designed by the managers to continue and extend it the coming year.

The attendance in the schools and upon religious services has been regular and punctual during the entire year. The daily average in the schools was six hundred and seventy-five. The results, as shown by the record of the conduct and standing of the pupils, have been highly gratifying.

The officers of the institution remain the same as last reported. The superintendent, Mr. Israel C. Jones, has been in charge nearly eight years, and exhibits excellent skill and judgment in its management. The subordinate officers and teachers have also had large experience in their respective positions, and all appear to be thoroughly qualified and faithful in the discharge of their duties. The institution is believed to be accomplishing well its work, and its excellent condition and management promises much for its future usefulness.

The Western House of Refuge, at Rochester.

There were three hundred and forty-eight boys in this institution January 1, 1870. Two hundred were admitted during the year, one hundred and ninety-six discharged, and three hundred and fifty-two remained at the close.

Of those received during the year, eighteen were recommitments, four were boys who had been intrusted to farmers and early returned as disorderly, and the residue new commitments. Forty-four were of native, and the others foreign parentage. Seven were colored. Thirteen were orphans and sixty-two half-orphans. The commitments were mainly for malicious mischief. The average age when received was nearly fourteen years.

The discharges were as follows: By order of the board of managers, one hundred and eighty-five; by writs of habeas corpus, five; escaped, four; died, two.

It is shown by the report of the treasurer that the total institution receipts the past year amounted to $65,480.62. Of this sum,

$41,250 were received from the State and $13,707.19 from the earn

ings of the inmates. The disbursements were, for current expenses, $54,768.71, extraordinary expenditures, $13,197.48, total, $67,966.19. The average number of inmates was three hundred and fifty-two, and the actual average weekly cost of support $2.99. This, by the labor of the inmates was reduced to $2.24 per week.

During the past year the wood-work, iron-work and roofs of the entire buildings have been painted, and the wood-work in the dining halls, bath-rooms and portions of the main building grained and varnished. This labor has been performed mainly by the inmates, thus giving to the boys suitable employment and saving a large expense to the institution.

A new tailor shop has been neatly and convenienly fitted up in the first division wing, used exclusively for manufacturing and repairing the boys' clothing, and new benches and fixtures have been added to the house shoe-shop. About twenty-five boys are employed in the lattter, who make and repair all the shoes used in the institution.

The old desks, seats and furniture in the school-rooms have been removed, and replaced with new and approved modern school furniture. The walls of the school-rooms have been nicely painted and decorated, and ornamented with choice and appropriate mottoes. These improvements add much to the beauty of the school-rooms and largely promote the comfort and convenience of the inmates.

Walks, leading from the main building to the wings, shops and along the entire outside front of the inclosure wall, have been constructed, and seats made in the yard for the use of the boys. Three flights of massive iron stairs have also been built at the rear of the main building, replacing the old ones, no longer fit for use. The entire cost of these was $1,700.

The closets in the inclosure have been removed, the vaults filled up, and new buildings erected outside, with an entrance to each through the wall. Several old and dilapidated structures at the rear have also been removed, and a new building has been erected for a piggery, slaughter-house, tool-house, stables, etc., etc. These build

ings, throughout, are built in the most durable and substantial manner, and properly adapted for the several purposes to which they are applied. Their cost, complete, was $7,720.41.

It is the desire of the managers to make further improvements in the buildings and grounds the present year. In addition to the usual State allowance for current expenses, they will ask the Legislature to appropriate as follows: For repairs for the past two years, $20,000; for school furniture, already purchased; iron stairs, now being constructed in front of the main building; repainting and repairing the inclosure walls; erecting a new front entrance and gate lodge; building a coal-house, and for sewerage, $21,500. These improvements all seem to be needed, and it is believed that the interests of the institution will be promoted by the outlay.

On the first day of April last, Mr. Levi S. Fulton was appointed superintendent of the institution, in place of Mr. Elisha M. Carpenter, who had held the position since June 1st, 1868. Mr. Fulton has had no previous experience in the management of juvenile delinquents, but was superintendent of the Monroe county work-house for several years. Thus far, it is believed, his administration has fully met the expectations of the managers and the community. The improvements as to classification, discipline, amusements and labor of the inmates, introduced by Mr. Carpenter while in charge, have been carried out and largely extended. The general condition of the institution indicates progress and advancement, and is highly encouraging.

PART II.-LOCAL CHARITIES.

These institutions, maintained and controlled by counties and municipalities, are:

1. County poor-houses.

2. City alms-houses.

In 1868, I visited and inspected all these charities, and their condition then, was presented at length in my report of that year. A few of them were also visited in 1869, but no extended report was made.

The results of my inquiries and examinations, during the past year, herewith follow:

1. COUNTY POOR-HOUSES.

The number of county poor-houses in the State, including the one in process of erection in Suffolk county (upon the completion of which the present system of town houses will be abandoned), is fiftysix. In Hamilton and Schuyler, the poor are maintained in the institutions of adjoining counties, or temporarily aided at their homes This form of aid, it will be seen, is also largely extended to the dependent classes in all the other counties.

A list of the several county poor-houses, their localition, name and date of appointment of the keeper, and the names, residence, and date of election of the superintendents of the poor are given in Table XIII.

Table XIV shows the number of persons supported and relieved, and changes in the county poor-houses during the year ending November 30th, 1870.

A description of the persons supported in the poor-houses during the year, as far as ascertained, is given in Table XV; and of those remaining at its close, in table XVI.

The causes of dependence of the persons supported, are shown in Table XVII; and their nativity and sex in Table XVIII.

Table XIX shows the amount expended for support and temporary relief during the year.

The value of the poor-house establishments, labor of the inmates, and the expenses of supporting each person, are stated in Table XX. In examining the poor-houses during the past year, I have found a general improvement in their management and condition as compared with 1868. Since then, substantial and well arranged buildings have been erected in several counties, and extended repairs and alterations made in many of the others. More attention is paid to ventilation and cleanliness, and better care appears to be shown the inmates, particularly the aged, infirm and sick.

Many of the defects in these institutions, pointed out in my former report, it will be observed, however, still exist. Among these, the lack of facilities for classification, is probably productive of the greatest evils. In nearly all the houses, the inmates associate freely with one another, nor can this be well prevented. The number of dependents in most of the counties is too small to warrant the erection of buildings adapted for classification, hence, this association, with its injurious results.

It is believed that these evils can be remedied, only, by the removal of certain classes of the dependents to other institutions. Among these are the insane, epileptics, idiots, adult vagrants and the children.

The following recommendations, thought to be warranted by the condition and necessities of these several classes, and believed to be in harmony with the general sentiment of the county authorities, are respectfully submitted.

1st. The completion of the several State asylums, and the transfer of the insane, both acute and chronic, to State custody.

2d. The erection of additional buildings upon the State farm, at Syracuse, or elsewhere, for the reception and care of idiots, including also, the unteachable and adults.

3d. The establishment of State or district work-houses, for the detention and employment of adult able-bodied vagrants.

4th. The removal of the children to orphan asylums, or providing for them, temporarily, in families.

It may be briefly stated, in support of these recommendations:

First. The insane, in a legal and moral point of view, are not usually considered responsible for their conduct and actions. That the State should provide for all this class, dependent upon the public for support, or see that suitable provision is made for them by the local authorities would, therefore, seem to be clearly imperative. In brief, it is thought that the status of every insane person should be defined by law to be in an asylum, adapted to their wants and necessi