Guild: State Supervision of Charities 15 



does not seem to have been the experience of Illinois/^ The law 

 was framed to create a harmonious system, not to establish 

 two antagonistic boards. The Charities Commission, it is 

 found, has a definite, separate sphere. Its valuable contribu- 

 tion to charity work lies in its educational policy. It holds 

 quarterly conferences with the heads of the institutions and 

 other influential charity workers at which the more advanced 

 problems are discussed. The reports and findings of the con- 

 ference are published in a quarterly bulletin which is widely 

 distributed thruout the State. Moreover, the supervisory 

 board has an important influence over private charity organ- 

 izations, and its opinions and advice have considerable weight 

 with such societies, while on the whole this board tends to 

 bring the private organizations into closer touch with the 

 work of the State. The administrative board has a distinctly 

 different attitude. It has power to compel many of the local 

 institutions to conform to its recommendations, and thruout 

 the idea of its superior authority is predominant. The Board 

 of Administration brings fiscal efficiency into the State insti- 

 tutions; the Charities Commission creates a uniform attitude 

 thruout the State on all charity problems and secures coopera- 

 tion between all the charity agencies, public or private. It 

 fosters and educates public opinion on the practical problems 

 before the State, on the advanced methods which it is seeking 

 to introduce, and on the more enlightened and scientific care 

 and treatment of all classes of inmates — not only while in 

 institutions, but after they have left, — and on methods of pre- 

 vention. 



The distinguishing feature of the dual system lies in the 

 existence of two boards over the same institutions. One 

 board is purely supervisory or advisory. The other may have 

 either complete control over the affairs of the institutions, or 

 administrative powers in fiscal matters only. The Illinois 

 system is virtually a harmonious combination of the Indiana 

 and Iowa boards. 



IV. Classification of Existing State Systems 

 Four States have no State board for the supervision of 

 charities. These are Idaho, Mississippi, New Mexico, and 



The opinions expressed concerning the Illinois system are based upon personal inter- 

 views with some of the Illinois authorities, and upon replies received to individual letters 

 sent to men actively in touch with the situation. 



