State Public School

The t'ollowuig oiroular has just been ïssued by the Scenstary of the State Public ! School at Cold water: Tn the Supennti udeotaof thi L'ourofthecouot) of : (iKxn.r.MKN. - Id pursuance of law you re nótifiud that - - dependent ohildren can bt; reoeived into this institution trom vuur oounty. You aro ru(jviHsted to hring theiii on, or soon after, the 18th ilay of May. By au act of tha Legislatura of 1871, ivb amended in 1873, this school is ostablished tor the mainteni auce andoducation ot' dependent ohildren, until homos cnn be providud for theiu, of iintil they aro úzteen yeara of age. The Stato, by thi law, bucoiues ttiu lega] guardián 01 all children ot both sexos, who beoonie inmates of tlie school. This now Statu oharíty changos tho systeui froin courity to State support, aml the only áspense for the counties ís tliat of soiiding tha children bere and returning those who ase inadniissible andel the law. Thero are now, in this State, about six hundred childreu under síxteon years of age, who roeeive piitire or partial support t'ruiu t.hu pablio. Of these thore aré, acootdmg to report lately reoeived at tlii office, from tho Superintendente of the poor, 294, of both entirely are partially du pendent ohildron, who are, by veasou of good bealtb and age, adnüssiblo. Tliere is, however, at present, rooui htre for only about 200, and prmparation is mude for tnat nunibor, which doubtlus covers all thoBo who aro entirely dependent. Whenuver the capacity of the building ia nufticient, all of thosu admissible under the law, are to be reoeived here, it beiug illegal then to retain them in th county poor houses. Aduiissions can only b made through the Superinteudents ot the poor. Whenever fhey deern a child dpendt'iit, and thero is u. vacaucy hero for the county, whethcr they iind him in the poor house or el.suwhere, they are to take him before the judgo of probate of tho proper county, who Uoars the tostimony furuished, and if he finds the child dependent on the public, so decides, and enters in his order the facts ho ascertained in regard to the age, place of residence and nauies of parents, how long he has beon in the asylum or poor house, etc. It is important that these facts should be H8certained and recorded as correctly and fully as poanble. From a certified copy of the order of the judge the records of this iustitution aro ttrst made as to the previous history of the ohild. üur records follow the child alter being placed in a family or returned here, and tor future referwnce for his family or friends it ie dosirable to have the record as full and correct as possible. Childien of United States soldiers and sailors should be so reported in the order, as they have the prefertmee. If, on exauiination, the judge shall tind more dependent chüdren in his county than the Suporintondent bas been notinVl to send the question of the dependence of all exnininod might be passod on, and from them the Superintendent might select to send here thoso who would bu most benefited, and the others retttined until there should be room for tliem. Tho question has been asked wtiether partially dependent childreu ara admissible, in the law the word " dependen t" only boing used. The question of dopendence resting with the judge, the officers of this iustitution have nu control over it. But in view of the present capacity of the buildings, it mith be proper to suggest thnt there is accouiniodation uow1 for only those who are entirely dependent, and it will doubtlesssoom proper to the judges that those who are entirely dependeut should have the preference, which would be just to the several countiea, to the childron oud to the State. , As thare is provisión for only those who are healthy and of sound mind, it would be advisable that the testimony of the county or other competent physician be taken on exainination, and ouly these nent whom he declares hoalthy und sound of mind The chiklren in this school are to be educatcd in the common branches, taught how to labor, and to reinain until sixteen years of age, or until apprenticed to learn some useful trade, or are adopted into families. Uut whether rotained in the institution or sent out, the welfare of the child wil] doubtless ahvays be the paraniount object, and he will be removed to a family or apprenticed, under the law, only when a good place is found, where proper treatmeut and a cominon school education shall be scoured him. As soon as such good homes are found the law requires the children shall be placed in them, which will give room again in the school to be filled by others waiting for adtnittance. For convenient reference the present material sections of law organizing and governing this institution, with a form of order and certifícate for judges of probate, which is suggested for their use, is added to this circular. The same blank, separately printod, will also be enclosed. Inquiries in regard to the children, - ter they are sent here, or from Superintendents of the poor as to vacancies for their county in the school, would be properly addressed to Prof. Zelotes Truesdel, the Surjerintendent. Ooldwater. Minh.