470 



MASSACHUSETTS. 



of the bands, for 1884, shows an increase over 



1883 of 326 at the annual drill, and 416 at the 

 encampments. 



Public Schools. The entire amount raised in 



1884 for all school purpose was $6,502,359.24, 

 providing an allowance of $19.34 for each child 

 between five and fifteen years of age. Of school 

 age there are 336,195 persons, showing an in- 

 crease for the year of 6,736. Of all ages there 

 were 342,012 pupils in the public schools, and 

 schools were maintained an average of nine 

 months' time in all the cities and towns, and 

 showed 90 per cent, of attendance based on the 

 average membership. Thirty-eight cities and 

 towns sustained 125 evening-schools, affording 

 instruction to 13,251 pupils. Satisfactory results 

 are shown in the operation of the free text- 

 book law, which went into effect in August. 

 Among other advantages, the new system re- 

 duces in a large amount the expense of provid- 

 ing school-books and school-supplies formerly 

 paid by individuals, enables the teachers to 

 effect prompt organization of their schools and 

 a better classification of the pupils at the be- 

 ginning of the terms, increases the attendance, 

 removes mortifying distinctions possible under 

 the old system, and makes the public schools 

 of the Commonwealth literally free schools, 

 offering equal opportunity to all children 

 alike. 



Provincial Laws. On this subject the Gov- 

 ernor says : 



In 1865 and 1867 authority to publish the acts and 

 laws of the Province of Massachusetts Bay was given, 

 and to the present time four volumes have been issued 

 and distributed, and another volume is in the hands 

 of the printer. The expenditures amount to $77,505.- 

 75. The work, without doubt, has been well done ; 

 but would it not be well to inquire what limit to its 

 extent and cost is reasonably proper? The Governor 

 and Council, to whom the authority for publication is 

 committed, can exercise but little discretion in this 

 matter, in view of the grants of money made by the 

 Legislature from time to time. 



Lunacy. It is estimated that there are now 

 6,300 insane persons in the population of the 

 State, of whom 5,000 are from time to time in 

 general hospitals and asylums, and about 700 

 more maintained at public charge. The prob- 

 able increase in the number of the insane is 

 not less than 200 a year. The State hospitals 

 are four at Worcester, opened in 1833; at 

 Taunton, opened in 1854; at Northampton, 

 opened in 1858; and at Danvers, opened in 

 1878 and the cost of their construction has 

 been something like $4,300,000, of which about 

 $3,000,000 was expended between 1872 and 

 1884 at Worcester and Danvers. These two 

 new hospitals now contain a little more than 

 1,450 patients, for whose reception and ac- 

 commodation the State has incurred a con- 

 struction cost of nearly $2,100 each. The two 

 hospitals at Taunton and Northampton now 

 contain something more than 1,100 patients, 

 at an estimated construction cost of $1,320,- 

 000, or $1,200 for the reception and accommo- 

 dation of each patient. The State asylums for 



the chronic insane are two* at Tewksbury, 

 opened in 1866, and at Worcester, opened in 

 the old buildings of the Worcester Hospital in 

 1877. The construction cost of the Worcester 

 Asylum is estimated at $430,000 up to this 

 time, having been accruing since 1831; the 

 cost of the Tewksbury Asylum buildings has 

 not much exceeded $100,000 ; making a total 

 for these two asylums of about $530,000, for 

 the reception and accommodation of about 

 690 patients, or something less than $775 for 

 each. The total cost of the State hospitals 

 and asylums, for construction and equipment, 

 has been, by this estimate, about $4,850,000, 

 and their convenient capacity can not be esti- 

 mated at more than 3,000. They now contain 

 3,267, having passed the limit of 3,000 during 

 the summer of 1882. 



Besides the six State hospitals and asylums, 

 there are three small asylums, essentially pub- 

 lic the McLean Asylum, the oldest in Massa- 

 chusetts; the Boston Lunatic Hospital, and 

 the Essex County Receptacle, at Ipswich. 

 The McLean Asylum, opened in 1818, is 

 owned by a private corporation, existing for 

 public purposes (the Massachusetts General 

 Hospital). The Boston Lunatic Hospital, opened 

 in 1839, is owned by the city of Boston. The 

 Ipswich Receptacle is owned by Essex county. 

 The cost of these three asylums for construc- 

 tion probably exceeds $250,000 each for the 

 McLean Asylum and the South Boston Asy- 

 lum, and $50,000 for the Ipswich Asylum. 

 They contain about 430 patients, two thirds 

 of whom are chronic cases, being about equal- 

 ly divided between private patients and pau- 

 pers. The McLean Asylum contains no pau- 

 pers, and its average weekly cost for each 

 patient is $15. The Boston Lunatic Hospital 

 contains about 180 paupers of the city, with a 

 few private patients, and its average weekly 

 cost for each patient is nearly $6. The Ipswich 

 Receptacle contains about 50 pauper?, whose 

 average weekly cost is $2.50 ; and a few pri- 

 vate patients, for whom $3 a week is paid. 



The Prison System. There are three penal 

 State institutions the State Prison, at Boston, 

 for male prisoners convicted of grave offenses; 

 the Massachusetts Reformatory, at Concord; 

 the Reformatory Prison for Women, at Sher- 

 born, for such female prisoners as the courts 

 consider likely to yield to its reformatory in- 

 fluences ; and the State Workhouse, at West- 

 borough (to be removed to Bridge water), 

 which receives a portion of the tramps, va- 

 grants, etc. There are also twenty-one county 

 prisons. The Boston House of Industry, at 

 Deer Island, is the largest prison in the State. ' 

 Its population consists mainly of persons (male 

 and female) committed for non-payment of 

 fines imposed for drunkenness and other of- 

 fenses against public order and decency, with 

 a few on term sentences. 



On Sept. 30, 1883, the number of prisoners 

 in county prisons was 2,270; in other insti- 

 tutions, 1,711. Of these, 295 (272 men and 23 



