Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-12-19
URGE TWO SCHOOLS FOR
DEAF, Dumb AND BLIND
Board Of Visitors of State In
stitulion Recommends Secs
ond Addition III Stanton.
MOULD HAVE SAME HEADS
H"dy VIII Go Before General ASSEM-
bly. Which COnHcncs Here Next
Month, md Ask for Immediate
Action
IsnecInl to The Times-p ispatch.l

Especial to The Times Dispatch.l
STAUNTON, VA, Dec. lS.-If the
Virginia General Assembly. which
cunvcnes In Richmond next month.
acts favorably upon the rccommcn-
dations made by the board of visitors
Of the Virginia School for the Deaf
and the Blind. there Will be. some
time In the future, two state insti-
tutions located IN Staunton for the
instruction of the Old Domlnion's
deaf. dumb and blind, instead Of the
ono now In existence hero.
III session las. week Mt V. S. d. T..
tho board Of visitors adopted rcsVlu-
lions calling upon the state TO pro-
vide separate educational facilities
tor the deaf and the blind. and recon-
m"ndcd that both Institutions be To-
Gated here.
LnclS Accommodations.
In the resolutions the board fur
'hcr stated that now only about half
OF the children. deaf and blind. who
should be in school. can find accom-
mediation mt the present plant here.
The board further expressed itself
as iavorinE utilization exclusively Of
IN" present equipment here "as n
hchoo! for the deaf. and that a school
Tor the blind hc established In suf.
icicntiy close proximity TO the school
Tor the deaf that both Institutions
may h" conducted under one admins
'rativc head. one business manage
mcht and one viEitorIal body" and
gives It's reasons for reaching these
conclusions.
In making those recommendations
tho Official body OF the V. S. u. j.. has
III" support Of six other firmly cs-
thbl!Shed orEanlZat!cns or bodies IN
Virginia: organizations that have
made exhaustive surv.ya Of what is
needed FOR the dear and for the blind.
and the local board took IT'S nnnl
action only after considerable study
or conditions AT the school the
needs Of the State and tho experience
OF other states In handling this prob
lem
several bodies Approve Plan.
Approving the plan or separating
the deaf and the blind are the state
Board Of Health, following a report
made by a government engineer. tnr
state Board OF charities and Corrcc-
'lons, the Legislative committee OF
the STATE Conference of Charities. the
Virginia Association o! Workers for
tho blind. tho Virginia Association
Of Workers for the Deaf and the
commission appointed by the last scs-
sion oi the General Assembly 70 make
IAN exhaustive study OF the situation.
All "f these ORGANIZATIONS have given
the matter careful consideration, and
The h"ncnt Of all rcAcarch work com
piled by them was before the board
of visitors before It's vote was taken.
Harris Hart Superintendent Of
Public INSTRUCTION for Virginia, and
member nj the V s. i. IL. hoard.
WAS present when the board made IT'S
decision. II IS understood the de
CiSlon was unanimous. II that is so.
MIR. HIrt's position Is clearly known.
IL however. there was a difference
nr opinion of one or TWO members.
thcu MIR. Harris attitude might not
clearly DC understood. II is. how
ever on good authority that the
statement IS made that Supcrinten-
dent Hart heartily favors the plan
FOR separate schools for the deaf
and III. blind. favors locating the
ncw plant for the blind In Stanton:
favnrs using the present plant OK
r!usivcly for the dcaf-this the board
also recommended--favor having one
management for both institutions.
and favors one visitorial board for
both
TO Introduce nils.
This resolution was adopted" de-
clares Professor H. Nj McAlanaway.
superintendent OF the V. S. -. H.. in
support of the recommendation OF the
Legislative commission for the study
of conditions among the blind OF
Virginia. and will he given publicity
In connection ~ith the legislation
urged by the commission before the
next session Of the General Assembly.
Bills Will he introduced providing for
segregation Of the two schools and
for the selection Of n suitable site
and suitable plans for the new school
for tho hind Practically every state
In the Union now has separate
schools for the deaf and for the
blind. respectively, although formerly
many of the states had only one In :
situation CAS- Is the case In Virginia
now) for the education OF both