Research

Scope and Content Note

The series consists of monthly reports of the board of visitors and the director of the Syracuse State School, and also minutes of general and girls' staff meetings held at the school. Laws establishing the school and appointing its board of visitors and superintendent (later, director) required such reporting.

The Board of Visitors of the Syracuse State School sent the typescript reports to the governor and/or the commissioner of the Department of Mental Hygiene. There are reports for 1945-1948. Transmittal letters are typically included. Reports of the school's director, that include general statistics on patients and frame the narrative of the visitors' reports, are very often attached.

Separate copies of director's reports and meeting minutes are present for 1967. There is also a small amount of minutes for both general staff and girl's staff meetings (1953-1954, 1967-1968), that were apparently held weekly. Minutes for meetings in years 1955-1966 are missing.