Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1890-02-28

Parkinson, of iYylliesI1trg, Charlotte eotlfi-
ty, Va.) was refused ;iimittanee because
there was at the time of her application,
and is now. no room for her. In point Of
fact there is 1T this very time a female pu-
pill of TIE bind department of several
years standing who did not return prompt
ly at the opening of the session in Septem-
ber last, at her home awaiting the first TO-
cancy to resume her place i'll the school.
This fact [ stated to MI. Woods in a letter
to him on the 9th of January of this year,
in which letter l also fully explained the
reasons for the rejection of the application
of Miss Parkinson.
Second. That the Uery first letter from
Miss Perkinson's father) received at this
institution making application for her adj
mission bears the date of November 8,
1889. In this letter her father states that
she became blind at the age of fourteen
five years ago.
Had application been made at that time
OF at amy time, up to the LIST of September,
1889, She would have unquestionably been
admitted.
The fault lies at the door of her own
friends, and nowhere else.
l trust that you will do me the favor to
make this correction.
Very respectfully, THOMAS s. DOYLE,
Principal Deaf and Dumb and Blind Insti-
tuition.
THE FACTS REPEATED AGAIN TO SENATOR
WOODS.
In the Senate on Saturday-the 22d of
February-the following occurred as we
gather from the report in the Dispatch:
81 asked for the reading of the
letter in the Dispatch, [Mr. Doyle's %
said Mr.. Echols, ''for the purpose
of correcting an impression that
the Senator from Charlotte created upon
the minds of senators a few days ago in re-
ferring to the application of Miss Perkin-
son, of his county, for admission into the
Deaf and Dumb and Blind Institution at
Staunton. His statement was that Miss
Perkinson's father had been for the past five
years asking admission for his daughter into
this institution, and that his application
had been ignored. [ can hardly think that
the Senator intended to do the injustice to
this institution that he has, but | submit
that when a senator undertakes to inform
the country upon matter OF this character
he should be careful to follow the record a
little closer than the Senator from Charlotte
has DONE The facts in connection with this
young lady's application to the Deaf and
Dumb and Blind Institution for admission
are as stated in Principal Doyle's letter as
read from the Clerks desk. The first ap-
plication was made November s, 1889, at a
time when the institution was crowded and
no more pupils could be admitted. [ simply
wish to bring this matter to the attention
of the Senate, and know that the Senator
from Charlotte will be glad to have this
opportunity to acknowledge the injustice
he has done one of the public institutions
of his State"
MIR. WOODS DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE
THE INJUSTICE.
Mr.. Woods said:
s'My remarks On the subject were made
in support of the bill requiring these insti-
tutions to keep their accounts at the Audi
tors office. MI. Stubs, in opposing the
bill, spoke of the blind boy in the Deaf
Dumb and Blind Institution who sang SC
beautifully. l told Of the blind girl in my
county who had been refused admittance. |
may have been mistaken. [ understood he1
parents had made application for the last
five years and so stated, but / in January
had made application for her. The princi-
pal of the institution says application was
| made by her father for the first time in
November last. So it seems her father had
made more than one application. / had
applied, and [ still say she has knocked and
knocked and is still refused admittance.
| Surely when she will soon be tWenty-one
years OF age, at which time the law shuts
the door Of the institution upon her, in a
case like this they might find room for one
more. 1t makes no difference whether her
| application was made five years ago OIL not,
in the last four months she has knocked
and knocked at that door. Certainly the
hinges can't be so rusty that they can't be
turned in four months.
SHOULD HAVE EXPLAINED.
MI. Echols in reply said: Il am very
greatly surprised to know that the Senator
from Charlotte has undertaken to justify
his position upon this matter by claiming
that the principal of the Deaf and Dumb
and Blind Institution has been derelict in
his duty by not admitting the young lady
into it since the request of November last.
Now MI. President, if [ did not know that
the Senator from Charlotte was in possess
sion of facts that prove the contrary I
would not say a word, but I now state to
this Senate that the Senator from Charlotte
received from the principal Of the Deaf and
Dumb and Blind Institution a letter the
latter part of last month giving him rea-
sons which would satisfy any fa1r- minded
man that the young lady's request had not
been ignored, but that the crowded condi-
ton of the institution would not admit of
it. Why has the Senator declined to give
the contents of that letter? He surprises
me and renders himself liable to criticism
by not doing it. He knows that only chill
dren Of the age of from seven to twenty
one years can be admitted into this institll-
ton. That the young lady cannot be adj
united now because the institution is
crowded; that she cannot be admitted next
session because she will be twenty-one years
old in June next. Why has not he stated
these facts to the Senate? I shall say moth
ing more, as l believe the Senate under
stands now the real status of this whole
matter.