The Visting Committee has visited the House of Refuge regularly this past year except for two months in mid-summer, and has little. to report. The objection made in the lack of variety and nutritious quality of the food has been remedied, and it is greatly improved in every way. The schools we are happy to say show great improvement. Miss Long, the new Principal is trying a new system of classifying the boys according to their mental capacity so that the less advanced ones will not be left too much in the shade and the brighter ones will have better chances for advancement. She and the teachers seem to be working together with great enthusiasm and we expect the whole school system will show great improvement during the coming year. The hospital seems to be in excellent condition and though Miss Conlin's resignation was much regretted, the hospital does not seem to have suffered from it. We feel there are still opportunities for more educational and stimulating recreation, especially among the older boys; we would like to see some sort of club idea developed, giving the abler and more reliable boys some responsibility in minor ways. Improvement has been promised to us in the playrooms for the two older divisions, but so far, nothing has been accomplished in that line. We are glad to report very favorably on the physical condition of the boys in general, and we believe that the tests carried on by the State Board of Charities are turning out to be a great benefit to them mentally as a foundation for classification in school work etc. Respectfully submitted, MARION MASON BELL, December 7, 1921 Were in correctional and non-correctional institutions previous to their commitment to the Refuge. 324 or 59.45 per cent |