12 Anderson IVilliaiii Clurk 



created by the appointment on the part of the governor of eight 

 commissioners of public charities. These commissioners had 

 very simple duties, to visit once a year the charitable and cor- 

 rectional institutions, to examine the conditions, and to make a 

 report to the legislature. No authority whatever was granted 

 to them to suggest improvements or to control the management 

 of anv institution. It was not long after this board was es- 

 tablished until the need of some active control was recognized. 

 The information collected by this board soon proved the neces- 

 sity for some central authority, with power of control over the 

 various institutions. It was not, however, until 1873^ that the 

 definite steps towards centralization of power in control and 

 management were taken. From that time to the present it has 

 been easy to follow the stages in centralization. We are now able 

 to point out the steps that have been taken and the most impor- 

 tant points reached in this gradual process. Attention is called to 

 these stages -which were reached in the following order : 



1. Power to inspect all almshouses and all charitable and 

 reformatory institutions. 



2. Power to inspect all private institutions of charity receiving 

 public assistance. 



3. Power to inspect all children's agencies and to supervise 

 the placing out of all children. 



4. Power to inspect all medical dispensaries. 



5. Power to pass upon the question of the incorporation of all 

 institutions for charity desiring to incorporate. A license must 

 be secured from the State Board of Charities before incorpora- 

 tion and before doing any business. 



6. Power to pass upon all estimates of expenditures for all 

 the state institutions. 



7. Power to pass upon all plans for new buildings. 



8. Power to establish rules for the admission and discharge 

 of all inmates of all state institutions. 



9. Power to maintain a bureau of state and alien poor, and to 

 determine the actual residence of dependents and power to 



J Laws of 1870, chap. 281; 1871, chap. 699, chap. 713; 1873, chap. 571, 

 chap. 661. 



.-^68 



