The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-08

was chosen because of its access from all
parts of the State" says the manual Prior
TO the construction of the present schooi
buildings the State carried on scnool IN
rented quarters at the southeast corner OF
Illinois and Maryland streets, the NUMBER
of pupils in attendance being sixteen. In
speaking of the first board of trustees, the
manual says it was composed of some OF the
most prominent citizens of the State, being
his Excellency. James Whtcomb, Royal
Maynew, Esq, the Hon. John H. Thomp-
son, the Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, the
Rev. Phineas D. Gurley. the Rev. Love
Jameson, Livingston Dunlop, NJ. D., the
Hon. James Morrison and Bishop Matthew
Simpson. These trustees were appointed On
Jan. Is. 1874 The manual gives the follow
ing account of the first interest taken by
the Legislature in this work:
OPENED A SMALL SCHOOL.
"In 1S4 James Mclean, a deaf mute and
a reputed graduate of the New York institu-
ton, appeared in Parke county and opened
small school for the deaf there. which con-
tinued only a few months Living near there
in Vermillion county was one William
Bales. who mad deaf mute daughter be-
ing educated in the Ohio institution. Elected
to the General Assembly on Feb. IL, 1912. he
introduced a preamble and resolution con-
corning deaf-mute education and the efforts
of James Mclean above referred to, and
authorizing payment to said Mclean the
sum of $500 for his services. This was the
first and formal acknowledgment of the
obligation of the State to provide means
for the education of the deaf"
Indiana's institution for the education Of
H. lf.&<l
is the outcome of visit made by James M.
Ray to Louisville, in 1874. While there he
was invited to attend exercises at the insti-
tuition for the blind at that place. What he
heard and saw convinced him that equal
facilities should be offered the blind children
of his own State. Upon his invitation, the
superintendent and a number of the pupiN
of the Kentucky institution came to Indian
apolis and gave exhibition before the
succeeding session of the Legislature Soon
after &C. passed levying tax of
two mills on each 500 of taxable property
for the purpose of sending the blind of this
State to the schools for the blind in Ohio
and Kentucky until school could be es-
tablished in Indiana. In 1916 the General
Assembly passed an act appropriating
5000 to found a State school. Calvin
Fletcher, George w. Mears and James M.
Ray were named the board of trustees
COPIES OF RARE MAPS.
With the manual are three maps. copies
of rare old documents in the State Library.
One was printed in 1917, when Indiana had
but eighteen counties, these being chiefly
in the south and east part Of the State. A
map of 1870 shows larger organization of
counties, with Wabash and Delaware coun-
ties taking up the greater part of the north
ern end of Indiana. indianapolis is found
on the map, but Marion county is not
marked. Part of the way across the north
section of the State is a black line, de-
scribed as the "Kickapoo Indian boundary"
The map shows the position of the Delaware
Indians in the large area composing Della
ware county.
In compiling the manual, the librarian
found II necessary to correspond with per-
haps two hundred persons. Because some
men were too modest, others too busy and
few too dilatory. it was found to be very
difficult TO collect such material as was
needed The value of such publication is
difficult to appreciate at the time of its
publication, because 1t contains current
material with which a large number of
people are familiar in an indefinite way
The librarian points out that it takes fifty
years of perspective to show the value of
historical material. 1t can be readily APP
preciated how valuable such a publication
concerning the State government a half a
century ago would be at this time. but 1t is
much more difficult TO appreciate that some
time this publication will be half century
old and the material it contains would be
impossible to collect
Sixteen hundred copies will be printed for
distribution. They will be sent to all the
members Of the Legislature, to all State
offices, to all public Libraries in Indiana. to
all the commissioned high schools in the
State. to all State libraries in the United
States and to the Libraries OF a number Of
the universities and larger cities.
Country GraVeVards.