The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1911-05-19
PLANS ARE ACCEPTED.
Those of Paul r. Henkel TO be Used in
Building Austine Institution.

The trustees of the Austine institu.
tion Friday accepted the plans submitted
by Paul X. Henkel of New York with
slight notifications. The working plans
Tor the first building to be erected with
the funds left by the late Major Aus.
tine will be ready for contractors to
bid upon sometime the coming month.
Brattleboro people and Reformer read
ers are familiar with the history of the
Austine bequest to which the state OF
Vermont has added $4,000 in the shape
of an appropriation toward the erection
and maintenance of an institution for
the care and education of deaf, dumb
and blind children and other persons
mentally deficient. The building will be
located upon the first terrace of land
to the south and west of the buildings
on the Hooker Winchester farm on
Maple street which the trustees bought
last year.
The building for which Mr., Henkel
submitted plans is to be three stories
in height of brick with slated roof. 1t
will face the east and from its front
will stretch one of the most complete
scenic panoramas to be found any.
where in this town. The building Will
be approximately 100 80 feet and will
contain accommodations for 30 children
and the necessary number of teachers,
attendants and other employees. There
will be five recitation rooms as deaf
and dumb pupils have to be instructed
in classes of not over 10 i'll order that
all of the pupils may be brought near
to the teacher so to closely observe the
motions of the face and mouth of the
instructor These recitation rooms will
be fitted with regulation school chairs
and desks but the seats will be arrang-
ed in semi-circles.
Especial attention will be given to
making the boiler room as near, fire.
proof as modern building material can
make it and the stairways throughout
the building will be fireproof As there
will be no other heat in the. building
than that furnished from the steam
heating plant the hazard of fire Will
be practically eliminated The trustees
plan TO make the first building the ad-
building and il will be so
situated that other buildings, as con-
ditiOns may call for their erection. can
be built on sites provided for in the
original plans. The first building will
be a strictly modern structure and the
matter of sanitation and water VIII
have the most careful attention. The
disposal of sewage will he exceedingly
easy as the building will be located
number of feet above the nearest sewer
main, Pleasant Valley water can be
brought to the institution and it will
require but slight digging to locate
water on the farm at several points
high above the site of the adminlstra-
tion building.
The trustees expect to receive the re-
vised plans from Mr. Henkel next week
and will shortly after advertise for bids.
The rock for the foundation has already
been drawn to the site of the new build
inc and as soon as the contract IS award
ed there is no reason why work cannot
begin immediately. 1t is expected pX
the trustees that the contractor will
have the building under roof by another
winter and that the furnishing of the
interior can be carried on during the
winter of l911-1912. The building
will probably be ready for occupancy
sometime during the summer of 1912.
Already the trustees have received two
applications for admission Of Young
The trustees do not plan to make any
move at the present in the way of pro-
viding building for the care and tram
inc of feeble minded persons. When
such a building is built it will be loeat-
ed nearly a half mile from the ad-
building on small plateau
TO the north and east of the, building
for deaf. dumb and blind pupils.