Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-12-13
Annual Report of Maine
Charities and Corrections

Charities and Corrections
The members of the State Board of
Charities and Corrections, Robert T.
Whitehouse of Portland, Rev. Thomas j..
Michigan Of Augusta, Mrs. Grace A. Wing
of Lewiston. Melville P. Milliken Of
Stockholm and Samuel Rosenberg Of
Portland. In their annual report which
according to the law, was filed at the
Office Of the secretary of State Tuesday.
recommends the repeal of the law au-
thorizing towns to maintain warehouses
or houses of correction for the reason
that the entire trend of modern expert
ence In the care of misdemeanors Is to-
ward larger units and more specialized
treatment; furthermore, those towns
which maintain such institutions are
certain to do so as part of the aims
house, a policy which is inherently wrong
and injurious to the unfortunate poor.
Manfestly the aged and infirm and the
misdemeanant do not require the same
kind Of treatment
In the line of suggestions and recon-
mendations to the Legislature the report
, further says:
bidding off poor persons at auction and
making contracts for the care Of the poor
is clearly not sufficiently definite. Condi-
lions in certain cities in the State indl-
cate that the spirit if not the letter OF
the law is being violated. 1t Is recon-
mended that the making of lump sum
contracts or contracts for the care Of the
poor for longer term than one year be
prohibited; and that agreements for tho
care Of the poor may lawfully be made
only upon the basis of fixed sum per
week for each person and upon definite
| specification of the kind of care and sup
| port to be furnished.
| 1.-THE overseer of the poor should be
selected because of his special fitness for
the office. His experience is valuable, and
| he should be allowed to serve for longer
term than one year. The policy of the
overseers of the poor should not be sub
! iect to abrupt changes.
therefore, it is recommended that the
| law in relation to the selection Of these
important officers by the municipalities OF
the State be changed to provide for the
election or appointment for three year
terms, and that the term of office OF no.
more than one-third of the membership OF
the board shall expire during any given
year.
EXPERTS who have made a careful
study of the problem regard the Indiana
| plan of caring for the INDECENT poor
county almshouses with temporary Keller
at the expense of the town-as by far the
best. Forty states out of As carry on
! county aims
houses. while Rhode Island and the Dis
trict of Columbia have each one large
| almshouse. Several states are planning
| to consolidate their county almshouse in
to institutions serving larger districts.
| The board in special report on the sub
| ject published in it's bulletin in April, 1916,
| estimated that the saving throughout the
| State by a series of district infirmaries
| instead of municipal almshouses would be
from 10000 to $4,000 annually, and that
the poor would at the same time receive
much better care. copy OF tentative
! draft of law designed to accomplish this
| has been mailed to each senator and rep
resentative.
Briefly stated, it leaves the large city
almshouses as they are, but provides for
| and combinations of counties for the re-
mainder of the State, each of the aims
/ houses or infrmaries to be under the con-
troll of non-partisan board Of trustees
and all under the general supervision Of
the State board.
| "Overseers of the poor are often care
less in making returns to this office, nee
essitating good deal Of needless cores
pondence, and even then an occasional
| report is missing and many are incom-
plete. If there were forfeiture to be
paid by the town of definite sum for
each day that the report was withheld
until the return was made. as In Mas
sachusetts, much more prompt and salts
factory returns would undoubtedly be re-
ceived in this office.
| "Complai nts reach this office from time
! to time of the treatment accorded to poor
persons who are being assisted by over
| seers of the poor in their own homes, or
who are being boarded in some family or
have refused assistance.
1.-THE board has no direct authority to
investigate such complaints, and no agent
| available. 1t is evident, however, from
| such inquiries as it has been possible to
make by correspondence that in justice
to the poor persons themselves and to the
overseers of the poor, such complaints
should be investigated by competent dis
interested authority. and the truth or un-
truth Of the allegations determined and
made public.
Undoubtedly men and women misde-
meanants and criminals should not be
cared for in the same institution. 1t will
doubtless, however be necessary for the
present to care for women. temporarily
az least. In county jails, police stations,
lock-ups or similar places Of detention.
out at all times while under arrest they
should be in charge of a woman. It Is
therefore recommended that county jails
L De REQUIRED BY law to haxA senar4fa an.