Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1883-01-19
The institution for the Deaf, Dumb and
the Blind.

we have received the report of the Wiz
gina Institution for the Education Of the
Deaf and Dumb and the Blind, for The
year ending September Both, 1882 Among
the scholars there are the following from
Augusta: Draf-mnt s-John S. Grti1er
A. Brown Huff Elizabeth M. fluff, Ed
w. Merriken, Joseph S. Meriiken. Anna
M. Poyntz, Walter A Ritter. and Walter
f. Shaver; Blind-James Arehart. S ,rah
A. Back, Cora w. Byrne, George L. John
son, and James ". McCimbrldgp.
There were enrolled in November sixty
deaf mute pupils and thirty-one blind.
DIR. VAUGHAN s REPORT.
I'M saunual report DR.. w. r. Vaughan.
who on January LIST of this year resigned
his posi- ion. says:
/ proceed, in compliance with the law,
to lay before you a statement OF the af-
fairs and condition of this Institution -
THIS statement must necessarily be lief.
as | have occupied nv PRESENT position
but a short lime. Hence will call atten-
ton. In this part of nv report, Only to
such matters AS ha " come under my per-
sonal observation during the last ninety
days.
. L regret to state that the attendance
falls short of that of previous sessions
This is owing to circumstances with which
you are familiar, and TO which consider
it unnecessary to refer IN detail.
1t appears THAT this Institution has not
for considerable length of lime eni ,ypd
that patronage which its friends had rea-
sons to expect. This is clearly demon
strated by a comparison with like institu-
hose M #,
mac. A combination of circumstances
it would SEEM has led to this meagre at
tendance. not tie least among which is
the f &C. that it has not IN some of the de
partments kept abreast of many of The
schnols in other States of the Union.
While since the war, and especially in
the last decade. progress has been seen in
most of the educ tiunAl institutions of
our country. this has evidently been "be-
hind in the race"
So clearly was this matter presented to
you at your meeting in June that you. at
that meeting, directed me to introduce
such reforms as were deemed necessary.
DIR. Vaughan then goes on to enumerate
some of the reforms he introduced, one be-
ing yet more thorough instruction ia solo
music He SAYS that the Department of
Art under Miss Clara E. Whitcomb has
twenty -eigh5 deaf mute pupils, an increase
of nearly 100 per cent. over the similar
classes of past sessions. Dr. Vaughan
goes on to give to the board other i'm
provements. sanitary and otherwise which
he proposes, DR.. Vaughan concludes as
fellows:
Earnestly wishing that this Institution.
may br carried forward until it shalt, as |
believe 1t will, rank III all Of its depart
ments with any IN the land. and that a
kind Providence may guide you i'll your
Efforts to attain d result so desirable, 1
respectfully close ald submit this report
After this report was written, however:
Gov. Cameron unt xpecIedly took chargr
of guiding the Efforts of the Board and
commenced his work by tumhling Che
heads of a m 'rity Of its members into
the executioner's btsket. Dr.. Vaughan
of his own motion added his own head to
the number. Commenting on tho recent
changes in this Institution and looking
ct the effect. above and hey oDd the mere
per. >anal differences that have led to Il.
The Ne, York Deaf Mules Journal says
Sitnatea AZ we are, it is impossible to
oot at he rea> n.ntiyes for this changing
and recbanping If principals. teachers and
officers of the Vilg.'"ia lns'l uil"n: There
may be ecnn,,mic mo iv,~s advanced Or the
plea of int fficlency may he put rward-
and this latter reason will be most readI-
" accepted, when it is considered that the
incumbpnts seldom remain long enough 10
secure the experience necessary tor COM
potency and succtss. There IS one tp!ng,
however, which very one Will RECOGNIZE,
which is that this incessant changing rep
resses the prosperity of the school, IS fatal
to the intellectual growth of the deat-mGtes
of the ~tate, and tends to make them fu-
ture burden up ~ the people AS tfrlend OF
deaf-mutes we protest against this lmpns-
ton upon the deaf and dumb OF Vlrg mia,
for they are the real sufferers. The Board
having the appointing power should select
only able and capable men for duty at the
institution at Stanton. and "hen they
have got them should keep them, and
thereby give the deaf and dumb the val u
able benefits attaching TO instruction by
teachers of ability and experience. LII they
will not do this from motives OF justice TO
individuals or philanthropy towards the
sdeaf-mutes. they should at least do so from
a feeling of loyalty to the Old Dominion
State.
A Princess in Stanton for Five Minutes.
About O'Clock Monday afternoon the
news oct abroad that in a fp W Minutes fhp