Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-12-27
TO MERCHANTS.
Go to Condor Bros, for Sill
yer Brick Soap, Olive Soap and
Napkin Soap.
THE LAST SAD RITES.
Funeral of Prof. Hams.


love and respect to his person; and they
constituted an assembly so large and so in
fuential in all the most honorable walks of
life as, of itself, to be the highest eulogy
that could be pronounced upon his life and
character.
The beautiful chapel was appropriately
festooned with the insignia of sorrow; and
on the blackboard behind the pulpit were
written these words HE shall return no
more to his house." Job, vii:1O.
The choir sung. Nearer to Thee" in a
manner the most tender and pathetic, suf-
fusing the eyes of the congregation with
tears.
The Rev. Mr.. Sturgis, then read various
appropriate passages from 1.-The Scrip
lures, which were translated into the
sign language by Prof. Hommell for the
benefit of the mutes- This
translation was done in most
graceful and dramatic manner, its novelty
and seriousness making it at once interest
ing and affecting.
The Rev. Mr. Strickland, in language
elegant and tender, commended the family
and friends of the deceased to the compass
sion of the All-Merciful; after which the
choir sang, "Asleep in Jesus"
Judge John L. Moses then read in clear
and impressive manner the following beau
tiful eulogium:
~ he Road of Trr1cfaas.
1t is a sad occasion that has called US to-
gether. We have come to pay tribute of
respect to the memory of one who, as an
officer of the institution, had our implicit
confidence and, as man. orr affectIonate
regard.
Professor Joseph Ijams was born Dec.
IL, 1910, in Nashville, Ohio, to which place
his parents had shortly before removed
from Maryland, which had been for several
generations the family homo.
He had in his youth excellent educational
advantages, having been for number OF
years a student of the Iowa State Universe
ty at Iowa City, and of the Michigan State
University at Ann Arbor.
At an early period he chose the vocation
which furnished his Gfe-work, and entered
as teacher the Iowa Institution for the
Deaf and Dumb, which had been organic sd
by his brother, Rev. W. E. Hams, now pas
tor of the Green Street Congregational
Church in San Francisco, Cal.
He was subsequently called to position
in the faculty of instruction of the National
Deaf Mute College in Washington City, d.
| c., and taught there until he was elected
| principal of the Tennessee School for the
Deaf and Dumb He came to Knoxville in
| November, 1866, and on the Oath of the
| following month-just sixteen years from
| the day of his death-he started out with
Mr. E. G. Jones, our steward, in search of
| pupils. They succeeded in gathering up
| about fifteen, and with that small number
| the school was reopened.
On the 29th of June, 1868, Prof. Ijams
was married to Miss Mary H., daughter of
| Rev. VIM. Aiken, of this city, an estimable
| lady, of refinement and culture, who, with
| five of their six children, survives him.
His death occurred on the morning of
the Oath of December, 1882.
| have said that, as an officer of the in
stitution, Prof. Ijams had our implicit con-
fdenee I will add that he deserved ii,
The breadth and strength of his intellect.
ual powers, the rapidity with which he was
able to render them subservient to his pur-
poses, his patience, gentleness, method,
duu lONC VI JuoLlC0, HOAC
SO quickly and continuously unaffected,
that directly after he entered upon the dis
| charge of his duties, every member of his
| position which few men are by both nature
and education qualified to fill.
| Taking charge of the school at a time
when, through the ravages of the war then
| recently ended, the buildings had become
| diIapidated, the groudds unsightly, and the
| pupils scattered, he was largely instrumental
in bringing the institution to its present
condition of order, beauty and efficiency.
His heart was in his work. Nothing that
related to it seemed to escape his vigilant
| eye, or to suffer from want of application,
| on his part, of body or mind. His commu-
| nications to teachers and pupils were gen.
orally concise, but always clear and compre-
! hensive.
| The last words which he is known to have
| spoken in the school room, were addressed
| to one OF the teachers, of an encouragement
| to perseverance in task which seemed slow
in the production of beneficial results.
Remember" he said, SHAT every single
thought you impress upon the mind of one
of these children, will form part of bridge
| over great gulf.
His success as disciplinarian I have al
ways regarded as attributable to the fact
that his management was preventive rather
| than remedial He did not wait for troubles
| to grow, but suppressed them before they
could attain to unmanageable proportions;
and the result was, that the machinery of
the institution moved on with such smooth
ness and regularity that the trustees were
seldom aware of any friction, and were
rarely disturbed by a call for any adjust
ment.
have said that Prof. Ijams has the at
| fectioLate regard of the members Of this
board. will go farther than that Wherever
he was known he was loved loved most by
| those who knew him best, and there was
abundant reason why it should be SO. In
| his inter curse with others he was remark
ably modest and self-forgetful, but appre-
| ciative of their virtues and oblivious of their
faults.
| It seems as if he had fully adopted as q
rule of his life resolution to exercise
''charity to ali, malice toward none," as if,
too, were he yet in life, it would most per.
fectly accord with his nature for him to
blend his voice in full sincerity with voices
| which now, at the anniversary season of the
birth of the Redeemer, are SO frequently
heard sending up from pulpit and family
| altar, the blessed invocation of peace or
earth, good will to men"
The intimate friends of Mr.. Ijams viii
miss his sunny face, his genial manners, his
pleasant words Of encouragement and hope.
Kind of heart AID generous in action, hi
liberal hand will be missed by the suffering
poor, and the entire community viii regret
the loss of one whose usefulness and blame
lessness of life gave him high place il
that company which is in the front rank o.
humanity-the company made up of Chris
tan gentlemen.
In conclusion, I respectfully present TO
the consideration of the board the follow
ing preamble and resolutions
Whereas, The Board of Trustees of tn
Tennessee Deaf and Dumb School deepl
deplore the death of Prof. Joseph 81. Ijams
who had for sixteen years. with credit t.
himself, fidelity to his trust, and honor t
the State, occupied the highest position i
| the institutions educational and geners
management; be it therefore