The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-01-12
AN APPEAL FOR AID.
A Subject for Our Solons to
Thoroughly Consider.
THE DEAF MUTE INSTITUTE
, wo Hundred of the Unfortunates In
Need OF Public Aid-The Work
Already Done.

Agreeable to your request for state
mentof the condition and future needs
Of the Deaf Mute Institute. under my
persopal charge, lake great pleasure
in handing the following report to you.
A brief resume of the establishment of
the Institute will be necessary for the
purpose of showing the objects aimed
at. and the means required to carry
them ont.
In 1884, the Legislative Assembly
voted an appropriation of s4,0oofor fur
nishing the means of an education to
the large and steadily growing number
of deaf mutes in Utah. This was
brought about by the efforts of the
parents of several deaf mutes who
hitherto had been obliged to send their
children, at great expense and incon-
venience, to distant States to obtain an
education, which they had no oppor-
tpnity OF acquiring stfhome. For
WANT OF SUITABLE BUILDINGS,
the duty OF providing for the education
OF the deaf mutes was entrusted to the
University of Deseret. In August OF
the same year, I was sent for to take
charge of the department. Upon my
arrived, found that only school for
he ueaf 11utes had been established,
apH that NO npnuiaioT bod hoan mad %
Tor the support and maintenance OF an
Institution where the pupils, coming
as tcey do, from distant parts of the
Territory, 'couldlbe lodged and boarded
together, free of charge, while pursuing
their education at the University OF
Desc. ct. 'Of,course, without place OF
ThIs kind, tender mothers and loving
fathers wouldsbe unwilling to send their
children so far from home among
stranger and
THEtBENEFICENT WORK
Of the Legislature was in danger of be-
coming well-nigh useless. However
by "a. persistence, a few pupils were
brought together, in the first term
among whom was a girl who had
been taught for year or two at the
Colorado Institute. The number OF
pupils increased, until there were
twelve pupils in attendance before the
close ct the year, and their elementary
educRti had progressed very favor
ably. In the next year, there were
fifteen pupils under course OF instruc-
ton, two or three of the former pupils
having been prevented, by lack of
meEasS ,frOMIReturuing,
The need of Territorial Institution
Tor the education of the deaf mQtes,
was fully recognized by the president.
John r. Park, and the Board of
Regents, OF which Hon. George @
Cannon waschancellor, and the atten
tion of the Legislature of 1886 was
called to it. An appropriation of SO 900
was voted 'by that assembly. together
witt the understanding that the
University should provide. out of its
own appropriation of $50 900, a suitable
building forthe accommodation of the
deaf mute students. The bill, however,
failed to become a law by reason of
THE GOVERNORS VETO
Of the general appropriation bill. The
of 1884 was exhausted in
paying the teachers sakry, and fur
nishing the class rooms with necessary
materials, etc., and the prospects for
the future were gloomy indeed There
seemed no, other course left but to close
the school. In thi. emergency, the
Board of Regents generously voted to
keep up the school, but they were I'M
able to provide for an institution. In
this dilemma ,smy wife and myself took
upon ourselves the responsibility of
opening AN institution. In. pursuance
of this purpose, l made an appeal to
the different county courts to pay pro
rata amaunt for the educationsaud sup
port of {ndjgent def mutes at the In
stitUte. The response was generally
Kind and generous. Salt Lake County
alone offerlnp to pay for five pupils of
this class. Other counties, however,
could not supportfmore than one pupil
others, there were, which refused on
the plea Of lack OF funds: still others
we're willing, but the distance was too
great for the deaf applicants to under
AXE the journey without pecuniary as
and we had no funds for this |
This third year
SURPASSED THEfPREvIoUs YEARS
lot only in the number of pupils. but
Ilso in the progress made in studies.
morals and manners. There were
wenty pupils in attendance, and. their
'rogress was very gratifying in every
aspect. At one time. the cost of fur
fishing the Institute spdmain tanning it,
eemed to be too gred for our means,
nd we were about to close it, bus
eve,al generous citizens came to our
ssistarce with liberal donations of
,oney. It was put upon its feet once
lore. and kept going until the end of
he year. in June, There were six peo-
le whose parents could net support
,em in school, and whom the county
ourts refused to aid. and We supported.
lem free of charge. as otherwise they
ouid have been deprived of the bene-
Is of an education. +
The building which We had occupied
Re first year, proved too small for our
apacity ano inconvenient In other
,aCoots We had mo oana.ato