Massachusetts General Laws Part I. Administration of the Government (Ch. 1-182) Ch. 127, § 92

The county commissioners may include, among the items requested to be appropriated for their respective counties, an amount to cover the expenses of furnishing instruction for one hour each evening except Sunday, in reading and writing to prisoners in jails and houses of correction who may be benefited thereby and who wish to receive it. In the county of Suffolk, the mayor of Boston may include such an item in his annual budget submitted to the city council.