South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-12-20
CHARITIES BOARD
MAKES ITS REPORT
Suggestions to Legislature as
to State institutions Are in
recommendations.

News Times Special Service:
INDIANAPOLIS, d, Dec. 20
The board OF state charities today
made public its bienhial recon-
mendations TO the legis. allure. The
general assembly usually uses the
recommendation OF the state board
as a guide in its law making 20 re-
lieve conditions in the institutional
life Of the state and To- keep Indiana
i'm the march of progress of the
states in an institutional and charit-
able way
The boards first recommendation
is for legislation providing "ade-
quate care" and prevention as
WELL for mental detectives.
The increasing number OF men
tai detectives constitutes "A prob
lem the seriousness of which is not
fully comprehended." the report
said Many unfortunates who
should be under state care. for their
own sake and for the protection of
society are necessarily refused adj
mission 70 the already crowded in
situations. The situation demands
the adoption of a policy for the flu
ture looking not only to adequate
care, but to prevention as well. We
recommend such action by the next
general assembly"
Insane Hospitals Crowded.
The board then points out that
the five hospitals for the insane in
Indiana are crowded and il is inn
possible 10 classify the patients. The
possible recovery of the durable in
sane thus is retarded and the
chronic insane cannot have the rec
ognized benefits of outdoor life and
employment. County jails and poor
asylums also are now housing mem
! tally deranged persons in surround
ings which tend 10 aggravate
rather than allay their malady"
A system should be worked out
which will "include the early rec
ognition of incipient mental and
nervous diseases, immediate special
treatment for those acutely insane.
! as well as for selected groups Of
others. There should be no enlarge
ment of the existing hospitals. nor
should another hospital be built.
The colony plan. which cOntem-
plates the purchase of one or more
farms a little distance from the
hospital. yet near enough to be
under its supervision and care, is
believed 10 offer a feasible method
of providing immediate relief.
The states provision for the
feeble-minded falls far short of
meeting the needs. the report says.
There is urgent need of further
state control. the board declares.
since feeble-mindedness largely is
hereditary The boards recommends
atoms for the epileptics of the state
follow the lines of the 1914 recon-
mendations
There are grave objections TO the
present. scattered system of car
ing for dependent children, the
board points out. The board also
declares in favor of legislation Ito
prevent the abandonment Of parents
by children, who are able to support
them" Time after time such cases
are reported 10 the board, it is
pointed out.
The board reiterates Its belief in
system whereby the boards OF
( trustees of state institutions should
be unpaid.
The legislature. however. should
increase the allowance for expenses
| Of institution trustees. since in many
instances trustees. who must travel
| long distances, do not receive ade-
| quate expenses. the board said.
Nepotism in state institutions is
dealt blow by the board No rela-
| tives Of members of the boards OF
trustees should he appointed TO ser
vice in the institutions, the report
said. No member of a board OF
! trustees should be eligible TO APP
pointment TO any position in the in
stitutor during his term as trus-
! tee, or for one year thereafter. the
recommendation prescribe.
The board expresses the hope
that. in view of the successful oper-
| alton Of the new state farm. "facili-
ties will be afforded for a wider use
of the farm colony plan of caring
for offenders by the state"
Changes in the existing laws. so
I as TO remove all women prisoners
from county jails is advocated. The
correctional department Of the
woman's prison should be enlarged
10 receive these women. it is de-
Ciared
The application of the indeterm-
mate sentence laws should cover the
state farm and the wOman's prison
correctional department the board
said, and the legislature should in
crease the maintenance appropria-
/ lions at these places TO such an ex-
. tent that proper parole agents may