20 



Indiana University Studies 



by the State constitution, who appoints wardens, dictates 

 policies, and controls finances. The State Board of Charities 

 is essentially a board of the Indiana type, tho limited strictly 

 to charitable institutions. There is, however, an official, 

 styled Fiscal Supervisor, who, unlike the one in Illinois, is 

 independent and subject to no board. He has general super- 

 vision of the finances of the charitable institutions, and exer- 

 cises rather full powers of fiscal control thru an estimate sys- 

 tem. The real administration of the charitable institutions 

 is still in the hands of separate boards of managers or trus- 

 tees, who appoint the superintendents and determine policies. 

 The New York and California systems are the most complex 

 now existing in the United States. 



The situation in Rhode Island is also one not found else- 

 where. There are three charity boards: a Board of Con- 

 trol and Supply, a Board of Charities and Corrections, and 

 a Board of Female Visitors. There is also a fourth board, 

 the State Board of Education, which has supervision over 

 the State home and school for children, but which is not a 

 charity board. The Board of Charities and Corrections is 

 essentially the same as the South Dakota board of the same 

 name; that is, of the Iowa type, tho its members receive no 

 compensation and are not expected to devote all their time 

 to the work. It has the general administration of a certain 

 group of institutions, appointing the superintendent and dic- 

 tating policies. It also, like the Iowa board, investigates the 

 whole system of charities, and in addition exercises certain 

 executive functions in outdoor relief, etc. Its fiscal functions, 

 however, have never been emphasized. The Board of Female 

 Visitors is purely visitorial in function, being a board entirely 

 of women, empowered to visit all State institutions where 

 women are inmates. It by no means has the powers or func- 

 tions exercised by a supervisory board of the Indiana or 

 Illinois type. The Board of Control and Supply is purely 

 fiscal. Its work is primarily with the State institutions, tho 

 it may at its discretion act as a purchasing agent for other 

 branches of the governmental machinery. Its fundamental 

 power lies in the purchasing of supplies. This it does thru 

 an estimate system, purchasing largely thru contracts over 

 which it has full control. It also controls the labor of the 

 prisoners in the State prison and reformatory and contracts 



