The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1870-01-20
Vol 81, No. AZ

i
q purpose. The Trustees, after invest
: cation, determined not to use the OF
f preparation made at the last sessio
for new heating apparatus and slat
3 roof except for some necessary II
pairs and obtaining estimates, a
: there seemed to be no prospect of &c
curing anything satisfactory for tn
amount OF such appropriations. Fo
these purposes, and for other i'm
provements, and to meet a deficienc,
in current expenses, appropriation
are asked ; as also to afford increased
facilities for imparting instruction
The amount required, according t.
the estimate of the Trustees, for the
next two years, is s26,731.13.
! The expenditures during the two
years amounted to S29,309.S2 fol
support, and s44, ,2so.7S for improve
ments; in addition there were bills
matured but unaudited, at the date o.
the report, amounting to S3,216.54
making the aggregate of expenses
6,S06.14. The Institution has re.
ceived from the State Treasury the
sum of s72,376.sG, from sales Of pro
duce sl53, and from the products OF
industrial department, S95l .S2,
amounting in all to s73, ,4S1.6S.
The question begins to press itself
Oh our notice, how to care for this
unfortunate class after they shall
have completed their educational
course at this Institution. Restrict
ed in occupation much more than
those who have lost the sense of hear
ing, even that narrow range is grad.
uaily contrac' ing, owing to the CON-
petition of machinery and the multi
| plication of cheap labor. A cortin-
uation of these causes will eventual
| ly deprive the Bind OF even their
present precariou3 means Of subsis-
tence. Those must be provided for
who cannot care for themselves, and
who have no friends able and willing
to supply their wants. They may, it
is true, receive the cold attentions of
the county authorities, and be domi-
ciled in poor-houses, but to such
treatment Of this class of the needy,
there are grave objections of hu-
manitarian character, which will
readily sug sest themselves. l am
therefore constrained to urge upon
the General Assembly that some pro-
vision be made for the employment,
at the workshops of tho Institution,
under proper restrictions, of those
who have completed course at the
ASYLUM, and who may need 'shel.
ter with view to establishing even
tually an industrial home for the
blind. l particularly ask your atten
ton to the remarks on this subject BY
tho superintendent.
INSTITUTION OF THE DEAF AND DUMB
The reports of the Trustees anc
Superintendent of the Institution O
the Deaf and Dumb show satisfacto
ry progress and condition. The ap
preparations for the term were more
than sufficient to meet all expcndi.
lures. The number Of pupils recelv-
ing instruction during the past two
years is one hundred and twelve,
coming from forty-two counties,
ninety being the number received the
present term, and more than a dozen
have been refused admission for want
of room. The buildings used by the
Institution have been overcrowded,
the number of pupils being largely in
excess of that reported during any
previous term. The general health
has nevertheless been good.
The leases, under which the build
ings at present occupied by the In
stitutions arc held, will expire on the
frst day Of October next, the time
specified by law for the completion
of the permanent building at Council
Bluffs. 1 concur with the Superin-
tendent in the belief that it would not
be advisable to renew these leases for
any time whatever, and that such
steps should be taken as may, in the
opinion of the General Assembly, be
necessary to hasten the completion of
the new edifice. In anticipation of
that event, it would be well to make
provision for teaching trades to the
pupils. Various occupations are
open to deafmu in which they at
tain proficiency little, if any, infe-i-
or to that acquired by persons blessed
with full use of all the senses, and at
which, of course, they readily obtain
a livelihood. A table published In q
recent report of an Eastern institu-
tion of this kind gives list of occu-
pations. numbering torty-tour, that
have been successfully followed by
male deafmutes; and of eight which
female mutes aaVe persued. Ofthese
occupations, s.ns thirty were dis
tinct mechanical trades.
The total receipts from all sources
for the biennial period, including $780,
1906 from this State and S351.25
from the State of Nebraska, We're up to
November lst, 1869, s34,7O6.5S, and
the total expenditures for Same time,
s29, ,8S7.S2, leaves balance on
hand, November 1st, 1869, ofs4, ,S1S.76.
On the touth day of August, 1868,
a contract swas entered into, by the
Commissioners in charge, for the
erection of the proposed building at
Council Bluffs for the sum of sl21,-
500. The total sum expended in the
work up to Nov. lst, last, was ST.
23S.72-the balance of the appropri
alton Of Sl25,000 remaining un.
drawn. The building is of a SUBJ
stanlial character, and its erection
is superintonded by competent
architect.
The location Of the editice on tho
ten acres added to the grounds, as
required by the acts of the last Gen,
eral Assembly, necessitated much
heavy grading, which has boon done,
a part of the grounds fenced, and
some shade-trees set out. The ex
penditures for these objects exhaust
ed the margin Of the appropriation
over and above the contract price
for the building, and caused small
deficiency. 70 meet this, to pay The
Superintendent's salary, and K
improve the grounds and other work
the Commissioners ask an appro
priation of $4,000, which l recon
mend be made.
The General Assembly, at its las
session aaantnd a plan for this a3i 40