New York House of Refuge Industrial Department Daybooks

Chronological.

In response to accusations of inmate exploitation of the 1870s, the State Board of Charities investigated the operations of the New York House of Refuge and issued a report to the State Legislature in 1879. The Board's recommendation ultimately led to several reforms at the institution, including the elimination of contract labor (Chapter 470, Laws of 1884). In 1887, the institution adopted a system of industrial education modeled after the program employed by the State Industrial School (formerly Western House of Refuge). Boys were instructed in trades and crafts such as hosiery, printing, carpentry, painting, tailoring, horticulture, baking, and gas and steam fitting. Girls attended classes in washing, ironing, sewing, and other domestic work.

These two volumes enumerate the monthly operating expenses incurred by the New York House of Refuge's Industrial Department from 1888 through 1894. Each entry includes bill number (assigned consecutively); date of bill; itemized listing of goods or services purchased and cost of each; total amount of bill; educational subdivision for which goods or services were purchased, such as hosiery or horticultural department; and general category of each expense, such as supplies, salaries, freight, machinery, traveling, yarn, or furniture. Payroll entries list payees by educational subdivision or class for which they performed services.

A2072Series A2072, Registers of Industrial Department Audited Bills, and

A2073Series A2073, Industrial Department Cash Book, contain information regarding the payment of bills cited in this series.

These volumes were transferred to the State Archives by the Department of Correctional Services in 1977, but became estrayed shortly thereafter. They were discovered by Archives staff and accessioned in October of 2002.

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the material.