State Control of Charities and Corrections 9 



mitted to the custody of the State Board of Charity, proves un- 

 manageable in a private family, she may be committed by the 

 State Board of Charity to the State Industrial School for girls." 

 The same is true concerning dependent children. The powers 

 and responsibilities of the board were increased by the legislature 

 of 1903. Relative to crippled and deformed persons, it was re- 

 solved in chapter 96, "That the State Board of Charity is hereby 

 authorized and directed to make as practical investigation as 

 possible, as to the number of crippled and deformed persons in 

 the commonwealth, under twenty-one years of age, who are not 

 able to attend the public schools by reason of their physical de- 

 formity, and shall report to the next general court." 



Many years ago the people of Massachusetts were led to the 

 belief that the state should relieve distress wherever found in the 

 commonwealth, upon the same moral grounds that individuals as- 

 sist their fellows in times of destitution, distress, and necessity. 

 Growing out of this judgment fifty years ago the State Alms- 

 house was established, now known as the State Hospital, located 

 on a large farm called the State Farm. The people believe in 

 this principle to-day more strongly than in former years. At the 

 time of a recent visit to the State Farm 1,300 of the poor of that 

 commonwealth were found receiving state care, and it was 

 learned that at times the number reached 1,600. It is mostly a 

 moving population, many of the inmates remaining but a few 

 days. The daily admissions average twenty-five to thirty. An 

 important feature of the work is the splendid care given to de- 

 pendent old people who are given comforts and homelike sur- 

 roundings, many of them having come here to spend the remain- 

 der of their lives. 



The entire history of the State Board of Charities from 1856 

 to the present time shows a constant tendency towards centraliza- 

 tion and state control of all charities, 



STATE BOARD OF INSANITY OF MASSACHUSETTS 



Centralization is also seen in the history of the lunacy com- 

 mission. The Commissioners of Lunacy of Massachusetts oc- 

 cupy a unique position, in that this commission constitutes a board 



365 



