Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1915-01-15
STATE BOARD OF CONTROL
BULLETIN NO. 17-WHAT STATE
Is DOING FOE UPLIFT OF IT'S
10000 CHAR4E6

~AA1AADSAS0
Resume Of the Operations Of tho
Institutions Under tho State Board Of
Control for tho Biennial Period Ending
July 81, 1914.
ePrepared by Miss Miriam F.. Carey,
Supervisor Of Library
The people to whom books mean the
most are not the happy, prosperous
people. They are the poor, the lonely,
and the unfortunate. Many of these
are living in the state institutions and
are taking out books and magazines
from the fourteen different libraries
which may be found there. These folks
read 3l4,6lS books and periodicals
from August l, 1912, to July 81, 1914.
That means An annual circulation of
1877 1903.
How much did they read in Manka-
to, St. Cloud and Virginia in the year
1922 These three libraries together
circulated 120,S99 volumes. Why is 1t
that more reading is done ''within the
walls' than outside7 One reason is
that part of every day is spent by al
most everybody shut in from the more
active duties of life. What is the
easiest way to pass the time when one
is shut in? Why, in reading, Of course.
We all do it and so do the inmates
Of the state institutions, only they do
three times as much Of it as we do.
There are 28,408 books in the gener-
al libraries Of these institutions, and
they are shelved in the most attractive,
best-lighted and most accessible places
that can be secured for the purpose.
The libraries in most Of them are open
every cay the year round. Of course
the books get hard usage but it is sell
dom. that they are abused. Even
among the insane this is true. But
books wear out and must be mended,
rebound and replaced, and new books
must be added, just as in every other
live library. There are binderies con.
nected with the state prison and the
reformatory, also at the school for the
deaf. These added by binding 1896
volumes during the past two years to
their respective libraries.
The inmates select their own books
from the shelves in most Of the insti-
tuition libraries, but at the prison and
the reformatory it is necessary to have
printed catalogues from which the men
make out order sli ps in their cells.
They have had this privilege for years
in Minnesota, but at the present time
in the great state of New York they
are trying hard to get a printed cata-
logue into the hands Of the men at Au-
burn state prison for the first time.
2oks have a real ,alue which is not
az tx! by any outward circumstance.
TIL = ere Just as good in one place as
as yer. That makes them indispensa-
L';' IN institutions where the Intrinsic
vs &c Of a thing must be considered.
''here are a few other things in the
orld besides books which are u1l-
changed in value by outward condi-
tions. One Of these is music. How
about music in institutions? Be sure it
has not been overlooked. In the sew
eral hospitals you will find pianos in
many Of the wards, and the majority
Of the institutions have bands, orches-
tras, and choirs. Have you ever heard
the feeble-minded children sing? Or
the prison band play? Or the girls
choir at Sauk Centre chanto Ali this
helps out wonderfully, but best of all,
perhaps, of late years we have phono-
graphs and victrolas to penetrate to
the very remotest corner of the biggest
building-not too big 20 be carried
around, and not too delicate to be han
died.
What else is there which appeals to
almost every human being and does not
change in value with envorinment?
Flowers and plants belong in this cate
CORY, and you will find them distribut-
ed through the institutions, not only
for ornament but because their beauty
14G-
cheering.
Then there are the ''movies.' Nov
ing pictures in shut-in places have
brought more happiness than any other
invention, and in the state of Mime
sofa they are great feature.
For four or five years moving pic
lures have been in occasional use on
holidays and at other special times IN
several Of the state institutions, but
within two years ght of these have
decided to add the "movies'' to their
permanent equipment. The pictures
are shown at intervals ranging from
two or three times week, as at the
Rochester State Hospital for the In.
sane, to several times a year at the
School for the Deaf in Faribault. The
st. Peter Hospital for the Insane has a
plan for sixteen or twenty shows dur
ing eight or nine months Of the wear.
The Boys Training School at Red
Wing uses them every ten days, and
the State Reformatory at st. Cloud
twice a month, and twice a week at
Saltwater.
The pleasure the moving pictures
afford the whole population Of an in
stitution cannot be overestim ,ted. Of
ficers, employees, and inmates ar. high
ly entertained, refreshed, and given
something different to think about.
The following are some Of the COM
ments on this phase Of the subject:
cit is the best amusement that we
have ever attempted in our institution,
and brings out from 50 to 60 per .ent
Of our patients. We think the results
are highly beneficial. As compa :ed
with dances, we find the moving pic
| tures reach q mueh 1raater nnmha. of