Eighteenth annual report of the New York Asylum for Idiots : transmitted to the Legislature Jan. 19, 1869 / New York State Asylum for Idiots.

  • New York State Asylum for Idiots.
Date:
1869
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Eighteenth annual report of the New York Asylum for Idiots : transmitted to the Legislature Jan. 19, 1869 / New York State Asylum for Idiots. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Looking only at the cash assets, the asylum would appear to be in debt, at that date, $1,925.86, which is some 6 per cent, of its annual expenditure. The Legislature actually appropriated to meet the current expenses of the present year, the sum of $26,200. This was allowing only $206 a year for each of the 126 state pupils in the institution. But the experience of the last three or four years shows that this amount is not sufficient. The actual cost of maintenance and instruction for each pupil, with the prevailing prices of everything in the way of domestic consumption and with the present prices of labor, will not fall short of $225 a year. It is hardly necessary for the trustees to add that even this amount «y *j ! : l ■J : f is no more proportionately, than $150 was, in former years. They are therefore constrained to ask an appropriation of $3,000 to meet the present indebtedness and the deficiency likely to occur in the finances the present year ; and for the coming year the sum of $28,000. Without such enlarged allowance for the necessities of the asylum, there will be an annually recurring indebtedness, until the cost of supplies, Ac., have fallen hack to the standard of former times. The question cannot be met by reducing the number of pupils, for the reason that a small reduction in the number would not affect much the cost of support of the institution—nor could the trustees under the present law well refuse pupils, while there was a vacant bed. The fact already is, that the State provides by law for the instruction of every deaf-mute and blind child in the State, whose friends may choose to avail themselves of the benefits of the State provision. But in the case of children of deficient intelligence, it has as yet not exceeded, in its provision for their education, the moderate limits possible with the single asylum, whose interests they represent. For the present then and till further provision is made, pressing applica¬ tions for admission will have to be refused. There are at this time 138 pupils, leaving a vacancy for only two more—140 being the full capacity of the house. In this connection the trustees will repeat the conviction expressed in several of their former reports that there is positive necessity for additional accom¬ modation and provision for training and educating that class of teeble- minded children who are left without the benefits which the limited number at this asylum enjoy.