Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1873-01-14
DEAF AND DUMB. AND BLIND.


seems to be all that can be desired.
One hundred and sixty. four pupils
cave received instruction ia the last
year. and one hundred asd forty four
remained in the institution, October
l, 1872.
The institute will soon be crowd
ed for room, and the time is not dis
tant when it should be enlarged
All that | have said 10 regard t.
the Institute for the Deaf and Dumb.
will apply with equal force TO the In
stitution for the Blind at GAINESVILLE
except that the blind have ample
room for many years to come The
number of pupils 10 attendance dur
ing the last year was seventy-six be.
ing seven moe than the year proceed
ing.
The superintendent Of the Blind
and the Deaf and Dumb will give you
better idea than | can, of what has
been accomplished for those, who in
the pr, violence OF God, have been de-
prived OF their sight, hearing and
speech.
SOLDIERS ORPHANS HOME.
| regret TO say that the harmony
that has existed among the trustees
Of all of our other charitable institu.
lions. has n t prevailed among the
trustees Of the Orphans Hone. A
an almost necessary result, The II lme
itself has not been 10 all respects har
monious
Charges of grave character have
been made in the public press and
elsewhere, affecting the management
of the Home. The public, no doubt,
wish TO know as To the truth or falsi
ty of those charges, and have the
right TO know. | recomme' d that a
INT committee of the Senate and
Assembly be charged with an inves-
LEGATION of all matters pertaining TO
the II 'me, that justice may be done
TO all parties.
La the meantime, call your atten-
ton espe tally to the report of the
trustees. which il unanimous upon
the subject Of the general manage
men' during the last year, and de-
clares the condition of the children
and the schools To be better than any
previous year. The separate report
Of the late President of the Board in
dicaLiDg "a line of policy for the fu-
lure, will no doubt receive your care.
ful consideration.
| myself am opposed TO the plan OF
breaking up the home at present., IN.
less it shall be made TO appear that
there is no one capable Of managing
the institution.
In regard To all Our charitable or
other public institutions, invite
criticism, and if any abuse exists any.
where let it be- exposed, without re-
gard to consequences, personal or po-
litical.
INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL.
The report of the managers and
superintendent of the Industrial
School presents a most favorable ex.
hrbit of that institution.
The number of inmates il 347, and
they are constantly Increasing. The
school is very much crowded, and
he trustees ask for large additions
Would the state of the treasury
Justify it, | should recommend all
that is asked for by the managers
Another family building Of the char.
acter OF those already erected is in
dlspensible, and | recommend the
necessary appropriation for that. |
regard this as an institution la at il
acc mplishing great good, and as one
admirably managed, and it will nc
doubt meet from you thesmost far or
able consideration The addition tc
the main building which Is a ked for
can be erected in 1874, if The preseu,
legislature will fad means tor doing
so. which | recommend.
STATE PRISON.
There is no subject more worthy
the careful attention of the legi4Ia-
ture than that OF our penal instilu
tions.
The best OF men have been divided
in opinion as TO the best methods OF
treatment Tor the vicious mud crimi-
nal portion OF society. For some
years past more attention has been
given 10 the reformation of our Grim
NAL classes than formerly, and pun
i>hments have assumed less vim
dlctiVe character,
In July next, twenty years will
have elapsed since the death penal y
was abolished in this State. The ex,
pertinent met with strong opposition
from large portion of the people OF
the State, who predicted that large
Increase of CRIME would result from
the change. That prediction happi.
ly has not been eritied, and the facts
which | am about to state, cOUclu-
sively show that no State in this
Union can boast greater exemption
from crime than Wisc nsin
With population of 200 900 rep
resentlng almost every nationality,
and two tifths Of foreign birth, sla,is-
tistics show that crime instead of in
crea-ing with the growth OF The
State, has actually diminished This
is in great degree due TO high
toned public sentiment, which causes
the violated laws to be promptly
indicated.
Since the abolition Of the death
penalty there have been tried, con-
victed and sentenced TO the penten-
iiary for life, IL persons in ell. OF
that number SO now remain, the rest
having either died, been pardoaed or
discharged by proper authority.
There can be no doubt that the
change in the law has rendered pun
ishment much more c, rtain, and
but express the opinion of those who
have most carefully considered the
question, as well as my own, when |
state that but for that change in the
law, at least one-half of those hereto
fore convicted won have escaped all
mn niRhment so difficult Il n nviotion