The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-10-04
DEAF NTUTES.

architectural ornament to our city, but which
has now dingy, antiquated appearance. 1t
looks its brightest on the occasion of process
sion forming or marching on that broad avenue
when its spacious porch is filed with merry
boys and Its windows crowded with bright eyed
girls. These have an odd way of talking with
their fingers and by sweeping gestures with
their arms instead of by word of mouth and
when the trumpcts and drums of military bands
give out upon the air huge volumes of harmony
their delight and gesticulations are alike inde-
scribable. They are pupils of this Deaf and
Dumb Asylum, one of the most benevolent insti-
tutions of this age of philanthropy. Visitors
are admitted to this every Thursday, at 81 P. NJ,
If provided with ticket from director: and
an inspection of the plan of instruction will
afford as much pleasure as any other sight in
the city.
History.
The Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania
Institution for the Deaf and Dumb was organized
and held its first meeting in April, 1920. Presi-
dent, the Right Rev. William White D. D. In
November following, q house was rented in
Market street. above Broad, and eighteen pupils
assembled in it Tor instruction. The institution
was supported by donations and the contribu-
tions of annual subscribers and of life members.
An act of incorporation was passed by the Legis-
lature OF Pennsylvania in February, 1921. By
this act the Commonwealth allowed one hun
dred and sixty dollars apiece, per annum, for
the education and support of INDECENT pupils of
the State. The number was not to exceed fifty,
and the term of each not to extend beyond three
years. The number has since been increased,
and the term extended by several successive
enactments. The number under the present
appropriation is one hundred and twenty-five,
and the term allowed, six years. 1t would be n
wise provision of legislation to allow the direc-
tors discretionary power to extend this term in
cases they deemed advisable. In September,
m tn tba
of Market and Eleventh streets.
In June, 1924, the present site was purchased
at the corner of Broad and Pine streets, and pre-
parations made for erecting large building. 1t
was completed, and the institution removed to
1t in November, 1925. In 1928, an additional lot
in the rear was procured, and school
house erected on it. In 1889, the build
ings were extended. and a story added to
the school house. The whole establishment was
then capable of accommodating one hundred
and fifty pupils. In the autumn of 1854 two ad-
ditional wings were erected, the one running
north, the other south, fifty by twenty-four feet
each, on q line parallel with the front of the
building, and receding from it about twenty feet.
The number that can now be accommodated is
two hundred.
Description.
chaste and simple front of cut stone, with
portico and pillars of the Tuscan order, together
with two wings, present an extent of two hun
dred feet on Broad street. The buildings, in
cluding the school house, run back two hundred
laid out as flower garden There are two
| spacious yards-one for the girls, and one for
| the boys-shaded by trees, and furnishing ample
| space for exercise in the open air. The school
building contains ten school rooms; each one pro-
| vided with appropriate furniture, as slales,
| tables, closets, etc From twelve to twenty
| pupils usually constitute a class. At present
| there are ten classes each under the care of an
| instructor. Three of the teachers are mutes,
one of them the grandson of Thomas jefferson.
| These classes are formed early in September;
and it is important that all new pupils should be
in attendance at that time, that the classes may
be properly arranged 1t cannot be expected
that the progress of a whole class should be re-
tarded on account of pupil who joins it after
its formation.
Contiguous to the school-rooms is cabinet of
apparatus, models, specimens, ETC., to assist the
teachers in presenting clear ideas on the various
subjects admitting of ocular illustration. 1t
contains several noteworthy articles made and
presented to the institution by former pupils.
One of these is a small locomotive, having it's
| steam generated by a spirit-lamp. Another is
italian landscape scene, twenty feet in length,
| with figures Enthusiastically habited, repre-
| senting all the phases of peasant life. The
| Nusam gallery, on the ground floor, contains a
| number of excellent Autographs and portraits,
| executed by Albert Nusam, a former pupil, per-
haps the finest photographer in the country in his
| time: one of these is of good Bishop White.
The centre building contains lecture-roomy >
| capable of seating two hundred persons. It has
| also facilities for making experiments, and pre-
| senting diagrams, maps, sketches, etc. In this
room the pupils are assembled twice every day,
| sometimes in the evenings for lectures, and on
| the Sabbath for religious instruction. Under
meath this apartment is the boys refectory the
| girls refectory is in the south wing In the
| upper stories are the infrmaries and also two
dormitories.
| The wings contain the principal sleeping
rooms, the sitting rooms, the shops, the kitchen,
| bake-hOuse laundry, cellar, etc. Attached to-
| these are the bath houses washing rooms and
other convenlences, accessible at all times with
| out exposure to the weather. The workshops
| give employment to the boys two or three hours
daily in shoemaking and tailoring. The girls
are taught plain sewing and dress-making, and
are employed in housewifery. Habits of indus
try are thus forming, and the pupils are pre-
Paring Tor the duties and practical business of
life. The hours of the day are apportoned to
study, work, exercise, and amusement The
establishments lighted with gas and abundantIv
supplied with the Schuylkill water.
During the existence of the institution there
has been expended for the grounds, buildings,
appurtenances, ETC., about one hundred and
twenty thousand dollars. The pupils are under
the constant supervision of the PRINCIPAL the
instructors the Matron, or the Steward. The
lndlsposed have the prompt and devoted services
OF the attentive and skilful physician, and, in
critical cases, the valuable advice of the distin-
guished consulting physicians of the institution.
Ihus, In sickness and in health, the improve
ment, comfort, and happiness of the pupils are
asslduously promoted. The institution has an
average of 200 boys and girls in attendance,
ABOUT one-tenth OF whom are supported by New
Jersey and Delaware, like number by their
friends, and the remainder by the State at an
average cost of $240.
For ten years past the Directors have contem-
plated selling the premises at present occupied
and erecting commodious buildings, possessing
all the advantages that can be derived from the
science and intelligence of the present day, on
the OUTSKIRTS OF the city When the hrst gIounu