PREFACE. The Eighth Annual Conference of Charities and Correction – an organization consisting of delegates from States, representatives of municipal, local and private charities, and members of the American Social Science Association, interested in charitable work-met in Boston, July 25-30, 1881. Not only were the various State Boards of Charities represented, but a large number of States having no such Boards were represented by delegates appointed by their respective Governors. Officials from public and private Institutions, and the Charity Organization Societies of cities were in attendance, and many private citizens interested in charity. Preparations are already making for a still larger gathering at It will be held at Madison, Wis., the the meeting of next year. second or third week in July, 1882, and will be continued four or five days. The names of the Standing Committees, who have in charge comprehensive Reports and special Papers upon the topics submitted to their consideration, will be found on page xxix of this volume. The President for 1881-2 is Hon. Andrew E. Elmore, of Fort Howard, Wis. Members of Boards of State Charities and Prison Commissions are ex officio members of the Conference, and so, too, are all persons officially connected with the management of charitable, reformatory or penal establishments. In addition, all persons interested in such institutions are cordially invited to be present. It has become customary for the Governors of States to appoint such representatives as they specially desire to have in attendance, and it is hoped that next year every State will send such delegates, and that the Dominion of Canada will be fully represented. The Papers and Reports prepared for the Boston Conference are here printed in full, except a few not received in time. The order of printing is not the same as that of reading, in all cases, and the discussion, though more accurately reported than at any previous Conference, is not always given in full. Copies of these |