Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-12

p
tinue, and an effort was made to hunt
up other mutes and bring them to the
Sunday school. Another deaf and dumb
boy, Johnny Lowry by name, was
discovered and induced to ioin the
school. But he had only attended few
times when his mother raised an objection.
She did not want her boy taught in the same
class with colored child So Archy Wood
side, competent instructor, was brought to
the school to undertake Johnny Lowry's
education.
Mr.. and Mrs. Kerr soon became greatly
interested in the welfare of the mute schoi-
ars, and SO did other friends of the school.
one pupil after another was added to the
deaf and dumb class until it numbered eight
or ten members. Educated mutes began at
tending, and those not employed as teachers
were formed into Bible class under the in
strucslon OF Mr.. T. H. Murray. This Bible
class, understand, still meets regularly
and has quite large membership.
The mission school soon grew too large for
the Congress street carpenter shop, and
room in the Franklin street schoolhouse was
secured as meeting place. Here the teach
ers, having blackboards and other convent
ences, worked to much better advantage.
The deaf and dumb Sunday school grew in
numbers and influence until it began to at
tract considerable attention from the public.
The pupils attended the Third q. P. Church
regularly each Sabbath, and occupied seats
set apart for them in the gallery.
PREACHING TO MUTEs.
p Rev. DR.. John G. Brown was the pastor. !
and Miss Sarah Woodside, acting as in
terpreter, repeated, in the sign language,
his sermon to the mutes. But there was no
denominatiOnalism in the school; pupils
were picked up wherever they could be
found, no matter what religion their parents
professed, or whether they professed any,
Exhibitions and entertainments were held
and the proceeds used to aid the needy
scholars Earnest and successful efforts
were made to enlist the sympathies of the
charitable.
But it was impossible to give the pupils
all the instruction they needed in Sunday |
school alone. An effort was, therefore, |
made to have the class taken into the public |
5chool. This movement succeeded. though |
against bitter opposition, and in September. |
1865, the mutes were allowed to attend the |
First ward public school. The class num-
6ered less than 20, and Archy and Sarah
w 'odslde were the teachers. The little. |
silent children, attending great school for |
the hrst time, enjoyed the novelty, and also |
enJoyei teaching their associates the sign
language. 1t is said that nearly all the |
pupils who came in contact with the mutes
learned to use their hands as well Us their
voices ior talking.
But even after it had been decided to
give the deaf and dumb a chance to be edu-
Gated and to defrsy the expense out of the |
public money those opposed to the plan |
talking and grumbling. They /
said the children, not being able to hear or
talk, would be run over and killed by |
vehlcles and cars on the streets. No acci- |
gents were ever reported, hoRever, as
Mayor Brush instructed his police to look
carefully after the unfortunate little ones
and see that they were kept out of harms
way while on the way to and from school.
THE INSTITUTE CHARTERED.
AS many of the mutes lived too far away
to attend the school daily and return 10
their own homes at night, home was estab-
ilsned on Second avenue where they were
boarded and cared for. 1t was not long
until the plan of establishing a deaf and !
dumb school like that in PHILADELPHIA was
projected and encouraged. DR.. Worthington,
OF the Board of Public Charities. visited
the mutes, urged their friends to continue
In their work, and eventually succeeded in
getting an appropriation to help forward
the movement. The school was removed
from the First ward to the Third ward
Grant streeD and the home from Second to
Wylie avenue. The capacity of the quar-
ters allotted to the mutes became taxed to
the utmost, and the necessity for more ample
accommodations became apparent to all.
James Kelly donated tract of ten acres
Of land in wilkins township, and $21, 500
was raised in subscriptions for the purpose
Of erecting buildings. The institution was
Incorporated in 1871, but circumstances de-
ayed the work. Finally, in 1876, hotel
building was secured at Turtle Creek,
Ind on the 25th of October the West
srn Pennsylvania Institute was opened
With small number of pupils.