Hospital Cottages for Children (Baldwinville, Mass.)

The Hospital Cottages for Children opened at Baldwinville, Massachusetts in 1882, as a charitable corporation for the care, training, and treatment of "diseased, maimed, feeble-minded, destitute and orphan children," as it was characterized by St 1887, c 441, which authorized the Commonweatlh of Massachusetts to pay its debts. It was obliged to report to the State Board of Lunacy and Charity, which could place epileptic and other children there. This statute, as well as St 1890, c 354 and St 1892, c 407 provided for trustees appointed by the governor. Further state supervision was provided by St 1898, c 433, ss 21, 24 (State Board of Insanity), St 1909, c 504, ss 66-67, and St 1918, c 121 (Massachusetts Commission on Mental diseases). St 1945, c 451 provided for the pacement (now by the Department of Mental Health) of mentally retarded children there. State involvement with the institution was ended by the repeal of relevant statutes per St 1952, c 307.