Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1892-08-19
a Silent Convention.
MEETING OF THE VIRGINIA ASSOCIATION
OF DEAF-MUTES,


OF DEAF-MUTEs.
At the Virginia Hotel Tuesday morning,
the breakfast tables were picturesque with
pretty young women and bright looking
young men gesticulating in the sign Ian
guage. But a few days before, the same
room had been buZzing with the chatter of
the pretty English sparrows of the Normal
Institute, but while the mutes of Tuesday
morning uttered not a sound, it is safe to
say that they did fully as much converse
tion. After breakfast the street cars were
full of them on their way to the Institution
for the education of the Deaf the Dumb
and the Blind where all, with one or two
exceptions, had been educated. TWAS the
Virginia Association Of Deaf Mutes, and
at 10 o'clock it was called to order in the
big hall of the Institution by J. W. Michaels
of Goshen, the President. There were
about 100 present, just so per cent. more
than at the first meeting of the Association
in Richmond in 1891. The proceedings
all in the sign language ot-o~-'-''o, "ele
onened with ro,:e.vup exercises conducted
~ sne venerable Rev. Job Turner, the deaf
mute evangelist. Capt. T. S. Doyle, Prin-
cipal of the Institution, who had conduc-
ted the education Of nearly every one of
the members of the Association, made
them an address of welcome which was re-
sponded to by MI. Thos. McCreery of the
Buckhannon, W. Va, Banner. Profess
sors Berkeley, Euritt and Chamberlayne
also made addresses, as did young Lou
Doyle, son of the Principal, to whom the
members Of the Association were old ac-
quaintances. Miss Lavinia Argabright Of
Bluefeld, signed poem.
President Michaels in his annual address
suggested, among other things, the reap
pointment Of the committee appointed in
Richmond in July, 1891, to memorabilia the
legislature for separate schools for the deaf
and the blind, school for the colored deaf,
the appointment of a State lecturer, and so
forth. The Committee now consists of T..
S. Doyle, G.. d. Euritt, Geo. E. Dennis, j..
W. Michaels and I. s. Humbert.
Among the mutes in attendance were
Prof. Tillinghast of n. g., a graduate of
both the Virginia and National schools, w.
G. Ritter Of the Newport News Sun, S. c.
Jones of the Roanoke Times, A. G.. Tucker
of the Richmond Dispatch, Robert Bell of
the New York Deaf Mutes' Register,
Thos. McCreery Of the Buckhannon, W.
Va, Banner, and Miss Susan HARDWOOD of
of Arkansas, a teacher twenty years ago at
the D., &B. All the large cities Of the
| Commonwealth were represented, and Rich
mond especially well.
| The recommendations Of the President 3
report were fully discussed on Wednesday
and all Of them adopted, including one add
| ing G. w. Mushback and Capt. Chas. S.
Roller to the committee.
| Lynchburg was fixed on for the next
place of meeting. On Wednesday night
there was banquet at the Institution re.
fectory, rendered the visitors by the
mutes of Stauntcn. There were 125 guests
at the table. The following toasts were
given and responded to: .sOur Alma Ma
ter" by S. C. Jones of Roanoke; 'Staun.
ton," by J. w. Michaels; 1--WE ALL" by F.
B. Yates; 'Our Principal, by Capt. 7. S.
DOYLE.
Yesterday many Of the delegates went in
busses on an excursion to Shendun.
The following are the officers elected fol
the ensuing year,. w. Michaels of Gosh
en-, President; Thos. McCreery Of Buck
harmon. w. Va, Miss Laura Argabright
of Bluefield, and Miss Macca M. Harvey
of Danville, Vice Presidents; W. q. Ritter
of Newport News, Cor. Sec; Mrs. w. C.
Ritter, Rec. Sec.; S. G. Jones of Roanoke
| Troacrror