554 



MICHIGAN. 



The first biennial report of the Michigan 

 School for the Blind says : " During the period 

 of two years, ending June 22, 1882, there have 

 been 73 pupils enrolled, of whom 55 were in 

 attendance the first year and 63 the second. 

 These pupils were divided into different grades, 

 as follows: first grade, 12; second grade, 18; 

 third grade, 43. Gratifying progress is report- 

 ed both in the studies pursued in the school and 

 in the industrial department. The disburse- 

 ments for the fiscal year ending September 30, 

 1882, were: for current expenses, $22,140.32; 

 for buildings and special purposes, $19,728.81. 

 Total, $41,869.13. Statistics collected by State 

 authority in 1881 give the number of blind 

 persons resident in the State in that year as 

 540 325 males and 215 females. Of this num- 

 ber 67 were under twenty years old and 48 be- 

 tween the ages of twenty and thirty years ; 90 

 are reported as having been inmates of institu- 

 tions for the blind, and 382 have never been 

 inmates of any institution. 



REFORMATORY AND PENAL. From the bien- 

 nial report of the State Public School Superin- 

 tendent the following statistics for the fiscal 

 year ending September 30, 1882, are collated : 



Beceived during the year 150 



Indentured during the year 175 



Eeturned to counties 19 



Returned from families 64 



Died ... 2 



Eemaining in school September 30, 1882. 



.... 311 



Current expenses for yea**, $37,200.26, and 

 average cost per capita, $119.61. Under the 

 head of "Discipline," Superintendent Alden 

 says: 



The question is many times asked how the children 

 are disciplined. In answer I have to say, generally, 

 that the character of our government is paternal. The 

 majority of the children are kept in order by the rules 

 and general system of the institution, without resort- 

 ing to any or much punishment. But all can not be 

 so governed. Some are very disobedient and vicious, 

 destructive of property, overbearing and oppressive 

 toward their fellows, untruthful and dishonest, and 

 resort must be had to such punishments as are best 

 suited to their years, dispositions, and offenses. What 

 will reach one child effectively makes no impression 

 upon another. The circumstances of the particular 

 case in hand can alone determine the punishment. 



It has been claimed by some institutions that they 

 do not use corporal punishment. A careful and some- 

 what extended investigation of this claim has con- 

 vinced me that they must have forgotten. I am con- 

 vinced that there is not a child's institution in the 

 country where corporal punishment is not occasionally 

 resorted to as the most effective punishment for some 

 children. This institution has never made any such 

 pretensions. As a last resort, when all other things 

 nave proved ineffective, a few strokes, from two to 

 ten, as the case may be, are given on the hand with a 

 light switch or leather strap. This is usually suffi- 

 cient. At least, I am satisfied that if such a moderate 

 punishment fails, greater severity would, in time, tend 

 to harden instead of softening the culprit. Placing 

 children in bed for a part or all of the day, depriving 

 them of play^ giving them bread and water for one 

 meal or snutting them up by themselves in a cheerful 

 room where they may have. time to reflect and come 

 to themselves, I find sometimes quite effective. In 

 all cases more depends upon the spirit and manner of 

 the person administering the punishment than upon 



the punishment itself. I know that there are persons 

 who disapprove of all these or any punishments, but 

 I think that eight years' experience, with twelve hun- 

 dred children, such as come to us, would considera- 

 bly modify their views, and thev would discover 

 things not dreamed of in their philosophy. It will 

 still ever be true, however, that the "minimum of 

 punishment is the maximum of excellence." 



Miss Emma A. Hall, the accomplished and 

 zealous Superintendent of the Michigan Re- 

 form School for Girls, in her first report to the 

 Board of Control, gives the number of girls 

 received up to, and in the school, September 

 30, 1882, as follows : 



During August and September, 1881 18 



from September 80, 1881, to September 80, 1882 67 



Eeturned to court 2 



In school September 30, 1882 83 



The girls were graded : In Cottage No. 1, or 

 lowest grade, 19 ; in second grade, 25 ; in high- 

 est grade, 39. "Tickets of leave" had been 

 granted four of the girls of the highest grade, 

 and they were soon to be placed in good homes, 

 where they will receive care, protection, and 

 fair wages for their services, a portion of which 

 will be placed in a savings-bank for them. 

 One girl was but eight years old, eighteen were 

 over sixteen years, and the average age was 

 thirteen and three quarters years. They have 

 made good progress in their studies, and of 

 their industrial advance the superintendent 

 says: "Seventeen can make yeast and bread 

 well, thirty can do dining-room work well, 

 thirty are good general kitchen-girls, five excel 

 in laundry-work, twenty-three are good in 

 general laundry-work, thirty-three in chamber- 

 work, fifteen good sewers, thirty-two can sew 

 straight seams and hem neatly, and thirty-six 

 have begun to learn to sew." Of these same 

 girls the Board of Control say : " They came 

 from wretched abodes, their habits were vile, 

 and their health poor most of them ignorant, 

 dirty, and untrained. Cleanliness, wholesome 

 food, early hours, exercise, and discipline, have 

 changed them into cleanly, healthy, and use- 

 ful girls, so that it would be difficult to distin- 

 guish them from the pupils attending public 

 schools. Their improvement is greater than 

 the most hopeful of us dared to expect." Also : 

 Girls who come to us are usually those who have 

 already entered upon a life of vice and sin all are 

 ignorant the cases are exceptional where they have 

 not been exposed to the depraving and debasing influ- 

 ences of poverty and vicious associations. The pro- 

 cess of reformation is longer and more difficult than 

 that of formation. To implant new and better tastes 

 and purposes to create a desire for a better life, bet- 

 ter surroundings and companionships can not be ef- 

 fected in a short time. The public must not expect 

 our school to eradicate or overcome the evil tenden- 

 cies to which these girls have been exposed, unless 

 time is allowed for the work. The girls are treated 

 by the management of the school, not as criminals, 

 but as friendless, unfortunate children committed to 

 their care. The Board of Control stands to them as 

 parents, and as such pity and care for them. It is 

 the aim of the school to make it resemble, as nearly 

 as possible, a well-regulated Christian family, with its 

 household worship, maternal influence, pious coun- 

 sels, and steady and gentle but authoritative train- 

 ing. All the girls are taught domestic work, to wash 



