The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-07-02
WONDERFUL WORK.
Industrial and Manual
Training in the States
Deaf Mute School.
NEW BUILDING AT TRENTON
Astonishing Progress Made by the
Pupils-They Print an Ex-
cellent Newspaper.

Every reader Of Dickens will recall
the interesting history he describes so
we'll of the deaf mute Laura Bridginan,
The immortal writer of american
Notes gives unstinted praise to the ex-
~cellence of the American method OF
reaching the intellects of those whom
nature has deprived of two important
channels to the reason. Could Dickens
have seen the new building just opened
for the industrial and physical training
of deaf mutes in the New Jersey State
School, he would indeed V been
amazed at the extraordinary progress
made in the methods of educating the
deaf mutes.
The Board of Trustees of this insti-
tuition had long felt the insuficiency of
the old quarters to pursue a more ad-
vanced course of training. The institu-
ton is located at Trenton and is under
the control of the State Board of Educa-
ton. and was established by an act APP
proved March, 1882. On November 20.
1894. there were 1874 pupils enrolled, the
qualification for admission being that
the candidate must be a resident of the
State. not less h eight or more than
twenty-one years of age, deaf and of
PAS SACoA iOoitA dAiK lobi
capacity to profit by the institution. The
Board of Trustees of the institution,
composed of James l.. Hays, of Newark,
President; William r. Barricklo, of Jersey
City, Chairman of the Building Commit
tee; j. Bingham Wcodwood, of Borden
town; James M. Seymour, of
Newark; Professor Nicholas NJ.
Butler. of Paterson, constituted the
Building Committee to look after the
erection of a new training home, and
when the Legislature in 1893 granted s15,-
900 for the work these interchangeable
gentlemen buckled to, thought out the
plans, arranged this. prepared that,
and the present building is a worthy
tribute to their zeal and labor.
DIMENSIONS OF THE BUILDING.
From the pages of 'sThe Silent Work
err" an admirably conducted newspaper
prepared and printed by inmates of the
institution. facts and figures concern
ing the industrial school are here pre-
| sented:-The building measures on the
outside. ~ feet 8 inches in width, by SO
feet in length, is of brick covered with
trough cast" and is two stories high.
h exterior of the building while moi
snowy, has a solid, useful look about 1t
more preferable than a highly ornate
structure. Skipping the dry details Of
girders. joists. flooring, furnishings, an
giles. irons. etc, ETC., interest centres In
the arrangement of the building for the
practical training.
Beginning at the basement all the
space. except a few feet. is devoted to
the gymnasium, fitted with every con-
ceivable apparatus for developing BIZ
ceps. Strengthening weak chests, backs
and lungs. and exercising the muscles.
This floor Is also used as a drill room
for the boys and giris.
The first loor is divided into class
rooms and one end OF II is used as the
printing shop of 1.-THE Silent Worker,
Here, are the editorial rooms, with the
usual compliment Of scissors, paste pot
and cat The Gordon presses and other
necessary machines are slowed into an
adjoining room and rallied off. The
young compositors may be seen silently
s Meohi exos at the re case a., nt,n These seom students ar
plates; half tone process and. other
of9as e. Of sar5 the s divine art, In fact the
emaii. IS Is as rn perf seisn as e Wofd well hh0u 81,
and the result of Their work. as seen In
the journal referred to, is beyond all
praise.
RUSSIAN SYSTEM ADOPTED.
Leaving. the printing office the visitor
reaches the woodworking department in
circular saws and other implements
used for carpentry work.
side is occupied for the instruction of
female pupils in the important domestic
sciences of stitchology and mendology.
classics of girls training them in dress
making, cutting out and the use of the
sewing MACHINE. This course of .nstruc.
College of New York. Then the boys
are on the same floor taught shoe max
ing Their room Is ST fitted t! ,,+s up ra With
Machinery. Is. clere also. but the rule OF
the school is only to use machinery
where hand work can be of no practical
ADVANCED STUDIES.
While all these manual branches are
fully taug IT. o Roard 9ra Of TrSst aea t mefh
the able assistance Of Principal Weston
jenkins. pay great attention to mental
formed in which both girls and boys
are TAUGHT mathematics, drawing from
cast and model. and, elementary Lessons
method Of instruction in the kindergarten
where Miss Porter makes her little pu-
pills Eali. form rlp,s gbi ssass IL d,rps a9lly f e t n,as netu mai
the the Silent WORKER. guides. this thought
fresh from the chil1 Is : THO n w mo,iid1 wh,o !,
tins become vastly more real and ia
mirar 10 the child than when learned
| as a. task. FMnger pays cOHceFteu iuonr-
ments and other exercises very the
work" Ard so Is the odmirsh!e work
zealoltsly and lovingly. When :. is re-
membered what tremendous difieaitieg
deaf m,1tes which an ordinary teacher
cennot sufie.ently realize. the progress
Of Tho nupi1s Of the New Jersey S ! e
If every aav knowle6~e Is simply mar
ve]fous Of all the States institutions
none can more readily appeal to snter-
oct and invite admiration h this, a
sli CHIT sketch of which appears above.