The Helena independent., 1894-11-26
THE DEAF AND BLIND
Necessity Of AfIording These uniortunatei
Proper Facilities Tor Becoming
Seli.Sustaining.
WHAT OTHER STATES ARE DOING.
supt. 1Inghast, OF the Montana State
School at Boulder, Discusses This
Important Matter.

Sehool NJ Boulder, Discusses This
important Matter.
To The Independent.
The state OF Montana IL now reaching
a stage IN its progress where she cnn-
not, without failing behind her sister
states, avoid undertaking certain pub
lie enterprises. which are now c0nHld.
cred Incumbent upon all civilized gov
ernments. The wonderful advance OF
Christian civilization Ia evidenced to-
day by nothing NO emphationlly as by
tho universal demand that education be-
furnished 10 the rising generation of tho
state; and peculiarly Christian is tho
demand that education be not denied
10 the deaf, the blind. and the feeble
minded, though involving In their case
a somewhat higher propOrtlonate cx-
pense, for the reason that special ac-
commodations and methods are neccs-
sary. ..I d
Montana has already public school
system worthily fulfilling this uni
verSal Christian demand and supply
Ing education TO its hearing and seeing
children But hearing and sight are,
for reasons above our limited under
standing, denied 10 some children in
every state. and the number Of these
let ht bo marked. please--ls always
greater than is popularity supposed.
There can scarcely be less than nifty
deaf and blind In this state. to-day, OF.
which nearly twenty-five are known by
name and address. yet only eleven are
az present receiving actual instruction
Ia the state school at Boulder. These
ngures mean that large majority OF
the deaf and blind of the state are now
without instruction OF any kind.
Now, this loss signifies far more In
the ease OF deaf child. for example,
than OF hearing child. The latter,
from cradle up. Is learning his mother.
tongue through the medium OF hearing,
and then by this mother tongue he
learns all that every day knowledge
which enables men 10 at least get along
among their fellowmen. even though
possessing no book knowledge. But
from all this natural education, so TO
call 1t, and even from the acquisition
OF his mother tongue the deaf child IL
cut on, remaining dormant In intellect,
unpossessed of any language. and un-
trained In any means OF gaining an
Independent livelihood. Should any civ
ilized Christian state permit a number
| OF ats children TO become such citizens.
| when efficient means are obtainable
| by which 10 educate those children as
well as others? The answer given To
this question by ether states OF the
union may be very practically shown by
the brief figures given below.
The only states or territories in the
country which have not provided good
schools for this purpose are Delaware.
In the east. who sends her children to
neighboring schools: Arizona, Indian
Territory, Idaho, Wyoming and Nevada
Even these, however, try TO have their
deaf and blind educated I'm other state
schools. Taking. now. only a few OF the
younger states OF the west as being
more justly TO be compared with Mon
tana-observe what is the case in the
two Dakotas, Washington. oregon and
| Colorado
| BY the 1890 census. North Dakota has
population of 49,. 900 in round num-
1 bers IL has a school plant valued at
S20.0 900. and gives instruction to thirty
six scholars. South Dakota. with a
population OF $4,000, has "a fine school
plant, though valuation Is not given
and supports the school by an annual
appropriation OF 1850. giving instruc-
tiOn To forty-six scholars. Washington
has a school valued at $4,000 and ad-
mits sixty pupils. while Its population
IL 3i9,0 900, Oregon, having $4,000 popu-
lation. appro PIRATES 80 900 annually for
the instruction OF fifty scholars. Col-
orado with il0, 600 people, has a splen-
did school, valued at over 100000. sup
ported by fifth OF mill tax amount
ing annually to over $4,000. and In
Rtructing about 1875 pupils, Now. Mon
tana's poulation Is 1000 by the last
census OF four years ago, or over two
thirds that ~ North Dakota, nearly
half that OF South Dakota and OF ore
gon, and "A third OF that of Colorado.
The prospects ore that Montana will
even outstrip many other states In rela-
tive growth and prosperity. as the coun-
try recov"rs from the recent depression
OF business, Should not Montana, then,
/ In her next legislature provide school
J for the instruction OF her deaf and blind
/ children. which shall match I'm relative
proportions the schools OF any Of the
above named states? WIN any staunch
/ Mon aniau who earnestly desires that
I'm all points ot advanced Christian CIV
| illSHliou the state OF Montana shall he
the peer Of any commonwealth In Amer
ica-will any such Montanian fail to
perceive the Importance and the wOrthi-
ness OF the cause above presented In
brief summary? Surely not--and 30.
let public opinion support the next legis-
lature In providing FOR a iirst-rate
| school for the education OF all deaf and
blind children who may be found IN the
/ state Of Montuua-eVgn as Hrst-class
public schools are already supplied for
the free education OF her hearing and
seeing children.
Respectfully submitted for the kind
| consideration Of the people OF Montana.
I and especially of those representatives
/ W the people who are 20 sit In the legis-
laturc soon to convene. by the superin-
| tendrnt OF the state school for deaf and
| blind
VIII other state papers please copy.