Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1914-01-22
Another Letter = Governor Hatfield
shephsrdstpwn. ". Va
January 8. 1914.

1
Shepherdstown, ". Va
January 8. 1914.
Hon 3. D. Hatfield, Governor
Sir:-Last fall before the meeting d
the West Virginia Legislature | prepat
| ed circular in reference to our Blind
and Deaf School at Romney. You and
Governor GIasscock manifested eonsia'
erable interest in the matter until after
| thiseireular was sent each Of you
Copies we're also sent to all the mem
bers e the Legislature At their homes.
and quite number Of senators and
delegates were outspoken in favor OF
the changes proposga until they reach
/ ed Charleston at The session Of the
1 Legislature. When this. CIRCULAR got
Into the hands Of certein persons post
! ed il such matter, was told that the
I eircuiar would not accomplish it's OBJ.
ject. for one reason-it commented
someWhst On ihe BoaEd Of Control.
J, ll6Fd - ~ III fkk q reject On he
pefronneI df tniS b6Ard, but l tried 70
/ point out tkat tie board had its hands
/ full ii attending to the finances Of aIl
Tour State inltitptions and shonid not
be expeeted q III 6ftarlhs edneation-
al part * tie Blind and Deal, hut that
the superintendent and teachers should
be appointed by the Board OF Regents
like our normal schools. l did not then
know the president of the board Of
Control had been asked 10. drop his
duties to the State to conduct q poiiti
cal campaign for the successful ticket.
At any rate, it's seems that i chillstrucit
ell sentiment for the betterment of con-
ditions for the Blind and Deaf on lines
mentioned in the circular as soon as the
atmosphere of the capital was reached,
and nothing came of the plan mention
ed above, that the Office of the superin-
tendent of the Blind and Deaf be taken
Fout of the political arena and be placed
in larger town where the advanced
scholars could recite with seeing
scholars and ard associate with Them,
thus charging their worlI and giving
them inspiration. every educator
with whom ! have talked on the subject
endorses this plan.) The word that
reached me was thatthe administratien
was 0 posed to the bill and there wss
0 use t0try to do anything.
The above lines are suggested by
your arbitrary change Of superintend.
ents at R ,mney tit seem, without even
the courtesy of notify ing Mr.. Monta-
que before the paper. published it) as
going farsto prove the contention made
that the unfortunate wards of tie State
are paying the price Of po'iiics. It
seems to me that Mr.. Huidekoper de-.
serves credit for Drawing the powers
that he" with protest. and ihat,ks to
the kind Of reply yousent him will like,
" have lis wish. that it he published
all oyer the State. Whom the gods
would destroy they first make mud. = y
Mr. Huid, koper is practically ON the
ground, and should know more about
the results accomplished by Mr.. Monta-
que than you and the Board of Control
put together.
Ny sen lost his sight four years ego
at The age of eighteen, and attended
the school three years / visited the
institution FIVE or sig times, talked with
the officers ard some of the parents
who have children there. and learned
much through my soon. believe Mr..
Montague was doing good work, as well
probably. as could have heen done uE-
der the circumstances. andit was quite
satisfaction to me to have courteous
and approachable official to deal with
in trying to do the best possible for an
afflicted son. He seemed also to have
the loyal support of his help. | am
sure things were run too economically
for best results, but as he was limite.t
by the appropriations and inherited
deficiency from his predecessor. it
seems the blame for that condition
should be charged to the Indifference or
ignorance of those higher up,
It was supposed yon would not make
a change at Romney without good rea-
sons. and ! have been noticing all cor
respondence, hoping to learn why it
was done, but so far / am disappointed:
and really you can hardly blame those
who say it looks as if place was be-
ing made for friend of Mr.. Lakin and
suggests to them political or personal
ring of very small circumference.
! do not know why it should be i'm
proper to discuss Mr.. DeBerry's quail
fications for this very important place.
II You had appointed man who had
made success of this kind Of work
somewhere there would not be SO much
surprise. have not been able to lsarn
that Mr.. DeBerry has had any exper-
fence Of all of this kind His business
experience SO far, it seems, is no strong
recafo naHdation. One report says he
is fit five another sixty. Ave If either
Of these are correct, ordinarily his best
days ere past and he win have to show
extraordinary talent to make good.
I am told by persons Of many years
of experience that it takes four years
for superintendent to master All the
details to successfully run the school at
RomneY. and that If d man does not.
take it up while young he win never
acquire proficiency in the deaf language.