Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-01-09
FROM COLUMBUS,
IdIotie A.yIum-Report or the Trus-
tees and superintendent
[special Correspondence Cleveland LrADrl ]


Especial Correspondence Cleveland LEADrn
COLUMBUS, January 6, 1866.
The first report of the Public Institu-
tiOns, making its appearance from the
press this year, is that of the Trustees and
Superintendent of the q State Asylum for
the education of ,Idiotic and Imbecile
Youths" The last instituted of our Be
Is Sfeater f6a5 faf 81 Il s =
blind, which is undoubtedly true. The
institution has always had to encounter the
opposition of numbers, both in the Legis-
lature and out of it, who have no faith in
the caPability Of the idiotic of valuable
mental improvement, or at best in their
capacity to retain the knowledge acquired,
after passing from the hands of their in
structors, and the associations ftheir Asy-
lum. The Trustees come at this idea, and
appeal to the experience of nine years IN
der their auspices, and to the results where
ever the experiment has been faithfully
and persistentiy made. They also endea-
vor to correct the prevailing error of those
who regard the uses of Idiotic Asylums
merely as schools. The Idiotic Asylum" ,"
they say, is much more than an elemen-
" tary literary institution. Nearly every
"idiot has present disease, oris suffering
from the effects Of some disease of which
'he has previously been the subject. The
"diseases connected with idiocy, either as
cause, c0ncomitant or consequent, require
the most skillful and careful treatment
"and all the faculties of first class hOspi-
'tal- But this is not all; when these d.
Aseases have been properly and success
fully treated, the poor patient requires a
long time and the greatest attsntiOn TO
general regimen to secure permanent
convalescence. For such the Asylum be-
comes a sanitorium, where not only med
" cine but pure air, good food, enlivening
+" amusements and healthy exercise are
made to contribute to their general i'm
"prOvement. And still further; when
"gOOd degree of health and strenth has
been obtained, and some measure of in
"telligenee attained, it is necessary to
" teach such handicrafts and forms of
"labor as wiz enable the pupils, to earn
" their living and take of the burden of
"their support from friends or the public.
"An Idiot Asylum is, therefore, a hOsPi-
"tal, sanitOrium, and an industrial or
"pylotechnic institute"
An appropriation of $50, 900 was made
last year for the purchase of site and
erection Of buildings for the permanent use
of the institutiOn-rented and altogether
inadequate buildings having heretofore
been occupied for the purpose The insti--
tuition has been located at q most eligible
site, between one and two miles from the
city, near the State quarry and the site of
the new Soldiers Home So much delay
was occasioned by time taken to receive
proposals and examine other sites that but
little progress has thus far been made in
the erection Of the buildings, beyond the
completion of the foundations. The plan
contemplates future enlargement and i'm
provement. The Trustees state that the
structure now in process Of erection will
be filed as soon as it is capable Of occu-
paney, as would also be the entire struc-
ture contemplated in the fnture. 1t is
estimated that further appropriations Of
$50, coo viii be required to complete the
work to the extent ultimately contem-
plated
The Superintendent, in his report to the
Trustees, details the progress made, and
gives the statistics of the past year. 1t
has been an unhealthy season with the pu-
pils-the spotted fever having broken out
early in the spring, caused the death Of
three pupils, and affected the institution
throughout the year. The whole number
under instruction during the year has been
fifty. Of those now in the institution
twenty-five have learned to read and
write since admission sixteen others read
short sentences and are learning TO write
Three others-two Of them recent sdmis-
sions, have as yet manifested no knowl-
edge of the use Of written words as rep
Presenting ideas, and are at present oc-
"cupied in the exercises of attention, Sc"
The report of the Superintendent con-
tains many remarks of interest, original
and selected, relative to the proper treat
ment and true theory Of instruction for
the idiotic.
The total income of the institution for
the year, by way Of appropriations, has
been $l4,O46. Total expenditures, Sl2,-
O46.24. The sum Of Sl,2ll has been re-
ceived from pupils, and paid into the State
Treasury, so that the actual cost Of the in
stitution for the past year has been Sll,-
1924. Appropriations to the amount Of
Sl2,s5O are asked for the ensuing year.
The officers Of the Institution are: Nor
ton S. Townsend, Of Lorain, J. A. Lutz,
Of Piskawsy, and Peter Hitchcock, of
Geauga, Trustees; DR.. G.. A. DOYen, Su-
pc intendent; Miss Harriet F. Purple
Matron; Misses Ellen Williams al Fl,lr-
giet E, Payne Teachers. Il.