River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1896-05-14
Wisconsin School for the Deaf.

The readers of this paper and all
who have, or are interested in, deaf
children and their education should
know what the state is doing for the
deaf at DelaYan. In the school rooms
| proper, where reading, writing, speech
| and all branches of substantial edu-
| cation are taught, fifteen of the best
educated and most accom- plished
teachers of the deaf are daily at work.
In the art classes they have the bene-
| fits of the best instruction and in the
shops foremen are specially detailed
to give the young mechanics every
opportunity to rapidly acquire a
knowledge of trade. Woodwork
and joinery of all sorts is carried on;
boots and shoes are made by the boys
| and in the printing office, which is
| well furnished and neatly arranged,
correct specimens of the typos art
are displayed From these different
departments the deaf children rapid
ly learn how to read, write, cipher
| and draw, while at the same time
eighty of them are being taught to
speak. Incident to their education,
, they live under the same roof, and are
supplied with the necessary whole
some food by the bounty of the state
so that there may be no obstacle in
the way of their acquiring an educa-
tion. More than this the state
supplies them with medical at
tendance, when needed, and also with
clothes and transportation to and
| from their homes SO that no excuse
remains for those who do not get any
| education. 1t is gratifying to be able
| to say that these children are gentle,
loving, considerate souls who are
! anxious to learn and who make every
effort TO gain their share of the
| worlds wisdom. They are studious,
law-observing and diligent in all their
| ways: and most of them acquire such
a habit of study in the long winter
evenings which they uniformly spend
at study that they become well in
formed and well posted in literature,
science and art and also in the current
news of the day. Though they are
not good takers they become fluent
and rapid writer's, and in many cases
diligent students in after life.
Some parents keep their children
at home because they do not appre-
ciate the value of education; Others
because they have never been asked
to send them to school; and few,
probably, do not know that the state
supports free school in which all
deaf children may get a thorough
education, including trades. What
ever the cause may be, a great in
Justice is done by keeping deaf
children out of school.
The school at Delavan is kept up
by the state for the benefit of all
children, applying for admission, who
are too deaf to receive instruction in
the public schools The term begins
the second "Wednesday of September
- inn ri
| weeks. During the school term,
board, washing, tuition and books are
free, and in case of necessity trans
portation, to and from school, and
clothes will be furnished. At the
close of the term i'm June all children
are returned TO their homes for the
summer vacation. The school has
three separate departments. The
| first devoted to reading, writing,
language and all forms of composition,
arithmetic, geography, history,
natural science and drawing. The
second to useIul trades, printing,
cabinet king, shoe making and
baking; and the third, the domestic
departn4 ent, in which an opportunity
is gwen to learn cooking, baking and
| various household duties.
Applicants for admission should
DOb DC uuucT ClSuU uOi ONCl OWChOy
years of age, of sound mind and body,
| and Of good moral principles. Since
(, the state has made such ample pro-
vision for the deaf it is the desire of
| those in charge to so inform parents
and guardians of the peculiar advant-
ages of this school that all deaf chill
dren may be brought within its
benign influence. In this connection
city and county superintendent of
schools should read Sec. 3 Chapter 33l,
Laws of Wisconsin, Session of 1891, as
| follows:
| SECTION 3. 1t shall be the duty OF each
county and city superintendent OF schools 10
send TO the superintendent OF the state school
| for the deaf at Delavan aad the superintendent
| Of the state school for the blind at GAINESVILLE,
| the address ef parents, with the name and
| age of each deaf or blind child known to be in
/ his county, and to inform parents, guard ans
and custodians OF deaf mutes and bind
| children ". his county or city, respecting the
/ several schools for deaf mutes and the blind in
| the state, and the conditions OF admission 70
them; and for this purpose. the superintendents
of such institutions shall provide each such
| superintendent with sufficient printed informa.
i tior and with the names and residences OF all
| deal mutes and blind children known to be IN
his 'ouuty or city. And each such superin-
| tendent shall include In his annual report TO
| the county board Of supervisors or the city
board of education. statement OF the number
of deaf mutes and blind children OF school age
| in such county or city then receiving an educa-
/ ton. or the number OF each not receiving an
| education. and of the number of personal
| visits he has made during the year, upon the
parents, guardians or custodians OF such
children, to induce them 10 give Suen chlldreif
| proper education.
Further information may be OBJ
tanned from ]. w. Swiler, Supt.,