The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-10-04
KEPT At WORK
INMATES AT ANeKA ASYLUM ARE
ALL BEING KEPT
BUSY
MOST OF THEM COMMENTED
State Board of Charities and Cor
rections Listens to Two interest
ing Papers on Lunatics and
Their PecuEfaritfes.

James F. Jackson. secretary of the
board Of charities and corrections. and
w. A1rnont Gates, state agent Of the
board, have returned to the city after
attending the ninth Minnesota state con-
ference at Winona.
Secretary Jackson states that the meet
ing was one of the most successful ever
held and that the local attendance was
exceptional. Many interesting and in
structive papers were read at the con-
ference, besides the transaction Of rou-
tine business and the election of officers
for the ensuing year. One of the most
interesting papers was the one read by
John Coleman, superintendent of the
first state asylum at Anoka. 1t shows
what has been accomplished at tho
asylum during the short term of It's ex-
istence. Following is the paper:
There has been constructed the cen
trail building and the mems wing, at
cost of less than $4,000. It is a two
story brick building. Each floor is
planned for sixty-two beds. The farm
consists Of 648 acres, of which more than
400 is in timber, chiefly black oak. Thus
far there has been cleared for park pur-
poses about 90 acres; there has been
grubbed, broken and seeded 70 acres, and
1853 acres have been piowed, making 200
acres in crops
All who have to do with the insane
insist that occupation is essential to their
health and happiness No inmate is COM
PEELED to work, but the work about the
Anoka asylum has been performed by the
willing inmates and their attendants. No
have been necessary to look after the
inmates had they been housed up. 1t APP
pears that one man can look after more
inmates when they are occupied than
but one or two Of the 112 insane men on
the place are engaged in some sort of
employment OF course, the question of
employing men, requires a good deal OF
personal attention. It is necessary to
study each mans peculiarities, and as
far as possible, humor his whims.
AS a rule, we have one crew of men
on the farm, one in the. garden, one
grubbing, and usually one improving the
property, as for instance, on the sewer
or in the grading of roads, but it must
not foremen Of. these several crews in
the sense of slave drivers, but as far as
possible, work with them"
Another paper of considerable interest
was that read by Secretary James T.
Jackson. 1t was as follows:
Minnesota Is just reaching the condi-
ton Of age and population when the ques-
ton. of poor house construction is be-
coming one Of general interest
The particular requirements of a poor
house are solidity of construction, COM
plete separation of the sexes, except In
the dining room, and separate apart
ments for the overseers The employees
can have sleeping rooms adjoining the
rooms for their respective sexes. There
should be plenty OF water, well equipped
bath rooms, warmth, light and ventila-
ton. The dining room, Kitchen and store
room should be in the rear of the over
seer 8 apartments 1t is desirable to have
such a combination and arrangement of
the parts of poor house as will avoid u
waste of time and labor in daily use.
Usually poor houses are built with refer
ence to economy in construction, rather
than economy In administration. A re-
versal of that rule would be beneficial
Proper construction cannot be had for
less than $500 per inmate, but it need
never exceed $500 per inmate.
Poor houses are built to meet a dis
tinct need, the humane and reasonably
economical care Of people who cannot be
provid 81 for by themselves or by their
near relatives. The mere provision of
rooms for a. given number Of people will
not answer"
DR.. James ]. Dow, Of Faribault was
elected president for the ensuing year,
and DR.. H. A. Townsend. of st. Peter,
and George Jarchow, of Saltwater vice
presidents.