Baton Rouge tri-weekly gazette & comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1865-18??, 1866-02-27
Report Of the Board Of Administra-
tors Of the Asylum for the Deaf
and Dumb and the Blind.
To the Honorable the General Assembly /.

Louisiana Institution for the Deaf, Dumb
and Blind, respectfully submit to your
honorable body this, their Annual Report :
The history Of the Institution since the
last Annual Report Of the preceding Board
~ TO be found 10 the Report of Mr.. A. X.
Martin, the worthy superntsndsnt, which
accompanies this and 10 submitted ms d
part hereof.
We aacertainsd, soon after entering upon
tho discharge Of our duties, that the larger
portion Of the building was uHsd by The
military authorities "a Hospital, and had
been 50 used by them SINCE their second
occupation Of the city. Very great incon-
vepiopce aud discomfort resulted from this
kind Of appropriation; but it was, to
great extent, compensated by tho furnish
ing of ratiops and fuel TO the inmates of
tho Asylum, by those authorities, during
nearly the whole time of their occupation
We applied to General Candy, through his
Excelloncy, the Governor Of tho State, for
tho possession of the entire building; but
owing, as was stated by the Medical In
rpector, to the fact Of his not being able TO
obtain any other place in the city that
would answor the purposes of a Hospital,
it's entire evacuation was postponed, though
half of the house was given mp TO US, and
changes were made that rendered thesitua-
ton Of the pupils comparatively free from
complaint. We anticipate tteS, within
abort time, tho possession Jg the entire
promises will bo given to the Board.
Thore were twenty-five pupils in tho
school, who were greatly In need Of cloth
ing and many things necessary to their
comfort. These unfortunate children, de-
| prived, as they had been, Of Tho protection
and sustennnce Of tho Stnte, had Jared
hardly during tho last throe yeare Of the
| war, and hnd 1t not been for the kind
meas aud iiborality Of Mr.. WIN. Il. Pike in
advancing means with which TO ebthe |
them; for the unremitttng energy and de-
votion of Mr.. A. K. Martin, the Superin- |
tendent, who never left them and for the |
vigllant care Of Mrs. Dufrocg, the Mntron |
OF the Institution, their condition would |
have been most deplorabl6. AS soon M Il
we could do so, clothing was obtained, aud |
their most pressiuR wants were relieved, as |
we'll as could be done with tho small |
amount of means NJ our dHposhL &3s5AI
The attention Of the Board was then
directed to tho reorganization of the
School, which has not y6t been entirely |
effected, and cannot DO until tho house is
refurnished. Mr.. Martin was appointed
Superintendent and Principal, ut one hun
drod dollars per month; Mira. Dufrocq,
Matron, Mt seventy five dollars; Mrs.
Martha Bradford, as Teacher, at fifty |
dollars, and Miss -, n Mute, ns Teacher, |
mt fifty dollars. The Broom Department
and tho Printing Department, for want Of
funds, remain suspended.
We have not been able to fully ascertain |
the indebtedness of the Institution. The
largest claims which have AZ yet been pre-
Hented for our approval, rs those of Mr..
Martin and Mrs. Dufrocq, for services rem
dered otfcers, and for money advanced
hv than far ha uDp WI nf, l,,s ., /
the war. As well as we have been able to
determine, IT II our opinion that the old
debts will not fall short Of eight thousand
dollars. A portion of this we have nj
lowed and paid, In warrants, al will bo
seen In the Treasurer's Report.
That report will also show that, Of tho
eighteen thousand dollar aMSropriaton
made by tho last General ASSsnbly, foEE
the support Of the institution tho arens-s
urer has received only twenty Ave hun
dred dollars in cash. That he obtained in
all fourteen thousand dollars in warrants.
Owing to the deplorable condition of tho
State Treasury, no has not been able TO
obtain any more money than the twenty
five hundred dollars above mentioned.
With this small sum, we have clothed the
pupils, paid portion of the salaries duo
the teachers since we employed them,
furnished rations and fuel for that portion
Of the time that the Government ceased to
do 80, and have, in part, paid and kept the |
necessary servants. 1t will also appear,
from that report, that two thousand dol
lars Of the Auditors warrants have been
also paid out to tho creditors of the Insti-
tuition, leaving a balance in his hands, in |
warrants of nine thousand five hundred
dollars. The remaining four thousand has
not yet been audited.
The building is greatly in need of re-
pairs. The roof Ia in a wretohed condition,
allowing the water to pour down through
the house during seasons OF rain. It has
been estimated that the costs of tho repair
ing which Is absolutely necessary, will DO
four thousand dollars.
During the war, the house, from reasons |
unknown to us, has become almost desti-
tute of furniture. 1t should be refur-
nished. We could not ask that the furni-
ture should be on tho same magnificent
scale rs before the war, when the State
could well afford to be liberal, but we urge
upon your honorable body that means be
appropriated for such as will be suitable to
the interest and comfort Of the Institution.
We think that seven thousand dollars
would BIO sufficient sum to meet this +.
most pressing want.
The debts which the present Board have
contracted, and which arc now due and
unpaid, will not exceed four thousand
dollars.
Having learned that the buildings Of tho
Insti tuition for the Deaf and Blind, of the {
State Of Mississippi, had been destroyed by
fire during the late war, and with view
TO obtain assistance from that State for the i
support Of our Institution by taking her {
pupils, we directed Mr.. A. K. Martin to
proceed to Jackson and contract with the t
Trustees Of the said Institution for that n
purpose. An agreement was concluded, by '
which it was agreed that wo would take t
their pupils at the price of two hundred /
and fifty dollars per annum, each. The t
Legislature of that State made liberal APP s
preparation to enable their Trustees to car G
ry out the contract Twelve persons, deaf, '
mute and blind, had been already received q
under the agreement, and more are short 3
ly expected. For more particular &C +
count of this, you are again referred to the |
excellent Report Of the Superintendent c
1t may be safely supposed, we think, that Q
the sum Of five thousand dollars will be re- t
ceived from the State Of Mississippi, for the c
a Il