OHIO. (Term of Office, Three Years.) R. M. Bishop, Governor, President, ex-officio; John W. Andrews, Columbus; R. Brinkerhoff, Mansfield; Joseph Perkins, Cleveland; Carl Boesel, New Bremen; Murray Shipley, Cincinnati; Rev. A. G. Byers, Secretary, Columbus. RHODE ISLAND. (Term of Office, Six Years.) George I. Chace, Providence, Chairman; William W. Chapin, Providence, Secretary; James M. Pendleton, Westerly; Thomas Coggshall, Newport; William H. Hopkins, Providence; Job Kenyon, River Point; Lewis B. Smith, Barrington; Alfred B. Chadsey, Wickford; Stephen R. Weeden, Providence. PENNSYLVANIA. (Term of Office, Five Years.) G. Dawson Coleman, Lebanon County, President; Heister Clymer, Berks County; William Bakewell, Pittsburg; A. C. Noyes, Clinton County; George Bullock, Montgomery County; Francis Wells, Philadelphia; Mahlon H. Dickinson, Philadelphia; Diller Luther, M.D., Reading, Secretary; Andrew J. Ourt, M.D., Philadelphia, Statistician. ILLINOIS. (Term of Office, Five Years.) G. S. Robinson, Sycamore, President; J. C. Corbus, Mendota; J. M. Gould, Moline; J. N. McCord, Vandalia; W. A. Grimshaw, Pittsfield; Rev. Fred. H. Wines, Springfield, Secretary. WISCONSIN. (Term of Office, Five Years.) Andrew E. Elmore, Fort Howard, President; William W. Reed, M.D., Jefferson, Vice-President; Hiram H. Giles, Madison; Rev. H. C. Tilton, Janesville; Charles H. Haskins, Milwaukee; Theodore D. Kanouse, Secretary. MICHIGAN. (Term of Office, Six Years.) Charles I. Walker, Detroit, Chairman; Charles M. Croswell, Governor, exofficio member, Adrian; M. S. Crosby, Grand Rapids; Uzziel Putnam, Pokagon; Rt. Rev. George O. Gillespie, Grand Rapids; Henry W. Lord, Detroit, Secretary. CONNECTICUT. (Term of Office, Five Years.) Benjamin Stark, New London, Chairman; Samuel F. Jones, Hartford; Dr. H. W. Buel, Litchfield; Mrs. Jennie P. Hoyt, Stamford; and Miss Lucy Alsop, Middletown. Six of these State Boards of Charities are represented in the Conference, as follows: Massachusetts, by Dr. Allen, and Hon. Moses Kimball. New York, by Mr. W. P. Letchworth, and Dr. Hoyt. Rhode Island, by Dr. Job Kenyon. Ohio, by His Excellency Gov. Bishop, President; John W. Andrews, Murray Shipley, Gen. R. Brinkerhoff, and Rev. A. G. Byers, Secretary. Michigan, by Uzziel Putnam, and Henry W. Lord, Secretary. Illinois, by George S. Robinson, President. Other delegates representing States, kindred boards, associations, and institutions, are also present, as follows: C. S. Watkins, Davenport, Io., representing the governor of Iowa. Dr. John H. Callender, Nashville, Tenn., representing the governor of Tennessee. Carroll D. Wright, Reading, Mass., delegated by the governor of Massachusetts. Rev. J. L. Milligan, Allegheny City, Penn., Chaplain of the Western Penitentiary of Pennsylvania. Prof. Francis Wayland, New Haven, Conn. F. B. Sanborn, Concord, Mass., Secretary of the American Social Science Association. Charles F. Coffin, Richmond, Ind. Mrs. Louisa R. Wardner, Superintendent of Girls' Industrial School, Cairo, Ill. Rev. F. Merrick, President Board of Trustees Girls' Reformatory, Delaware, O. Mrs. Dr. John Davis, Cincinnati Orphan Asylum. Rev. J. Rothweiler, President of the German-Methodist Orphan Asylum, Berea, O. Rev. Thomas Lee, Superintendent of the Cincinnati Bethel. Rev. Dr. F. S. Hoyt, editor "Western Christian Advocate," Cincinnati, O. Prof. E. B. Andrews, Lancaster, O. Prof. J. D. Peasely, Superintendent of Schools, Cincinnati, O. Dr. John Davis, Cincinnati, O. Dr. T. A. Reamy, Cincinnati, O. Rev. W. T. Moore, Cincinnati, O. Rev. R. R. Willing, Cincinnati, O. Hon. Joseph F. Wright, Cincinnati, O. Elizur Wright, Boston, Mass. Mrs. C. H. Dall, Boston, Mass. Rev. Dr. J. M. Walden, Cincinnati, O. Rev. P. P. Pratt, Portsmouth, O. At a later session of the Conference, the Business Committee reported that there should be eight standing committees appointed to report to the next Conference, in 1879, namely, committees on 1. Insanity, 2. Public Buildings for the Dependent Classes, 3. Dependent and Delinquent Children, 4. Penal and Prison Discipline, 5. Statistics, 6. Medical Charities, 7. The Prevention of Pauperism, 8. Legislation. It was voted to constitute these committees as follows: 1. INSANITY. - Dr. Pliny Earle, Northampton, Mass.; Dr. W. W. Reed, Jefferson, Wis.; Henry W. Lord, Detroit, Mich.; Rev. F. H. Wines, Springfield, Ill.; Dr. J. P. Bancroft, Concord, N.H.; Dr. J. A. Reed, Dixmont, Penn. 2. PUBLIC BUILDINGS FOR THE Dependent CLASSES.-F. B. Sanborn, Concord, Mass.; R. Brinkerhoff, Mansfield, O.; G. S. Robinson, Sycamore, Ill.; Edward C. Donnelly, New York, N.Y.; Dr. A. J. Ourt, Philadelphia, Penn.; Rev. Aug. Woodbury, Providence, R.I.; C. S. Watkins, Davenport, Io.; Rt. Rev. George D. Gillespie, Grand Rapids, Mich. 3. DEPENDENT AND DELINQUENT CHILDREN. - William P. Letchworth, Buffalo, N. Y.; Mrs. William P. Lynde, Milwaukee, Wis.; Mrs. L. C. Wardner, Cairo, Ill.; Murray Shipley, Cincinnati, O.; Mrs. Clara T. Leonard, Springfield, O.; Charles F. Coffin, Richmond, Ind. ; * Mrs. H. C. Dickinson, Robert D. McGonigle, Allegheny City, Penn. 4. PENAL AND PRISON DISCIPLINE. — A. J. Elmore, Fort Howard, Wis.; Rev. J. L. Milligan, Allegheny City, Penn.; Thomas S. Wilkinson, Baltimore, Md.; Rev. A. G. Byers, Columbus, O.; Dr. Elisha Harris, New York, N.Y.; Albert Clark, St. Albans, Vt.; R. J. McClaughry, Joliet, Ill. 5. STATISTICS. - Carroll D. Wright, Boston, Mass.; James O. Fanning, Albany, N.Y.; William A. Grimshaw, Pittsfield, Ill.; Dr. E. M. Snow, Providence, R.I.; C. D. Randall, Coldwater, Mich. 6. MEDICAL CHARITIES. - Dr. P. S. Conner, Cincinnati, O.; Dr. J. N. McCord, Vandalia, Ill.; Dr. Harvey Jewett, Canandaigua, N.Y.; Dr. Charles P. Putnam, Boston, Mass.; Dr. Charles E. Cadwalader, Philadelphia, Penn. 7. COMMITTEE ON THE PREVENTION OF PAUPERISM: Henry E. Pellew, New York, Moses Kimball, Boston, George S. Hale, Boston, New York. Michigan. Massachusetts. *H. B. Wheelwright, Newburyport, George I. Chace, Providence, Dr. Job Kenyon, Providence, Rhode Island. Thomas Coggshall, Newport, Francis Wayland, New Haven, Connecticut. John W. Andrews, Columbus, J. K. Rukenbrod, Salem, Robert W. Steele, Dayton, Dr. J. C. Corbus, Mendota,} J. M. Gould, Moline, C. S. Watkins, Davenport, Ohio. Illinois. John S. Woolson, Mount Pleasant, Iowa. Dr. A. Reynolds, Independence, John Hutchings, Lawrence, F. W. Giles, Topeka, Kansas. 8. LEGISLATION. - Rev. A. G. Byers, Rev. J. L. Milligan, and F. B. Sanborn, the three Secretaries of the Conference.1 REPORTS FROM THE STATES REPRESENTED. The ten States represented in the Conference then made Reports on the charitable work therein, as follows, Illinois by Mr. Robinson, Ohio by Mr. Byers, Iowa by Mr. Watkins, Indiana by Mr. Charles F. Coffin, Pennsylvania by Mr. Milligan, New York by Dr. Hoyt, Connecticut by Prof. Wayland, Rhode Island by Dr. Kenyon, Massachusetts by Dr. Allen, and Michigan by Mr. Lord. These Reports, as since revised by their authors, are the following: Mr. Chairman, Ladies, and Gentlemen, The condition of affairs in the State charitable institutions of Illinois remains much the same as when report thereof was made to the last Conference by Dr. McCord. The legislature of our State meets biennially; no session was had last winter, and there is therefore no new legislation to report. Neither has there been any change in the membership of our Board. The financial supervision of the institutions subject to inspection by the Board is, perhaps, more thorough in Illinois than in any other State of the Union. This work is done in our office, where a complete set of books is kept, upon which every bill and voucher of all the institutions is entered. The original bills are filed with us; every bill is examined, the exact condition of the institutions is shown every quarter, and a statement is furnished to the press for publication. Under this system we are able to report a steady improvement in their financial management and condition. Not a quarter has passed for some time without a perceptible gain in the way of diminished expenditure, relatively both to income and to the number cared for. The number of inmates reported April 1, 1878, was 2,640, or four hundred more than one year ago, an increase of about eighteen per cent. The annual cost of maintenance in our institu 1 The persons whose names appear in italics in the above list having declined to serve, the Committees at present consist of those whose names appear in Roman letters. In the large Committee on the Prevention of Pauperism, each sub-committee representing a State was authorized to fill vacancies and add to its number, and each of the six committees first named has the same power. The names marked * have so been added. tions averages about two hundred dollars for each inmate, part of which is derived from sources other than the State treasury. No charge is made by the State for board, treatment, or tuition in any of them; they are absolutely free to our own citizens. We have an able body of superintendents; we retain them in their positions, and pay them liberal salaries; and we think our institutions will compare favorably with those of any other State. We hear very little complaint of their management from any quarter. I may say that political considerations do not enter into the appointment of any of their officers or employés, so far as I know: both political parties are represented on their boards of trust. Our system of financial supervision has another advantage; it makes it easy for us to estimate with great accuracy the amounts necessary and proper to be appropriated for their support. The legislature has confidence in our estimates, and follows them with but little variation. use. The contract for the new Hospital for the Insane at Kankakee, about fifty miles south of Chicago, has been signed, and the work commenced. The amount of the present contract is about a hundred and seventy thousand dollars. For this amount will be put up a centre building, one section of one wing, gas-works, waterworks, a kitchen, bakery, laundry, boiler-house, engine-house, coalhouse, &c., and the sewerage completed. All the working department is first provided for, so that whatever portion of the structure may be completed at any time will be ready for occupation and The plans adopted contemplate provision for two hundred and fifty or three hundred patients, in a hospital building of the ordinary type, and by some is supposed to contemplate an extension of the institution by a system of cottages or detached wards for patients who may require less severe restraint. They will, however, admit of enlargement and extension on the ordinary American plan, if the legislature should be unwilling to risk the experiment desired. The final decision of the question between the two plans, I suppose, will be left to the legislature. Many had hoped that, since our State was compelled to erect a new institution for the insane, the family or cottage plan would be tried, or so far experimented upon as to test its merits or demerits. From the fact that two cottages have been erected this year on the hospital grounds at Elgin, and believing, as they do, that it would be less expensive, more home-like, and much better for the patients, some are still encouraged to hope that the new village or cottage plan will meet with favor. But, for one, I must say that I have very |