations showed tn usual inspection of state institutions fl
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