The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1803-02-25 00:00:00

School and Eaa4lidinuot flit Board at P*l4

Every body knows the success of the itstinition
of Deaf and Dumb from their birth. • The eager-
ness with which those unfortunate beings, .restored
to Society by means as infallible as they are inge-
nious, take to the lessons which are given to them;
the sympathy which they inspire, have long since
rendered it a duty of the administration of this
house to give them a publicity in its new reports of
public utility.
By the benefactions, and under the auspices of
the Minister of the Inter' r, divers attempts at
Inter
amendment have been Lade, and all succeeded.
The foundations of the i trudion were laid by the
famous Abbi de l'Epee ; and fame hath not yet
ceased to publish the glory of the religious misan-
thropist, who invented this extraordinary method of
teaching. What his successor has added to this
fine discovery is well known. But whilst all ad-
mired the resources of an art, which triumphed over
the difficulties which nature threw in its way, they
regretted that those unfortunate objects, assembled'
from all points of the Republic, in this interesting
school, learnt nothing more than how to devttope
their intelledual faculties ; and that all the time
which they passed there was lost for learning a teade.
The deaf and dumb were enabled to communicate
with other men, which was certainly a great acqui-
sition; but, not being habituated to labour clumg
the course of their education, they were accustomed
to an idle life, and, when returned home, they neiL
ther knew, nor were willing to apply themselves to
any thing. They were connected with Society, but
not less a burthen to themselves and their friends.
Work-benches of several kinds are actually esta-
blished in the house of the Deaf and Dumb ; Print-
ing ; Turnery ; Engraving on Copper, and fine
Stones • Drawing ; Mosaic Work ; Joinery; Tay-
lors' and Shoemakers' Work. _
Among the scholars, some become sufficiently
good shoemakers, not only to make shoes for their
comrades, but also for visitors ; others make clothes,
and in the great chamber, where they all sleep, un-
der the supenntendance of four masters, there is not
a single bed which has not been made by the deaf
and dumb.
As every body would regret, that the sort of in-
stnidion which is received there, should be confined
to gratuitous pupils, the Administration, under the
authority of the Minister of the Interior, has laid
out one story cf the main body of the building, in
which the children of opulent families will be re-.
ceived, as private boarders, and superintended by a
private tutor.
By this new arrangement, the House of the Deaf
and Dumb forms two sorts of establishment : one
consisting of SO gratuitous pupils, at the expence of
the nation, brought up to mechanical pursuits, to
learn a trade under masters paid by Government ;
the other can only consist of 4.0 pupils, at she ex-
pence of their friends, who will be treated in every
respect as young folks are in genteel families, and
instructed in all branches of knowledge which are
taught in other schools. They will be taught :
Ist, 'Writing and Reading ; 2d, Religion ; J. I, the
French and English Languages ; 4th, Numbers,
and the Principles of Geometry, so far as concerns
the Arts carried on in the Institution ; sth, the use
of the Globe, and Geography; 6th, History ; 7th,
Drawing ; filth, Engraving on Copper and fine
Stones ; 9th, Mosaic Work ; 10th, Turning,
The expznce for each of those pupils, for lodging,
board, washing, medicinal attendance iti health and
sickness, instruaion, and the above-mentioned arts,
is 900 francs a year ' • each pupil to bring his bed,
sheets, and rmen for his own use ; and he may be
admitted from the age of eight years upwards.
Deaf and dumb females are also received at the
age of seven years and upwards, upon the same con-
ditions, abating 100 francs of the expence. 'I hey
have a separate building ; they are superintended,
night and day, by two persons of their own sex,
who teach them all kinds of needle-work. They
are also taught, as well as the males, Ist, Writing
and Reading ; 2d, Religion; 3d, every Knowledge
suitable to their sex and age.
The gratuitous places are, as already stated, eighty
in number. It is necessary, according to the regu-
lation of the Minister of the Interior, to ascertain—
that the applicant be not less than twelve, nor more
than fourteen years of age ; to receive legal attesta-
tions of real poverty ; to be furnished with a register
of birth, and a certificate from the Officer of Health,
attesting that the applicant hath no illness or infir-
mity to impede his application to the work-benches.
Applications must be addressed to the Minister of
the Interior, who alone disposes of these places. It
will be useless to address these requests to any other
person, even to the Diredor of the Institution. The
pupils enjoy these places for five years.,--Alesiteue.