The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-06-20
PAUPERS ARE FEW
Only 512 in All Poor Houses of
Kansas.
Care of Insane by Counties Re-
duced to Minimum.
MANY EMPTY JAILS.
TnI,:-A~- Eo,,u No--k;oe VVSfhnn+
Thirty Four Counties Without
a Solitary Prisoner.
Twenty-Eight Poor Farms With
No Inmates.

contains much valuable and interesting
matter in relation to the conduct and
affairs of these Institutions The board
has adopted the plan of calling all the
heads of departments into conference
twice a year at which time each one
is expected to give some details in con-
Ilection with the management OF MS in
stitution. By this means the work is
better balanced and the tendency to
centralize power or Importance IS re-
dCced to the minimum.
The head of an institution is incl1n-
ed, after few years Of power and sue
cess in conducting affairs in his sphere,
to think that he knows more about thaC
york than anybody. AT these confer
ences he learns that there are other
heads of departments who are doing
things as well or better than he. This
exchange of IDEAS and experiences, in
the opinion of the board, improves the
tone and effectiveness of charitable
work.
According to the last bulletin the
charitable work of the state is in fine
shape at this time. Care OF insane
patients by counties has practically
been done away with. The state hospl-
tails have been enlarged until they can
care for all the insane of the state
Statistics gathered by the board show
that 81 county poor farms have no in
sane patients at all and "a farms no
feeble minded patients. There are 2S
all.
There are only 43 insane inmates in
the county poor farms OF all the state,
and 1853 feeble minded persons There
are 512 paupers in the poor farms of the
state.
Are Few Prisoners.
These statistics show further that at
the time this bulletin was issued there
were 53 counties of the state having no
prisoners under sentence, and 81 with
no prisoners awaiting trial and "a win
no prisoners Of any kind in their Ja1lS.
There were 233 prisoners in the county
jails of the state under sentence and
215 awaiting trial.
These statistics show a remarkable
absence of crime and poverty in a state
of over a million and a half of people.
1t is not likely that any state in the
Union can approach this record.
Among the contributions to the bulle-
tin is an interesting paper by Sherman
G. Elliott of the board of control on
1.-The Family Arrangement of Individ-
uals in State Institutions of which the
following is a part:
Mr.. EIIiott's Suggestions.
1.-THE last century has witnessed an
unprecedented change in the care and
treatment of our unfortunate classes.
Under the guidance of a Christianized
and enlightened civilization, public
sentiment has changed, and instead OF
pursuing a policy of neglect. tolera-
ton, punishment and destruction. we
are now pursuing a humane, curative,
character building policy, believing
that more can be accomplished for flu
ture generations by building UP than
simply adding to destruction.
''Almsgiving which was once so
fraught with evil. is now being re-
duced to a scientific basis. with a view
to making the receivers thereof self
respecting and self-supporting.
Of draI1 ban lie
blind schools. deaf schools. orphans
homes, industrial schools and reform
atories, is that the inmates are too
much institutionized. The home, with
its influences and surroundings, is the
bulwark and safety of our nation, yet
today we remove the inmates from
their homes and substitute in their
place the institution. The result, de-
spite our best efforts. robs them of
their individuality, makes them more
dependent and puts them out of touch
with progressive humanity. There is
rot the opportunity for individual de-
velopment so much needed when they
again enter the common walks of life.
81 realize that the states have in
vested vast sums of money in build
ings of the custodial type, but many
of these can be changed at a moder-
ate cost to permit of a better family
grouping of the inmates, and most
certainly all of the new buildings
erected should be planned and built
with the paramount idea of family ar
rangement in view, and bring them as
nearly as possible to the idea of the
home, thus securing a better classical
ton and more Individual development.
The same arrangement will apply,
to greater or less extent. with the
insane-the psychopathic hospital for
intense treatment during the curative
period of the disease; if unable to cure
them, then system of cottages so ar
ranged as to give the greatest possible
comfort and freedom and made as
homelike as possible.
THE cottage idea or family group
ing in colonies for the epiIeptics has
gained such a firm footing that all
states will have to build them If they
would keep abreast with modern
progress.
In homes for the feeble minded the
inmates should be so arranged and |
classified that the higher grade chill
dren be completely separated from the
custodlal class, and should be given |
such training mentally as they are able |
to take; or, what is more satisfying
and lasting, Industrial training. There
should be smaller buildings and more
homelike surroundings.
In state. prisons great good can lie
accomplished and lasting results OBJ
prisoners.
Improvement in Asylums.
kansas has been making progress
along this line. We have two hospitals
for the insane. The one at Osawatomie
has a modern hospital for the sick and
this year will erect two tuberculosis
pavilions. The one at Topeka has two
cottages for men and two for women.
The ones for women are strictly mod
ern in every way. One tubercular pa
vilion was built last year and another
will be built this summer Also, a
psycopathic hospital will be built this
year.
THE epileptic institution at Parsons
is built on the cottage plan-eight cot
tages for the sane patients and two for
the insane patients; and a strictly
modern cottage is under construction.
AT the state home for feeble mind