Minutes of meetings of a special committee of the Board of Visitors

Statement on Language

Some content in this finding aid may contain offensive terminology. For more information on why this language is occasionally retained, see: New York State Archives Statement on Harmful Language in Descriptive Resources.

Overview of the Records

Repository
New York State Archives
222 Madison Avenue
Albany, NY 12230
Summary
This series consists of meeting minutes in the form of hearing transcripts from a committee investigating the problem of runaways at the Agricultural and Industrial School. Testimony included personality traits of good supervisors; methods of discipline and preventing runaways; punishing runaways; frequency of home visits; past and present conditions at the school; reasons for inmates running away; criteria for assigning inmates to colonies; and possibility of regular meetings of cottage supervisors to exchange ideas on treatment and discipline of inmates.
Title
Minutes of meetings of a special committee of the Board of Visitors
Quantity
0.1 cubic feet
Inclusive Dates
Series Number
A3057
Creator
Arrangement

Chronological by date of meeting.

Scope and Content Note

Minutes are in the form of original and carbon typescript hearing transcripts.

A committee investigating the problem of runaways at the institution took testimony from cottage supervisors concerning: necessary personality traits for good supervisors; methods of discipline and preventing runaways; punishing runaways; frequency with which inmates should be permitted to visit home; superiority of present over past conditions at the school; reasons for inmates running away; effectiveness of the "merit system" of rewarding good behavior with visits home or other activities; criteria for assigning inmates to colonies; and possibility of regular meetings of cottage supervisors to exchange ideas on treatment and discipline of inmates.

Bylaws of the institution authorized the Board of Visitors (previously the Board of Managers) to exercise overall executive and supervisory powers over the operation of the institution.

Custodial History

The Department of Social Welfare placed these records on loan to the Syracuse University Library from 1960-1977.

Access Restrictions

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

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