The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-02-06
TENDER APPEAL FOR
NEGRO DEAF MUTE
Editor Samuel Miller, Of the
Lynchburg Advance, stirs
Legislative Committee.


Legislative Committee.
Cropping his way to the center of the
room, Samuel Miller. the blind editor of
the Lynchburg Advance, last night made
to four committees of the General Assem-
| bly,, sitting In joint session, remark
able and pathetic plea for the negro deaf
and blind OF Virginia, pointing out how
| the State, by the annual expenditure Of
| n small sum, might "transmute n burden
into a blessing" and turn into useful and
| Industrious citizens class now exist
ling in practical savagery.
Think of these poor people. gentle
| men, declared the man himself blind,
but with mind finely cultured: think
OF these people to whom the sunshine
means nothing. as they grope their way
through life. They are In eternal dar<-
ness. They have no light; but 1t is In
your power to illuminate Hheir minds.
You can make them self-supporting. II
they grow UP In Idleness you will have
to support them. 1t is a duty to human
ity that you owe, and a duty to your
religion. s
How can deaf negro boy obtain
conception Of what Is right and wrong?
We sending missionaries to convert
the heathens of foreign lands. but we
have heathens right at our own doors.
They have no ideas of God or morality,
for 1t is not possible to get ideas into the
head of a person who does not under
| stand language. They are living in
scrogery and when their passions are
aroused are 30 dangerous as wild AMI
rials. But we can teach them gentlemen
first for their own sake and then for
our own. We can train them so that
instead of being menace they Will with
the others less unfortunate contribute to
the common good; we can transmute a
| burden into blessing. This work you
are now doing nobly for the whites and
I thank God for It. What we ask you
now is to do the same things for those
still less able to help thmselves-the me-
| groes."
Deaf Mute Present.
There were n half dozen deaf mutes in
the room and the hearing was one OF
| the most remarkable and at the same
| time one OF the most pathetic ever con-
| Quoted in the Capitol.
| The two finance committees on school
| met together in the Senate chamber nj
| s o'clock and with Captain BOWMAN,
| chairman of the House Finance Commit
| tee. acting as chairman OF the Joint ses-
| sion. proceeded TO take up the bill asking
an appropriation Of $1,000 for the estab-
| lishment of the Virginia School for Col
ored Deaf and Blind. and an annual APP
| preparation OF $1,000 for maintenance.
| Mr.. Houston who introduced the bill in
! the House. read the measure and ex-
| planned Its objects, He also read
a speech on the subject prepared by w.
| G. Ritter. a deaf mute, president OF the
Virginia Association of Deaf Dumb and
Blind. Mr.. Miller was then introduced.
He spoke very earnestly and his speech
carried great weight His picture OF the
| blind beggar on the roadside and his re-
ferenc eto the actual happiness OF the
unfortunates when properly cared for. as
at the Staunton school for whites, were
very pathetic. II was touching scene,
the blind editor. knowing so we'll where
of he spoke, pleading for the blind.
Prof. j. e. Ray. principal of the North
Carolina School for the Deaf. Dumb and
Blind. spoke in behalf of the establish
ment of tho negro school In Virginia.
He explained the operation of the school
In North Carolina and gave many illus
trations OF how deaf, dumb and blind me-
groess have been trained so as to become,
despite their affection. good farmers,
seamstrcsses and laborers of different
! classes. There are only two States In
the South which have not hitherto pro-
yided schools ,, for these unfortunate ne
/ groes, and Virginia Is one OF these two
States. North Carolina has the largest
and best equipped school for the negro
deaf and blind in the South and the
statements OF Prof. Ray were therefore
given careful attention.
Much Interest was manifested in the
matter by the members of the comr-A. :.
tee several OF whom made injuries from
ilmc 10 tlme. No vote was taken on tho
The only high school bill reported In
the House yesterday provides that one n,
more district school boards NAV nrov,de
n suitable building and az much as two
hundred and fifty dollars; the State shall
appropriate the same amount. which
fund shall be used exclusively for teach
Ing tho high school branches In snch
school.
The bill further provides a sliding scale,
that is. the school district may appro-
pirate not less than $3.50 and not IA az
coed $500, and the State appropriate the
same sum
4 The sum Of fifty thousand dollars il
appropriated
4 AT the minimum sum of two hundred
A and fifty dollars two hundred high
schools can be established in tho STATE
or two for each county.
II Nothing prohibits the district boards
from appropratlns as much as thav
please in excess of four hundred dollars
but Stnte appropriations nre limited d
this amount.
The, friends of the bill realize that this
sum Will simply start this high school
work, and after the ensuing two Years Il
will have demonstrated the wisdom n nd
necessity OF this missing link In orr
public free school syatem ana tho next
Legislature will deal with high schools
ns the conditions may require.
The high schools established under this
net are. OF eourse. absolutely under N.
control and subject to regulations OF thf
! state Board nf Education.
Z Mr. Taliaferro. OF orangc, and Mason
elsof Westmoreland. offered In the House