Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-03-14

lcsSr,sro-descs II ~ E-,-sse S4r.l
STAVNroN, Va, March 4, Is

unfortunate a. those OF the larger institution.
TEE ASYLUM FOR THR DKAF AND pUNB AID
THE MIND
is fine brick building. beautifully situated on
an enlnence TO the east OF the town. The
grounds are tastefully laid ont and neatly kept.
II ere are ~ deaf mntes, and ~ bind pupils
rec wing instruction. Jhe whole are under The
care OF Mr.. Chas. ID. Mccoy, principal, very
Kind and pleasing gentleman The blind are
capable OF a much hi cher advancement in stu
dies than are the leaf mntes, q fact somewhat
sSsn Si S q sra.ss ease and rs sSS rom
the great white pages OF embossed text, and ap-
parentiy with abrtter appreciation OF the sense
han most pupils Of = like age IN our common
schools As soon n the sense OF touch becomcs
NICE enough 70 perceive the letters, which taxi
but little tine, the pupils are ready for the usual
course OF book instruction They are csrric Z
England; geography, grammar and Arithms
In many studies hey actually get a better & -
Raised mars are used showing the 1osossI
OF the earth's surface, and the globe In explr a
with inquirtng fingers suggestive OF Copper
and columbus IN the ages OF darkness e.
ers active. Mathematics are pursued from l.ts,-
teal mental arithmetic 20 direreutial ana "A
tegral calculus. French and music arr hith
taught with thor)ughness. In the chap a
tine organ, perhaps the finest In the stat. aud
only second In size 20 that of the First ks,,r>t
Church OF Richmond. IL was pleasure tolls
ten TO the performance OF the bras ban. ara
note the rapture of the performers them. lives.
all Of whom were blind, and completely is-t iu
the rich strains their instruments Pro laced.
The little drummer. in particular, pounded
away with such rest and glee A. 70 almoa maze
me " ish myself m his place. IL WAS a ,natter
OF surprise 90 me how such accurate tim .oala
be maintained, when each one played, A. onc
may say, "on his own hook" Mendeis>ahn's
Wedding March was grandly rendcr,al an The
organ, and IL Is doubtful who listened with tie
greater pleasure, the blind or oursely-s.
In the deaf mute department all va a. aged.
Prom sound 10 silence, from darkness - iigh'.
Here were eyes at work-sharp, keen, aii--.-,,-
ing. The atmosphere was white vita 'aa,S.
which may lie called the tongue OF ;he deaf
mute. Here In one large room wer, ,tyeral
classes reciting, separated only by Screen. tue
instructor makes few rapid gestures; tes
word or two upon the blackboard, ana thea
there is a CHATTER OF chalk upon the blsc a1ari.
Of which each pupil has one, and the .'ssrlon
is answered. The writing is uniform RAPID
practice. The chief instructor In thu arpart-
ment 10 Mr.. Job Turner, deaf mute hinl-.lf,
who Was educated at Hartford, and who mar
red, l mistake not, one of the teachei, ~
emotional a. well as arbitrary, and q k,,s st4-
server can gather from the gestures son. s.rg
Of the ideas expressed. The pupils are tta-.r
suitable trades, such as carpentering, csn.H Q
making, shoe making, tailoring, book prin.. I.
and binding. broom, mat and chair MAXIM. ,.ta-
broidery, &c. The institution is doing Bl
toward paying its own way, and the ey4,i,
general good management, the cheerfulne>, 81
the pupils, and the scrupulous neatness eve
where apparent, reflect great credit upon Ca.
Mccoy and his assistants.
THE WESTERN 1rsATrc asYrrN
is composed Of some eight nine different buii.l-
ings, situated 10 the south OF the town. The
site is less commanding than that OF the bliiri
asylum, but the grounds are more extensive
and more deliberately laid out. Dr. r. +. Strib-
ling, the medical superintendent, has faithfully
hlled that position from the founding Of the
asylum, thirty-fiye years since. He Il assisted
by Drs. Hamilton, Berkeley and Fisher. IL was
a sluggish day when l nrst visited the asylum,
and i was unfayorably impressed with the
buildings and the ventilation, which latter'may
be as well a. may be expected under the circum-
stances. The buildings, however. are obviously
not constructed with due regard for light aud
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS necessities There,
should be a central skylight, with properly
guarded wells through the entire buildings. as
well as fans for their better ventilation. The
central hall in the female wing, where many OF
the patients were sitting, was quite warm. aud
too dark for sewing. In the sewing room IL was
lighter, but the thermometer registered 7s7. la
spite OF the scrupulous cleanliness which A
everywhere observed, there was q heavy and
disagreesble odor, a. in a fever ward. This
could doubtless be greatly alleyiated by better
system Of light and ventilation. This would
necessitate considerable expenditure, but our
legislature could not do better than Ia make gen.
erous appropriations for these institutions.
The next day was fairer, and visited the other
buildings. There are i'm the asylum about 80
patients, two-thirds OF whom, from the terrible
nature Of their malady, are hopeless cases. n
trance to a paroxysm OF frenzy, was for months,
DIR. Fisher Informed me, q regular attendant at
the chapel. yet more pitiable case was that
and insane The semblance Of man and vet
In condition no better than q worm. Another
greeted me cordially - his brother, and in
formed me that he was born before the food. II
he had said he had seen the Natural Bridge
built, 1 should have been prepared 60 assent,
hut this rather nonplussed me, and \ moved ON
TO see q man who was affectionately informing
q N as yO IN mn A.
as he cot pistol. The doctor kindly humored
his little whims, but didn't promise him the
pistol. We then ascended 20 another depart-
ment, where the inmates were quieter. Here
was q man who was shedding light on the world
by laboriously writing on bits Of paper some-
The world needs iish, very and TO do We are.el
Light to progress is what very and such
To enlighten the world still more he wrote ON
both sides OF the paper. A religious enthusiast
O'Clock; that his father was coming after him
with chariot and $500 horses, and he wac 20
have one just like il. When informed that it
The others were much amused at this mote in
their brothers eve. But must 20 on 90 de-
scribe other features Of the institution. I will
confinement that the greatest nestness Hss APP
parent, and the food which saw served xss
bountiful and good, We passed on 20 another
SS Snss the se.sR and boiler
the whole establishment and run the engines,
and even assist i'm the washing and cooking. In
the kitchen 10 q large French range which does
the cooking with the exception Of soups, Sc. IL
was manufactured by Bramhall, Dean 4 20,
Of New York. In the laundry among various APP
proved appliances are set Of hydraulic clothes
washers, which gives great satisfaction; manu-
featured by the n. Y. Laundry manufactur-
ing company. All the labor In these DEPART
mehts Is white, and is regulated with evident
order and neatness On the hill back of the
buildings, and 50 feet above the highest roof. ~
the reservoir which is capable of supplying any
urgent demand as I'm case of fire. The water used
comes direct from the spring, some half n mile
away, and Is very pure, III lime is not considered
an objection. The water works cost about
$4,000. The asylum has also its own gas works.
which were erected at q cost Of $500. A Attached
TO the institution are 100 acres of land par or
which Is laid out IN ornamental grounds which
must be exquisitely beautiful in summer, part
In vegetable gardens. which supply its inmltes
with vegetables the year round, and par. i'm
orchard and farm. Mr.. John Kavanangh i the
superintendent Of grounds, and the trim an
Pearance Of shrubbery and thrifty look OF gar
den and orchard attest his capabilities Mann
OF the patients are allowed 20 work about the
grounds and In the shops, and this hea,thv
labor, acting also Ne q diversion of the IN nj -
found to be very beneficial. A library AMI hii
nard table are also az the pleasure on the in
mates, and the latter especially n founa "a r.
on great service. was sorry 70 zee that fobaooo
xas used pretty generally by the patents.
1oneh II 70 noninally forbidden. In the able