The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-10-13
Governor Pingree's Message.

Governor Pingree's Message.
Gentlemen Of the General assembly The
last two years have been most suspicious in
the history of our state. without the bur
den of any public debt to provide for our
people have been able to meet their obliga-
tons for the current support of the govern
ment, in the manner prescribed by law,
without distress or substantial inconve-
nience. Indeed, | believe no common
wealth can be named whose citizens feel
lightlier the touch of taxation than ours.
The products of the soil have been abundant
to an unwonted degree, and the field and
pastures which had been damaged for years
by recurring drouths, have been restored
by the frequent rains OF the last TWO sea-
sons. The great industry OF agriculture
upon which the prosperity of the state so
pre-eminently rests presents promise oil
fairer returns to the husbandman than for
some years before your last assembling
The utiarries of marble and slate and gran
ite weld more abundantly thar before to
the wealth of the state, while skilled and
unskilled labor alike command fair remun-
Grafton Although in many states OF the
Union tumult, disorder and riot have at
times prevailed, paralyzng great business
industries for a season and destroying prop
erty and life, no such calamties have in
vaded our borders or disturbed the peace
and happiness of our people. Amid such
general prosperity and cause of thankful
state / am pleased to follow the commend
able example of our last executives and
submit to you brief message upon the
conditions and needs of her varied interests,
and institutions, and history of my per-
Torrance of the executive trusts.
EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENTS.
The list and dates of these appointments,
both statutory and non-statutory, will be
found in the appendix.
STATE BENEFICIARIEs.
Until the act (No 39) of the last session
there was no law whereby any of the UNI
fortunate wards of the state could be in
structed at the public expense of the state.
BY that act the designation of benefcaries
for home instruction was authorized Tor the
blind upon the same terms as provided by
existing law for their education at the Per-
kins Institution for the Blind at Boston,
Mass Under this law but one application
and designation has been made. Every APP
plication for state aid for these unfortunate
youth has received attention, and in every
case, the required bond being given and
conditions of admission complied with, the
designation has been made. 1t has been
the humane policy of the state to have
ample provisions for the education of its
deaf mutes, blind and feeble-Ininded, for
some sixty.five years past. There is, and
believe generally has been, large margin
of unused appropriation in each class, while
L
admitted to the benefits of the law to the
fullest reasonable limit. | have visited the
Clarke Institution for Deaf Mutes at North
ampton, and the Perkins Institution for the
blind at South Boston, Mass, during my
official term have met our benehciaries and
their teachers there and learned of their
progress in instruction.; and it is cause of
qualification and pride that our state so
fully admits and provides for the claims of
every one of its children to share in the
common blessings of education, despite the
loss or impairment of certain senses. The
statistical and financial report under this
head is as follows, viz
American Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb,
Hartford Conn.--Yeir ending September,
1885 Nunber of pupils, thirteen Expense s23OS45
pupils fourteen. Expense................... 24754
Total s4,7s359
Clarke Institution for Deaf Mutes, North
ampton Mass.-Iear ending September,
1885. Number of pupils four Expense... $780,
pupils five. se........................ sl32s
Total 81 e5 Is
Perkins Institution for the Blind, Boston,
Mass.-Year ending October 1885, Number
of pupils, seven. Expense. g. los IS
Year ending october, 1886 Number of pu-
pills. seven. Expense 2,lO4 40
.s4,2l325
Massachusetts, School for the Predetermined,
Number of pupils, one. Expense. .....,..... $500
Year ending October, 1856 Number of pu-
pills, two. Expense. ................. 5lO7l
Total. sslO7l
Blind instructed within this State pursuant
to Act No. 49, Laws of lSS4.-Miss Seba
Briggs, Rutland, 1886 $4,000
iSsi6 s2 O5s73
EDUCATION.