These homes are in Washington and Montgomery counties, which are, perhaps, in point of population and wealth, somewhat above the average of counties, and yet not so much so as to justify the conclusion that this distinguished charity is the result of superior resources. The total valuation of taxable property, real and personal, for the past year, in Montgomery county, is $35,934,580, while in Washington county it is but $10, 926,537.

But, admitting that very many counties in the State could ill afford the cost and subsequent maintenance of such institutions, the Board still adhere to the views expressed on this subject in the last annual report, and would urge, as eminently practicable, the erection of District Homes, the districts to be comprised of such counties as might feel unable or unwilling to erect homes for themselves. These District Homes might be under the direction of a Board of Trustees, one from each county represented in the district, to be appointed as Trustees of County Homes are now appointed, and under regulations as are now provided for in the law authorizing such institutions, or by enactments specially made for their government and control.

The Board feel confident that satisfactory plans could be adopted, and that District Homes would meet a pressing necessity of the less populous and less wealthy counties of the State.

AN ACT for the establishment, support and regulation of Children's Homes in the several counties of this State, and repealiug a certain act therein named. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio, That the county commisssioners of any county in this State may, and they are hereby authorized, when, in their opinion, the interests of the public demand it, to provide for the purchase of a suitable site and the erection of the necessary buildings, to be styled the "Children's Home' for such county, and to provide means by taxation for such purchase and support of the same. And they are authorized to receive and hold in trust for the use and benefit of said " Home," any grant or devise of land, and any donation or bequest of money or other personal property that may be made for the establishment or support of said “ Home."

SEC. 2. That when the necessary site and buildings are provided by the county, it shall be the duty of the commissioners of such county to appoint thereafter, on the first Monday of March, a board of three trustees, who shall hold their office as follows: One for the term of one year, one for the term of two years and one for the term of three years, from the date of their appointment; and annually after said board shall be so constituted, said county commissioners shall, on the first Monday of March, annually thereafter, appoint one trustee for said Childrens' Home, who shall hold his office for the term of three years, and until his successor is appointed and qualified, and the said commissioners shall designate one of said trustees, or some other suitable person, who shall act as superintendent of said "Children's Home," and who shall also be clerk of said board of trustees, and he shall receive for his services such compensation as the said commissioners may designate at the time of his appointment; and he shall perform all such duties, and give security for

the faithful performance of them as the trustees may by by-laws direct. The other trustees shall not receive any compensation for their services. The said trustees shall have the entire charge and control of said “Childrens' Home" and the inmates therein. They may appoint a matron, assistant matron and teachers for said Childrens' Home, whose duties shall be the special care of the inmates of said Home, direct their employment, and giving suitable, physical, mental and moral training to the inmates. The matron shall have the control, general management and supervision of the household duties of said Childrens' Home, and the said matron, assistant matron and teachers shall each perform such other duties, and receive for their services such compensation as the trustees shall by by-laws from time to time direct, and may be removed at the pleasure of the trustees or any two of them, upon good cause.

SEC. 3. The "Childrens' Home" shall be an asylum for all persons resident of the county where such home is located, under sixteen years of age, and such other persons under such age from other counties in this state, where no home is located, as the trustees of such "Childrens' Home" and the party, parties or authorities having the custody and control of such children, may, by contract agree upon, who by reason of abandonment by parents, or orphanage or neglect, or inability of parents to provide for them, in the opinion of the trustees, are suitable persons for such provisions, and they shall be admitted by the superintendent on the order of any two of such trustees, accompanied by a statement of facts signed by them, setting forth the name, age, birthplace and present condition of the person named in such order, which said statement of facts contained in said order, together with any additional facts connected with the history and condition of said person, shall be by the superintendent recorded in a book, provided him for that purpose by the county commissioners of such county, which book shall be at all times open for inspection.

SEC. 4. That all the inmates of said "Childrens' Home," who have been neglected or abandoned as aforesaid, or who have been by the parent or parents or guardians of said person voluntarily surrendered to the trustees of such "Children's Home," in all such cases the said trustees shall have the sole and exclusive guardianship and control of such children during their stay in said home, and until they shall arrive at the age of sixteen years; and said trustees shall also have power to discharge any of the inmates of said home, when in their judgment said inmate has become an unsuitable person for such home, and such person when so discharged, shall resume the same power and authority as they originally possessed; provided, the said trustees may, in their discretion, return any of the inmates of said home to the parents or guardian of such inmates, when they believe said inmates are capable of earning and providing for themselves, or their parents or guardians for them.

SEC. 5. That it shall be the duty of said board of trustees to seek suitable homes for all such children so committed, and indenture the same to such persons as may be willing to rear the same; also to cause such children to be adopted by parties willing to adopt such children; provided, that the person to whom such child is indentured, or by whom such child is adopted, is deemed by said board of trustees a suitable person and the said superintendent shall enter in a book, to be provide him by the county commissioners of such county, the date when any of the inmates of said "Childrens' Home" shall be indentured or adopted, the name and age of such inmate, the name and place of residence of the

person to whom indentured or by whom adopted; and if indentured, a substantial statement of the conditions of such indentures, which said book shall be at all times open for inspection to any person interested in any of the inmates of such "Childrens' Home."

SEC. 6. It shall be the duty of the said board of trustees to report, quarterly, to the county commissioners of said county, the condition of the "Home," and make an annual report in writing of the condition, wants and operations of the same, including the number of inmates, and if any from other counties, the terms upon which they are admitted, and furnish, also, an accurate account of all receipts and expenditures.

SEC. 7. That in any county in this state where there now is or hereafter may be established by private charity, or otherwise, a "Childrens' Home," the same may be purchased or sustained under the provisions of this act by the county commissioners.

SEC. 8. That the act entitled an act for the establishment, support and regulation of "Childrens' Homes" in the several counties of the state of Ohio, passed March 20, 1866, is hereby repealed; provided, that such repeal shall in no manner affect contracts that have been made or rights that have become vested under said original act, but the same shall remain, in all respects, as if such act had not been repealed and this act shall take effect on its passage.

1

ED. A. PARROTT,

Speaker of the House of Representativos.
ANDREW G. MCBURNEY,
President of the Senate.

Passed April 10, 1867.

MANAGEMENT OF INFIRMARIES.

It will occur from the foregoing statements relating to infirmary buildings and the classes of inmates, that the management of these institutions involves a degree of labor, care and responsibility, to which it would seem few men would aspire. The fact, however, is well known, that in almost every county there are numbers of men ambitious of such offices, and directors, instead of difficulty in securing persons willing to assume such duties and responsibilities, find their chief perplexity in making choice among aspirants for the position. Another fact equally clear, is that the choice is not always regulated by the qualifications of the individual for the position, but rather from one of the other considerations, which ought never, under any consideration, to influence choice in meeting obligations so sacred and important as those pertaining to the dispensation of public charity, and the immediate care of the poor, the needy, the helpless and dependent. Ordinarily, the office of Superintendent of Infirmaries, like other offices, is held as legitimate spoil of the party in power, and dispensed as a reward of fealty and service to the individual from his party. Either one of the parties in any county of the State have men fitted to such positions, and the party in power owe it to themselves, as well as to the State, that for such positions none but those thoroughly qualified should be chosen to the performance of such duties.

Another, if possible worse principle carried equally far in practice, prevails to influence these appointments. It is the false notions of economy that selects the man for the position, regardless of other qualifications, who will undertake the work at the cheapest rate.

Whatever offices (if there be any), that might with propriety be put upon the market and hawked over the county for the "lowest bid," this ought to be held sacredly to a standard of personal qualification, and, at whatever cost, this, if possible, should be secured.

These are influences of a general character, so prominent and withal so prevalent, as relating to this office, that we have felt constrained to mention them in connection with such protest as we know the common conscience of the people, irrespective of party, will approve. These are evils that will find their remedy only in an enlightened public sentiment. Men notoriously lazy in habits, selfish in nature, socially, intellectually and morally unfit, are now occupying these positions, not only to the detriment of the institutions over which they exercise Superintendency, but to the degradation of the office. The number of these, happily, is not large, and this fact of itself suggests an easy remedy.

The Board feel that these remarks may seem invidious, that good men, faithful, dilligent, intelligent Superintendents may be prejudiced to the public mind by this apparent indiscrimate censure. But such men with a consciousness of their own faithfulness will find commendation rather than censure in remarks designed to free the office which they honor from the disgrace of such as make the Superintendency a mere sinecure.

However this may be, the Board could scarcely say less in view of the oft repeated mention of bad management or neglect as observed in some of the counties. But probably very little of censure attaches directly to superintendents. The actual responsibility rests with the Infirmary Directors, and back of them with the people. There is no disguising the fact that very often quite inferior men are chosen to this office. The reasons for this are so obvious as to require no particular mention. In our opinion, if Directors of Infirmaries were appointed officers, or, as now, elective, under such provision as pertain to the trustees of benevolent institutions, without compensation for services, yet providing for the actual expenses of the individual members of the Board, then better men would be induced to serve, and consequently better counsels would prevail in the management of these institutions.

There is one feature of infirmary management that must not be overlooked, but in regard to which nothing, perhaps, beyond the statement of the fact, will be required. In many of our infirmaries no separate provision is made for compensating the matron. The marital relation of the "twain" (husband and wife) as "one flesh," is most rigidly adhered to, not unfrequently (as may be readily conceived,) to the general detriment of order and good management. Faithful matrons earn, and should

receive, an independent recognition of their services. There are still other provisions necessary to the comfort and safety of these institutions. Under the very best provisions made, and with the most thorough adaptation and devotion to the interests of the infirmary, it is not possible that any one man can manage successfully at the same time such households, together with the large farms. One interest or the other must suffer. Ordinarily the farm interests receive the attention, while the inmates, as is seen too generally, suffer from neglect.

Stark County meets this want by the employment of help. There is at all times present with, and administering to the wants of the male insane, and other classes requiring such constancy of supervision, a competent employe, while over the female portion of the household the matron exercises the corresponding care. Thus, as will be seen by reference to the Secretary's report, general comfort is secured, and a high order of management over household and farm is constantly maintained.

COUNTY JAILS.

The Board having occupied so large a portion of the last report in giving prominence to the condition of county jails, and the pressing necessity of reform in this very important branch of our prison system, feel inclined to confine themselves at present to but brief mention of the subject, and yet they must not be understood as abating one jot or tittle of interest in this department of the work committed to their hands.

The Secretary visited during the past year, as heretofore, the jails, in connection with the infirmaries of the several counties, and though but few of them are reported in detail, we think the reason, as stated by him, quite sufficient. There is such a sameness of bad air, insufficient light, dampness, filth, and general gloom characterizing the buildings, such a universal commingling and necessarily such a demoralization of prisoners characterizing the management, that a description of one is a description of nearly all the jails in our State. Here and there the Secretary has noted peculiarities, but in every instance save one, that of Williams County, these are but the unfolding of additional horrors.

In view of these facts the Board desire to recall attention to the report made one year ago, and to repeat those recommendations touching the necessities for thorough reform in our jail system, by which jail buildings shall be so constructed as to secure complete separation of prisoners, and be used only as "houses of detention" for those arrested under suspicion or held under commitment of minor courts to answer, or under indictment for trial in higher courts.

Further observations and matured thoughts, together with the commendation of those conversant with the subject in different parts of the 3-S. C.