The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-02-03
THE DEAF AND BLIND.
REPORT ASTO TWO CLASSES OF THE
STATES WARDS.
Esupt. Walkers Annual Report Showing
What the Institution at Cedar Springs is

What the Institution at Cedar Springs is
Doing.
The annual report of the South
Carolina institution for the education
Of the deaf and blind was made pub.
lie yesterday. The following extracts
from Superintendent Walkers report
will be of general interest. This re-
port covers period of Ii months,
from November Il 1895, to December
81, 1896:
zone hundred and seventy pupils,
representing 35 counties, have been
enrolled during the year, as follows:
Deaf III, blind 6S. One hundred and
forty.two of this number are present
at this date. The average attendance
has been 1885,"
THE following items of repairs
have been made during the year: The
entire building reguttereeI; steam
pipes; radiators, etc, rebronzed; all
tin roofs repainted; new steps on ter
races around building; two surface
water closets; gymnasium building
supplied with steam heat; office, din
ing rooms and all halls on first story
of building papered; the large front
room on second story of building is
divided by partitions into two rooms,
thus giving us an additional recitation
room and thereby enabling us to add
a room in west end of third story,
heretofore used as a school room, to
space occupied for girls dormitories;
an electric time and program system,
consisting of a master program clock,
five secondary dials, fifteen signal
bells and all necessary batteries, wires
etc. I have, heretofore, called the at
tention of the legislature. through
your board, to the condition of the
building used for colored pupils and
of the danger of life in case of fire.
Unless the next Legislature provide
for suitable building for this depart
ment, I would urge the distinuation
of that department until such time as
it can be properly provided for, i
have had during the year an addition
al fire escape added to that building.
Said building is of wood and was built
more than three quarters of century
ago.
The attention of the legislature has
also been called, repeatedly, to our
great need of an electric light plant
and of proper laundry machinery.
This is now the only State institution
which is not provided with q proper
and modern method of lights, and we
feel sure is the one which stands most
in need of same. We are using kero.
sine oil and candles. Our laundry
work is done in the most primitive
style. We have seen no reason to
change the figures heretofore made on
the cost of these necessary improve
ments.
"In this connection, I submit that it
would be we'll. at this time, for the
policy OF the State to be outlined in
the matter of the separation of tho two
classes, the blind and the deaf, here
provided for. There are three plans
for the solution of this question. First
to establish an entirely separate school
for either the deaf or the blind at
some other point in the State; second
to erect a building in connection with
and near the present plant for either
the blind or the deaf, and thereby
have each class occupy its own sepa-
rate quarters, but under the same
general Management; or third, to en-
large the present buildings and con.
tinue the work under the present plan.
I favor the first or the second plan.
The only objection that can be urged
against them is the greater cost to the
State for the erection of suitable build
ings and their equipments and the in
creased expense that would be in
cident to the running of two in
stitutions instead of one. The
second plan, that of of having
both schools under one manage.
ment but in separate buildings, would
cost the State less in the outset, and
the auunal current expense would be
much less than under the first named
plan. The third plan, to increase the
present plant and continue the two
classes together, would be saving to
the State of many thousand dollars in
matter of first cost and annual ex-
pense of the three plants, respectively.
Under the first, aseparate plan. would
cost in the neighborhood of $50, 900.
That is less than the cost Of the plant
here, and it would not be in the line
of economy to erect q similar plant.
North Carolina has recently divided
her school, the new plant for the deaf
at Morganton, N. G., cost about $780,
coo. The annual current expense
would be 80 to 40 per cent. greater
than under the present plan, provid-
ed the new school be located in g. city.
Under the second plan, the first cost
would be considerably less, probably
20 and 80 per cent. of the amount men!
toned under the first plan, and the
annual running expense would be Ii
to 20 per cent. greater than under the
present plan. The erection of an ad-
ditional building here, at a cost OF
something like $40, 900, would enable
us to accommodate 100 more pupils
than we now have. At the present
rate of increase it will be only a few
years until we will have as many pu-
pills as we can accommodate in our
present quarters. If it be the policy
of the State to adopt either the second
or the third plan above mentioned,
then it would be in the line of econo
my to provide, at oncs, a sufficient
engine and dynamo for a light plant
! to supply the additional buildings as
well as the present ones. AsI said in
the outset, / favor the establishment