tentiary. Most of the material used consisted of salvage from the old cell blocks and other old buildings torn down. All of the labor was performed by prisoners.

Office Building.

A building for the offices of the board is being erected at Oak and Ninth streets on land formerly occupied by a barn and a partially abandoned power house of the School for the Deaf. The brick for this building was made at the state plant; the stone came from old buildings, and the crushed stone from the state quarry; the frames and interior finish are being made by the boys in the carpenter shop at the School for the Deaf. Practically all the construction work except the masonry, bricklaying and wiring has been done by prisoners from the penitentiary. The entire cost of construction will be saved in rent in less than five years.

Bakery.

A new bakery has been installed at the Columbus State Hospital. This installation makes it possible to supply adequately the needs of an institution which is feeding more than two thousand people. The work was done by contract, except the cement work which was done by inmates.

Kitchens.

New kitchens have been built at the Cleveland State Hospital and the Soldiers' and Sailors' Home. The work on the latter was done under contract; but much of that on the former was done by the employes and inmates of the institution, bringing the cost within the appropriation made for the purpose.

Cold Storage.

New cold storage plants have been built at the Athens State Hospital and at the Soldiers' and Sailors' Home, the work being done under contract. A new cold storage plant has also been installed at the Boys' Industrial School, replacing one which was inadequate and insanitary. The work was done by the boys.

Laundries.

An addition to the laundry at the School for the Blind has been completed, making it large enough to serve this institution and the School for the Deaf at a decreased cost of operation. This work was done under

contract. A new laundry has been built at the Custodial Farm; most of the work, with the exception of the bricklaying, being performed by inmates. A new laundry has been completed at the Girls' Industrial School, where prisoners did a large portion of the work. A new laundry is also under construction at Toledo to replace one in bad condition and very inadequate to meet the needs of the institution. The work is being done under contract.

Bath Houses.

A much needed addition to the bath house at the Soldiers' and Sailors' Home has been completed which affords space for a waiting room and barber shop. This work was done under contract. The old bath house in the yard at the Penitentiary has been torn down and bathing facilities installed in one of the other buildings. The work was done by prisoners.

Barns.

A frame storage barn has been built at the State Sanatorium. The lumber for this barn was sawed at the institution from timber cut on the premises. The work was done under contract. A frame storage barn has been built at the Custodial Farm to replace one which was burned, the work being done by inmates. A frame barn has been built at the Dayton State Hospital under the supervision of an employe of the board assisted by hired labor. A frame storage and feeding barn has been built at the Athens State Hospital. The work was done under contract. A brick storage and feeding barn has been built at the Reformatory. The brick was burned in the kiln at the institution, and all the work was done by inmates.

Silos.

A brick silo was built at the Reformatory in the same manner as was the barn. One silo was erected at the Athens State Hospital, and two were erected at the State Sanatorium, the work being done under contract.

Dairy House.

A building has been remodeled and equipment installed for a dairy house at the Hospital for Epileptics. This work was done by employes of the institution. The building is to be used for making all the butter needed in the institution.

It will readily be seen that the buildings erected by the board fall into three groups:

First, those furnishing additional accommodations for inmates, which by no means are adequate to meet the current increase in population and provide no relief whatever for overcrowding.

Second, those for the service departments, which are as essential as living quarters in properly caring for the needs of inmates.

Third, those designed to preserve the products of the farm which form so important a part of the food supply and are constantly increasing in quantity, variety and value.

It is the policy of the board to do as much construction work as possible with the labor of inmates both as a means of furnishing occupation helpful to them and as means of enabling them to assist in their own support. In order to continue this policy, the board desires to have all appropriations for building purposes freed from the restrictions of the building laws in so far as these laws may interfere with such employment of inmates either in repair work or in new construction.

The board has also adopted a policy of standardization for buildings according to use, and has now an approved plan for laundry buildings, and two plans for dormitory buildings. In this way a considerable saving is made in architect's fees.

PHYSICAL CONDITIONS.

In the care of the 21,000 wards of the state in the state institutions, it is necessary first of all that the board should give attention to physical conditions.

Food.

The aim is to furnish simple, wholesome food in sufficient quantity and properly cooked. Attention is also given to a balanced diet. During the year a dietitian has been employed by the board, who is making a thorough study of institutional conditions to improve, wherever possible, the dietary and the methods of cooking and service and to eliminate waste. The farms are being developed to furnish vegetables and fruits. in larger quantity and in greater variety, and a supply of milk, butter and eggs. An illustration of what this means is found in an institution where sufficient melons were grown to supply the 1,800 patients during the season. Had melons been purchased, the price would have prohibited their use altogether; or, at best, they could have been furnished for a few meals only. Although the prices of many commodities increased during the year, by centralized purchasing and larger farm production the per capita cost of food decreased from $48.10 to $47.31.

Clothing.

As much of the clothing as possible is made at the institutions; partly to lessen the expense, and partly to afford a variety of occupation. The boys at the Industrial School make all their own shoes and suits.

All shoes for the Institution for Feeble-Minded are made at that institution, as are the working suits for the boys. Much of the women's wear is made at the various institutions where it is used. Knit underwear, stockings and shirts are made at the Penitentiary for all the institutions. Shoes, boys' and men's clothing are made at the Reformatory for other institutions. The amount of clothing which must be purchased is being reduced to the minimum.

Housing.

Nearly every institution in the state is overcrowded. This is due to the fact that appropriations have not been made for new buildings to provide room for the increase in population. During the past ten years the population of the institutions has increased by about 4,000, while appropriations, not including that of 1914, have provided space for 465. At present the lack of room most seriously interferes with the care and treatment of those in the hospitals for the insane and epileptic, the Institution for the Feeble-Minded and the Reformatory. The Boys' Industrial School has a capacity for 1,280, and on November 15, 1914, had a population of 1,157. None of the other institutions is so fortunate, as will be seen from the following statement which shows the capacity of each, and the number present November 15, 1914, the excess of this number over the capacity, and the date of the last appropriation made for the housing of inmates:

The board is making request for a large sum in the budget to be submitted to the next general assembly for additions and betterments.

The need for such an appropriation at once appears when existing conditions of housing are taken into consideration. Had appropriations in the past been adequate to meet the increase during the period covered by each appropriation, the present extraordinary need would not exist. Little improvement can be made in the care and treatment of the wards of the state, and still less can results be expected in reducing the number of those who need this care and treatment, unless adequate housing space be provided.

AGRICULTURE.

The development of farms and gardens is an important function of state institutions both as a factor in reducing the cost of maintenance and as a helpful influence in the treatment of inmates. The reasons may be briefly stated:

First-Vegetables, fruits, feed, milk, butter and eggs can be produced of better quality than can be bought.

Second-Production is cheaper than purchase, and on that account the use of greater variety is possible.

Third-A considerable number of inmates at the institutions need outdoor employment; and when such employment is furnished their condition is improved as they are happier and more contented.

The state now owns (including the new prison farm) 9,684 acres of land at the various institutions, and leases 1,300 acres. About 6,000 acres of this land is tillable.

In order to secure the best possible results the board organized an agricultural department, consisting of an agriculturist, a veterinarian and a horticulturist, for general farm supervision. The work of this department during the year has consisted largely in improving farm organization, in extending the area under cultivation, in adapting crops to soil, in increasing the products most needed, and in improving the dairies.

As a goodly portion of the food consumed at institutions consists of garden and truck crops, special effort has been made to enlarge the work along these lines. Large truck fields are being laid out on soils adapted to this purpose, and production was greatly increased during the past season. Not only were crops produced suitable for immediate use, but large quantities of tomatoes, beans and fruit were canned for future use.

Orcharding has been overlooked in the past, and the orchards are nowhere nearly adequate to provide the necessary fruit supply. Choice fruits being highly essential and desirable for use in the institutions, considerable effort is being made to produce an abundant supply. The orchards on farms adapted to the production of tree fruits are being enlarged. At the Boys' Industrial School, 1,150 apple trees and 1,250