Daily Kennebec journal., 1878-01-10
why shouldn't Maine have q Deaf and
Dumb InstItutiOn Of Her OMni


there are between sixty and seventy deaf mutes,
under school age, 10 this State and it is thought
by many that the number must be considerably
larger, by reason of the fact that new additions
are continually being brought in from the back
districts.
During the past year forty-two of these chill
dren, as We learn from the Governors message,
| received instruction at the Hartford Asylum,
Hartford, Conn; two at the Clarke lustltue,
Northampton, Mass, and ten at the Portland
deaf school and the total amount paid from the
state treasury for the tuition of these fty-four
pupils, reached the large amount of SO, l23,9S.
a like sum has been paid each successive year,
for about sixty years past, for like purposes.
Now the question before us is, why is il that
so much money should he paid annually from the
State treasury to the Institutions Of other States,
just for the purpose OF having our deaf and dumb
children educated Why not initiate our sister
States and have an Institution here at home of
our ownf Is it because, we As people, in
ierior to other States rs regards Intelligence and
moral understanding and are thus incapable OF
governing such an establishment Or is il because
our motto is to practice a system of rigid economy
through every department. The thought of it
being the former cause, is sufficient to AXE every
true and honored cit zen OF our State blush in the
face. And asregards the Latter |. for Que, think
it very poor economy, indeed, to practice such
system. This matter OF paying so much annual
ly out Of the treasury for educating our deaf
children, puts me IN mind OF the careless way
many families waste their earnings on house rent
when by little care they might have home Of
their own.
lam sure if we had a State Institu ion here at
home, much good would result therefIom. Ia
the first place, the parents and friends of the
deaf and dumb would have n better opportunity
OF seeing more OF the childhood Of their chll-
dren, aud much might be saved on taer part that
is now wasted by travelling much K ound :;
and what is more than all this, all would have
the satisfaction of knowing that the institution
was under the management OF good and compe-
tant hands. | am told on good authority, that
majority of the parents oil the deaf AMI dumb OF
our ota'e, are dissatisfied with the manner by
which their children are educated at the Hartford
Asylum. We read from The Governors message
the necessity he urges OF having good and com
petent teachers in every and al the departments
Of education in our State. Now, at the Hartford
Asylum, a night to make any change in tue corps
of Instructors is denied us-thIs authority being
mostly confined 10 the hands OF the principal, as
anv one can easily see from the relation of the
teachers connected with that estabi shment.
Maine, as we before mentioned, has forty-tw0
pupils there and vet she is not represented either
10 the BoaId of Directors or corps of instructors.
That the Hartford Asy lum is much inferior in It's
system of teaching, to others of the kind in other
States is confirmed by the fact that of the eighteen
graduates sent from her walls to the National
Deaf Mute College, Washington, ID C., the past
eight wears, only one has succeeded IN obtaining
sdnittance INTO the Freshman class, while those
from inc Institutious of other States have made
,ome .urnrising results
Rut il !. claimed that the deaf school recently
startel a, po,tl.nd !. iu.t s,ch .cbooi f,r onr
Stale, and that nothing more Is wanteJ. such,
hnweyer j. far from heinz inc case a, the follnw.
ing teasons will show:
Tn Portland school ia A. We learn ba.ed
wholly IMAM ,y.tem Of ,ieid a,tirulati,n. Now,
no more man one.third of The deaf and dumb ss
whole can be taught thorough articulation to
,yc,c allowed fee ne of lhe finger alnhabet thev
,yn,,ld have IN he cont 10 the Hartford Asvlnn