Scope and Content: The State Almshouse at Monson provided residence for paupers without settlement in the Commonwealth from 1854 to 1872.  The State Primary School, opened at the almshouse in 1866 and continuing after its closing until 1895, provided lodging, instruction, and employment for dependent and neglected children under age sixteen without settlement in the Commonwealth and some juvenile offenders.  Per St 1852, c 275, c 7, almshouse inspectors could place minor inmates out on trial with families, where they were often subsequently indentured.  Later school inmates were similarly placed (originally by school inspectors–1866, c 209, s 7; then by school trustees–St 1880, c 208, s 1).  If indenture or similar placement on a term basis was agreed upon, an indenture form or official agreement was drawn up between the inspectors/trustees and the person undertaking to train, educate, and board the inmate until his/her eighteenth birthday (originally twenty-first for boys).
Arrangement: In two subseries: (1) Indentures and agreements, 1854-1890 (2) Annulled indentures and agreements, 1861-1880; Arranged within each subseries chronologically
Notes: Both subseries likely incomplete; bulk of documents from 1860s and early 1870s.  Many records in duplicate, as originally drawn up. Reel GSU 448: Subseries (1), 1854-1857.  Reel GSU 449: Subseries (1), 1857-1866.  Reel GSU 450: Subseries (1), 1866-1890; Subseries (2)
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