Norwich bulletin., 1915-01-15
BOARD OF CHARITIES REPORT
Care of Denquen Defective and Dependent Persons Takes Nearly $2,oooooo From State Treasury Annually Larger Rather Than Smaller Expenditures Will be Called for in the Future. &

The state board Of charities whose members are Edwin A. Down, presi dent. Hartford: Mrs. Martha H .. Mitchell, Norwich; Anna. c. Walter MiddletoWn; I'bomas r. Kane, Hart ford; ]. B Holman, Ssybrook and Charles P ke:logG, secretary, Water bury, have just submitted to Governor Holcomb their preliminary report for the two years ending September 30, 1913 and 1914. The complete printed pages and will be ready for distribu- tion at a later elate.
 The total cost: to the state for the care Of delinquent, defective and de- pendent persons is large, but it is diff -f1cult to see how any material de- crease can be expected in the near future, they sag in their report. The normal development of existing insti- tutions and the establishment of new institutions and measures for which there is already urgent need will de- mand increased rather than diminish ed expenditures. Hope for ultimate relief lies m bringing all our 1r1stru- Tnental!ties of charitable and cores :ioral work to the highest possible de- gree of efficiency and is adopt ing ef- fectual preventive measures which shall reduce crime and pauperism and disease to their lowest terms.
 The Work of the Board.
 In.t this state with an estimated pop ulata n in 1914 of 1,238. .ege, 1SS institu- tions are maintained for the restraint and care of the delinquent, defective and dependent classes.
 kesisIatiof, and New Developments.
 The only new institution which was authorized by an act of the General Assembly of 19I3 viz. a state farm for inebriateS, failed of establishment When such an institution is estab- Iished, 1t would be well if it were not limited to the care of inebriates but could include d department for the use of the state poor.
 The reports mentions the formation of a commission to investigate the matter of refolmatory for women of lenders and another commission tc investigate convict labor.
 Two notable additions to the list oi Connecticut institutions were made during the biennial period under re- view by the opening of the Connecti- cut Reform atcry at Cheshire in June 1913, and the Colony for Epileptics at Mansfield Depot in May, 1914.
 Care of Dependent Children. -
 The care of dependent children in Connecticut offers one of the most diff dcult and at the same time one of the states charities. It is quite evident that the eight county temporary homes with their average population of about 1000 inmates haNe long since outlived their original purpose as temporary shelters. There is reason tos believe that the time has come when a careful survey should be made of the whole field of caring fol dependent and neglected children ir Connecticut. including not only the county temporary homes but also al private orphan asylpms and chi1dren's homes, child caring and humane SO cieties, and any other agencies that may deal with this matter For this purpose 1t is suggested that a. conlrnis- sion be appointed by the governor to study the whole subject and to make report with their recommcndatio to the next General Assembly.
 The foregoing statennt in regard to. dependent children should not be closed without reference to the new St Agnes Home for Children in Hart ford which was opened for the recep- ton of inmates in September, 1914 It is designed for the care of infants and children under years of age and furnishes q much-needed addition to the child- caring. institutions of the state, because, as is well known, tho county temporary homes and most oi The orphan asyluns do not receive children urder years of age