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We strongly recommend to our city government to appoint one-half of the hospital board for the coming year from among the women of our city, selecting those of mature experience and financial ability. A comparison of the methods and expenses of the homes for friendless women and children for the past 12 years with those of the alms-house and hospital will make a powerful showing in favor of the superior economy and management of the weaker sex. Household duties train and it women of judgment and discretion especially for this work, and they know far better than men how to get the worth of their money in the dwelling place or institution. The co-operation of the sexes we behave to be necessary. Furthermore, women will give more time to detail, and work more freely without pay.

The Lock-up.

The lock-up was also visited by this committee September 20. So much has been said about this place that we have nothing new to offer. Truants also are confined here, children of tender age in companionship with the abandoned, profane and most infamous persons of both sexes, their tender minds acquiring ideas in one short period of confinement which may poison their whole future. Though the sexes may be sometimes placed in separate cells, they are in close contiguity, can see and hear each other, and often must be too numerous for the cells and mixed together in the open room. Common decency prescribes a separate apartment for women, and no child should ever go there. No bedding is provided, not even a blanket, no seat or support but an iron bedstead so knobby with bars that a plank would be more comfortable. The reason assigned for giving no bedding is that it would be soiled. A little discrimination would place the more filthy where they would do no harm, and soap and water would soon remedy accidents. Of course, drunken persons are able to be filthy, but why should other criminals such as we saw, neat in appearance and sober, be compelled to sit and lie on iron bars while awaiting trial. The law presumes them innocent until proved guilty; yet they are punished far more severely while awaiting trial than the tried and convicted criminal. When we consider the character of the men who govern our city, their piety, respectability, their amiable social relations and their charities, we wonder in amazement that their consciences permit them to suffer these things. Their sins toward the truant children alone should keep them awake at night. A small sum would put everything at the lock-up on a right footing. There expense need not be appreciable. A little coarse, cheap bedding, and blankets, easily washed, ought to be provided. The truant children could be retained for trial at the truant school, or elsewhere. They do not need a very strong prison, and the contamination of the lock-up is a more serious evil than the trouble of transporting them to and from the alms-house.

We also protest against the custom of placing women in the sole charge of men in the lock-up, as well as in many penal institutions. This has been strongly objected to of late years by our best citizens in the commonwealth, and the new prison at Sherborn was built for the purpose of placing women in the custody of women and apart from men, We see no reason why women awaiting trial should not stay at the jail as they do at all the small shire towns.

Conclusion.

We have thus endeavored to state without reserve what we have found to be the faults of our city institutions, not omitting the praise due to their management. The general result is that we find a well-meaning, easy-going, unmethodical way of providing for the poor and sick, not one-half the good done with the public money that could be, and often unnecessary suffering to the recipients of charity; this applies to the alms-house and hospital. For the lock-up we have only condemnation. It has no merit except tolerable cleanliness.

Emily A. Bill
Adelaide A. Calkins
Clara T. Leonard

Springfield, Mass., September 26, 1877