The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-01-14
THE zsYLUM roR TnE BLIND.
IT'S raosrrrvrios 70 roLirioAL ruafoss

and prohigaoy, we'll worth public at
tention, and lately brought to our
knowledge, IL the shameful and orlmi-
nal Northumberland Of the State In
stitute for the Blind, situated at Baton
Rouge. It would seem that no trust,
however sacred. can find mercy at the
hands OF the political condottieri now
quartered In our poverty stricken State.
UP TO the fall OF 1871, the Deaf and
Dumb Institute formed but one with
the Institute for the Blind. The appro-
priations by the State for the susie
nance OF tho different branches were
made TO meet the requirements, and the
institute contracted no debts. In the
fall OF 1871, as above stated, the Insti-
tute for the Blind was separated from
the Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb,
and made distinct establishment. AS
soon as that was accomplished, this
charitable institution was converted
into mere political machine. run In
the interest Of the local Radical politi-
clans. The first board appointed by
Warmoth, under this new regime.
consist0 OF q. W. Reagan, v. M. De-
main, A. W. Redding, j. M. Malta and
a negro named Leblanc. Reagan soon
died and was succeeded by J. j. Fish.
Two other members also made way
| for parties named respectively Brady
and Cousinard These men remained in
Office from September, 1871. to April,
1873. In that space Of time, with a
yearly appropriation Of $4,000 in war
rants. netting 5000 In currency. the
above named parties not only shame
fully neglected the institution, squan-
doriug It's money, but contracted debts
in its name amounting TO some $1,000,
the salary Of the principal teacher. the
servant hire, the grocery. and many
other bills 70 naming unpaid Becom-
ing alarmed with at most criminal
maladministratiop. the friends Of the
institution obtained fr ON Gov. War
moth, through J. d. Price, ESQ, Of
Messrs. Price, Hine & Upper, the dis
miseal OF the Board. and the appoint.
ment in its stead of DR.. Smytle and G..
4. Bovee, white Republicans. two negro
Republicans, and Mr.. Goodale. of Baton
Rouge. By common consent, Mr.
Goodale took entire charge Of the
management, and with what result, we
shall now show. The new board began
operations In April, 1873; the institu.
ton was, at its accession, rapidly de-
clining. Out Of an appropriation Of
$4,000 in warrants, realizing In cur.
rency $4,000, the new board reorgan-
lied the whole institution, increased the
number Of pupils to twenty-five, made
no debts, and, moreover, paid $2960 of
the debts OF the previous administra-
ton, that amount being charged against
the year 1879, thus reducing the debt to
a little over $1,000, and demonstrating
most conclusively the utter unfitness Of
the previous administration To deal
with the high and honorable trust con-
flded to Its members.
This board continued In operation
until April, 1876, when one Geo. w.
Lane, a Republican Representative from
Baton Rouge, himself member OF the
board for the Deaf and Dumb Asylum,
had board composed of his tools APP
pointed by Mr.. Kellogg; said board
consisting OF one Degrey. a Radical !,
Oscar Holt, another low Radical,
married to negro woman Jpo. Glass;,
an ignorant barroom keeper. i. c.
Morris, an old ignorant drunkard, and
a negro. Under the Goodalc manage
ment the institute had recovered its
former efficiency, and not only were the
regular educational classes we'll attend
ed, but there was also established
10 most promising musical class,
whilst In the mechanical department
the pupils were taught the manufac-
ture OF cane-bottom chairs. mattresses
and such other industries as are adapted
to their unfortunate condition. The
baleful influence OF this most improper
board was soon felt One Of Its very
first acts was to dismiss the very able
and efficient principal, identified with
this and other sim liar institutions by u
lifelong experience, and to replace him
by one l.. 9. LeSage. low Radical un-
derstrapper and petty Office holding po-
litician, he having held successfully the
position Of deputy tax collector In the
Feliciana parishes, Of turnkey at the
-penitentiary, and of guard over con-
yicts when employed on the levees
With no education whatever, but
frank enough to admit 1t, this
man worked for very small
salary, making up for the deficiency by
quartering In the Asylum his wife,
mother and brother. During some two
or three months he employed former
pupil Of the institution as a teacher,
but soon gave up even this semblance
OF education, and whatever classes
there may be now are taught by his
wife, who is entirely devoid OF the
special knowledge required under the
circumstances. LeSage Is hardly, II
ever, to be found at the Asylum, being
regularly employed as superintend.
ent OF convict wood choppers by the
Penitentiary. The consequence Of this
state Of affairs has been the complete
disorganization of the school; every
pupil able to procure home has left,
and the house Is now transformed into an
asylum for few blind paupers. But
an appropriation practically worth
n