The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1875-01-19

law upon the subject ought to be repeal
ed and the property belonging to tho
State disposed of. On the othor hand
should it be your pleasure to continue the
present system, you will doubtless make
the appropriations requisite TO make 1t
effective. 1t was unfortunate that the
State in the first instance undertook to
establish so many of these schools, but 1t
will be difficult now to abolish any OF
them without seeming to discriminate
against certain localities. Each school
has its special friends, and these, very
naturally, will oppose the whole system
unless their favorite school is retained.
As member Of the Board OF Regents, L
visited during the summer all OF the
Normal schools, and while l am not pre-,
pared to say that they are all of equal
merit, or that they have been equally
successful, yet can say that all have
done much good in supplying teachers
for the common schools. The weakness
of our school system has been the want
of sufficient number ofcompetent teach
ers, and the Normal schools are gradually
meeting this wBnt by sending out annu-
alp corps of teachers. | earnestly IN
vite your attention to this subject with
the hope that you will take prompt and
decisive action, believing that the ser
vices which these schools are rendering
the state will recompense her the expense
incurred.
The State Superintendent of. Free
Soha,1g i ly haitian jpfprmpI as
to the condition and wants of our educa-
tional system than any one else can be,
and there are strong reasons why he
should be partly entrusted with the man
agement of the Normal schools, but the
same reasons do not apply to the Cover
nor, Auditor and Treasurer. therefore
recommend that the composition of this
Board, be so changed rs to omit the Gov
ernor, Auditor and Treasurer.
HOSPITAL FOR THE INSANE.
From the report Of the Directors of the
Hospital for the Insane, you will learn
that there remained in the Hospital, Sep
TENDER 30, 1874, 347 patients, that dur
ing the year preceding there were 10
death; patients were discharged cured,
3 improved and two unimproyed and one
escaped. The very small number Of pa
tients cured was owing largely to the
fact that many OF them had been confined
in jails before they were admitted 10 the
hospital, and had not had the benefit of
medical treatment; the fact, however,
must not only excite inquiry among the
officers of the institution rs to the cura-
tive means used, but also bring TO your
consideration the wisdom of the present
policy of keeping in the Hospital so
many patients that are hopelessly insane
Ninety persons were admitted during the
year, and the number of deaths and dis
charges were twenty-sIXi therefore the
net increase of patients was slxty-four.
While this was an unusual increase, as
many of them were taken from the jails,
where they have been confined for more
than year, still the fact remains, that
the number of inmates increases from
wear to year, and that in consequence,
the large appropriations annually made
for construction purposes, have been in
sufficient to provide room to meet the
demands for admission. And if the
present policy is adhered to, appropria-
tons must continue to be made for an in
definitely number of years for the
same purpose. Some of these in
mates have been insane for more
than thirty years, and many Of them
more than ten. These are generally in
durable and harmless; the Hospital mere
" affords them shelter and maintenance.
As the Hospital building has been con-
Structed with double purpose of retain
ing and taking care Of the violent, and
curing all patients as far us possible, its
cost has been much greater than that OF
any ordinary building.
The Hospital has SO far, cost seven hun
dred thousand dollars; that is to say it
cost $1,000 to furnish room for each pa
tient. Now | am satisfied that these
quiet incurable patients can be just rs
well cared for in q building costing far
less money. | do not recommend that
this class of persons be sent to the poor
houses of their respective counties; nor do
| advocate the establishment of another
hospital with new set of officers; but |
do object to the policy OF devoting so
large u portion of the present building
to their use, to the exclusion of those
who may be benefited by medical treat
ment. The practice of first combining
the insane in Jail has resulted in making
most of them confirmed lunatics, and
ought not to be continued.
The Superintendent reports that there
are SIX colored insane persons still in Jail.
No provision of any kind has yet been
made for this class of persons, and ear
nestly recommend that some prompt
means may be adopted for their relief.
Since the last report the temporary
brick building in the rear of the main
building has been completed; it affords
accommodation for sixty patients. This
building cost $4,000, and is fit illustra-
ton for the mode in which for the pres
cnt ample room may be provided for all
the insane mt moderate cost while the
main buildings are in course Of construc-
ton. The section north Of the central
building is in course of construction; 1t Is
under roof and the first floor finished
and occupied. The Board OF Directors
ask for an appropriation of $4,000 to
complete it. They also ask for an adj
ditional appropriation OF 100000 for
the fiscal years Of 1879 and 1876, Tor
the construction Of another section OF
the building. | recommend You make
as liberal appropriations as financial con-
dition will permit. ] cannot endorse the
request for means to purchase the ada
cent lots, while there is such I'm urgent
demand for all available means for con-
struction purposes. The total expendi,
lures for the hospital for the last year
were $SG 1887. The Superintendent
asks for an appropriation of $o2, G5oOC
for the current fiscal year, and S5G, lGoOC
for the fiscal year ending September ~,
1876, for current expenses.
THE DEAF AND DUMB AND ELlND lNsTI'
TUITION.
3 Owing to the resignation of the former
Principal of the Institution Tor the Deal
and Dumb and Blind, during the session
and other causes, the institution was iei'
in an unsatisfactory and somewhat DIS
organized condition. deemed = recog,
uiZation of the Board of Regents the best