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REPORT

IN ANOTHER part of this Report is to be found a short Historical sketch of the Institution for Feeble Minded, now -- at its fiftieth anniversary -- known as Elm Hill. A summary in brief of its present condition and status would seem to be not inappropriate. We have, then, this Institution grown from nothing to its present state. It consists of four cottages for children, with outbuildings. Of these four cottages the largest, or "Central" building, is for boys. Originally a private house, it has been added to from time to time on every side, and presents an irregularity quite pleasing to the eye; but this irregularity, internal and external, takes away all idea that it is a public building, and allows greater variety in the shape and furnishing of rooms, halls, and stairways, and gives a real home look and feeling to all parts of the house. It furnishes a comfortable home for some thirty or thirty-live boys and their caretakers, having extensive sitting rooms, dining rooms, lavatories, etc. This block is heated by hot water and hot air. Madam Brown resides in this building.

Immediately adjacent to the main building, and connected to it by a covered passageway from the basement, is the "East Division." This building is primarily for custodial cases, paralytic boys, epileptic girls. It has a floor with fittings for young children especially; there are ample sitting rooms, recreation rooms, gymnasium, -- fine piazzas to the south, offering a place for exercise in bad weather, or a lounging place in summer. A separate yard is provided for this house, and the patients receive every attention needed. The schoolroom for youngest boys is in this block. This building will amply accommodate twenty-five patients.

Across the road from the main building, and fronting a large lawn on Broad street, is the girls' cottage, or "North Division." Here twenty girls can live with all possible freedom allowed, having their separate yards for exercise, croquet, swings, tennis, their own schoolroom, etc. This building has recently been fitted with hot water heating apparatus in every room, and is in every way a beautiful home and school for those placed there. A lady matron is in charge of this building, with several assistants for her duties.

Very near the girls' house, and also but a few steps from the "Central" house, is the Department for Epileptic boys and Feeble Minded adults, called "Der Platz." A fine yard is seen both in front and rear of this building, and it is in every way a desirable home for this unfortunate class. About fifteen boys can be accommodated here with large sitting and living rooms, and all modern conveniences. A shop room, with tool benches and lathe adjacent, gives the recreation needed by this class, though we think more of walking or riding in the open air and some form of physical exercise for them. It is our aim to keep them out doors as much as possible in the air. They play tennis, croquet, or take long walks into the fields and woods, and, when it is cold or stormy, play indoor games of all sorts. Our lady teachers room in this building at present. These four cottages for children form the nucleus of the Institution. There are also numerous other buildings; a cottage for the Superintendent and his family, a cottage for servants, in the extension to which is the laundry, a Hospital cottage, fitted in every part for the care of contagious diseases, ready for instant use, permitting diseases to be treated entirely separated from one another (accommodation for twelve cases, with nurses), amply supplied with bath rooms and water closets, a farm cottage, a mile away from the main building, not now in use for children but capable of use as a home for farm workers at some future date. We have a large Stable, with twenty horses, thirty to forty cows, chickens, pigs, etc. A large assortment of carriages, sleighs, carts. We make great use of the Stable for our children's pleasure. All ride several times weekly, some daily. Some of our children have horses and carriages of their own.

Below these, further down the hill, are a number of storehouses, and here our sewerage is disposed of on the land. We are supplied by a most excellent gravity water system from springs and reservoir high above the village, giving force sufficient to throw a fire stream over any of our buildings. The main building has a standpipe, with hose on every floor ready for instant use, so has the Epileptic cottage. We have two hydrants within our grounds, hose and attachments of oar own provided ready for use, and can easily quench any ordinary conflagration with our own arrangements. This water system has enabled us to increase our supply of water closets, baths, and washing fixtures of all sorts. We believe our outfit in this line is absolutely unexcelled, having, for our possible ninety patients, forty-one water closets, fourteen baths in our main cottages.

For our school work we have rooms in all the four cottages fitted for this use, and also a small separate building for our highest grade of boys. This last has been recently refitted, and is very ample in size and equipment. Our school work is done differently in the different rooms, according to the needs of the pupils. It is entirely individual instruction. Variety is introduced by the light gymnastic drill at the Gymnasium some distance from the house, in which boys and girls take part. The larger boys have also a Military Drill at the same place daily, which they greatly enjoy, and which is invaluable in straightening their bad bodily carriage, teaching promptness, attention, thought.