School Trust Funds. In addition to the money raised by local taxation, voted at school meetings, and apportioned by city boards, the state has certain trust funds which it manages in the interests of the schools. The proceeds from these funds are also in excess of the moneys voted by the legislature out of the general state funds. These trust funds are known as (1) the common-school fund, (2) the United States deposit fund, (3) moneys arising from the sale or rental of the gospel and school lands, and (4) the literature fund. The common-school fund is the result of the sale by the state of public lands; the United States deposit fund is the state's share of a $30,000,000 surplus which had accumulated in the United States Treasury and which was distributed to the states on the basis of population in 1832, to be kept by the states until called for by the federal government; the gospel and school-lands fund resulted from an action of the state in setting aside in each township one lot for the support of the gospel and one for the support of the schools of the town; the literature fund resulted from the sale by the state of the unappropriated public lands.

The Town School District. For a full discussion of the work of a common-school district, its officers, powers, duties, etc., see Chapter II.

QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT

1. Describe the educational system of New York State. 2. State the mode of appointment, the length of term, and the principal duties of the commissioner of education.

3. What are the chief provisions of the compulsory-education law? 4. Give the length of term, the salary, and the principal duties of a district superintendent of schools.

5. Should school buildings be used for lectures, musicales, dramatics, and other entertainments for local charities, and meetings for civic betterment?

CHAPTER XIV

STATE INSTITUTIONS

State Agricultural Schools. There are four agricultural schools maintained by the state for the purpose of agricultural experimentation, giving free instruction in agriculture, industrial arts, and household arts, preparing pupils for the more advanced courses in the state college of agriculture, and conducting short winter courses. The courses of instruction differ somewhat in the different schools. The four schools are under the direction of separate boards of trustees of seven or nine members, while the state commissioner of agriculture and the director of the state college of agriculture are ex officio members of each. These schools are located at Morrisville in Madison County, at Cobleskill in Schoharie County, at Delhi in Delaware County, and on Long Island in Nassau County.

State College of Agriculture. The State College of Agriculture is located at Ithaca and forms one of the large group of buildings of Cornell University. Besides the regular courses, the college conducts a short course of a few weeks during the winter months for the special benefit of those men and women who are unable to attend the regular session. A most thorough extension course is maintained by the college; experiments are performed and exhibits made in different parts of the state at farmers' institutes, agricultural fairs, etc. The college has for its

use an extensive farm, which deals with practically every department of agriculture and animal industry. Instruction in this college is free to all students of this state. A twoyears course in agriculture is also maintained by the state at St. Lawrence University at Canton, and at Alfred University at Alfred. It also maintains an experiment station and farm at Geneva. The State College of Forestry is located at Syracuse University. The college conducts upon land belonging to the state such experiments in forestry as are helpful to the state. It plants, raises, cuts, and sells trees and timber in order to obtain scientific knowledge of the management and care of forests and the production of wood crops.

State Veterinary College. The state maintains at Ithaca a veterinary college. It is one of the group of fine buildings which the state has erected at Cornell University. The course of instruction is given in coöperation with the university. Tuition in this college is free to students resident of this state. The diseases of domestic animals are here studied and taught in the same manner as are the diseases of man in a medical college. The trained faculty in charge render great service to the state in investigating animal diseases, in diagnosing the infectious and other diseases, in prescribing methods for their prevention, and in many other ways rendering assistance.

Normal Schools. For the preparation of teachers the state supports ten normal schools of equal rank (p. 146). Graduation from a normal school entitles one to a life certificate to teach in the public schools of the state. A highschool diploma representing a four-years course approved by the state commissioner of education is required for entrance. The state also maintains a normal college at Albany for the purpose of giving further preparation to

those who wish to take up the more advanced forms of teaching. Tuition is free in normal schools and in the normal college. Those desiring to enter any of these schools obtain an application blank from the principal.

Schools for the Blind, Deaf, and Dumb. The state maintains various other schools in whole or in part. A most excellent school for the blind is maintained at Batavia, and children are here taught academic, manual, and art courses much the same as in a regular day school. The state also contributes to the support of the New York Institution for the Blind, the Institute for the Deaf and Dumb in New York City, the Le Couteulx Saint Mary's Institution for the Improved Instruction of Deaf-mutes at Buffalo, the Central New York Institution for the Improved Instruction of Deaf-mutes at Rome, the Northern New York Institution for Deaf-mutes at Malone, Saint Joseph's Institution for Deaf-mutes at West Chester, the Albany Home for the Deaf, and the Western New York Institution at Rochester. Thus it will be seen that the state supplements the work of the philanthropist in providing for and supervising the education of its unfortunate but otherwise capable children.

Hospitals for the Insane. In addition to the work of philanthropy outlined in the above paragraph, the state maintains thirteen hospitals for the insane, located as follows: Utica, Willard, Hudson, Middletown, Buffalo, Binghamton, St. Lawrence, Rochester, Gowanda, Kings Park, Long Island, Manhattan, and Central Islip. These hospitals are in charge of local boards of managers appointed by the governor and confirmed by the senate. These boards have general direction and control of the property and make rules outlining the duties of officers and employees, and a majority of each board is required to visit

its hospital at least once each month for the purpose of making a thorough inspection. The commission in lunacy, with the approval of the board of managers, appoints for each hospital a superintendent, who must be a welleducated physician, a graduate of an incorporated medical college, and who shall have had not less than five years' actual experience in an institution for the care of the insane." Persons believed to be insane are arrested and examined before a judge by a local commission; if found insane they are sentenced by the judge to a hospital.

State Charities. The state further provides for its less fortunate citizens by maintaining an asylum for feebleminded women at Newark, one for feeble-minded children at Syracuse, a custodial asylum for idiots at Rome, the Craig colony for epileptics at Sonyea, a hospital for crippled and deformed children at West Haverstraw, and a hospital for cases of incipient pulmonary tuberculosis at Ray Brook. These institutions are in charge of boards of managers appointed by the governor, usually with the consent of the senate. These boards are responsible to the state board of charities. The state constitution, Article VIII, § 11, p. xli, provides that the state board of charities shall visit and inspect all institutions within the state, which are of a charitable, eleemosynary, correctional, or reformatory character. Commitments to these institutions are made in accordance with state law.

State Reformatories. One of the great problems of the state is to deal justly with those who violate its laws. Frequently first offenders, while their offense is serious, will never repeat the crime or commit any other. To deal with such persons (many of whom are comparatively young in years) as with hardened offenders, or to put them into the same prisons with seasoned criminals, would be a manifest