Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 3.djvu/402

 388 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

A number of states have appointed overseers. Thus, in New Jersey relief is administered by a town overseer appointed by the township committee; while in Maryland it is administered by the county commissioners or by the "trustees of the poor" appointed by them. 1 Delaware, West Virginia and Tennessee have special officers appointed by the court. 2 In Delaware, one is appointed for each hundred and serves for three years. In West Virginia one is appointed for each magistrative district and serves for two years. Tennessee has three " commissioners of the poor," one appointed each year and serving for three years. We find, too, that in Georgia, the ordinary may appoint a commissioner to assist him in the administration of relief. 3 In North Carolina and South Carolina, the county commissioners appoint, in the former case, one overseer for their county, serving two years, and in the latter, one or more overseers serving for only one year. 4

New York and Michigan each have three superintendents of the poor who care for the county poor and overseers who care for the town poor. 5 The superintendents are appointed by the county boards of supervisors, in New York, annually, in Michigan, triennially. In Michigan, the town supervisors act as overseers, while, as has already been seen, in New York, overseers are elected. In Illinois the "county board" appoint "county agents" to relieve the county poor. The town supervisors, or an over- seer appointed by the "county board" at their request, act as overseers where the town system is in vogue. 6 . In Minnesota, the county commissioners serve as overseers where the county system, the town supervisors, where the town system, exists. 7 Similarly, in Wisconsin the "county board" or three superinten- dents appointed by it, cares for the county, the town supervisors, for the town, poor. 8

1 1, 7, Art. 25. Gen. Laws, 1888. 3760.

2 2, ch. 48; i,ch. 46; 2681.

4 3540, Code of 1883; 88i,Gen. Stat. and Civil Code, 1882.

52, 3, p. 2256; 1756. 7J955, 1974-

6 18, 19, 20, ch. 107. 8 1520, 1521, 1499.