Middletown Township.

the State fund of Delaware, appropriated for the support of two children from each county of that State; under the city of Philadelphia fund, applied to cases received from the "Children's Home," of the Philadelphia almshouse, or by special permit through the committee appointed by the Board of Guardians of the city of Philadelphia; under the free fund, devoted exclusively to the entire or partial maintenance in the institution of such feeble-minded persons as may be selected by the superintendent and committee on admission, and whose support is not otherwise provided for; and under the private list. Children may be received on this list from any place in or out of our State, on payment, quarterly in advance, of such sums as may be agreed upon, the rates being determined by the amount of care the case requires, the extra accommodations given, and the ability of parents or guardians to pay.

As the foregoing suggests, the Pennsylvania Training-School is a private institution under State patronage. The Legislature annually makes an appropriation of sixty thousand dollars for its support.

Since 1864 Dr. Isaac N. Kerlin has been superintendent of the institution. Under his management the school has made its largest growth, and become most widely useful. The aim of the management has been threefold: first, as the name of the institution indicates, to train the feeble-minded so that they may return to their homes or be placed in proper places, and be self-sustaining; second, to afford a permanent asylum for those whose condition is helpless and hopeless; and third, to afford in the institution a home to those who by its aids may be wholly or partially self-sustaining. It is the desire of those who have given the matter careful attention that the latter feature may be more fully developed, by making at Elwyn (as the place is called after one of the founders, and the president of the institution) an Asylum Village. Concerning this praiseworthy project, which must inevitably be carried out some time, we find the following in the course of a newspaper article which had as its subject a recent meeting of the directors of the institution:

"The correspondence of the institution establishes the fact that at least one thousand five hundred feeble-minded children are in the homes of persons too poor to pay for their support in any institution, and yet too much attached to their unfortunate offspring to place them in Couuty Almshouses. The injury to the community from the presence of this element is such that those who examine this problem believe it would be wise economy to isolate the feeble-minded and idiotic, and establish in Delaware County, in connection with the present institution, an asylum village, to consist of farm-houses for those who are able to work, a hospital home for the helpless, and a central educational department. The institution already embraces these features, and by utilizing its farm-lands the cost of maintenance has so diminished that it is now believed a plan embraciog all this dependent population of the State is feasible. This plan would bring under a working system the contributions of those families who are able to support in whole or in part any of their afflicted members, and the aid of the counties and the commonwealth."

In regard to the present condition of the institution, it may be said that in beauty of surroundings and in the cheerfulness of its inner furnishing, in the neatness and order of all that pertains to the school and asylum, in the effectiveness of training, and in the gentleness of care, the establishment at Elwyn is not surpassed by any similar institution of which the writer has knowledge.

The cluster of granite buildings is situated on a beautiful wooded eminence, between Media and Elwyn Station, on the Philadelphia and West Chester Railroad, within easy walking distance of either, but nearest the latter, which, in fact, was established principally for the convenience of those whose duties take them to the school. The immediate hill on which the main buildings are erected is terraced, graded, with dry walks, and planted with shrubbery. A grove of five acres on the west and north is laid out for paths and drives, where in summer the children exercise. A farm of nearly one hundred and thirty acres extends into the valley below, furnishing work for such boys as can be taught agricultural labor. A small tramway connects the parent institution and the hillside home, and it is designed to extend it to the Elwyn Station. The cars upon this road run one way by gravity, and are drawn back by donkeys. A pretty excursion car that runs upon it accommodates twenty or thirty children, who are thus afforded pleasurable out-door life for some hours in the day.

The asylum buildings, with which this road connects, are, like the main buildings, constructed most substantially of stone, are of fine appearance, and excellently adapted to the purpose which they serve. In short, everything about the institution is indicative, by its perfection and practical usefulness, of the broad charity of the people, the wise beneficence of the State, and the intelligent and kindly management that has found exercise here. The work that is carried on by the Pennsylvania Training-School for Feeble-Minded Children is indicated by the fact that during the year (ending Sept. 30, 1883) four hundred and twenty-eight children were under the care of the school and industrial departments. Of these, three hundred and ninety-six remained at the close or the year, classified as regards support as follows:

Following is a list of the presidents, superintendents, and assistant superintendents connected with the institution from its incorporation to the present:

Presidents. - Rt. Rev. Alonzo Potter, 1853-66; John P. Crozer, 1866-67; S. Morris Waln, 1867-70; A. L. Elwyn, M.D., from 1870.

Superintendents. - Rev. James B. Richards, 1853-57; Joseph Parrish, M.D., 1857-64; I. N. Kerlin, M.D., from 1864.