The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1919-10-08
STATE BOARD OF
CHARITIES IS ACTIVE


sent to the School for Feeble
minded at Brandon 10
Number of children being cared
for Under Deserted and
Widowed Mothers Aid Law IL
Number of children under care
of Board now in free homes T.
Children under care of Board
now with their parents AZ
Children now in boarding homes,
the expense shared by towns
and state IL
Children in boarding homes, eX-
pense being borne by state,
town and parents c
Children in boarding homes, eX-
pense being borne by towns 8
Children in boarding homes, eX-
pense being borne by parents IA
Six of our children have had to be
committed to the Industrial school,
having been found to be Il of such
character and type so that it ha.
been necessary to send them to the
State Industrial School at Vergennes
Asked concerning he probation
work that the department is doing
Secretary Jeffrey said,
~ think may say just a word
concerning the parole and probation
feature of our work. More than SOC
of these people come to US annual.
from the prisons and the courts.
They have been found guilty of near
ly every offense known to our stat
utes. At the present time | have
more than GAO under supervision ant
care, and it may be interesting to en-
umerate some of the offenses: w
have Is for forgery; 40 for burglary
40 for non support; 90 for larceny
IL for assault; 50 for breach of the
peace; 6 for assault with intent to
kill, 13 for manslaughter, 10 for
murder in the second degree, and two
| for murder in the LIST degree.
"lf these people We're confined in
our prisons, as sentenced by the
courts, they would cost the state
about $4,000 annually, in addition to
their earning power in our prison
shops. During the past IL months
they have paid me for restitution
fines, costs and support more than
$4,000; and they have maintained
their families, which in many in
stances would have been a public
charge. They have earned more than
half million dollars in wages; an
there are more than 1000 persons de-
pendent upon them.
"We have learned a new way Ok
caring for the unfortunates of socie
ty. We have learned that we are our
brothers keeper. No longer do we
crop their hair or shave their heads
no longer do we use the striped unit
form, the ball and chain; no longe.
do we use the dungeon and with
poorly lighted and vermin filed cells
feel that we are protecting society
and reconstructing fallen humanity.
Chiefly to prevent this wastage of
useful manhood, the probation and
parole law was devised and is being
applied This law has proven its eff
ficiency in abundant measure. 1t has
been putting into effect the principle
that it is far better to spend money
in man making than in man break
ing"
The Caledonian feels that the
State Board of Charities and Pro-
baton is doing a most excellent work
in saving the young and old of the
state and giving them a chance, such
Us they never had before. Besides
the efficient secretary and one OF
more deputies in every county in
the state there are three women vol
unteer deputies and two paid field
workers in the child care department
The field visitor for children is a
graduate nurse whose duty it is to
see that the children are properly
nourished, have proper sleeping quar-
tiers, are adequately clothed, and all
details of health which would nat
urally come under trained care.
The board of charities as at pres
ent constituted consists of Philip H.
7. Pierson of Bennington, chair
man. Miss Florence M. Cory,
Montpelier; Charles Tuxbury, Wind
sor; Thomas Magner, Burlington;
Kirk L. Ellsworth, Jeffersonyille. The
secretary and state probation officer
is William H. Jeffrey, an East Burke
boy who has been with the depart
ment since it was established and has
very largely contributed to its eff
cheney and success.