Library Collections: Document: Full Text

TRUSTEES.
JAMES H. TITUS,
ALLEN MUNROE.
GEORGE F. COMSTOCK,
FREDERICK D. HUNTINGTON,
NATHAN F. GRAVES,
E. W. LEAVENWORTH,
LAKE I. TEFT,
ALFRED WILKINSON.

State Officers-Ex-Officio.
LUCIUS ROBINSON, Governor
WM. DORSHEIMER, Lieutenant-Governor
ALLEN C. BEACH, Secretary of State
E.P. OLCOTT, Comptroller
NEIL GILMOUR, Supt. Of Public Instruction.

Permanent Chairman.

Secretary and Treasurer.
ALLEN MUNROE.

Executive Committee.
A. WILKINSON.
E. W. LEAVENWORTH.

OFFICERS.

Superintendent.
HERVEY B. WILBUR, M. D.

Matron.
MISS ALVIRA WOOD.

Assistant Matron.
MRS. IRA WHITE.

House-Keeper.
MRS. M. A. YOUNG.

Teachers.
MISS S. P. YOUNG,
MISS L. PETHERAM,
MRS. F. A. HARDY,
MRS. E. M. COOK,
MRS. OLIVE SAWTELLE,
MRS. LAURA EATON,
MISS IDA BAKER.

Steward.
BENJAMIN N. EASTMAN.

TWENTY-EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE NEW YORK ASYLUM FOR IDIOTS.

To the Legislature of the State of New York:

Agreeably to the provisions of the act establishing this institution, the undersigned, trustees, respectfully submit this, their twenty-eighth annual report.

The total resources for the year ending September 30th, 1878, as will be seen by the treasurer's report, herewith annexed, were as follows:

RESOURCES FOR THE YEAR.

EXPENDITURES FOR FISCAL YEAR ENDING OCT. 1, 1878.

From the report of the treasurer it will be seen that there was the following outstanding indebtedness, October 1st, 1878:

CASH ASSETS, OCTOBER 1ST, 1878.

This leaves a deficit of $3,750.80. which is in part offset by supplies in hand in the storerooms of the asylum.

This indebtedness is due to the fact that there were some extraordinary expenses during the year, that were paid from the fund for current expenses, in the absence of a special appropriation.

Thus, a new kitchen had to be built a covered piazza, connecting the new buildings; an extension of the water mains and drain pipes, all costing about $4,000.

In addition, there was an expenditure of over 3,000 for the furniture of the new building.

It is not thought necessary, however, by the board, to ask for an appropriation to cancel this indebtedness, for it is anticipated that with strict economy during the coming year, the usual number of State pupils at the asylum can be maintained and the deficit provided for with the annual appropriation of $45,000.

A report of the committee of this board having special charge of the custodial asylum will accompany this report. It shows that the experiment has been successfully tried. In the opinion of this board the value and necessity of a permanent asylum of this kind is demonstrated.

An appropriation will be required, to maintain the custodial asylum at its highest capacity until the 30th day of September, 1880, of $15,000.

The annual report of the superintendent to the board, which also accompanies this report, in addition to a full account of the organization of the custodial asylum, which was really established and started by him almost unassisted. His report is a valuable one, and will be read by all who take an interest in this truly good work, with great attention.

Since the last report two of the trustees, Messrs. Titus and Tefft, the former a trustee from the organization of the board, in consequence of advancing years and increasing infirmities of age, have resigned their trusteeships. It is with regret that the board lose their services and counsel.

All of which is respectfully submitted.

ALFRED WILKINSON,
E. W. LEAVENWORTH,
ALLEN MUNROE.
F. D. HUNTINGTON,
N. F. GRAVES,
NEIL GILMOUR,
F. P. OLCOTT,
GEO. F. COMSTOCK.
ALBANY, January 8, 1878.

Treasurer's Report.

ALLEN MUNROE, Treasurer of the New York Asylum for Idiots, in account current with the State of New York, for cash received and expended for the general supplies, and the salaries and wages of officers, teachers, attendants and servants of said asylum, during the year ending September 30, 1878.

RESOURCES FOR THE YEAR.

DISBURSEMENTS.

ALBANY, January 8, 1879.

We certify that we have examined the treasurer's report for the year ending September 30th, 1878; have compared all receipts with the sources of revenue, all expenditures with the vouchers, and find this report to be correct.

ALFRED WILKINSON,
E. W. LEAVENWORTH,
Executive Committee.

Superintendent's Report.

To the Trustees of the New York Asylum for Idiots:

GENTLEMEN: -- I herewith submit a report of the affairs of the institution, of which I have the immediate charge, for the year ending September 30th, 1878:

The whole number of pupils connected with the asylum during that period was 304.

The average attendance for school year was 265. The largest number at any one time was 280.

Of this number 35 were pay pupils; the remainder beneficiaries of the State.

There is what is called a vacation period, from the middle of July till the 7th of September, when the parents, or friends of the children, may take them home. Each year, the number of parents who avail themselves of the opportunity, is a diminishing one; the reason for this lies in the fact that, more and more, our pupils come from families of extreme indigence, from orphan asylums, or from county poor-houses. Even persons in moderate circumstances, living at a remote distance are constrained to forego the privilege on account of travel. As a result, at no time, during the months named, had we less than 215 pupils at the asylum.

The proper maintenance account for the year, including everything but clothing, was $46,041.74. Dividing this sum by 265, the average number of pupils for school year, and we have, as the annual per capita cost of each pupil, $173.75.

Or, again dividing this sum by $13,100 weeks' board, actually furnished by the pupils, the weekly cost of the same was $3.51.

Of the total number, there were during the year but six deaths.

Of these, one died of heart disease, dropping dead in an instant. Another died, about two weeks after admission, from pneumonia. The other four, from tuberculous disease of the lungs, or consumption.

This has been the ordinary termination of life of most of our pupils who have died in the past history of the asylum. Thus much for the ordinary statistics of the the -sic- asylum.

In the main, the past year at the asylum has been rather an uneventful one. The system of management has become so established that, except for the occurrence of a prevailing sickness or accident to the inmates, there is very little noteworthy. But health has prevailed to an unusual degree and there has been no accident to any pupil.

We have now occupied, for more than a year, the new buildings erected in 1876 and 1877. They have proved to be very convenient for the purposes for which they were intended. Their occupation involved some little change in our arrangements, but we are now fairly settled in the new quarters.

The only modification in our plan of management has grown out of the fact that our new buildings have enabled us to give a greater prominence to industrial occupations, both for the girls and boys.

The most important step, however, was the opening of an experimental establishment for adult female idiots.

A custodial establishment for adult and unteachable idiots, of both sexes, had been advocated in the annual reports of this institution for years. In fact, at the very outset it had been understood by the friends of the project for ameliorating the condition of idiots, that, while the first step was the founding of a training-school for those of a teachable age and condition, another must follow.

Enough was known of the class to render it certain that some of them would prove to be unteachable; on the one hand; from the low degree of their intelligence; and on the other, from complications with other disease or infirmity. So, too, any radical improvement could only be looked for in the case of the young.

For such as these, a home or asylum was needed for various reasons. Their habits, in many cases, could at least be improved. In such a place, they could be better cared for, and with actually less trouble than circumstances in an ordinary family will permit; and certainly better than with the surroundings of a county poorhouse.

Furthermore, many of the pupils who might be educated in an institution for that purpose, if not already, would sooner or later become homeless. The natural tendency of the class is toward the public receptacles for the indigent and paupers. So when the time came, as it must, for such to leave the educational establishment, to make room for others, they, too, would need an asylum; where, by a continuance in habits of industry and obedience, and by the utilizing of their developed powers in some form of useful occupation, and in the care of more helpless ones, some return could he obtained for the time and expense of their prior training.

The Board of State Charities have recognized this need, and, from time to time, have called the attention of the Legislature to the subject, in their annual reports.

The State Association of County Superintendents of the Poor have, likewise, on two occasions, passed resolutions, unanimously, to the same purport.

The most ready method to meet such need might seem, at first thought, to be to enlarge our own institution for the purpose. But there was a reluctance felt, by those most familiar with the subject, to bringing together the two classes, teachable and unteachable, into one and the same establishment. In the first place, on general principles, the two purposes were not entirely compatible. With the one, training and education were the paramount objects; with the other, simply good care and occupation at the most reasonable expense. In the second place, there were special reasons, namely, that the grounds of the present asylum were scarcely large enough, and they were, perhaps, too near a city.

While the general project lingered, a new consideration was developed. That was a fact brought to light in a report of a Committee of the Board of State Charities on the condition of some of the county poor-houses. It was shown that imbecile and idiotic females were frequently found in these institutions, who had been seduced and then given birth to illegitimate children in which case both parent and child became a permanent burden upon the counties.

Not infrequently, the evil had its origin in a carelessness in the administration of the county poor-houses, in the matter of a proper and rigid separation of the sexes. But outside of their limits, in the homes of the indigent, when mental weakness, on the part of any female, prevents a full comprehension of the nature and consequences of such a misstep, there is little protection against the wiles of the seducer. And when the consequences follow, the victim is abandoned to the charge of the county authorities.

To prevent such occurrences in the future was a pressing need. It was, therefore, proposed by the Board of State Charities, after a conference with the trustees, of this asylum, to propose the opening of such a home, as an experimental measure, for two years.

This plan met the favorable consideration of the last Legislature. An appropriation was made, to be expended under the direction of your board. As will doubtless appear in your report, the board had a special meeting and a committee was appointed to carry out the intention of the Legislature. The steps taken in furtherance of the purpose have been set forth in a report made by that committee to the board of trustees.

As a member of that committee, and also from my office of superintendent of this institution, I have had considerable share in the preliminary work of organizing the new establishment, as well as an opportunity of observing its progress from the very start and forming an opinion of the expense attending the accomplishment of the aims of the institution. It is, therefore, not improper for me to mention, briefly, a few of the points that are of interest.

A superintendent and his wife have the general charge of the administration of its affairs. They are responsible for the welfare of the inmates, the good conduct of the various employees, and the purchase, safe keeping and disbursement of the supplies necessary for the use of the asylum. It is safe to say that you have been fortunate in the parties to whom you have committed this trust.

Under the direction of these are various employes, each, as it were, at the head of a department of household occupation. Thus, a seamstress, with the assistance of certain of the inmates, will make all their clothing, besides the making-up of the house-hold linen. The laundress, baker and cook, etc., will exercise a similar head-ship over other inmates whose services are found necessary.

In addition, there is a teacher of industrial occupations, who, by a special preliminary training, will fit the girls for special service in one or other of the departments named.

It is intended that the work will be done, in the main, by the inmates under the direction of these supervisors. That they shall also assist in the care of the more helpless ones who are committed to the institution.

The organization seems to be a success. The superintendents of the poor, who have visited it in bringing cases, seem so to regard it. We have been fortunate in obtaining the services of persons not only industrious and faithful, but who have manifested an interest in developing the girls under their charge in the direction of their own special work.

One can witness there, even now, a house scrupulously clean, neatness in the personal appearance of the inmates, improved habits, efficient occupation and a growing disposition to yield obedience to necessary regulations. There is an air of comfort and cheerfulness about the whole establishment.

And finally, from the working experience of some four months, it is obvious that all this can he accomplished with a very moderate expenditure of the public money.

It may be added that materials are already accumulating, drawn from the past history of some of the inmates, of the necessity for just such an institution. The record of these may be left for a future report.

In June last the American Association of Superintendents of Asylums for idiots, held their annual meeting at Syracuse. It was pretty generally attended. Papers were read, not only by gentlemen connected with the work in this country, but also by Doctors Shuttleworth and Beach, of England. Opportunity was also afforded for an interchange of opinions upon methods of training and instruction for the class of idiots.

At the outset of this report it was intimated that there had been but little friction in the machinery of our organization; which implies that all have been united in the fulfillment of a common purpose. Whatever of success has attended my administration of the affairs of this asylum in the past, has been due to the faithful and efficient services of my associates and assistants, which services I take this opportunity to publicly recognize.

H. B. WILBUR, Superintendent.
SYRACUSE, January 2, 1879.