The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1932-03-03
INSTITUTIONS OF
STATE CROWDED
Move Now on Foot to Enlarge
Quarters i'm Minnesota
State Buildings
TO RUSH PRESENT WORK
Buildings Authorized by the
Last Legislature Nearing
Completion

now filled to capacity, G. J. Swend-
sen, member Of the state board of
control, states in a report to Gov
ernor Floyd B. Olson.
30 In addition, 125 children are
awaiting admission to the Gillette
State hospital for crippled children
in st. Paul and 1913 children who
should be cared for in the State
Public School at Owatonna.
There now are 1920 inmates in
the eighteen state-owned institu-
tons, an increase Of over 724 over
last year, Mr.. Swendsen said,
All efforts are being made to
rush completion Of the large build
ing program Of the state board of
control to enable the state to care
for additional inmates and to allie
viate present crowded conditions in
several institutions.
OF the feeble-minded on the
aiting list six hundred have been
placed under outside supervision,
but the remaining 750 are in need
of custodial care in an institution,
Mr.. Swendsen points out. aa
The increase of population at the
Owatonna institution for depen-
dent children is precarious, he said,
where there are 526 children in
the school and 1,019. in private
homes On the waiting list are
1913 children scattered in, % coun-
ties of the state. .oa
The capacity of the institution
when two new cottages under con-
struction are occupied, will be 429
which will still be far inadequate,
The two cottages are built to house
30 children each.
1.-THE reason for the large num-
Der of commitments is no doubt
the so-called "hardtimes,' Mr.
Swendsen said. families break
up and courts commit the children
to the state board of control. As
rule we place in homes for adop-
ton about $50 children a year. For
the same reason, as stated, 1t is
difficult to find homes for children
Many people feel that on account
of the hard times they cannot af-
ford to adopt them. The placement
last year was 279. ..t.' .
I'm this way the state gets the
worst of it. In the first place in
receiving such a large number OF
commitments, and in the second
place is not being able to find as
large a number Of homes as we
have done heretofore"
The largest part of the increase
in inmates over year ago, is in
insane, inebriate, feeble-minded
and epileptic, and criminalistic
persons totaling an increase of GIT
this year. e e.. /.
There are 8,256 insane and in
ebriate in state institutions at
present, an increase of 308 over, a
year ago. The inebriatess increased
from 30 to 43. Predetermined and
epileptic increased from 2,417 last
year to 2,528, while the population
of penal institutions is 1897 COM
pared with 2,199 a year, ago.
The blind and deaf total 40
compared with 1853 last year; tu-
berculous, 261, a decrease of 20
crippled children, 80, compared
with PA year ago; dependent
children 526 compared with $500
and delinquent children 679, an in.
crease of rs over last year
The average per capita cost fol
current expenses for all institu'
lions for the fiscal year ending
June 20, last was $283,500, a de.
crease of $12.40 as compared with
the previous year, due, Mr.. Swend
sen said, to lower prices prevailing
for practically all commodities.
New buildings, authorized by the
1881 legislature to care for the large
increase in population are nearing
completion at the following insti
tutionS. Willmar state asylum, two
cottages to accommodate 200 pa
tients; Fergus Falls hospital, re.
ceiving hospital to accommodate
100; st. Peter hospital, addition to
asylum for dangerous insane to &C
commodate 100; school for feeble
minded, Faribault, cottage for Gus
todian girls, to accommodate 100.
Colony for epileptics, Cambridge
two cottages to accommodate 200
and central heating plant; state
public school, Owatonna, two cot
tages to accommodate 60; school
for deaf, Faribault, physical edu-
cation building and state reforma'
tory at st. Cloud, cell wing to
house 26O, built with inmate labor