Little Falls herald., 1914-09-25
THE STATE BOARD OF CONTROL
BULLETIN NO. INSTITUTIONS
UNDER THE BOARD-THE
BOARDS DUTIES

Resume ofsthe Operations of the In
stitutions under the State Board Of
Control for the Biennial Period end
ing July 81, 1914.
Minnesota was among the first OF
the states Of the union to adopt a
system Of centralized control OF its
state institutions. The change from
local control, or to be more explicit,
supervision by a commission or board
named for each institution, was not
made without struggle, and the
strenuousness of the contest is still an
interesting memory to those who par
ticipated.
The law creating the board Of con-
troll as it is now constituted vas en-
acted in 1901, just thirteen years ago,
a decidedly short PERIOD as o1nclal
life runs, and yet it is safe to say
that but few Of the taxpayers OF the
state have full realization of the du-
ties or the trust they imposed on the
three men constituting the board OF
control. With the majority Of the
taxpayers of Minnesota, their knowl-
edge Of this particular department.
runs only to the name; a number are
aware that the board has suite OF
Offices in the state capitol end that
its duties pertain to the wards of the
state; but the number Of those who
have full knowledge Of the immenslty
Of the task imposed on the board by
the state is still more limited.
Picture in your mind city OF r.
600 people, nearly two-thirds OF its
population defective or afflicted in
some way, scattered over an area
thousands Of miles in extent, and then
add fifteen different buildings OF
groups of buildings, in which to
house them. Follow this with anoth-
er mental picture of nearly $2,O0O,OOO
expended annually in the care and
maintenance of these thousands of un-
fortunates, add to it possibly another
$l,5OO,00O to be expended for new
buildings and improvements to the
old structures, and you have set forth
in small way the immensity Of the
task imposed by the state on three
men who constitute tine state board
of control. Of course there are other
duties, exacting in their way, and each
calling for the best in an executive
sense, but the mental picture as sug-
gested furnishes the real ground view.
Scope of the The Boards Work
The state board Of control at the
present time has complete financial
and general control over thirteen state
institutions; located in as many cities.
They are:
Fergus Falls State Hospital.
Rochester State Hospital.
St. Peter State Hospital.
Anoka State Asylum.
Hastings State Asylum.
State Training School, Red Wing.
Home School for Girls, Sauk Centre.
st. Cloud State Reformatory.
I State Prison, Saltwater.
School for Feeble Minded, Faribault
State Sanatorium, Walker. -
! State Hospital for Crippled Chi4-
dren, St. Paul.
Hospital for Tnebriates, Willmar.
It has financial supervision over the
School for the Blind, Faribault.
School for the Deaf. Faribault.
State Public School, Owatonna.
It acts as a board Of parole and dis
charge for the State Training School,
and the Home School for Girls. -,
lockups, infirmaries and hospitals,
It has charge of the deportation of
insane and criminals.
It buys fuel for all state institu-
tions excepting the Soldiers Home
and State Fair.
It insures ell state boilers.
It inspects ar;l visits the hospitals
and the asylums for the insane every
month.
1t has plans prepared and oversees
the construction of all state buildings
EXCEPT for the State Fair.
1t has advisory supervision over all
jails, lockups and infrmaries, and
must examine all plans for new jails
and lockups or improvements On these
structu where estimated cost is
over 5000.
It visits and inspects the homes of
associations for receiving delinquent,
dependent and neglected children.
1t supervises paroletl insane.
1t determines residence of paupers.
It buys supplies for all state insti-
tutions under its charge.
It licenses children's and orphans
homes.
: Supervises expenditures of State
Conference of Charities and Correc-
tion.
Purchases land for state institu-
tiOns.
The institutions in it's charge,
among other things, operate a stone
quarry and manufacture granite,
crush stone for highways, manufacture
clothing for state institutions, manu-
facture twine, manufacture farm ma
chinery. -.
Diversity Of the Boards Duties
Unless it be the state auditors de-
partment no board OF commission has
a greater trust or more diversified
line Of supervision than the state
board Of control. Nearly 1900 per-
sons in the shape Of employees are an
swerable to it and as stated the treat
ment. comfort and sustenance of near
y 10000 persons, the majority of
them defective, are it's constant care.
Last year for current expenses
alone the board supervised the expen-
diture of nearly $1,sOO,0OO, and it
passed on plans and specifications and