REPORT.

To the Honorable the General Assembly of Maryland:

In presenting their seventh Annual Report since the re-organ-
ization of the "House of Refuge for Juvenile Delinquents," being
for the second year of its actual operation, the Board of Mana-
gers not only comply with the requirement of their charter, but
they take pleasure in having the opportunity thus afforded to ex-
press their acknowledgment of the appropriation made for the
support of the Institution, by the General Assembly at its last
session, an act no less just in itself, than it was honorable to the
State and gratifying to every friend of humanity.

In making this acknowledgement the Board would, however,
respectfully say, that it is to be regretted that the sum thus given,
from its insufficiency has somewhat limited the systematic oper-
ations of the Refuge. In their application to your honorable
body, after a careful estimate, first, of the probable number of in-
mates that under the law would be committed to their charge, and
then of the amount necessary for their support, they set down the
annual sum required at $15,000, but as the act only appropriated
$10,000, they must necessarily be restricted in their work. So
far this has not been to a degree affecting very seriously the ability
of the Board to carry out the object of the Institution. But such
a result cannot be anticipated for the future, inasmuch as every
year must add to the number of inmates, until the full capacity
of the building is reached. With this certainty of increase in
number concurrently arises the necessity of an increase of means
for their support. But it is fortunate that the sums of this in-
crease are not equal, for it is cheaper pro rata to take charge of
three hundred than of two hundred inmates, as in both cases the
same number of officers is required, whose salaries form a most
important item in the cost per head, and so in fuel, light and other
general charges of expenditure. Now, the average number of