Cash paid for books during the year,. Total, $111 44 15 11 $126 55 We are indebted to the Publishers of the following journals for copies furnished through the year to the Reading-room, for the use of the boys: Lapeer Republican, Romeo Argus, Wolverine Citizen, Livingston Republican, Niles Enquirer, Battle Creek Journal, Ingham County News, Marshall Expounder, and Chicago Weekly Democrat. From the General Fund have been supplied the New York Evening Post, (semi-weekly,) Detroit Advertiser (semi-weekly), Michigan State Journal, Lansing State Republican. From private individuals: The New York Independent, Puritan Recorder, Congregational Journal, Oberlin Evangelist, Chicago Press and Tribune, (tri-weekly), Sunday School Times, New York Tribune, American Missionary, and various pamphlets. These journals are gladly received by the boys, and the intelligence which they thus gather respecting the affairs of the outer world will assist materially in fitting them to mingle creditably in whatever sphere they may be cast. I would respectfully acknowledge the kind assistance I have received from all the officers of the school in the performance of my duties here, and especially my predecessor, Mr. H. B. Crosby, for his valuable aid as I entered this department, and also, Mr. A. W. Carr, my assistant teacher, for his earnest co-operation in every effort to advance the mental interests of the boys committed to our care. In the hope that the good Father above will permit great good to be accomplished through the efforts of your Honorable Board, I respectfully submit this report. CHARLES JOHNSON, Teacher. PHYSICIAN'S REPORT. To the Board of Control of the State Reform School: GENTLEMEN-During the first eight months of the past year, the inmates of the School enjoyed excellent health. About the middle of July, however, malarious diseases commenced, and continued for some three months with great severity. Heretofore, although the boys have not been exempt by any means from this class of diseases, they have suffered less than the inhabitants of the surrounding country. This fall, on the contrary, the boys have been twofold the greater sufferers. Malarious diseases have been severe in this portion of the State, but proportionally much more severe in the Reform School. I am happy, however, to be able to point out with confidence the cause of this great change in the sanitary condition of the school. Last spring, on the completion of the new wing, it became necessary to enlarge the yard. In this enlargement was included a large quantity of seasoned wood and a mass of vegetable matter, which, exposed to the rain and sun, generated the miasmatic poison within the yard. And now the high fence which had heretofore protected the boys, confined the malaria and prevented the winds from distributing it as it was generated. This, without doubt, was the cause of the increased sickness in the school. I have called your attention to this matter partly as an explanation why so much sickness has existed in the institution, and partly to record in my report the lesson it has taught us for the benefit of the school in future. One death, the second one since the school was established, occurred this fall. E. Lathrop, a boy from Ann Arbor, early in the fall began to decline, and finally died, with chronic spinal meningetis. His disease was obstinate from the first, and pursued its course with but little disposition to yield to treatment. At present there is but one boy in the hospital who is seriously sick, and his is a chronic case. Before he was admitted to the school, I understand, his health was poor. With this exception the boys-and officers of the school, for they too have sufferedare I believe rapidly regaining their former good health. Since the completion of the new wing, a convenient room has been set apart and fitted up for a hospital. The Superintendent has also fitted up and supplied an office with furniture and medicine for the use of the physician, an improvement which will tell to the advantage of the school, and for which he has my thanks. And here let me express my gratitude to him for his sympathy and his active interest in the care of the sick. Mrs. Nichols, too, although almost daily suffering from the ague herself, has rendered me valuable assistance and bestowed on the boys that attention and kindness which only a good nurse can bestow. In fact, so many were in the hospital, at times, that all the officers in the school, in turn, were required to assist in caring for them, and I thank them all for the kind manner the assistance was rendered. I. H. BARTHOLOMEW, Physician. BY-LAWS OF THE MICHIGAN STATE REFORM SCHOOL. CHAPTER I. OF THE BOARD OF CONTROL. SECTION 1. Two members shall be necessary to form a quorum of the Board of Control for the transaction of business. In cases where a less number shall be in attendance, the meeting may be adjourned for the purpose of procuring the attendance of a sufficient number to form a quorum. SEC. 2. The Annual Meeting of the Board shall be held at the State Reform School, on the third Wednesday of November, at nine o'clock in the forenoon. SEC. 3. The Board shall also meet once in three months on their own adjournment, and as much oftener as a majority of the Board shall deem advisable. SEC. 4. Special meetings of the Board may be called by the Chairman. SEC. 5. The officers of the Board of Control shall be a Chairman, Clerk and Treasurer, who shall be severally elected at the Annual Meeting of the Board, and hold their offices for one year, and until others shall have been elected and qualified. SEC. 6. The Chairman shall preside at all meetings of the Board, but in case of his absence a Chairman may be elected pro tem. SEC. 7. The Clerk shall keep accurate minutes of the transactions of the Board, in a book to be provided for that purpose, to which the members of the Board shall have access at all reasonable times. SEC. 8. He shall record at full length, in a separate book to be provided for that purpose, all the Regulations and By-Laws passed by the Board of Control, to which the members of the Board, and the officers of the State Reform School, shall have access at all reasonable times. SEC. 9. He shall file and preserve all papers relating to appointments for office, and all other papers relating to the business of the Board, and shall allow the members of the Board to have access to them at all reasonable times. SEC. 10. The Treasurer shall have the charge of and be responsible for all moneys belonging to the Institution. SEC. 11. He shall pay all orders drawn on him by the Board, properly signed by the Chairman and Clerk. SEC. 12. He shall keep a book in which all moneys which may come into his hands shall be debited, and in which shall be credited all moneys which shall have been properly disbursed by him, which book shall, at all reasonable times, be open to the inspection of the members of the Board. SEC. 13. He shall execute, when required by the Board, his bond, with two sufficient sureties, to be approved by the Board, conditioned for the faithful discharge of his duties as Treasurer of the Institution, and for the payment to his successor of the balance which may be found in his hands at the expiration of his term of office. SEC. 14. The account of the Treasurer shall be audited by the Board at each annual meeting. CHAPTER II. OFFICERS. SECTION 1. The officers of the State Reform School shall be a Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent, a Teacher, and a Matron, who shall hold their offices during the pleasure of the Board, and a Physician and Chaplain, who shall be appointed annually. |