Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-06-23


This morning, at II O'Clock. . very large and
select audience assembled IN the Congrega-
tional Church, corner OF 10th and y streets,
attracted by the announ cement that the com.
mencement Of the National Deaf Mute College
would be held there. This being he first com.
mencsment OF the hrst Deaf Mute College ever
established in any country, great interest vas
felt In IL, particularly by those friends Of hu.
maBity who have watched with anxious So
licitude the progress made in the education of
deaf m utes and the blind, and who have ha,Ied
with satisfaction the rapid strides made in the
Improvement of the modes Of ms ruct,oa of
those afflicted classes, since the frat Grade
efforts made less than century ago. On tae
platform usually occupiea by the choir were
seated the invited guests, officers Of the institu.
ton. and the graduates-J. q. Parkinson, OF
New Hampshire; j. H. Logan, OF Pennsylva.
Lia; and ]. Benton Hotchkiss, Of Connec.icut.
The Platform below was occupied by the
Scala; while about the platforms were drapcd
a number or National and Statefiags.
The exercises were commenced by the baud
performing pot pouri from Tampa. when the
Amos Kendall, proceeded from the pastors
study to land took seats on) the platform Rev.
DR. Starkey, Rev. DIR. Sunderland, Mr.. Suck
ney, Rev. DIR Samson, Presidentof the Coium.
ban Coilegp, Mr.. w. w. Corcoran, judge
Shsrman, Major Gen. q. U. Howard, DIR q. II.
Nichols of the Government Asylum for the In.
Fu, n.
Jen kins, Of Kansas, and the folio wing compos-
ing the faculty OF the atIonal ID, af Mute t,ol
lFge: President, +. M. Gallaudet, AID Pro.
Rev. W. W. Turner. ex-President Of thu
American ASYLUM Of Connecticut, offered a
feryent prayer, in which he spoke OF the good.
ness Of God IN having permitted such estab-
lshments TO be erected for the benefit OF the
deaf and dumb and implored the blessing of
God on the q aduates. Prot. Fay interpreted
the words In the sign language for the beusfi,
Nf no. dc nj ND Anr "a
other spoken exercises.
President 9allaudet, Of the National College,
then delivered the following address:
PRBeIDENT's ADDREss.
The occasion which brings Us together to. day
marks an era in the history Of civilization. II
stands forth without precedent, a bright aud
thropy and benevolence. The unrefecting and
cold indifference that, because Of their depriva.
ton of a single sense, degraded half million of
HTa RATIONAL creatures 70 the level OF the
single century 70 the large hearted practical
philanthropy which first discovered the Key at
whose magic touch the mental prison bolts
should fly back, and has since declared in all
the nations Of Christendom that the deaf mute
is no longer pariah OF society, bat is entitled
to the respect Of his feiioW.men, and is capable
Of q mental culture as full and as valuable to
the community as that of his hearing and
speaking brother. From the early days of i'm
perfect results, wherein was claimed for deaf
mutes only development that might fit them
TO perform the humble functions of intelligent
labor, a growing estimate has been placed upon
their capabilities which to-day ad vances TO the
high position OF according them the academic
degrees of college graduation.
Where, in all the march of educational effort
since time began, does q greater centary stride
appears From mental midn ight starIe, s even
by reason of the thick clouds of prejudice aud
misapprehe oversh1dowing II, to the high
noon of scholarly honors, revealing bright
imbecile Of a hundred years ago may walk on.
ward and upward to usefulness and influence
and fame From moral darkness, deeper even
than that OF heather Ignorance, wherein NO
proper idea of God or religion could germi.
nate, TO the full light OF comprehended and
accepted Christianity, stimulating the soul u
the highest development possible in our world
Of many clouds, and revealing the glorious
hope of ripened fruitage under the rays Of the
Sun of Righteousness in the land OF eternal
day. For no class OF inteilIgen: bsings doe,
deaf and dumb. The starting points so much
lower, the plane OF attainms ut so nearly as
high, and the time spent in scaool-training so
nearly the same With the de:f mute as with the
chased by education is actusllv far greater in
the case Of the former than that OF the latter.
Many OF the intellectual phenomeaa pre-.
sented in the transition from a state OF ignor.
ance TO the condition Of enlightenment in W Inch
the training OF the schools leaves the mute, are
unique and, In not few instances, intensely
interesting to him who would study the opera.
lions of the human mind In its various pro.
cssses OF development. 1t Is not, no viewer, our
purpose at this time TO consider the education
Of the deaf mute from philosophic or even an
economic standpoint; nor yet to tell OF the
origin and detail the history OF this pecU liar
work IN the world but the rather to relate
which has invited your attendance upou its
first commencement festivities to-day, and TO
show what grounds Its friends have for thanks
giving to that Power which has crowned their
labors with results exceeding in sps sdiuess of
attainmt Mt their m oet sanguine expectatious
1t will be remembered by a few here present
that in the year 1856 an adven,urer from the
city Of New York brought with him to Wash.
Ington nve little deaf mute children, which he
had gathered from the alms-houses ana streets
OF the metropolis. With the aid Of q lumber
up Q school and in collecting . half score Of
deaf and blind children belonging to the Dis.
trict OF Columbia. His ostensibie object was
the establishment Of an institution for the edu.
cation OF thsse classes OF persons, and Ia this
ne was supported by number Of influential
gentlemen, most prominent among whom, both
In giving and doing, was the Hon. Amos Ken
dali, 10 whom belongs the honor Of being named
the father and founder Of onr Institution. The
sharp discernment Of Mr.. Kendall soon laid
bare the selfish purposes of the ad venturer as
TO direct the worR he was aiming to inaugurate.
Good, however, uitimated from his efforts IN
the formation of an association having a. It's
aim the performance OF that work, which he
would lain have used as cloak to coon his
selfish ends.
On the 10th of February, ie57, an act of Con-
gress was approved Incorporating the "Co-
lumbia Institution for the instruction of the
Deaf and Dumb and Blind" and authorizing
The education at the expense of the United
States OF INDECENT mute and blind children be-
longing 70 the District OF Columbia. On the
18TH OF June following. in temporary build
ings provided by the liberality Of Mr.. Kendall,
the school was opened. During the progress
OF the first year was discovered that the pro.
vision made by Congress fell very tar short of
being adequate 70 meet the objects for which
IL was granted, and on May Is. 1853. supple.
mentary act was passed supplying the de-
Of the first law This second &C: also
extended the privileges OF the Institution To
children OF men in the military or naval SER
vice OF the United States. In the spring of
ls5", Congress up TO tnat time ha wing sppro-
priatad nothing for buildings, Mr. Kendall
added TO his former benefactions by erecting a
substantial brick structure, and deciding this, /
together with two acres Of ground, to the IN.
3 titution.
Thus TAR the directors had limited them
selves TO the work OF affording the deaf ana the
blind OF the District OF COLUMBIA, and the
lrmy and navy an education suited u d. them
Tor mechanical and Industrial pursuits But
N the annual report for 1862, purpo;e was
lnno AGED, which has been in e0ntsmplatIcn
rom the outsst Of extending the scope of the
institution go as 10 mel ude q collegiate course
,f study, the oenefi . OF which might be en-.
Dyed by deaf-mntes from all portions Of the
country. This extension OF the WORK was
plainly suggested by the organic law OF 1871
ne NTH section thereof permitting the directors
70 receive pupils from any Of the States and
Territories of the United States, and NO limit
L.