The record-union., 1896-11-08
THE DEAF, DUMB And BLIND.
Report Of the Board Of Directors Of the
Asylum at Berkeley.
The Number of Pupils is Growing
and More Teachers Are Badly
Needed for Them.

The twenty-second biennial report of
the Board of Directors of the California
Institution for the Education of the
Deaf. Dumb and Blind at Berkeley mas
been received by the Governor and by
him transmitted to the State Board OF
Examiners
AT the close of the fiscal year ending
JIne 80, 1896, according to the report,
the number of pupils under instruction
vas 2o7, and at the date on which the
report was delivered the attendance
was DO
The buildings are ample for the ac-
commodation of pupils, teachers and at
tendants, though there is needed an
isolation ward to prevent the spreading
OF contagious diseases.
MANUAL TRAINING.
The manual training department of
the school requires additional facilities
to secure the best results. In the boys
department the chief instruction is
given in wood work and printing, and
1t is recommended that the departments
be enlarged, and that more tools be fur
rished for original work. Every deaf
mute should have elementary instruc-
tiCn in some trade or vocation whereby
independence would be secured.
IMPROVEMENTS.
Every year judicious improvements
add to the attractiveness of the
grounds. while nothing has been done
for the Improvement of the ungraded
street in front of the building for lack
of funds. The front fencing is also de-
clyed, and President of the Board
Bartlett suggests that appropriations
be made sufficient to admit of the i'm
provements
The directors express their SatiSfac-
tion with the present condition of the
school, and with the results that have
been obtained from year to year. They
are confident that under the wise and
efficient supervision of the Principal il
occupies a front rank in institutions of
a similar character
PER CAPITA COST.
The total number of pupils enrolled
during the year ending June 80, 1896,
was 2l9, with an average attendance
of 2GS The total expenditure was S57,
bio ~, giving per capita cost of
$40 30. This is about 81 less per
capita than was asked for
The enrolment for the present year
began with 220, and it is expected the
average attendance for the year will go
above that figure, but it is believed the
school may live within the appropria-
ton granted by the last Legislature,
and close the fiscal period without
deficit.
during the two years covered by the
report it is shown that the regimen and
of
conduce to physical we'll being and re-
sistance to disease. In the latter half
of the academic year ending in June.
1879, an epidemic of measles invaded
the school, prostrating fifty pupils. No
i'll effects followed the outbreak. Scar
let fever also broke out, but no deaths
occurred
WORK OF TEACHERS.
1t is not claimed by the Principal of
the school that the school is perfect
In the nature of things, he contends.
the education of the deaf dumb and
the blind, like squaring a circle, is
never more than approximate. The
problem is never completely solved
Every pupil offers a new equation to be
satisfied by new methods and this fact
calls for infinite ingenuity on the part
of the instructor
BY the recent addition to the corps of
instructors it will be possible to de-
crease the size of the lower classes.
but the upper ones are still too large
Eighteen pupils to one teacher is said
TO be out of reason. 1t is usual for one
teacher to have no more than eight
pupils, as the following statistics prove
There are in the world 474 schools
for the deaf, with an attendance of
~, ,4S3 pupils, and 1856 teachers arr
employed, averaging s % pupils to
each teacher. OF these schools 100 are
in America, 81 in Germany, 20 in
France, 81 in Italy and 81 in Austria
Hungary. More teachers are needed
but, continues the report, it is idle to
expect to reduce the classes below fif-
teen pupils each at this time
GRADUATES.
There have been graduated during
the period under consideration: Deaf
boys u, girls IL. Total-41. Blind
Poys ., girls 6. Totals.