Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-12-23

| All, or nearly, matters of a ma
terial and political interest to the peo-
ple5o Iowa being, or nearly being. set
tied, the press OF the state could dc
no greater work than to take up a sub
iect that is of very great interest to
a number of our people and that Is
the subject OF the education of the
blind and deaf children of the state.
Apparently on the face OF 1t the
tstate has made great and lasting pro-
visions for this unfortunate class. II
/ has provided a large school building
4 at Vinton for the education OF the
blind and has provided similar build
ing at Council Bluffs for the education
of the deaf. 1t has fitted these schools
| with all the paraphernalia necessary
for their success. A large corps OF
| splendid teachers. headed by able SUI
parintendents, have been provided, VINO
give unstintedly of their time and
ability, to the care and education OF
these unfortunate children. These
schools open on the first day of Sep
TENDER of each year and close on the
last day of May succeeding
1t would seem that all that couln
be done was provided for by law
and wise provisions of the state and
board of control And yet in the face
of all this the board of control, IN Its
present report, Is compelled to admi'
that the attendance is falling off, IN
face of the fact that statistics show
| that not hardly one-fifth of these chill
dren are being given the advantage OF
/ these excellent schools In addition to
what we have mentioned the law also
provides that the county superlntend-
! ents shall make annual reports of the
number Of blind and deaf children re-
siding within their territory. This is
found in section 3739 Of the code OF
1897 which says:
"x He shall also report. as
provided by law. to the superintendent
Of the college for the blind. the name
| age, residence and postoffice address
| of every person. resident of the coun-
ty. so blind as to be unable TO ac-
nI,ire an education in the common
schools"
The same provision is made in the
same section as to the school for
the deaf and the institution fot
feeble minded. We find on investi-
cation that the county superintende'1s
fail to carry out this provision of the
law except In few<cases. There should
I, be some way provided to enforce TINS
provision Of the law. 1t is fact thai
both the superintendent for the blino
and the superintendent for the deal
annually issue circular letter calHna
the attention to the provisions made by
the state as to the education OF these
children and send them broadcas
| over the state.
We have no statistics giving the at
tendance for the school for the dear
but following Is a record of attendance
at the college for the blind. In the
college for thu blind
Polk county has sixteen students.
Linn county has eleven students.
Woodbury. has one student
Scott county has three students
DUBUQUE county has five students.
Lee county has no students.
Pottawattamie county has three stu
dents two OF these from Christian
| home).
Blackhawk county has no students
Clinton county has two students.
Webster county has no students.
/ Hamilton county has three students
Marshall county has two students.
Mahaska county has no students.
Wapello county has two students.
4 Des Moines county has one student
4 Muscatine has one student.
y The above are lust a few Of the lars