Minutes of the Board of Managers and Board of Visitors

Chronological by meeting date.

These minutes were compiled by the board secretary. An entry for each meeting begins with the date and a list of the members present, followed by a summary of the proceedings. Included are verbatim transcripts or copies of resolutions and reports considered by the board. Much of the business conducted by the board was based on information contained in reports submitted by board committees and by the superintendent and other institution officials.

Typical of business transacted at the meetings were the following: establishment of committees and appointment of committee members; adoption or amendment of bylaws; hiring of staff, including their duties and salaries; planning and policy-making, as for example, the building of a new school, removal of the girls division, or the use of corporal punishment; review of finances; and handling special problems, such as incidents of violence or vandalism.

The Board of Managers became the Board of Visitors in 1927, when the newly created Department of Charities assumed administrative responsibility for the reformatory. The last three volumes of the series document meetings of the Board of Visitors, which served as an advisory body to school and department administrators.

The entries are handwritten until 1889 and typewritten thereafter. Minutes for the period November 1871 to November 1879 are missing.

A microform use copy of the series is available at the New York State Archives; however, the copy may not be available for use because of access restrictions that apply to the records.

The reports which are summarized in the minutes are located in Series A3128, Superintendent's monthly reports to Board of Visitors.

Volume list.

Restricted in part in accordance with Executive Law, Section 501-c (1)(b), relating to confidentiality of individuals in custody of the Division for Youth (now Office of Children and Family Services).