Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1843-12-07


TO the subject. For no man knows. when
he votes Tor an appropriation, but he msy
be making ptoyisi ia Advance for one Of
his own ioust ho'd, or for some 1ear and
d-ar f.iend Indeed, the Institution fur
uishs more ihan one example Of the SORT
\ in the sons Of former Members or the Leg
! isia'ure.
We there saw subjects from some o.
the mast distinguished fimilies OF virgin
li, n. veil as me ol the humb 'esi, = al
much bettef provided for than they could
nossibly have Teen nj home, and al CIV.
! iup daily evidence Of the utility and no
bio chanty If the institution.
4 Our attention was draw TO tie Libra.
~ Tor the use Of the lunaliss. Yes, req
der, Lbrary--and every book IN it, ex.
ceLt perhaps dictionary or eHcyclo R
dis, r. al through and through, ind more
light demanded. Is not fine oppoltuni.
~ heIe olirrc for The exercise OF a be-
negolence IN which almost every men in
the State can take part 7 Who is it
that has not some odd volume, or dozens
Of them, that might be spared 10 the in.
lmaes Of the Asylum, II che them on
! 10 their efforts at mental recreation? Is
| there not here chance to "muister to
the mind disca ed y 40 pluck cut tie
roo:ed sorrow!" We hope he simple
digestion Of the malt'r viii induce bun
dreds to box up books Il at are lying mus
! ~ thoir shelves and transmit item al
once TO the care ofthe institution. Capt
! Claiborne Of Richmond began the exprr-
lmeut some months since, OF gathering up
pamphlets and e 10 iicais wherever found,
aud sending them 10 St4uaten, and he
4 now reAps an ample reward ON th grat.
mud. and probably tn" prayers OF tn oh
/ iects ii SIS ben fir,nce. Many of c
~ wspapsr publishers have tlS become
oflhe IuGarirs, and in short time, We
hop, The demanI uil be met TO the full
lest extent.
We aIso took hasty view Of the As
sylum7 tor the deaf and dumb, and the
blind, end wcr, pinned to find that the
accommodations for these unfortunate be.
nas, we're by no mems commensurate
with their wants, or 10 accordance with
the demands of humanity. Tho State
having un lcrtaken the noble duly fpro-
vding for this class Of its c,tz as, shouli
not let its character suffer in the tffot;
vet we feel half ashamed 10 let tie dis
tant reader know, that the pupils are but
inditlefently accommodated. and that
bill! to appropriate small sum annually
for three yea s, to complete buildings al
ready commenced, was defeated in the
House of Delegates, at the last session, n
spite Of the eloquent peadIngs and remon-
strances Of the delegates from Augusta
aud The walls are now suffering from ex.
posure 10 the wealhr.
Al the de lf aud dumb apartments, we
witnessed the varied, rapid, and to US In.
comprehensive means, 10y which mind
could communicate with mind, and the
readiness with which instruction was i'm
parted. Among the specimens Of hand
craft work, which the pupils produced IN
the Intervals devoted to manual labor, we
saw a verv neat poTttb'e SECRETARY, which
would have done credit to a regular work
man.
The bini {males) when not employ d
in Their mental exercises, devote Their a. !
tcn,on to making brushes ofyorous kinds, |
aud these were executed in IA manner 10
stand competition with the best we have
seen from any regular manuiactory.
The females were employed IN netting,
knitting and basket wo k-and their spec. !
linens, too, would bear comparison with
the best In Music, Arithmetic aud Gro
graphv, their skill exceeded thousands
blessed with sight. /. Is impossible 10
convey to tie reader an idea off, extra.
ordinary powers thus dis layed. One of
the little girls, who when fist sent there,
scarcely gave tokens Of ordinary lntell-
gence, cxceied in al these studies, and
she was even learning French with faclll
ty. Her skill IN Mental Arithmetic, in
multiplying millions by millions, has p OBJ
ably only been exceeded by Ztrah Col
burn, the youth who many years ago as
tonished the whole country with his won
derful capacity in this respect. lftne
institution hal only succeeded in mixing
this single development of genius, II
would be we'll worth the expenditure al
ready made upon it.