The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1921-11-07
VERMONT PAYING
100000 IN
PAUPER BILLS
Secretary Jeffrey Gives
Interesting Address
In Newport

w. II. Jeffrey, secretary Of the
State Board of Charities and Pro-
baton addressed a large and in
terested audience at a union SER
vice in the Congregational church
last evening.
Mr.. Jeffrey is always a welcome
visitor in Newport and he vas lis
tened to with close attention. The
tone OF his address was hopeful
and optimistic, as he dwelt at some
length on the needs Of the little
unfortunate, who he said are to
be the men and women of tomor-
row.
"The great war has left in its
trail debt, poverty and unrest, and
it is not strange that these condi-
tons should produce their effect
upon the departments Of govern
ment which are charged with the
care of the less fortunate of socie-
ty. 1t is not over-stating the stu
ton to say that the entire world is
in a chaotic condition. We are con-
cerned with the problem in YER
mont. The figures given are sub
stantially correst as most of them
were received from the institutions
and agencies within 60 days.
There are 361 persons in our
various prisons and iails; 248 at
our State Industrial school: 1912
in u hospitals for the insane;
124 at the state school for the
feebleminded at Brandon; 81 pa
tents under care for tuberculosis:
SO deaf, dumb and blind: 302 have
been admitted to parole from our
prisons and are under our super
vision and care; 469 persons are
now under sentence to our state
prisons and houses Of correction;
but have been released to our GUS
tody and care under probation:
737 paupers are wholly cared for
by the overseers Of the Door of the
various cities and towns, and 1891
persons received partial care dur
ing the year from the overseers OF
the poor. The pauper bills of our
cities and towns for the last wear
amounted to the very considerable
sun Of $330,000.
All of the above figures do not
take into account more than 500
children who 7 now being cared
TOR at u various orphanges and
institutions. and these do not in
clude the children who are under
the supervision and care of the
Vermont Children's Aid society
and the Board of Charities and
Probation. The Board of Chart
ties and Probation has under some
form of supervision and care about
700 children. OF these, more than
$50 have been committed.
1t will be seen today that YER
mont is giving charitable or cor
regional aid or care in some form
to more than 5000 of her popula-
ton. The conditions in Vermont
DO not differ materially from those
in Their New England states. Mr..
Jeffrey believes that a greater part
Of our probe is directly traceablc
to the mentally defective and that
the greatest single problem which
c%onfronts our welfare agencies is
the feeble-minded.
Vermont will never reach a very
satisfactory solution Of its social
problems until it has made ade-
quate provision for the feeble
minded, and this cannot be until
every feebleminded n of
child-bearing age is placed under
state supervision Since the estab-
lishment Of the Board we have
received children from the courts
and given them the best aid pos
sible under existing conditions.
From the establishment of the de-
partment we realized that we
never could give these little people
quite that care that was necessary |
until such time as we should be
provided a receiving station to
which children could be taken,
there weighed, measured and ex-
amined physically and mentally
and classified and made fit lor
their new surroundings.
With the appropriation of
$4,000 fro mthe legislature of
1921, the Board has already
built the Kinstead. the Shelter
Home for the Board of Charities
anr Probation located at Montpe-
lier. When Kinstead is ready for
occupancy all children committed
to the Board of Charities and