The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-03-29
SEEK SITE FOR NEW
STATE INSTITUTION
William c. Ritter Elected Superintendent Of the Virginia
School for Colored Deaf and Blind

The board of visitors of the Virginia
State School for Colored Deaf ana
Blind Children met yesterday at noon
in the offices OF the president, Mr.. John
l.. Williams, in the Chamber of COM
merce Building. The full membership
was present, and the most important
business since the board was organized
two years ago was transacted The
recent Legislature appropriated S2o,-
900 for the work of this organization
during the next two years.
All the machinery of the board is
now in full operation. Two free sites
have been offered as location for the
school Mr.. William C. Ritter. Of
Hampton. who has been secretary OF
the board for tho past two years was
elected superintendent Of the new In
stitution, and was instructed to visit
and report upon all sites that may be
offered between now and May 10Th.
Under the provisions OF the appropria-
ton act, the board must have a farm,
and 1t is desired that 1t be somewhere
between Newport News and Lynch
burg.
Statement Issued.
The following statement was issued
by Mr., Ritter yesterday afternoon To
a representative of The Times-Dis-
patch:
There has been an urgent need in
Virginia tor this school ever since she
State inaugurated the public free
school system. All of the other States.
with one EXCEPTIONS long ago pro-
vided for the elementary education
and training of these two classes of
afflicted children of the colored race.
Maryland has had her school for thirty
five years, and last fall removed into
new and commodious fre-proof bnill-
ings that cost the State $4,000. The
establishment is located upon a farm
Just outside of Baltimore, overlooking
the bay. While the State of North
Carolina has for years maintained the
finest institution of the kind in Ibis
country in the suburbs of Raleigh.
These institutions are of necessity
managed by white people, requiring as
they 90 special training and knowledge
on the part of all connected with the
institution In the capacities of officers.
teachers and employees. The pupils,
besides given good working elemen :
tary education, are trained In the
crafts. The new institution in Virginia
will, for instance. besides giving this
deaf negro boy common school edu-
cation, teach him the trade that his
natural talent seems to show him
equipped to grasp. Special attention
will be paid to agricultural pursuits.
The blind are taught basket weaving,
mattress and broom making. chair
Gaming and although most people may
have rever suspected it,, there is,
nevertheless. even strong chords Of
music in blind persons soul, and the
development of this latent and dor
mani talent will be a prominent fea-
ture. The curse of Blind person is
idleness. a busy mind centred upon
some occupation soon makes lny
kind or an afflicted person entirely OBJ
'livious to his or her condition or sur
roundings. This is especially true OF
the blind. 1t has recently been dis
covered that new vocation open TO
the blind is bookkeeping, THIS
new sphere is now branrn
OF the trade curriculum being
eagerl5 g-asped by schools everywhere,
for it must be admitted that occnpa-
tons I'll which persons bereft of theiN
sight can become proficient are some
what limited,
Looking for Site.
"The hoard of visitors of this new
Virginia institution are now, with the
appropriation in hand, anxious to find
a suitable location for the school. They
desire Il farm near some town or city,
within reach OF llGe protection, and
with an ample supply OF fresh water.
The desirability OF any community hav-
ing near 1t State or other public sn-
stttution has always been acknowl-
edgcd-for the reason, that besides
bringing large sums OF money into To-
cal circulation, q large, well-kept
state establishment is a source of
pride to the community and always q
point of interest. While the initial
appropriation ia not so largo, nor
what the board asned FOR, II compares
faNorably with the irst approximations
made for the new normal schools. The
LeRislature will, 10 doubt make adai-
tlonal appropriations as needed. There
are over 200 OF these children in Vir-
ginia and the number increases wlth
population.
THE board has no desire 70 push The
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