The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1914-03-05
CHURCH SCHOOLS A BIG AID
Institute at st. Francis is Caring for
More Than 80 Children and Many of
Them Pay no Tuition-W Wisconsin
School Most Successful One.

The tragedy of the silent world y
was brought home to big audience
of Kenosha people at K. of G. hall on
Tuesday evening when the Rev.
Eugene Gehl, formerly of Kenosha but
now in charge of the great Catholic
school for the deaf at ST. Francis gave
a very interesting lecture on the great
work that is being done by the church
and by other organizations to make
the lives of these unfortunate people
more bearable if not really enjoyable.
Father Gehl discussed at length the
work which had been done in the earli-
est ages for the education of the deaf
by priests of the church and showed
the great part that the Roman church
had in the development of this great
educational work. He told of the acti-
vities at the present time in maintain
ing 156 schools for the silent child
rem" in this country alone and point
ed with pride to the fact that these
schools now have total of more than
$4,000 pupils. Of this number Of
schools he showed that fifteen were I'M
der the direction Of the church and
that the schools had an attendance of
200 children. He gave some very in
teresting history of the institute for
deaf mutes at St Francis, one of the
most beautiful charities of the Catho-
lies Of the Milwaukee diocese. This
institution was opened in 1876 in con-
nection with Pho Mono college and for
many years it has been under the di-
rection Of the Rev. Father Gerend and
in the years that it has been in ex-
istence it has never refused child adj
mittance on account of the fact that
he or she was unable to pay the very
small sums charged as tuition.
The faculty of the school at the
present time includes three priests,
nine Of the members Of the order Of
Sisters of st. Francis and one lay
teacher. Since its organization 700
pupils have been enrolled IN the school
and at the present time the enrolment
is sc. Of this number 33 were edu-
Gated last year without the payment
of a penny and the average amount
received from all the students did not
exceed dollar week. This includ-
ed not only the cost of educating the
children, but also the cost of books
and clothing.
The school curriculum contains not
only all Of the secular branches, but
also moral and religious teaching along
lines followed in the other schools
of the church.
In closing Father Gehl referred es-
pecially to his personal connection
with this school. He said in part:
During the past few years, it has
been my happy privilege to be among
the deaf mutes at ST. Johns Institute
for Deaf Mutes at st. Francis, in the
capacity of a missionary for the deaf.
I could wish for myself no more con-
genial work, none more worthy of
ones best efforts than the redemption
Of these kindred spirits from the de-
grading and benighting bonds of 81
lence to which they seem hopelessly
doomed What occupation can be
more delighted in itself than to iber-
ate imprisoned souls from the letters
of sence, awaken their dormant pow
ers, acquaint them with the world in
which they live, place them on a level
with their hearing brethren, teach
them to use their God-given faculties
wherewith they may rise far beyond
the skies to the throne Of their God
and Saviour. Nothing in this wide
world is SO grand as to implant the
seed Of Holy Religion into the hearts
Of these social outcasts, inspire them
with fresh powers and motives to ex-
ertion and by supplying them with I'M
limited sources Of intellectual and
moral improvements, place within
reach the purest and most elevated en-
joyments. of which human nature is
susceptible and in turn they silently
but deeply appreciate it,"