Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-12-28

fire.
 A description is given of the new
 buildings at the Hospital for the In
 sane at Norwich upon which the ap-
 propriation of ,420,000 made by the
 general assembly of 1905 has been
 expended. The service buildings are
 designed to meet the needs of an in-
 stitution of 1000 inmates, but the
 ward buildings 50 far constructed will have accommodations for only
 about 400 patients when completed.
 The opinion is expressed that the new
 hospital is under efficient direction
 and that the state will soon have 8
 second excellent institution for the
 care of the insane.
 The eleven private sanitaria for
 mental and nervous diseases, which
 are visited by the board, reveal a
 wide range of conditions according
 to the prices charged and the class of
 inmates received. The total number of insane persons in institutions in Connecticut shows steady increase
 from year to year, but 1t is not be- lieved that the increase Is out of pro-
 portion to the increase in the states
 population. The work of the Con necticut School for Imbeciles at Lake,
 vile is said to have been carried on in it's customary careful and conser- vative manner during the year. The accommodations of the school, how eyer, are taxed to the utmost, and 1t is advised that the school be enlarged at an early date.
 Another year of successful work is reported at the American School for the Deaf at Hartford, but the hope is expressed that the school may soon have group of new structures to take the place of It's ancient main building. A new school building is also recommended for the small Oral School for the Deaf at Mystic.
 One new hospital, the second in Greenwich, has been added to the list during the year and movements for new buildings are under way at the New Haven. Waterbury and Danbury hospitals. The general standards of hospital management throughout the state are said to be commendably high. The Soldiers home at Noroton has been well filled during the year, and whenever visited gives evidence Of being under efficient management. The addition is recommended, how ever. of separate hospital cottages for the care of consumptives and insane persons in the institution.
 The number of dependent and neg lected children, 29S, committed dur ing the year to the county temporary homes is slightly lower than the av- craze number of such commitments for the past six years. Two hundred and ninety-nine children have been placed out in family homes during the year. The number remaining on support of the county homes at the close of the fiscal year was SIP, the largest number ever recorded in the history of these institutions. Of this total, 514 were in the county homes proper, 147 were boarded out in fam files, 1S7 were boarded in the St Franciss asylum, New Haven, and IA were in the Danbury Children's home. About .,400 children are liv- ing out in families or with relatives under the Jurisdiction of the county homes. and many of them have been visited during the year by agents of the board. If 1t is desired to check the steady growth of these county homes, 1t is believed that 1t will be necessary to make some radical changes in the nature of the institu- tions.
 A large part of the 16S towns in the state have been visited by the board to examine the almshouses or other provision made for the care of the poor. Most of the almshouses are said to be reasonably satisfactory in matters of comfort and good or der. but a few of them are absolutely unfit for the purpose and should be abolished. The chief defects noticed are an imperfect separation of the sexes. insufficient heating. lighting and bathing facilities. and in few cases lack of proper food. A new building is recommended for the pau per boarding house at Tariffville. so long miscalled the State Almshouse.
 The 36 private institutions for childred and old people. which are visited by the board through the courtesy of their managers. exhibit general conditions of homelike com fort. but need is felt for more homes for worthy but indigent men.
 Mention Is made of the thirty-third annual meeting of the national con- ference of charities and correction. which was held in Philadelphia in May and was attended by 21 repre- from Connecticut. It ifs hoped that good number will also attend the conference of 1907, which will be held at Minneapolis.
 During the year regular meetings of the board have been held monthly at It's once in the capitol. Tn addi- ton to the required quarterly visits to state institutions other visits have been made from time to time and the board endeavors to keep in touch with the work of the institutions that 1t supervises. The report is signed bv the members and secretary of the board as follows: II. II. Bridgman. president. Norfolk: Rebekah c. Ba- con. New Haven: Mrs Frank A. Mitchell. Norwich: Edwin A. Down. N n. Hartford: Thomas F. Kane. N.