The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-12-24
STATE CHARITIES BOARD.
REPORT OF THE WORK OF THE
BOARD DURING PAST YEAR.
State Institutions Visited-other Inter-
esttng Features.

An advance copy of the nineteenth
annual report Of the State Board OF
Charities for the year ending Septem-
Der go 1900, has been presented recently
to the governor The printed volume
will contain three hundred and fifty
pages, including also the report for 1899,
and will be ready for distribution some
time in January.
The report contains general review
of all the institutions in the state for
the care of the delinquent, defective and
dependent classes with which the work
OF the board is concerned, together
with tables of statistics, and recon-
mendations for legislative action and
for improved conditions in certain in
stances
There is shown to be in the state for
the care of the classes mentioned to-
tai of one hundred and eighty-one in
stitutions which are visited by the
board including lightweight town
almshouses. The remaining eighty
towns in the state, which do not main
tain almshouses, are also visited by the
board to examine the boarding places
and other provision made for the town
door. The amount of state money
which has been applied during the year
toward the support in whole or in part,
of the various institutions belonging to
or aided by the state, was $777,34O as
compared with $694,S76 so expended
during the previous year. This increase
is more than accounted for by the in
creased amounts devoted to buildings
land permanent improvements, thus
leaving a slight decrease in the cost of
maintenance for the year
STATE PRISON.
In the case of the state prison the
management under the present warden
is highly commended, and the extern
sive additions to the buildings are no.
ted. Recommendation is made for the
adoption of the indeterminate sentence
for all prisoners except life convicts,
and for a more effective use of the pa
role law. Although all desirable fea-
lures of modern prison management be
introduced at Wethersfield, it is not be-
lieved that the institution can ever take
the place of a true reformatory unless
AnOLner SIale prison De eSldullSileu dlsO'
REFORM INSTITUTIONS.
AT the Meriden School for Boys men
tion is made of the introduction of
manual training and the work Of the
supervising agent for boys released on
parole. The addition of a gymnasium
is urged and greater attention to phys
ical development. 1t is recommended,
also, that no boys under ten years of
age be committed to the school except
upon conviction Of a felony.
The Industrial School for Girls at
Middletown is reported as doing admir-
able work in the thorough training of
Its inmates, but the limit of age for ad-
mission (sixteen years) is cited in ar
gunnent for the establishment of a wo
mems reformatory for hayward girls |
and women beyond that age.
COUNTY JAILS.
County jails present conditions of
reasonable comfort, it is said, but the |
system. as whole, is condemned as il |
logical expensive and ineffective. 1t is |
recommended that these Institutions be |
brought under the centralized control |
of state commission of prisons, thus |
securing economy of administration, |
greater returns from the labor OF in
mates and the introduction of reforma- |
tory influences.
The establishment of state reforma-
tory is strongly urged, especially one
for women.
THE INSANE.
At the Hospital for the Insane at Mid
dletown a progressive spirit is evident
under the present administration. The
construction of the building to contain
a large congregate dining-room and
other departments is noted and it Is
urged that all reasonable funds be
granted to complete it and thus carry
into effect the proposed reorganization
of the institution as a three-fold hos
pital, asylum and infirmary.
Besides the Hartford Retreat, twelve
private Institutions for the care of men
tai and nervous diseases are visited by
the board, and the number of inmates
is found to be steadily increasing. AS
most of them come from outside the
state this increase does not prove that
the number of insane in Connecticut is
growing out of proportion to the growth
in population The total number of in
sane persons under restraint is about
1900, distributed as follows: State hos
plldl z,UUU, IldIllUTu IlGlTedI lfu, DIl- |
waite asylums 80, among town poor 420.
The completion of new school build
ing at the Lakevile School for Imbe-
Giles is reported and it is suggested
that a separate cottage department for
epileptics might also be established
here.
DEAF, DUMB AND BLIND.
The American School at Hartford for
the Deaf is enjoying its new building ,
for the primary department and class
es have been started in sloyd work and
manual training. In view of the supe-
rior advantages offered here, it is urged
that the state show favorable consider =
alton toward this famous school. :
AT the Mystic Oral School changes
have been made in the teaching force
and certain Improvements carried out
in the building. :
The work of the Connecticut Institute :
for the Blind, in it's two departments of :
and Industrial home, is
described, and the hope is expressed
that it's reports may show a better con- y
dition of affairs than was revealed i'm !