New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-03-01

following:
CoHxITrHK ON CHARITABLE 1s s1IrurI0Rs
New Orleans, February 26, 1874. }
To the Honorable President and Members OF the
Senate:
Your Committee on Charitable Institu
tons, in accordance with the resolution OF
your honorable body, has visited the char
table institutions located at Baton Rouge
and jackson. and beg leave to report the
result of their investigations of the charita
bic institutions situated at that place,
consisting of the institutions for the deaf
and dumb, and the Industrial Home for the
Blind. They find that there are at present
fftv-four inmates being cared for in the in
stitution for the deaf and dumb all being
INDECENT, and from whom no revenue is de-
rived. Pupils are admitted to the institu-
ton between the ages of eight and twenty
five years. There are at present twenty
female and thirty-four male pupils. The
building is excellent, and we'll calculated
for the purposes for which it was designed.
beng large, roomy, and located in salu'
brious and healthy locality. The male pu
pills are taught, in connection with the gen
eral education system, the art of typog-
raphy. being required to labor at the
case from two and half to three hours a
day. They learn readily and rapidly.
At the presentitime doing large amount
of job work in their office, it is believed
by your committee that if the means were
provided, to obtain job printing press
that in a short time this branch of labor
would be a source of revenue to the insti-
tuition. 1t is also believed and recon-
mended by great many persons interested
in this class OF unfOrtunates, that they
could be taught and would readily learn
shOemaking if the means were provided to
establish workshop and provide an in
structOr. The girls are taught to sew and
seem to be proficient, having during the
past year made all the comforts anu Ne
cessary bed clothing for the homes. We
found the building in a clean condition, but
the furniture old and dilapidated and re-
inmates appeared perfectly contented and
happy, and have enjoyed excellent health
during the past year. Great complaint Is
made by those in charge Of the asylum,
that being connected under the same root
with the State University, they complain
that the cadets annoy and intrude upon the
privacy of the female pupils of the asylum,
the said cadets having gone SO far as to
have bored holes through the doors lead
ing to the girls domitory.
They believe that one or the othe- should
be removed from the building, and as the
building was originally built for the deaf,
dumb and blind, and as the Uniyers ~ has
and has had less than twenty-five students
during the past year, they believe aha5 sone
other place should be provided for TIE sid
University. They also complain that the
authorities in charge of the State Unworthy
removed or caused to De removed q water
tank of great value and sold the sane to
satisfy personal creditor; and also re.
moved some twenty or thirty thousan
bricks from the foundation of the building,
which they caused to be sold and money
appropriated to the use of the University.
The general management of the institution
for the past year has been good. The last
appropriation of $4,000, 100000 of which
was drawn and sold, and averaged little
less than forty three per cent there is re-
naming $1,000 OF the appropriation for the
past year, which will be sufficient to pay
all outstanding Indebtedness. For the
current year it is estimated that the sum OF
$27 900 will be required in currency for the
maintenance vf the institution and will
materially assist in supplying the necessary
school furniture, library apparatus, repairs,
etc. And your committee would most re-
spectfully recommend that the above
amount be appropriated to this institution.
For further particulars we would most re-
spectfully refer to the report OF the board
of control.
THE BLIND.
This institution is also Located at eaton
Rouge 1t is domiciled in a building zor-
merly occupied by the female Orphan Asy-
lum, at yearly rental of $40, and that
the building shall be kept in repair at the
expense of the institution. We are sorry
to say that the building is not vel calcu,
lated for the purpose to which it has been
devoted. 1t is in bad order, in fact, dilapi.
dated, and about one-half as large as is re.
quired for the number of inmates. The
building at present occupied by the institu-
ton of the deaf mutes ana the louisiana
State University was organized and built
under the act of 1852, as the Deaf, Dumb
and Blind Asylum. We know that tee
building has been found quite inadequate
to the requirements of the two institutions
now occupying it, while it would give an
pie accommodations to the institution for
the deaf mutes and homo Tor the blind.
In 1871 the Legislature enacted law sep
arating the mutes from the bind, and Or
ganized separate institution for the last
named class of our afflicted citizens, and
authorized the occupation of the building,
built expressly for this class of our defec-
tives, by the State University. We believe
this to have been wrong; we now recon- mend
that the university be provided with othe-
quarters, and tina: one half Of the building
erected for that purpose be give. to the
blind, but under the control of separate and
distinct boards and management; or. IN the
event of the failure of thiso that an apprO-
priation should be made sufficiently large
for purchasing q separatehOme for the blind.
There are at present twenty-five pupils,
who are taught the rudiments of education.
The instruction is limited to The primary
branches, reading, spelling. arithmetic.
grammar and geography. They are also
taught to write, and at one time they had
a class in astronomy and elementary
geology. They seem 70 be apt schol.
ars, and acquire knowledge rapidly.
They are also taught music, and some few
of the pupils have become proficient in the
Sciences The inmates are also taught to
make broOMs and mattresses. 1t is also be.
lieved by many persons that they could be
taught numerous trades such as the manu-.
facture of cigars and harness making, if
the means were provided 20 organize a
and secure instructors. There
was exhibited 20 your committee sample of
the work performed by these people. which
was excellent.
The present board took control Of the in.
stitution about the first Of April last. The
amounted at that time to
S8l26 60. The appropriation for 1873 wac
Sc, 900, au amount insufficient TO have paid
the debts contracted by the previous board.
The present board decided to pay such
debts as were contracted subsequent to
January I, 1873, reserving the balance to
pay the current expenses of the institution.
There remains an Indebtedness of about
1914 Is, and for the payment of which we
would most earnestly recommend special
appropriation be made.
By an inspection of the treasurer's books
we find that at the date of our ex-
animation he had drawn on the appro-
priation for the year 1873, $4,000 in State
which he sold, realizing the sum
Of 81 1886 25 averaging fraction over fifty
four cents This is remarkable and deserv.
ing of special mention. 1t is our opinion
that the management of this institution has
been excellent in all of it's departments,