COST OF GOVERNMENT IN MASS. 



199 



With the aid of the Federal Smith-Hughes Fund, the State supports con- 

 tinuation and vocational schools to the extent of reimbursing cities and towns 

 for one-half the net cost of maintenance, except that agricultural departments 

 of high schools are reimbursed for two-thirds of the salary of instructors. In 

 1925, State reimbursement to cities and towns for vocational education amount- 

 ed to $l,218,000from State funds and $179,000 from Federal funds. Cities and 

 towns maintaining English-speaking classes for adults were also reimbursed 

 one-half of the cost of maintenance, or $167,000. 



Libraries 



The State board of library commissioners is authorized to spend $10,000 

 annually in aiding free public libraries in towns with a valuation of less than 

 $1,000,000. They may also purchase books to the value of $100 for distribution 

 to towns having no library, if the town fulfills certain requirements in appoint- 

 ing a library committee and in providing for the care and distribution of the 

 books. 



Table 30. — Expenditures for Charity, Health, and Correction, 



by Jurisdictions, 1910-1926.^ 



(Thousands of doll<irs) 



* Includes new construction. 



2 Payments for both maintenance and construction are shown in Table A 1. 



Charity, Health and Correction* 



Massachusetts spent $6.5,500,000 for these activities in 1926, and the amount 

 has increased in about the same proportion as total expenditures since 1910. 

 Table 30 shows the amount spent each year. 



Cities now pay 57.9 per cent of the total cost of such activities, as compared 



^ City expenditures for prisons have not been included under correction, since 

 under the state classification of accounts, these are charged to protection of persons 

 and property. 



