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Page 121          Biennial Report of the State Board
                     of Corrections and Charities
                                1873
                    
                              WASHTENAW
                               
      The poor-house in this county is pleasantly situated, about
    two and a half miles southeast of the city of Ann Arbor.
      It is located on a farm of 120 acres, which is under a fine
    state of cultivation.  A good vegetable garden is tilled in part
    by the paupers.  In the road opposite the house are some very
    fine shade trees, adding much to the appearance of the premises.
      The principal building is of brick, two stories high, and has
    a good basement.  The dwelling of the keeper is a frame build-
    ing attached to the brick one.
      A two-story brick building has recently been erected for a
    county asylum for the insane.  On the day of our visit, there
    
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Page 122

    were thirty-five crazy persons in this asylum.  They are much
    better cared for here than in the poor-houses generally, having
    an attendant to look after them.  Still they have no treatment
    for the disease that afflicts them; no light labor suited to their
    condition, and but very few of the advantages of a well regulated
    asylum.  An insane woman with an infant in her arms, was pointed
    out to us as the mother of seven children, six of whom came to
    the home with her.  An unusual and most excellent feature in
    this institution is the chapel.  A room in the building has been
    neatly fitted up for this purpose, principally throug the
    instrumentality of Rev. Dr. Gillespie of Ann Arbor, a gentleman
    widely known in our State as active in all philanthropic efforts
    for the poor and unfortunate.  The inmates of the house assemble
    in this chapel almost every Sabbath day, and there receive 
    religious instruction and advice.  The Catholic priest of Ann
    Arbor has also a place fitted up in one of the rooms in the
    institution for worship accordint to the rites of his church.
    There is a school in the institution which has been taught by
    one of the paupers for many years.  He is now an old man, and
    has been an inmate of this house for the last twenty years.
    Last year his health failed, and he has had to abandon teaching.
      This poor-house is in good condition, the rooms generally
    being large and kept clean.  The bedsteads are of iron, and
    the bedding is good.  One great want is some better provision
    for bathing purposes; and better facilities for classification
    of the inmates might add to the usefulness of the institution.
    We are informed that ladies from Ann Arbor often visit the
    poor-house, and take an interest in seeing that it is well
    conducted.
    
    
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