Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XIV.djvu/311

 KHODE ISLAND 295 PAYMENTS. Salaries $58,908 81 Expenses of general assembly 21,582 76 Courts and justices 54,825 51 Public printing.. 10,170 88 Charities and corrections 65,000 00 Public schools 90,000 00 Special appropriations 6,276 83 Insane and other dependents. ... 9,902 71 Jailers 1,520 08 Reform school 20,955 43 Military 19,896 11 Normal school 10,000 00 Law library 1,592 01 Court houses and jails 2,072 89 Interest on state debt 160,530 00 Inland fisheries 1,263 48 Mileage, state normal school 1,477 80 Evening schools 2,218 00 New state prison 10,000 00 Miscellaneous 84,045 17 $581,731 92 Balance in treasury April 80, 1875 $475,850 23 The funded debt of the state at the above date amounted to $2,563,500. The state institu- tions are the state prison in Providence, and the workhouse and house of correction, the state asylum for the incurable insane, and the state almshouse on the state farm (418 acres) in Cranston. The state prison and Providence county jail (on the same premises) are under the management of a board of seven inspec- tors appointed annually by the governor, who serve without pay. The labor of the prisoners is let to contractors, and is employed in the manufacture of furniture and wire goods and in chair seating. The number of convicts in prison during the year ending Jan. 1, 1875, was 101 ; remaining on that date 67 ; number of persons in jail during the year, 2,618; re- maining at the close, 147. The receipts of these institutions amounted to $23,428 93, of which $14,715 42 were from labor; ordinary expenses, $22,967 46. The institutions on the state farm are under the management of a board of state charities and corrections, con- sisting of six members appointed by the gov- ernor and senate for six years (one retiring annually). These serve without pay, and ap- point a secretary, who is ex officio a member of the board. The board appoints a superin- tendent of state charities and corrections. The state almshouse, for paupers not having a legal settlement in any town, was opened on Aug. 1, 1874. The following statistics are for the year ending Jan. 1, 1875 : Inmates Inmate* INSTITUTIONS. during at close year. of year. Workhouse and house of correction 735 199 Asylum for incurable insane 207 172 Almshouse (five months) 196 141 the insane in the asylum on Jan. 1, 1875, 62 were supported wholly by the state; the board of the others was paid by the towns or by friends of the patients at from $2 to $4 per week. The average number of paupers in the town asylums during the year ending June 1, 1874, was 472, and they were supported at the cost of $32,082 89, exclusive of the income of the farms connected with the asylums. The Butler hospital for the insane in Providence is a corporate institution, but some poor patients are supported at the expense of the state or of the towns. It was opened in 1848. A fine farm is connected with it. The number under treatment during 1874 was 234; remaining at the close of the year, 127. The greater num- ber are supported from private means. The number of public patients during the year was 40, at the close 16 ; toward the maintenance of these $1,630 18 was paid by the state and $1,817 28 by the towns. The entire net ex- penditure of the institution was $55,217 44. The Providence reform school is a city institu- tion, but it receives children and youth from all parts of the state. It was opened in 1850. The number of inmates during the year end- ing Nov. 30, 1874, was 369 (314 boys and 55 girls); remaining on that date, 220 (179 boys and 41 girls). The receipts during the year were $41,699 79, of which $20,955 71 were from the state; expenditures, $41,295 38. The public schools are under the management of a board of education, consisting of the governor and lieutenant governor ex officio, and six members elected by the general assembly for three years (two retiring annually). The mem- bers serve gratuitously. The board elects an- nually a commissioner of public schools (salary $2,500), who also acts as its secretary. A school committee, varying in number, is elected in each town by the qualified voters for three years. "Women are eligible to the committees. There is a board of trustees for each district, elected by the qualified voters. The schools in the city of Providence are governed by ordinances and regulations adopted by the city authorities. The public schools are free, and are supported by state, town, and district taxes. The following are the statistics for 1873-'4 : Number of school districts 429 " of day schools 782 Average length of schools 8 mos. 19 days Number of different teachers (201 males and 821 females) 1,022 Number of teachers necessary 805 Estimated number of children in state between 5 and 15 48,800 Number of different pupils enrolled 89,401 Average attendance 24,484 Number of evening schools 62 Average length of schools 18J weeks Number of different teachers (89 males and 119 females) 208 Number of different pupils enrolled 6,088 Average attendance 2,980 Amount of permanent school fund $250,876 87 Number of teachers reported in schools other than public (80 males and 76 females) 156 Number of pupils in do 8,827 RECEIPTS FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. State appropriation for day schools $90,000 00 " " for evening schools 8,814 CO Town appropriations 828,822 87 From registry taxes and other sources 210,855 40 District taxes 66,881 59 Balance unexpended last year 46,896 24 Total receipts from all sources $745,709 60