The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-02-01
KINDERGARTEN FOR DEAF CHILD
REN.

The great State of Illinois provides
we'll for public education. and we are
freshly impressed with that fact by the
information just furnished us, that
fine new building, for which funds were
appropriated by the last Legislature,
has just been completed at Jacksonville,
Illinois, for little deaf children. A por-
ton of it is to be used for the establish
ing of kindergarten class for young
deaf children. To educate the deaf is
slow and tedious process at the best,
and educators have arrived at the con-
clusion that their instruction should be-
gin as early as possible. The members
of the last Legislature we're well and
favorably impressed with the work that
is being carried on by the State for
deaf children, through an exhibition
given them by Superintendent Walker,
Of the State school. If the vast amount
of work that is being done in our State
schools could be more generally known
to the tax payers. there would be even
more liberal appropriations made and
less criticism of tax bills. Take for in
stance this great school for the deaf at
Jacksonville. Very few Of our citizens
know to what extent it is possible to ed
ucate the Deaf and fit them for life's
stern duties until they have visited this
school. 1t is the largest school for deaf
are carried on departments where trades
children in the world, and besides the
regular school training there are taught
the boys. embracing carpentering and
cabinet-making. wood-carving and turn
ing, house-painting and paper hang
ing, printing and type-setting, news
paper engraving, art work. baking and
shoemaking. Where it is found child
can be taught lip.reading and vocal
speech he is given the opportunity.
The new building just finished is a
model. 1t is fire-proof throughout, heat
ed by steam and lighted by electricity,
and is probably the first thoroughly fire.
proof building for any of the Illinois
State institutions.
Superintendent Walker informs US
that this building will be ready for oc
cupancy soon after Feb. LIST, and he will
then be able to receive a hundred or so
of the little deaf children scattered all
over the State.
1t may not be generally known that
zens OF Illinois, and that there is now
department for children who are not,
strictly speaking. deaf and dumb, but
who are too deaf to receive instruction
in the ordinary public schools. This is
class that heretofore has been neglect
ed simply because parents and others
did not consider them deaf and dumb
and yet their teachers consider them 80
deaf that it is often impossible to edu-
cate them and they drop behind their
classes every year until they finally drop
out of school altogether, with little or
no education. Another surprising thing
| concerning which the Superintendent
| informs US is that even in our enlight-
ened State many teachers and other
usually well-informed persons are not
fully aware of all the benefits presented
| to deaf children by the State institution.
Scarcely one person in ten is aware that
| Jacksonville is the only place in the
State where deaf children may be edu-
Gated without any more expense than at
the public schools. even less, for books
aud tuition, as we'll as board and wash
ing, for line months in the year. are fur
nished free of charge. The children at
tend this boarding school during the
school term and return home for vaca-
ton
II certainly should be known by every
one 80 that il there be any deaf children
OF friends or neighbors ia any commu-
nifty they should be plaesd 10 communi
cation with the Superintendent at once
in order to secure the benefits of this
most humane and excellent institution