Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-01-13
Iowa State Board of Control is in
Quandry.
NECESSARY FUND MAY BE RAISED
|, Legislature Will Be Asked to Make
An Appropriation for Education
and Care of Blind and Deaf Child
6 at Knoxville.

The board of control, which for some
days has been considering what to DO
in the case of the deaf and bind
daughter of Mrs. Stein of Knoxville,
has thus far found no way OF afford
ing a refuge to the afflicted child.
Chairman John Cownie has received
a letter from M. Anagnos, head of the
Perkins Institution and Massachusetts
School for the Blind, which effectu-
ally shuts off hope in that direction.
The board is informed that the Boston
institution is already overcrowded and
that there are many children from
Massachusetts awaiting admission,
who must be taken care of before
those from outside states can be grant
ed home.
The case of the year old blind and
deaf daughter of Mrs. Stein OF Knox
VILE bids fair to become as widely
known as that of Linnie HagueWood.
Chairman Cownie first became ac-
auainted with the facts when riding
on train returning from one OF the
southern institutions recently. Mrs.
Stein, with the child, was on the train
and Mr. Cownie by inquiry learned Oh
the case The child was brought to
Des Moines for the purpose OF having
an operation for the purpose OF reileV-
ing supposed skull pressure on the
brain. But after examination the sur
geons decided that nothing could be
done. and death would follow an oper-
alton. and hence abandoned the at
tempt to effect relief through the me-
dunn of the knife.
Mrs Stein is a poor WasherWomaI
of Knoxville, who has to earn money
for the support of her child. The lat
ter is intelligent enough, but such is
i It's condition that the mother has tC
{ tie 1t up when she goes away for the
|. day to do washing. Altogether the
2 case is an extremely pitiful one. The
difficulty in the matter is that the
board of control has no authority I'M
& der the Iowa law, so far as can bt
\ learned, to care for deaf and blint
children Otherwise the patient woult
! BE admitted to the school for the Glint
/ at Vinton or the institution for TIT
deaf at Council Bluffs.
Chairman Cownie said yesterda.
that the board would probably asl
the state legislature for an appropria
ton for the care of the child. Unde
the circumstances, it would be neces
sary to allow special attendant TO
the girl. This, in fact, is the difficult.
in the case. Otherwise the patien
could at once be put in one of the in
situations, there being, however, NJ
provision for the care of deaf-blind pa
tients.
The head of the Boston institution
in the letter written to Chairman Cow
ME, estimates the cost of caring TO
the child per year at not less tina
$500. He says it would be very diff
scult to raise this from year to year b
subscription, and the state shout
make an appropriation.
Chairman Cownie says he does nc
know but the best solution of tn
question for the time being, would b
to raise fund by subscription to It'd
matters over until the legislator
could make an appropriation. He sal
he himself would give $25 to such
fund. With such fund. proper at
tendant could be provided and tn
child could be sent to Vinton. Las
winter the legislature appropriate
81 900 for the biennial period for tn
education of Linnie Haguewood, VIII
has been completing her education {
the State Normal school at Ceds
Falls. 1t is likely the next legislator
will be asked for an appropriation {
the same kid for Mrs. STEMS daug
ter, and that more than this, the as
sembly will be asked to broaden I'll
scope of the Iowa law so that L
question will exist as to the right
the board of control to care for I'll
deaf and blind.