Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-12-22
Annual Report of the
w . State. School for Boys,

Charles Dunn, Jr., superintendent Of
the State School for BoyA at South
Portland. in his annual report, which
has. been filed with the Governor and
Council, states hat although very
muchT larger mber Of boys were
placed out durl the last two years
than during, the previous tw9f years.
the number returned for bresA OF me
conditions OF their parole hid y been
just about half as many as during the
previous two years. Continuing in his
report superipten8ent Dunn says:
sa'sIndustffai Development
.'T1H years ago recommended that
during, the next two years some steps
be taken to thoroughly and practically
the expense of establishing
an industrial training building at the
state school, and that plans be formu-
lated and presented to the legislature
of 1917-191S looking to the building and
eQuipment Of such a building. I am
NtuI of the opinion that development
III, This kind would be for the greatest
4nteteat Of the school. and that the fact
OF itSneed should not be lost sight Of,
but on the other hand kept full in view
as thing to be accomplished when
circumstances favor it. However, at
the present time the increased expense
Of material is greater than could pos
sibly have been foreseen at the time
made the recommendation above re-
ferred to. j
"a committee Of the trustees who
have investigated such minor improve
ments as the extension Of the heating
plant from our central station to our
two cottages which are now heated by
Individual plants. has resulted in the
discovery that the excessively high
price Of material Is such that even the
people who gave. us the sAetimate for
such extension. advised tlat 1t is not
best to undertake any 4zAenaive con-
strucfson until the materials can be
had at lower prices. Therefore would
not at this time recommend that any
special appropriation be made for new
building or extensive permanent i'm
provements. Notwithstanding our rec
ognition of the fact that some Of these
things are needed and have become &C.
onomical necessities at spch time as
they can be probably added to our
plant. PIE
In view Of thefsfact that we are
obliged to ask fora largely increased
appropriation to|meet the inevitable
expense Of living: Such as food. cloth
ing. and cost OF pnkeep; ne must re-
train from asking To- such special ap-
preparation.
Health 81 the Boys
The school physician, DR.. Joseph
Blake Drummond. Who has been with
us now for the past three years, was
by vote Of the board lbf trustees made
a regular member ofspur ssan at q;
yearly salary insteadSof being paid by
the call as has previously beep the
case with school physfctaps, This gives
a greater freedom Of acNbaipf both the
physician and superintendent. leaving
the doctor free to, calf koften as he
thinks he ought to cali, and allowing
the superintendent to call him at any
time when there Is even the slightest
possible need OF his attendance, with
out fear Of adding too much to the
medical outlay for the school
This change has been made without
entailing extra cost, and will probably
result in an actual Aaving, which is in
dicated by an examination Of the cost
Of medical attendance for the past four
years. DR.. Drummond has inaugural
ed a card index system for keeping the
physical records of the boys admitted
and enabling him to have a closer su.
pervision Of their individual needs.
The health Of the boys during the past
two years has been quite remarkable
in Its freedom from all serious sick.
nesses and contagious disorders; and
at no time have we had any consider
able number Of boys confined to the
houses by illness, and for the most of
the time there has been no illness of
any kind whatever. Certain small
physical liabilities which boys bring
into the school with them are sought
to be relieved by DR.. Drummond by
means Of small operations, which have
frequently resulted in allowing the
boy to have a normal development
which had hitherto been arrested by