The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-06-15
our DEAF MUTES
Graduating Exercises at the
State School in
Trenton.
CLEVER WORK BY STUDENTS
Fourteen Pupils Exhibit Their
Handiwork and Receive
Diplomas.
Especial to "rhe Jersey city News

TRENTON, June Is, 1S99.@The last COM
mencement at the New Jersey School for
Deaf Mutes that will take place under
the guidance of DR.. Weston Jenkins was
held yesterday afternoon. IN the presence
of the largest gathering that has yet at
| tended a similar event at that institution.
There were six young women and eight
young men in the graduating class, ana
| during the exercises preparatory to the
| distribution of diplomas they all gave
evidence of the fact that their training
had been of the best. Each had been
taught to read the motions of the mouth,
| and their minds had been cultivated to
such an extent as to completely astonlsh
the several hundred visitors.
AS an example of the knowledge which
they possess. a number were called upon
| to converse in the auditorium, and in adj
| dition. Miss Florence NJ. Menow, one OF
the graduates, upon being told to write a
few sentences on the blackboard. spent
| less than five minutes in composing the
following
eve are pleased to see so many people
here today and we hope that they will be
interested in what they zee. Education IS
a priceless thing to the deaf. and We
| thank the State of New Jersey for giving
us this school. 1t is the only school of its
| kind in this State. and since 1t was opened
in 1888 nearly AGO pupils have been edn-
| Gated here and I think that nearly all.who
| nave left, have become self-supportlng
| citizens. We only wish the State would
| extend the term of instruction, so that
pupils will not have to leave so SOON
If was afterwards explained by DR..
| Jenkins that only upon a special vote OF
the State Board of Education. were any
of the scholars permitted to remain al
the school longer than a period of eight
years.
A PRAYER by the Rev. D. R. Foster, of
| the Bethany Presbyterian Church, opened
the especially prepared programme. and
| then the Principal in a brief Introductory
| address. told the gathering of the details
of the work at the institution. He said
| that the majority of the pupils upon be-
ginning the course of study, wehe entirely
deaf. and that in nearly every instance
the little ones had not received any
| previous instruction.
Glass x. consisting of six boys ana
| girls. all under the age of ten, gave an
| exhibition on blackboards of the written
! lessons taught every day in the primary
department. Their sentences were we'll
| worded. we'll connected, and showed a
clear Understanding of the words con-
viewed to them. The reading of a journal
| given orally by Eugene Harvey. and a.
| sign recitation. 1.-The American Flag,
by Miss Grace l.. Apgar, were exception
| ally clever. and were heartily approved
by the audience.
Writing exercises by advanced pupils
| followed. during which one of the young
women wrote q concise, as well as COM
prehensive, account of the Dreyfus case,
demonstrating that the scholars were
thoroughly posted on current events. An
oral recitation by w. Meisinger, and a
valedictory by Thomas A. Taggart, led
up to the distribution Of certificates and
the awarding of a prize to A. Palmer,
who had gained distinction in the de-
partment for manual training.
DIR. Jenkins informed those present
that the valedictorian had already
passed the necessary examinations
Preparatory to entering Gallaudet.
College for the Deaf in Washington,
d. c.. and at this juneture. introduced
Professor John p. Walker, of Mount
Airy: who is to succeed the Doctor as
principal of the New Jersey School for
Deaf Mutes. The Professor spoke brief
Nv of the work of training the deaf, and
oomplimented the present principal upon
the result of his sixteen years in Tren-
ton.
Upon the conclusion of the programme
an adjournment was taken to the Manual
Training building, where there were ex-
phibitions and examples Of the practical
and Industrial development of the edu-
cation that is impaired to those in the
institution. While this inspection was
taking place many sincere regrets were
heard with reference to DR.. Jenkins res
ignation. The latter was sought by nu-
mereus friends and acquaintances. all of
whom paid their respects to the retiring
principal and expressed sorrow at his
leave-taking.
Following are the names of the grad
yates of 1S99:-Thomas A. Taggart eff
East Orange, and Marvin S. Hunt of
Lamberton. both twelve year pupils;
Florence NJ. Menew of Paterson, Ethel
Collins of B~arnegat, Missouri A. Adams
of Trenton, Florence B. Ellis of Burling-
ton. Elsie +. Crawford of Mantua. EN-
ma Jacobs of Newark, William Gallagher
of Paterson, Charles f. Brenerman of
Hobeken, Charles Timm of Trenton, Wal
ter S. Barras of Somerville. Walter H.
jackson of Jersey City and Fred w. Bou-
ton of Newark.
COST or A STOLEN RIDE.