Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1846-02-05
REPORT OF THE PRINCIPAL OF THE DEAF
MUTE DEPARTMENT.

-
formation from persons so illiterate as are man
of the parents and friends of the deaf and dumt
1 shall yet, from time 10 time, offer facts whic
may succeed in gathering together, as at leas
, interesting if not Important.
OF our sixty pupils, thrty-tiiree are males ant
twen,y-seven females. Thirty were born deaf
Tweniy-three lost their hearing by diseases il
infancy or childhood. Respecting seven, the
cause Of deafness is either unknown TO theil
friends or not reported to INC, These sixty pu'
pills came from fty-on families. OF these fifty.
one families, thirteen contain moro than one deaf
mute chid-seven contain two deaf mute chill
dren-four families contain three eaci-one con-
tains four, and one family contains five deaf
tnutes. Among the 80, are one pair of brothers
/ --tbreo pairs OF sales.--future pairs containing
each a brother and sister. There are also a
: Se,hes and two sisters, all born deaf from the
81 mn, ~ oe 'ess t7a"Nssa at the tina
OF admission, we're as iI..iow: twe,.ty.one unaer
hfteen years OF age; twenty-one between fifteen
and twenty; eleven between twenty and twenty.
five; six between twenty-five and thirty, and one
above thirty.
OF the whole number Of pupils, fifty.ore rank
as State pupils and only nine receiving theft
support from their friends-a fact which sbc,y.
the urgent existing necessity for an institution
endowed tor their benefit, would we ever raise
any large proportion Of our deaf mute Ventilation
from the sad condition of foreigners in the bosom
oil their native State, and heather in a christian
land, to the enlightened privileges Of citizenship
and the hopeful enjoyments of chrsiianity
at the close of the last session. thirteen Stats
pupils lett this department of the institution q.
return no more. All are some what advanced i'm
life, and no one of them remained TO complete
The full term oil SIX years prescribed in the by.
laws. In The outset oil opening such institutions,
adults press forward TO gain, as pupils all that
they can.--Of ,criNen language, they can ac.
quire but comparatively little but in four or five
years, they learn much, very much, 10 enliohten,
guide and comfort them in life and in death. 1t
is their misfortune that the institution was estab-
lished too late for them to draw from it, as their
juniors may, its JuN benefits. All of those who
have just LETT US, have, however, knowledge e.
nough oil written language TO correspond and con.
verse with their friends through the medium of
IL, together with some knowledge of the branches
usually taught IN our common schools of the bet.
ter class. All the males, but one gained such
an insight into some trade as TO make the fur.
Their prosecution OF it easy and ultimately profita-
BILE. Several became quite skiliul workmen and
are now earning good wages as iourneymen or
carrying on business on their own account. The
females acquired such knowledge of dtess-
making, &c. as to render them, with proper dill
gence, OF ability TO support themselves in case of
need. From neatly all OF these individuals or
from some of their friends, have had letters foil
Of ardent ,hankfulness towards the Institution
over whose interests you preside, for the benefits
here received. father Of more than ordinary
te!s here's expresses nearly the sentiments of all,
when he says:
81 feel truly thankful to God and 10 all COM
cerned in The institution. 1t is but Justice for
kno &c says That hevcr did. nor never could have
expected them TO learn any thing like what thew
have.
What is truly gratifying to me is, the Girls
seem really to love all they were concerned with
at the institution
1t is tervenily hoped that the various attain.
lnents OF our former pupils, though limited like
The lime they spent with us, may yet under the
divine blessing, prove sufficient to guide them
in comfort and responsibility through this world
10 better
Our present number of pupils is thirty two, of
whom twenty-five are State pupils. All are
pressing forward cheerfully and beautifully in
the various paths of knowledge, along which it
Is our happiness 10 lead them. In addition 10
their daily intellectual exercises some hours each
day are prohiably spent in learning some handi.
craft occupation. Cabine;making, shoemaking,
bookbnding and tailoring, under kind and com.
peteDt instructors, are at present pursued. Ex-
perience has shewn that nothing of intellectual
advancement is lost by these periods, regularly
intervening, of intellectual repose and physical
action, while advantages, to many of them ines.
Unable, are gained by our pupils in their grow
inc knowledge of some mechanic art. The alter.
nation too, Of study and labour gives energy,
liveliness and success 10 both.
There are persons, who, owing to Inadequate
means OF observation, are incredulons of our abi-
ity 10 teach the deaf and dumb. 1t is hard for
such TO believe that we receive deaf mntes, often
men and women IN age, but more ignorant Of
language than the hearing and speaking child
that is just beginning to lisp its A b C's, and i'm
four or five years, teach them 10 write English
dramatically, and TO read books understandings
yj implant in their minds moral and religious
sentiments; Introduce them TO an acquaintance
with geography, history and arithmetic and i'm
the meantime, give them some skill in the me-
chanIc aTs-Tesuts with which it would seem
that the parents and teachers Of even those who
| can hear and speak might be satisfied. For the
satisfaction Of such persons there is nothing can
be done, short of personal visit to the ins,itu.
ton, better than TO offer them, through you, some
specimens Of original and uncorrected COMPOSE
ton written by our pupils in different stages Of
advancement.
There is another class Of persons who under
the natural tendency of the human mind to verge
towards extremes, expect altogether loo much of
us. These. In their too sanguine benevolence,
expect our pupils 10 be taught in six years ali
that the hearing and speaking are more than dou-
| BILE The time in learning. This is preposterous.
Teachers of the deaf ond dumb are acuuainted
with no royal road 10 knowledge along which to
conduct their pupils. We use no magic arts in
opening the peDt up minds Of the deaf TO the rays
of intellectual and moral light. Our art is not
! found written in books il is not pourtrayed BY
the pencil of any painter. 1t is, in the main ira
ldiionary. The various attainments Of our pupil
! result from the patient and most arduous obser
vance Of system which the successive lahonr.
Of ingenious and benevolent men have skilfuIl,
elaborated from the days of De L'Epee and ST
card. The obstacles in the way Of teaching The
deaf and dumb are coniessedly very preat--ap
by these obstacles our success should be careGul
and considerably measured. For you, gentle
! men " have IN y