The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-01-06
RITTER APPEALS
FOR AFFLICTED
School for Colored Deaf and
Blind Crowded to
Capacity
TRAINS AFFLICTED
FOS USEFUL LIVES
Report Points Out Awful
Results of Negligence In
Treatment of the
Eyes of Infants

One OF the most interesting reports
Of State institutions thus far made
public is that Of the Virginia State
School for Colored Deaf and Blind
Children at Newport News, one OF
the States newest institutions.
The institution has an attendance
of "a deaf girls. II deaf boys; IL
blind girls and IS blind boys-a to-
tai Of 70.
one OF the states efficient and faith
fui officials. himself a deaf and dumb
man, says:
1t Is needless to say that all of
our dormitory space Is now taken up.
We have been increasing our enroll
anent at the rate Of about twenty-five
pupils each year.
There are still more than leo deaf
or blind colored children Of school
age in virginia who should be IN THIS
school. but 1t ID o physical impossi-
biiity to admit any more until the
General Assembly provides for more
dormitory space.
Il. therefore, urgently recommend
that the board Of visitors make an
earnest appeal to the General As
sembly this winter for an appropria-
ton sufficiently large to erect a dor
nitory building that will take care
Of 100 more children. Without more
dormitory space We shall be forced to
turn away probably half hundred
new pupils next session.
With the filling up OF our pres
ent dormitories the space in the pu-
pills dining room il also filled. We
shall have To erect an addition to
the dining room and at the same time
We do that We should provide room
for bakery next to the present
kitchen.
'.Our little school today is almost
complete in all its needs, and We do
not owe q dollar Of debt. Shall we
turn away q hundred more children
who are Just as much entitled to be
here as those present today. because
OF lack Of dormitory room?"
The financial statement shows that
during the fiscal year ending Sep
TENDER so slightly more was expend-
cd TOR improvements and interest
than for maintenance. the figures be-
ing 1O.604.14. and $10.052.76 for I'M
provements and interest. and mainte-
nance. respectively.
The report presents q specimen Of
the alphabet OF raised letters used
In the blind department. also views
Of the buildings and groundA
The board Of visitors In composed
Of Harry s. Houston. u Hampton.
president: Captain A. c. Walker. Of
Waikerton: Professor Guilford D.
Euritt. Of Staunton: Hon. Edwin I.
Ford. Of Newport News. and Samuel
Steiner, Of Richmond.: 54a,,.5
The report urges + compulsory sd
ucationaI law for Virginia. compeii-
ing parents or guardians to send their
deaf or blind children to school
Preventive Measures Urged.
An earnest appeal 10 made In the
report for the medical fraternity to
make some orGAnl1od effort for the
atamring out Of the diseas0 Of oph.
thAtmia neunAturuM, which n said
to cause more than = third Of the
ca1a4 Of blindness In the -hllad seho0ls
OF the country. From report Of an
other school for the blinfi I very SIM
pie remedy for the disease II sug-
Eested. this being - put INTO the eyes
Of every infant. within twenty-four
hours after its birth. ana after the
eyes have been thoroughly cleansed.
one or two drops Of weak solution
Of nitrate Of stlv3F-never stronger
than two per cent II u said that
the application OF this remedy IL .
sure preventive against ophthalmia