South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1892-03-25
West Virginia School for the
Deaf and the Blind.

hoMNEY, w. VA Feb. 20. s92.
TO THE PEOPLE OF WEST VA:
For nearly twenty-five years West
Virginia has been supporting q
school for the education of the deaf
and blind children of the State.
Every possible provision has been
made for their bodily comfort as
well as intellectual and moral de-
velopment. We have a corps of
competent and skilled teachers,
comfortable buildings, a healthful
climate, good medical attendance,
and the benefits Of the School are
offered to all between the ages OF
eight and twenty-five years without
money and without price. The
school is absolutely free as to board
and tuition, and even tie travelling
expenses Of those, whose parents or
friends are unable to defray them,
are paid by the State. In addition
to this, clothing is furnished to. in
d igent pupils, and charged to the
county from which they come.
Notwithstanding all these advan-
tages, the lamentable fact remains,
that nearly two-thirds of those who
are entitled to the privileges of the
School have never availed them
selves of its blessings. This is due,
we think in large measure, to lack
of information. Many parents do
not know of the existence of such
school, and others have no proper
conception of its nature and pur-
pose. There are quite number al
go, who through mis- taken love and
sympathy for their afflicted chill
dren, are ayerse to sending them
away from home, fearing that they
may not fall into kindly hands.
Many have an idea that it is sort
of a reformstory school, a depart
ment of the penltentiary, where in
corrigible boys and girls are placed
under harsh taskmssters to be train
ed in the ways of wisdom and virtue.
Such notions can only find lodg-
ment in the minds of the densely
ignorant. There are still Others
1--WE trust for the sake Of humanity
that their numbers are small) who
keep their children at home on ac-
count Of the paltry proft, which
may be derived from their labor.
They are wiling to DART their intel
lectual and moral natures, il only
they can convert them profitable
beasts Of burden. For such solid
souls, we have no word OF argu-
m mt or appeal. But for the in
formation Of all, who feel an inter
est in these children, and with the
desire Of arousing their hearty CO.
in the work, we would
state that this Is strictly an educa-
tional establishment, part OF the
Common School system OK the State.
The only difference between it and
the ordinary schools is, that from
the nature Of the case, special meth
DDS Of instruction must be pursued.
Not only are they taught the ordi-
nary branches Of q common school
education, but are instructed in such
handicrafts as will enable them to
earn q livelihood after leaving
school. The Deaf are taught print
ing, shoe-making, tailoring, carpen-
Try, and cabinet-making, while the
Blind learn broom and mattresses
and cane seating. It can
readily be seen that with the educa-
lion and manual training which we
are able to give them, they can be
developed into intelligent, useful
md self-sustaini ng citizens, while
Without 1t, they must grow up in
the grosest ignorance, incapable
n doing anything except the merest
irudgery, burden to their friends
and useless members Of society.
Ia view Of these facts, IL becomes
lot only an act ofinjustice aud cru
lily to the child, but crime against
no state for many parents through
negligence or selhshness TO cut him
)tf from the advankac,oa ,,h,ob ho,-r