CHARITABLE AND PENAL INSTITUTIONS. The State has a large munher of charitable and penal institutions. The humane institutions alone cost in 1900 $365,000, and the correctional institu tions and soldiers' Innnes, over $300.000. the com bined amounts being much greater than the amount which the State government annually ex pends upon the public schools. There are a State prison at Wethersfield; an industrial school for girls at Middletown; a school for boys at Meriden; a hospital for'the insane at. Middle town; a school for imbeciles at Lakeville; a retreat for the insane at Hartford; and Pitches home for soldiers at Noroton. Besides these, there are 10 private sanatoriums for nervous and mental diseases: 2 institutions for the deaf; 1 institution for the blind; 21 hospitals, S county temporary homes, 16 homes for the aged, and 16 ehildren's homes. In genera], Connecticut has assumed an enlightened and progressive policy in the administration of her charitable and correctional affairs. There is a State Board of
Charities, consisting of five members, appointed by the Governor for a term of four Its powers are largely advisory, being authorized to visit and inspect all institutions, public or pri vate. It embodies some of the functions of a prison commis-ion and of a lunacy commission, and may correct any abuses, providing that this is done in such a manner as not to conflict with any persona]. corporate, or statutory rights. The members of the board receive no remuneration; their actual expenses are paid. The policy has been adopted of placing in private families chil dren committed to the reformatory schools, as well as orphans. The State has no reformatory for cases of 'first offense' committed between the aces of sixteen and thirty.