The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1882-10-05
Communicated

"Where there's will, there is way" We
feel it to be duty to US to say few words in
regard to Mr.. w. w. Brenaman, the head
teacher of our deaf-mute department, and who
was wisely elected by the new Board of Trustees
of the Institution to succeed Mr. g. d. Euritt
The fact is known that at the time, May Q,
1882, of Mr.. Brenamans election he knew lit
tie of the sign language, but then he had
will and without q days delay started to &C
complish that will which some egotistic sign
makers openly declared would take him three
years, but which we can assert from perfect
knowledge he accomplished in three or four
months. 1t happened, we know not whether
by accident or the wise guidance of Providence,
that the Board elected in the person of Mr..
Brenaman an apt sign maker, and by strict
application he mastered the sign language in
the short time named, and when school opened
was as much qualified in the sign language to
take charge OF the head class as one who had
been among the deaf-mutes ten or even twenty
years. We declare this openly We have at
our doors all the officers that were turned out
of the Institution and besides one who claims
to be life long teacher of deaf-mutes and we
frankly invite them into our school rooms to
see fer themselves and like gentlemen confess
openly the truth, and thus the unfortunate
mutes who have been prejudiced against him
may hasten back to the Institution and receive
GuC DOuultlCoo hiIlItuCSo Iuu pIOtcCtlOu
them by the new management. In closing this
paragraph we wish to say we want no MINI
ical signs used by those who may try MIR.
Brenaman, but ask that clear signs be made.
Mr.. Brenaman uses no vulgar, half-meaning
signs and therefore cannot comprehend such
when used to HIM.
The steward, Capt. Davis deserves great
credit for what he has done in the short time
since he came into office. The yards, cellars,
&C., were what we honestly would call kin to
filth. No wonder SO many of the pupils left
the Institution in an unhealthy condition. Our
steward has had this dirt and trash hauled
from the garrets, cellars, and yards and thrown
where 1t should have been thrown years ago.
He is no glove handed" steward. He is seen
going rapidly to and fro about the lots without
coat, and sometimes you may see him coming
in with pants rolled up and boots muddy to
the ankle, thus showing he attends to his
hands and sees that the work is properly done.
1.-THE eye of the master will do more work
than both his hands?"
Our principal, DR.. VIM. r. Vaughan is known
to many as scholar and an educational man
OF much experience The field of labor he
now occupies is doubtless new to him, but will
not always be. Under him there have been
some changes in the religious exercises, not
tor the worse, but we hope for the better. The
daily exercise as it is now is as follows
Before school opens the pupils including blind
and deaf-mutes assemble in the chapel where
the principal reads from the Bible certain
verses which are also read to the mutes in the
sign language by one of the teachers this is
followed by prayers by the principal to the
blind and teacher to the mutes in signs, fol
lowing this, hymn is sung. This plan minus
the singing reminds us of the exercises at the
National Deaf Mute College, Washington, D
U. The order and arrangement of the classes
pelng perfect we expect nothing but that sue.
cess will follow
we have in the whole as efficient corps O
teachers and officers as the Institution has hat
lot many years. We have the interest of til,
mutes at heart and would for no price ex
aggerate Our statements