Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-01-21
The Deaf and Blind School.

Inc epOTt OF Jne committee III charge
of the territorial deaf and blind school,
located in Santa Fe, has been made to
the governor. The committee is COM
posed of Territorial Treasurer Eldodt,
Territorial Auditor Garcia, and Solicit
tor General Bartlett. and the institn
ton is under the immediate charge of
l.. M. Larson.
The report covers the two years end
ing December 81, 1898, deals with the
condition of the institution entirely, and
shows that for 1897 and 1898, $4,000
were appropriated by the Bed legis-
lative assembly, but that the amount
received from that appropriation has
been but S2,4O0. To use the words of
the report: ''The cost of administering
the school since its organization has
been so small as to be almost ridiculous.
The superintendent has received but
$50 per month and the matron but S25;
and for many months the matron has
also acted as cook; the superintendent
has acted as teacher, and the instructor
of the blind has been paid only $35.''
The school for deaf mutes was closed
from June 1, 1897, up to October l 1898,
when it re-opened with nine pupils,
there being enough money On hand to
conduct the institution five months
from that date. The committee states
that the only funds which have been
granted the school aside from the an
nual appropriations, was the sum of
$1,000 given in 1898 for the purpose Of
establishing the school: that amount
came out of the refund made by con-
gress of $Ga 900 to the territory, being
the amount of the direct war tax, and
the appropriation was expended in pur-
chasing grounds and buildings for the
The annual appropriations
made since the school began its work in
1887 have ranged from $1,000 to ST., 900
PEI dIluHh, dHu "o Ho uiiio Huo Olc
money received equalled the amount of
the appropriation.
The census of 1890 showed that in
New Mexico there were 1926 deaf and
persons and 800 blind in both eyes.
The institution is in no sense an asylum,
but a public institution for the educa-
ton of the children of the territory who
are afflicted in speech, hearing or sight,
and it certainly seems that those un-
f%ortunates of the territory who are de-
priyed of the greatest privileges of life
should receive better treatment at the
hands of the more fortunate.
In the way of recommendations the
says: ''The territory al
ready owns ample ground at the pres
emit site of the school for the erection
Of additional buildings for it's use, and
also for a building to be used, for the
of the blind, the tract con-
five and One-half acres. In the
present financial condition of the terri
tory W. would not urge an appropria-
ton for the construction of a building
for the blind at this time, although its
neces sity is very great and annually in
creasing; but we do most strongly urge
an appropriation of S., 900 per annum to
be used under the control of the board
in charge, for the repair of the present
building and the maintenance of the
for the instruction of both the
deaf and blind, as this amount will en-
able the blind school to be opened. 1t
should also receive pupils from the ter
ritory of Arizona and Indians from the
United States government whose tuition
would be paid, thus increasing the in
come, and the school should be placed
Upon the list OF territorial institutions
and share in the result Of the direct tax
Tor their benefit. In addition to this
annual appropriation there should be
1t least $1,000 appropriated for the
construction OF u bath house, storage
cellar, wood and coal sheds, general re-