State Institutions

( Originally Published 1883 )

Other State Institutions.—In addition to the educational institutions described in the preceding chapter, there are also others which have been established and are maintained by the State. These may be classified as follows:

1. Charitable,

2. Reformatory,

3. Penal.

Charitable Institutions.--The charitable institutions are,—

1. State Public School at Coldwater ;

2. Institution for Educating the Deaf and Dumb at Flint, and school for the Blind at Lansing;

3. Asylums for the Insane at Kalamazoo, Pontiac, and Traverse City.

State Public School.—The State Public School is designed as a temporary home for dependent and neglected children. Here the homeless and poor-house children of the State are clothed and fed and educated, until suitable homes can be procured for them in private families. In this way, abandoned and neglected children, instead of growing up in idleness and crime, are well cared for, and placed in the way of becoming useful citizens. This public charity is peculiar to our own State.

1. A record is kept of the parentage and history of each child.

2. The general management of this school is intrusted to a board known as the Board of Control of the State Public School. It consists of three members, who are appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, for six years, one being appointed every two years. They receive three dollars a day for actual services, in addition to their necessary expenses.

Internal Management.—The children are divided into families, each family occupying a cottage and being under the care of a lady cottage manager. Thus the children have the surroundings and influences of a well regulated home. A good school is maintained, which each child is obliged to attend, and those who are old enough to perform labor are required to work a certain number of hours each day.

The Deaf and Dumb.--Among some barbarous nations, it was the custom to put to death all deaf children when three years of age. They were regarded as monsters. Other nations have regarded them as being under the curse of heaven. Among the Romans, they were debarred from all civil rights. In all ages, the condition of these unfortunates has been sad in the extreme, and it was thought beyond the limits of possibility to instruct them or fit them for any of the occupations of their fellow beings. Recent observations and modern philanthropy have changed the opinion entertained by the ancients, and in all Christian countries, efforts are now being made to educate and fit them for some useful occupation. The result has been that many deaf-mutes have become distinguished in the various walks of life.

1. It was said by the poet Lucretius, who was born in 95 B. C.,— " To instruct the deaf, no art can reach;

No care improve and no wisdom teach."

2. The first institution for the education of deaf-mutes in the United States was established in 181y. In 188o, there were fifty-six.

The Blind.—The condition of the blind has always been better than that of the deaf and dumb. The ancients had a certain degree of reverence for them, and they regarded some of them as having the gift of prophecy. During the Mid die Ages, provision was made for their support and protection ; but it is only in modern times that any attempt has been made to educate them.

The first institution for the blind in the United States was opened in 1832. In 188o, there were thirty-one.

Institutions for Educating the Deaf and Dumb, and the Blind.—These institutions are not in any sense asylums or hospitals, but they were established for the purpose of educating the deaf and dumb, and the blind. They really form a part of the free public school system of the State. Pupils between the ages of ten and twenty one years are admitted and permitted to remain for eight years. Board, tuition, and books are furnished free of charge, and if parents or guardians are unable to furnish clothing, this also is provided at the expense of the county in which the pupil resides. In this way, the privileges of the two schools are brought within the reach of all.

1. The Board of Control of each institution consists of three members appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, for six years, one member of each Board being appointed every two years.

2. The members receive for their services three dollars a day, and their necessary expenses.

Occupation.—The pupils, in addition to their regular school duties, spend several hours each day in learning trades, so that when they leave school, they may be able to earn a livelihood.

Insane Persons.—Although in ancient times, insanity was considered by some to be a sacred disease and full of blessing, and insane persons were regarded as having prophetic power, as a general rule, the condition of insane persons, in all ages, has been very deplorable. During the Middle Ages, there were a few hospitals for the insane, but stripes and chains were the only medical treatment. " The amelioration of the condition of the insane has its com mencement in modern times."

1. In 1882, there were ninety-six institutions for the insane in the United States.

2. The earliest references to insanity are the madness of Saul, the feigned madness of David, and that of Ulysses after the Trojan war.

Asytums for the Insane.—In this State there are three asylums for the insane, one at Kalamazoo, another at Pontiac, and a third at Traverse City. In each of these, two classes of patients are received :-

1. Indigent patients, sent at the expense of the counties or towns in which they reside ;

2. Private patients, sent at the expense of relatives or friends.

The Probate Judge, when application is made, is authorized to send to the asylums insane persons who are paupers or in indigent circumstances. In the case of paupers, application must be made by County Superintendents of the Poor, or by Supervisors. Although private patients are received, preference in admission is given to the poor and indigent, and the counties or townships sending them are obliged to pay for their board, medical treatment, clothing, and incidental expenses. These asylums are really hospitals, and are designed for the care and treatment of either curable or incurable patients.

1. It is illegal to consign an insane person to a county poor-house, when there is room for insane persons in one of the asylums.

2. The asylum located at Pontiac is known as the Eastern Michigan Asylum ; the one at Kalamazoo, as the Michigan Asylum for the Insane; at Traverse City, as the Northern Asylum for the Insane.

3. When indigent patients are discharged, they are furnished with, suitable clothing, and also with money, not exceeding twenty dollars, t• defray necessary expenses.

4. The general management of each asylum is intrusted to a separate Board of Trustees, each Board consisting of six members appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate. They hold office for six years, two being appointed every two years, and are paid their traveling and other necessary expenses. Each Board appoints a medical superintendent, to whom is intrusted the more immediate management of the asylum.

Reformatory and Penal Institutions.—There are three grades of institutions for the reformation and discipline of persons guilty of offenses against the State:

1. The Reform School, for boys between the ages of ten and sixteen.

2 The Industrial Home, for girls between the ages of seven and seventeen.

3. The House of Correction, for young men between, the ages of sixteen and twenty-five, and for those guilty of minor offenses.

4. The State Prison, for criminals guilty of grave offenses, and for hardened criminals.

Reform School.—This school is established for the purpose of reclaiming children who have been subject to evil influences, and have entered upon a life of vice and crime. Boys between the ages of ten and sixteen who have been convicted of offenses not punishable by law with imprisonment for life, may be sent to this school, and kept there until they are eighteen years of age. The Board of Control has the power to liberate any inmate who has been so far reformed as to justify his discharge, or to bind any for a number of years to suitable persons. It may also give boys leave of absence for a limited period or during good behavior. The Reform School is located at Lansing.

1. The Board of Control consists of three members appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, for six years, one being appointed every two years. They are allowed for their services three dollars a day, and their necessary expenses.

2. When the presence of a boy is prejudicial to the discipline of the school, the Board of Control may return him to the authorities of the county or city from which he was received, for punishment in some other institution.

Occupation and Instruction.—This institution is not a prison, but a reform school. There are no bars or iron bolts. The aim of the school is,

1. To inculcate industrial and moral habits ;

2. To educate and throw around young offenders the influences of home life;

3. To inculcate the habit of cheerful and prompt obedience to lawful authority.

All are obliged to attend school about five hours each day, and they are also employed during a portion of each day in some industrial occupation. They are allowed certain hours, morning, noon, and evening, for recreation and play.

There is a farm connected with the school, containing two hundred and twenty-four acres.

Industrial Home for Girls.—The general plan and aim of this institution, and that of the Reform School, are the same. It is designed for the reformation of girls between the ages of seven and seventeen who have been subject to evil influences, and have committed offenses not punishable by law with imprisonment for life.- The girls are placed in 'cottages, the inmates of each cottage forming a family, and being in charge of a cottage manager.

There are five members of the Board of Controls three women and two men, appointed by the Governor in the same manner as other Boards are appointed. The powers of the Board are similar to those exercised by the Board of Control of the Reform School. They also receive the same compensation.

House of Correction.—This prison is designed more especially for young men guilty of a first offense, and for criminals not wholly depraved. They are not associated with hardened criminals, guilty of grave offenses, but they are placed under a discipline and training which aims to reform the criminal. All young men between the ages of sixteen and twenty-five, convicted of crimes not punishable by imprisonment for life, and all male persons guilty of a misdemeanor, where the imprisonment is not less than ninety days, may be sent to the House of Correction. This institution is located at Ionia.

1. The general supervision and management is intrusted to the Gov. ernor and three Managers appointed by him, with the advice and consent of the Senate. They hold office for six years, one being appointed every two years, and they receive three dollars for each day necessarily occupied in the inspection and management of the institution, together with their traveling expenses.

2. A warden is appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, for two years. He is responsible for the more imme diate management of the institution.

Occupation and Discipline.—All inmates of the House of Correction are required to labor, and are taught some of the mechanical trades. As the name implies, an effort is made to correct, by right influences, the evil tendencies of crimi nals, and to make them law abiding citizens. This is attempted by inculcating habits of industry, by moral and religious training, and by books and schooling.

Detroit House of Correction.—This institution was built by the city of Detroit, and it is under the control of the Common Council. Although it is a local and not a State institution, the Board of Supervisors of any county may make an arrangement with the Common Council of the city of Detroit to receive and keep persons guilty of any offense except murder and treason. Young men between the ages of sixteen and twenty-one, guilty of a first offense, or of a crime not punishable with imprisonment for life ; every female convicted of crime ; and all others convicted of minor offenses, may be sent there. The counties sending criminals pay the city of Detroit for their care and support. The general plan of Detroit House of Correction and that at Ionia is the same, with the exception that females are not sent to the House of Correction at Ionia.1

1. The Detroit House of Correction is self-supporting, and has accumulated property to the value of $200,000, in addition to what it has received from the city of Detroit. During the last four years, it has paid into the city treasury $140,000.

2. The general management is entrusted to four Inspectors, nominated by the Mayor of the city, and appointed by the Common Council. They hold office for four years, one being appointed each year, and they receive no compensation for their services.

State Prison.—This prison is located at Jackson. It is designed as a place of confinement for hardened criminals, and for those who have been guilty of atrocious crimes. Criminals guilty of murder are here confined for life.

i. The general supervision and management is entrusted to the Governor and three Inspectors. Their appointment, term of office, etc., are the same as that of the Board of Managers of the House of Correction at Ionia. They receive four dollars for each day occupied in the inspection and management of the institution, and their traveling expenses.

2. The more immediate management is entrusted to a warden, who is appointed in the same manner, and for the same term, as the warden of the House of Correction.

Occupation and Discipline.—The prisoners are kept constantly employed at hard labor, at an average of not less than ten hours a' day. Although it is very difficult to restore hardened criminals to a life of honor and usefulness, yet separation from evil associations, the opportunity for reflection, and the moral and religious influences which are brought to bear upon them, are all designed for this end. No system, however, has yet been devised that will reach all criminals, and it is a lamentable fact that but a very few become good citizens, after serving a term in the State Prison.

Board of Corrections and Charities.—The Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoints a Board of Corrections and Charities for the general supervision of charitable, penal, pauper, and reformatory institutions. It is the duty of this Board to visit and thoroughly examine the prisons, asylums, and reformatories, as well as the jails and poor-houses of the several counties. It cannot interfere with the functions of the boards of control having immediate care of these institutions, nor can it interfere directly with the internal management of any of these establishments; but it scrutinizes their management, points out their defects, reports to the Governor their excellencies and their faults, and makes such suggestions as it may deem proper. Two evils are liable to arise in all public and private institutions :

1. Officials are in danger of exercising too arbitrary power, and of neglecting and abusing those intrusted to their care.

2. When, institutions are left to themselves, they are in danger either of running in familiar ruts or of degenerating.

Frequent visitation and inspection have a tendency to prevent these evils. Abuse of power is thus brought to the knowledge of the public, a greater regard is paid to the welfare of the inmates, and improved methods are suggested and carried out.

The Board consists of four members appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, for eight years, one being appointed every two years. They are paid their traveling and other necessary expenses. The Governor is a member of the Board by virtue of his office.

County Agents of the State Board.—In many of the counties of the State, an agent of the Board of Corrections and Charities is appointed by the Governor. The duties of this officer are exceedingly important. He is required,

1. To look after the interests of juvenile offenders in his county. When an offense, not punishable with imprisonment for life, has been committed by any boy or girl, it is the duty of the county agent to examine into all the facts and circumstances, and advise with the magistrate who has jurisdiction of the case, as to how the public interest and the interest of the child can be best subserved.

2. To visit, as often as once a year, all children in his county who have been placed in charge of others by any State Board or officer of the State, and see whether they are properly treated and cared for.

3. To watch over and care for deserted and neglected children, and to assist in finding homes for them. He represents the watchful care of the State over the home less and dependent children.

County agents, in addition to their expenses, receives three dollars for each child that has been properly attended to. The compensation in any one year can not exceed one hundred dollars, except in the county of Wayne, where it is limited to two hundred dollars.

STATE INSTITUTIONS.

1. CHARITABLE.

a. State Public School, Coldwater.

b. Institution for Educating the Deafand Dumb, Flint.

c. School for the Blind, Lansing.

d. Asylums for the Insane, Kalamazoo, Pontiac, and Traverse City.

2. REFORMATORY.

a. State Reform School, Lansing.

b. Industrial Home for Girls, Adrian.

PENAL.

a. State House of Correction, Ionia.

b. Detroit House of Correction, Detroit.