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Their rooms are thoroughly cleaned every day, and the children are bathed regularly once each week. This care of clothing and food, and cleanliness of person and apartments has a double reward in the neat, tidy and cheerful appearance of the children themselves, and in the preservation of their health.

Your committee found but one under the care of the physician, and that one was quite convalescent. Only one death has occurred since December, 1866. The younger children are required to retire at 7 o'clock, P. M.; the elder ones at 9 o'clock, P. M., and all rise at 5 o'clock in the morning. Chapel exercises are held morning and evening, and on the Sabbath the children attend such church service in the city as the parents or guardians may direct.

SCHOOLS.

Ten months of the twelve within the year are devoted to daily school instruction.

The educational system consists of a graded school, divided into three departments-Primary, Intermediate, and Higher. In the Primary Department are nearly 100 little scholars crowded into a small room certainly not more than half the size it should be. To these are taught principally reading and spelling. To the Intermediate class are taught reading, writing, spelling, and arithmetic. About 80 scholars are in the Higher Department, to whom are taught, reading, writing, geography, grammar and arithmetic. All classes are taught vocal music. Some few of the larger scholars are attending Shaw & Lansing's Commercial School, located in the city. By the liberality of the proprietors, their tuition is furnished at reduced rates, which tuition is not paid in any instance by the State, but by some kind friend of the orphans.

The schools are kept in better condition than could reasonably be expected in such small rooms as they are compelled to occupy, which are very illy furnished, and the scholars so closely together as really to be in each others way. Notwithstanding all this, your committee are of the opinion that very fair progress is being made, and that the opportunities here afforded to the orphans are such as will prepare them as men and women for the active duties of lite in any intelligent community.

LIBRARY.

The library (if it may be called such), consists of a few more than 300 volumes which have been read and re-read. Your committee are of the opinion that nothing is better calculated to cultivate taste for profitable reading among youth than a well selected "Youths' Library," and would recommend an appropriation of three hundred dollars for that purpose.

BUILDINGS.

The property leased and occupied by the Home, consists of the following buildings:

First.-An old brick hotel, three stories high, 30 by 62 feet, from the rear of which are two wooden projections, two stories, 28 by 40 feet.

Second.-A two-story brick building, 32 by 40 feet.

Third.-A cheap, wooden structure, filling the space between the other two buildings-width 20 feet.

Fourth.-A small wooden building, a few rods from the other buildings, in which are quartered the children of the ninth ward.

The rent for the last named building (which is $180) your committee regarded as double its fair rental value, but no other building could at the time be procured.

The aggregate rents paid for these building amount to the sum of $866 per annum. The buildings are cheaply furnished-the beds well filled with straw, are very large, filling a bunk about five feet by six feet, and in each of these four little fellows are tucked side by side.

The school rooms are not nearly so well finished or furnished as are ordinary common school houses.

The two main buildings are quite old and dilapidated and are not well adapted to their present use. Your committee examined a forty-acre tract of land proposed to be donated to the State by the citizens-provided a suitable building be erected thereon and referred to in the report of the trustees-and found it to be located nearly one-half mile outside the city limits, and is a fine, high, undulating piece of land, an excellent site for building purposes. And believing this institution will be needed for years to come; that it has proven already and will continue to prove itself a great blessing to the indigent children of those soldiers of Iowa who have either fallen for their country, or have become unable through disease or wounds to provide bread and education for them, your committee unite with the said board of trustees in recommending an appropriation of thirty thousand dollars for the erection of suitable buildings upon the tract of land above referred to, fot the use of the Orphans' Home.

PAY OF OFFICERS AND EMPLOYES.

The monthly pay of officers and employes is as follows:

Superintendent....

Matron...

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40 00

21 00

50 00

20 00

30 00

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Two Ladies Sewing with Machines, $12 each.....
Three Ladies Sewing without Machines, $10 each....

Aggregate per month..

FINANCIAL CONDITION.

16 00

24 00

30 00

$610 66

The total expenses for January, 1868, were $3,071.74, with an average of about two hundred and seventy-eight orphans, or a trifle over eleven dollars for each per inonth. From an examination of monthly expenditures for the year last past, your committee are of the opinion that it will be difficult to render the children comfortable and pay the employes reasonable wages for a less appropriation than ten dollars per month for each orphan.

It will be remembered that the appropriation by the State has heretofore been $8.33 for each child per month. The insufficiency of that sum has compelled the board to appeal to the citizens for donations. Upward of $3,000 have been donated for the Cedar Falls Home by individuals since it became a State institution. This your committee believe to be all wrong. The State should provide for the necessities of so noble a charity-not by any means with a prodigal hand, nor yet with grudging insufficiency. On the other hand the board of trustees recommend an increase of appropriation to twelve dollars per month for each orphan.

Your committee are of the opinion that, by making regular details of the larger girls to aid in the kitchen and dining-room, and also on Saturdays in the sewing-department, thereby securing to the girls a more practical knowledge of those useful arts, namely: washing dishes, cooking, and sewing, (which, in the opinion of your committee, is no disgrace to any lady of Iowa),-thereby saving the wages of three or four employes, and also (should the State provide a building of its own for this Home) the large saving of rent that the appropriation of ten dollars per month for each orphan will, with care on the part of the officers, be quite sufficient to render comfortable the orphans of our soldiers, and also provide for them a good education.

In conclusion, your committee agree that the unsurpassed liber-
ality, sympathy and kindness of the citizens of Cedar Falls to this
large class of unfortunate children located among them, can not be
too highly complimented-that the appropriations heretofore made.
by the State, have been well and economically expended, and that
the present judicious management of this institution unites with
its laudable object in commending this noble charity to the foster-
ing care of the State.

Accompanying this report is returned a complete alphabetical
list of the children and youths now at the Home-from what
county-sex-and present age.

All of which is respectfully submitted.

W. G. DONNAN,

On the part of the Senate.
W. P. GAYLORD,
THOS. B. KNAPP,

On the part of the House.

NAMES OF ORPHANS AT THE CEDAR FALLS HOME, MARCH 3, 1868.

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