Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1890-04-29
A WORTHY INSTITUTION.
The Children of the Deaf Mute
School Show Remarkable
Progress and Talent.

There is perhaps no public institu-
tion of an eleemosynary character
in Salem whose good work is more
apparent or more appreciable than
that of the institution for deaf
mutes, under the practical direction
of Superintendent p. s. Knight.
The school year closes to-day and
a number Of ladies and gentlemen
availed themselves of Prof. Knights
invitation aud were preseut to wit
ness the closing exercises, which
were public, and to look over the
improvements made on the build
ing and grounds.
The exercises were held in the
large hall built the past year in the
southeast corner of the grounds.
which serves for a chapel and drill
room, and though, like all the other
buildings, which have been erected
by Mr.. Knight and the members of
the school, it is plain and unOsten-
tatious, it is commodious and pleas
ant, we'll ventilated and comfort
ably seated.
A trip through the several apart
ments found everything in the best
of order, and arranged with a view
to the health, convenience and pleas.
ure of those in attendance. The
sleeping apartment of the males is
nicely divided off into good sized
rooms by partitions, so that each
boy has separate room and bed,
where he keeps his clothing and
other effects. This building is light
ed by electricity and heated by steam,
as are all the others. 1t has high
ceiling and Is finely ventilated. Il
is the intention of Superintendent
Knight to have like arrangements
IN the girls building as soon as pos
sible.
The printing Office was visited,
where a neat little monthly paper,
The Sign, is printed, and it is one of
the neatest, cleAnest offices ever
entered by this scribe-but in fact
neatness and cleanliness character
ize ever nook and corner of the
whole premises. The Sign is print
ed on a half medium jobber of
beautiful pattern. The work of is
suing the paper is all done by MEN,
bers of the institution and is very
creditable.
The work in the school room is
under charge of Prof. Benz. Irving,
and those present this morning
joined in unanimous verdict that it
is well done. There was undisguised
admiration and much wonder at
the intelligence and aptitude dis
played by the afflicted little ones in
mastering the intricate signs neces-
sary for their ineligible intercourse
with the world and with one. an
other.
Little fellows who entered the
school only last fall can now recog-
nize and repeat all the signs, can
read and write rapidly and correctly,
can add and subtract small numbers
and show their work and that of
their tutors has been Jealous and
intelligent. The larger pupils show
corresponding advancement and
made such showing IN all the
common branches as would aston
ish those of their age who have all
their senses. Prof. Irving shows
himself master of his profession.
Amorg the contrivances worthy
of note is the blackboard in use,
which is arranged in a frame,
curtain fashion, is work by
cord and pulley and being of an
endless strip is kept constantly going
around, boy standing back of it
erasing the chalk marks while those
in front are working, thus making
no interruption to the class drill.
Nearly all articles nseded in the
institution are manufactured there,
the boys all learning trades and the
girls fancy sewing, cooking and
other useful habits. The order and
discipline are perfect and the happy
faces OF all formed unmistakable
evidence that happiness and con-
tentment a ttended their school life.
One of the most interesting fea-
lures of the exc rcises is the vocal
class ofsome ten pupils. who are re-
ceiving drill in articulation, and
whose performance in producing
sounds shows the wonderful effect
of practice. Some of them speak
quite distinctly.
The pupils will retire to their sew
eral homes this week and school
will be again resumed for the next