Report of the Board of Trustees of the Georgia Academy for the Blind, 1898-1899

GA
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W. D. WILLIAMS.

1898-1899
FORTY-EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
TRUSTEES
OF THE
GEORGIA ACADEMY FOR THE BLIND
MACON, GA.
TO THE
GOVERNOR OF GEORGIA.
MACOX, GA.: PRESS OF S)lITIl & WATSO~,
18<}<).

BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

BEN. C. l\lITH, President,

CHARLE E. CAMPBELL, Sec. & Treas.

T. D. TIN, LEY,

A. L. MILLER,

JOH.' L. HARDEMA~, GEO. B. JEWETT.

THO. ". CO NER,

GOVERNOR'S BOARD OF VISITORS.
HE TRy G. TUR..'.;ER,
Brooks County.
CHAS. P. HANSELL,
Thomas County.
PLEAS A T A. STOVALL,
Chatham County.
HE RY R. GOETCHIUS,
l\Iuscogee Ga.
CALDER B. WILLI GHAM,
Bibb County.
FRAr K H. MILLER,
Richtuoud County.
THOS. B. CABAN I S,
~1onroe County.
A. \\. CALHOli ,
Fullon Couuty.
JOHN. A. COBB,
'ulnter Couuty.
JOEL R. BRA HAl\I
Floyd County.

LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEES.

SENATE.

1. T. PERKll'S, Chairmall

Habersham oUllty.

J. A. BRANNEN . . . . . . .

Bullock County.

COLUMBUS HEARD. . . . .

Greene County.

1\1. T. HODGE

Pulaski County.

R. J. MOVE. . .

. .. Johnson County.

J. F. REDDr G .

. .... Pike County.

W:\I. RAWLINGS.

. \Yashillgtou County.

\V. E. STEED

. Taylor County.

T. C. SUTTON

Terrell County.

B. E. THRASHER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Oconee County.

J. K. THO:\IPSON

.. Bank County.

S. T. Wingfield. . . . . . . . .

.

Putnam County.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

J. C. BEAUCHAMP, Chairman.

. . Pike County.

J. H. HALL . . . . . . . . .

. . Bibb County.

E. W. \VATKINS

. Gilm r Couuty.

J. L. HARDIN . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Liberty County.

W. A. BLACK . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . \\'hitfield Coullty.

D. P. ROSE. . . . . . . . . . .

. . Camden County.

J. J. UPCH RCH . . . . . . .

. . Charlton County.

A. J. BROWN . . . . . . . . . .

. .. Bryan County.

W. C. BRYAN. .
J. J. EASTERLIN

. Floyd County. Macon County.

T. W. FAIN

. White County.

SAMUEL GAV . .

. olquitt Coullty.

J. D. HAMMET'r .

. . Troup County.

L. F. JOHNSON. .

. Appling County.

R. R. HENDRICKS. . . .

. . Tatlnall County.

G. P. MARTIN . . . . .

. .. Bauks County.

J. R. 1\ICCRAl'IE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Berrien County.

J. P. PADGET;r

Echols Coullty.

W. H. YATEs

Catoosa County.

J. C. SNELL

Johllson County.

T. J. LEE

'

Pulaski Coullty.

J. R. GEORGE. . . . . . . . . .. .

DeKalb County.

J. B. BELL

Spalding County.

. D. BLACK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dawson County.

OFFICERS A D TEACHERS.

D DLEY WILLIAMS, PRINCIPAL.
\V~I. F. HOLT, 1\1. D.,
Phy ician.
C. H. PEETE,
o ulist.

WHITE DEPARTMENT.

MISS M. ELIZA Rl'AN,
. chool 1Ilalron.

MRS. AG ~ES . Fli DLAY,

MISS AN~IE V. Dt;~. ,

1\[ISS MATTIE LO BANKS,

l\IISS EMl\IA JONES.

T'eachers ill School Deparlment.

J. J. BURKS,
MRS. R. W. MACDONELL,
Teacbers in )[usic Department.

MISS. MARY WILLIAl\IS,
Pupil Assistant.

W. S. CARGILE,
Librarian and Supervisor.

B. A. JOHi TON,
Shopmasler.

DOMESTIC DEPARTMENT.

M[ss MARY C \ [PBELL,

I\IISS BELLE CAMPBELL,

1\[[55. E\'A M. ARl\ISTR NG.

COLORED DEPARTMENT,
l\IRS. E. A. \V[LLIAl\I ,
l\latron.
MISS ARAH McKINLEY,
Teacher.
[ISS WILLIE GAITHIR,
Pupil A si tant.

REPORT OF PRESIDENT.
GEORGIA ACADEMY FOR THE BLI D,
Macon, Ga., November 1St, 1899.
Hon. AI/en D. Caudler, Governor of Georgia:
DEAR IR: I beg leave to hand to you the Annual Report of the Principal of the Georgia Academy for the Blind for the year ending September 30, 1899.
This report will furnish your Excellency with a running account of the work of the Institution during the past year. You will observe that a large fraction of the annual appropriation ha been devoted by the Board of Trustees to the making of certain repair and improvements that have been pressingly neces!';ary. The Treasnrer has shown to the Treasury Department, in the report he is required to make each month, the direction taken by the amount that has beeu u!>ed for purposes outside of aud beyond the sum consumed by the Principal in the maintenance of the Academy in its usual work. By economizing as much as pos ible, the Board has been able, during the past year, to place in the two departments of the Institution certain appliances that have, for a long time, eemed urgently needed.
You will find these improvements mentioned descripti, ely in the Principal's report, so that it is unnecessary for me to outline them. Besides the expenditures classified in the Principal's summary of "Receipts and Disbursements," the Board has spent a certain amount which you will please bear in mind in considering our balance for this year, since these expenditures make less the balance named by the Principa1. The amount I allude to consist\; of the Treasurer's compensation ( ISO); the cost of having our front sidewalk changed to suit the requirements of the City; the purchase of a suitable memorial tablet to the late Principal, W. D. Williams; and the payment of a sum left due for the repairs and improvement of 1897-1 98.
There yet remain many repairs and improvements to be made, and the Boord will attend to these needs as it is able to do so,

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GEORGIA ACADEMY FOR THE BLIND.

'1

making the desired expenditures from the the remnant that is left after the maintenance account is settled for each year. I would suggest, however, that this proces. requires a stinting in maintenance that doesn't work the school proper any good. The needed repairs have been mentioned by the Principal in his annnal report.
I desire to state that the Trustees feel i:l deep interest in the charge placed in their keepino- by the State, an interest that is evidenced by the frequency of their meetings and the constancy with which they are seeking to make the Academy a suitable home and school for the unfortuuate children who come into their care. Our disposition is to provide for these young people in a manner that shall make them as comfortable as may be and at the same time, furnish them with the best educational advantages consistent with our funds in hand and our intention to follow the policy hitherto pursued, of making the fewest demand possible upon the Legislature.
We have been visited during the past year by Committees from the Legislature and from the Governor; these visitors have expressed themselves as pleased with our management. Consequently, I suppose I may say that our school is in good condition. At any rate, I trust that the deep interest felt in thi work by the Trustees is not totally in vain.
\Vith sentiments of respect, I have the honor to be, Very respectfully, BE C. SMITH,
Pres't Board 0.1 Trustees, Georga Academyfor tlie Bllld.



8

FORTY-EIGHTH A T[ -AL REPORT.

REPORT OF PRINCIPAL.
Board oj Trustees, Georgia Academy lor the Blind:
GE TLElIIE : I herewith band you my Report, as Principal, for the year ending with October I, 1899. As this Report is to be made a part of your Annual Report to the Governor and published for general circulation, yon will please permit me to include matter that is already familiar to you but may be informing to any outside the In titution who desire to know something of the condition and hi tory of the Academy during the year just past.
Though this Report is anuual as far as its contents are concerned, I beg leave to state that since my relation to the school a Principal began with July, I am to give an account of only three month of my own administration, the other nine covering two and a half months of the work of the Academy under my predecessor and six and a half under the Board's management through my service a acting Principal. The above statement is not made with an intention to evade any responsibility in the matter of whatever has occurred since the death of my fatber, W. D. Williams, for, owing to the unremitting supervisory care of the Board and the unceasingly energetic and unselfish cooperation of all those who have worked with me within the Institution, it is possible to say that the year has not at all been a lacking in progressi\-e activit) as the sad event involved in the death of om former Principal might have seemed to promise. In fact, I think the surest justification of the Board's great kindness in retaining the late Principal in office for a few year beyond the time when his phisycal strength began to fail through age, has been manifested in the manner in which the Institution bas, of itself, one may say, gone on smoothly, much as if his strong will and long authority had not ceased with December 10, 1898. In my part of the general work during this year, I have sought imply to continue the impulse alluded to, waiting until later to make

GEORGIA ACADEMY FOR THE BLIND.
(BOYS' DEPAR'l'~JENT.)

GEORGIA ACADEMY FOR THE BLIND.

9

any changes that may seem radically necessary or nearer my own cOllception of what should be done in carrying out the true fUllction of this branch of the State's benevolent educational enterpri es.
I place just below a bnef summarization of my financial standing with the Board:

RECEIPTS A D DISBURSEMENTS.

RECEIPTS.

Balance 1897.1898

$ 80 os

Checks from Treasurer-Pay.roll and Maintenance 17,030 12

Check from "Tare County.................................................... Check from L. Clay...............................

12 50
IS 00

Sale of Butter..........................................................................

5 40

Sale of Old Iron............

6 00

Sale of Sundries......................................................................

T 35

Balance-Railroad Account..................

3 73-fjI7,T54 T5

Maintenance and Payroll

DISBURSEMENTS.

.....$'7, '50 52

$" 3 63

EXPEND1T RES CLASSIFIED.

Payroll

$7,726 00

Provisions

3,667 33

HOllsefllruislling and Domestic Supplies.............

1,712 68

Fuel, Lights al:d Water Supply

1,020 52

Current Repairs and Improvements

684 72

Insurance

633 55

Pupil' Clothing, Sewing Materials, etc........

415 40

Travel, Carriage Hire, Drayage, Freight, Express, etc 353 97

Extra Hire for Repair Work and Cleaning...................... 318 0S

School Expenses, Books, Appliances, etc...

JJ3 36

Music, Instruments, Tuning and Repair

99 80

Infirmary Supplies, Drug, Dentist, etc............................ 97 90

Printing and Stationery

93 90

Postage, Telephone, Telegrams, etc...............

9' 47

vVork hop Expenses and Materials

65 52

Florist.......................................................................................... 21 35

Undertaker

20 00

Board of Pupil

15 00-$'7,150 52

This statement shows uot ouly my account with the Board in matters of receipts and expenditures, but also gives, in a con densed form, some description of the directions which the Board has allowed the annual appropriation to take. Since October r, r898, we have received $r8,500.00 from the State, comparing

10

FORTY-EIGHTH Al NlJAL REPORT.

which with the amount in tile above summary described as " Checks from Treasurer," we find a balance of 1,469.88. It must not be under tood that this balance is wilat is left after all the needs of the Academy are supplied; such an impression would leave one to infer that we are receiving from the State considerably more than we need, whereas, if truth must be spoken, the Academy is hampered in its work and suffer in it general condition because the Board aud our former Principal have followed the unu ual custom of seeking to keep within the lea t limit deemed sufficient by hard-pre sed Legislature. This balance represents what the Trustees have been able, by closest management, to ave from the year's appropriation and lay aside to be used for needed repairs and improvements of a kind too large to fall within tile limit of the term maintenance. An instance of the disposition of the management heretofore, to accommodate itself to the repre ive necessity of the Legislature, was well illnstrated in the fact that the Principal and Board went forward last year and volunteered a reduction of 2,000.00 in our appropriation in order that the pre ure and strain for fund' on the part of the Legislature and the State Treasur) might, in the measure apportioned to our part be relieved. But this act of self-sacri fiee meant the postponement of radical needs that the Board is striving to supply gradually from the balance it eeks, tilrough tinting, to have on hand at the year's end. Just at present, to itemize pre. ing needs, the Board is intending to do the following:
1. To place in the In titution a team laundry, the pre ent arrangements being entirely primitive and impo ible if neatness among our children is demanded, much of what washing we do at pre ent having to be done in one of the laundries of our city.
2. To have two of our buildings properly heated, the CoL ored School and the Boys' Building at the White Department.
3. To place in our chool rooms suitable furuiture, nothing of the kind being there at pre ent.
4. To place in the sleeping wards small rtWS, and, in addition, better bedding and pillows.
5. To have a new roof placed upon the Main Building, the one there now beiu<T honeycombed with leakage holes.
6. To have the Academy grounds properly leveled and

GEORGIA ACADEMY FOR THE BLI D.

II

drained, the condition existing now being entirely bad and likely to be the cause of sickness, since for days after rains there is an unwholesome dampness in the soil except upon the highest points.
7. To place and keep in a condition of thorough repair and healthfulne s the Main Building, a tructure that ha been in nse for more than forty years and shows increasing need of renovation.
8. To purchase suitable furniture-wardrobes, book-case, refrigerators, dre sing-lockers, pantry and tore-room conveniences and necessities, suitable crockery and cutlery for diningroom use.
9. To purchase apparatus needed in introducing and keeping up department of school work not now in existence bnt pressingly needed if we would have the Institution be progressive and fulfill the function intended by the tate in the benevolent impulse which gave rise to the Academy.
10. To employ persons who are properly qualified to take" charge of work to be done in the new departments needed.
I I. To modify the buildings Of the Institution so as to permit the Board and Principal to remO\'e the children to the lon'er floors at night, the expense entailed in making this change in favor of safety from fire, being rather larger than might be thought.
12. To do more for our pupils in the '.vay of clothing, with an eye to a greater neatness and attractiveness than is at all possible so long as matter continue as at present, it being remembered that nothing can go further towards ministering to the blind person's welfare than training and habit that beget in him a constant regard for appearance and its practical value.
13. To make the grounds of the Academy attractive ill a simple manner, and in this way satisfy a demand that should be recognized, especially as no money for many year has gone in this direction.
As an offset to the above named needs, our balance of $1,469.88 is small and is not much increa<:ed when supplemented by the remnant of a similar balance from last year. It is not out of place to suggest that wheu one considers the large number of financial demands involved in putting this place in good shape, the impulse seems thoroughly reasonable which has led the Trustees

J2

FORTY-EIGHTH A AL REPORT.

to inve tigate the practicability of a removal of the site of the In titution with an eye to recommending to the Legislature, the wisdom of moying to a suitable place j LI t outside of the city where more room could be had and where buildings afer and more adapted to the purpo e in hand might be erected, in accordance with reliable estimates, at only a mall expense to the State.
The expenditures noted in the table presented in my financial statement, if gi\ en in finer deta.il, would show that the Trustees are not idle in bringing about improvements even on the slender basi exi ting, a fact indicated by their introduction, during the past year, of excellent bathing appliances for the pupils; the placing of tasteful and suitable iron bedsteads iu the dormitorie of the \Vhite Department, also new mattresses in the same; the purcha e of chairs for use therein and also in the dining-rooms; the procuring of a certain amount of apparatus needed in the chool; the pending of a small amount in having all buildings and grounds made neater.

P PILS.

Th following table presents a few interesting facts concerning the pupils of the Academy during the time elap ing since our la t Report:

Pupils enrolled . . . .

II7

Pupil in White Department

94

Pupils iu Colored Department

23

Special Pupils. . . . . . .

5

Pupils admitted . . . . . .

17

Pupils completing the eig-ht year' limit

4

Pupils lea\'ing because of improved sight and eye-strength

9

Pupil leaving becau.e of bad health. . . . . .

2

Pupils transferring to other schools for the blind.

Pupils leaving for unassigned rea ons

3

Pupils dismissed for bad conduct

Deaths

.

Average attendance .

96

Average age of Pupils

II

GEORGIA ACADEMY FOR THE BLI D.

13

UMBER OF P PILS FROM CO NTlE REPRESE TED.

Appling Baldwin Bartow. Bihb. Bnllock Chatham Clarke. Coweta. Crawford. Clinch Dawson DeKalb Dodge Dougherty Echols. Elbert Emanuel Forsyth Fulton. Glascock Glynn Gwinnett . Hall Hancock Harris Jackson Jefferson

2

Jones

Laurens

5

Liberty

II

Lowndes

2

McIntosh.

I

3

Meriwether.

2

2

Monroe

2

3

l\Iorgan

3

Iuscogee

Newtou

Paulding

3

Picken

2

4

Pike.

3

Pula ki

2

Randolph

2

4

Richmond

2

Rockdale.

2

chley .

17

Screven

2

Stewart

Terrell .

Tattnall

3

\ alker

2

2

Walton

2

Ware

\Vayne.

\Vebster

2

The number of pupils enrolled during the past year ha been unusually small-less than for several years, a fact that is attributable partly to our not having recently callva' ed the State for children, but mainly to our being stricter than formerly in our tests before admitting seeing applicants, and also to the fact that the Board now tres es the eight years' time limit more than formerly. Another reason for this smallness lies in the very natural, but entirely mistaken impul e which leads the parents and friends of young blind people to be unwilling to give them up even temporarily, and, in some sad cases, to be wholly unable to conceive of any possible iuprovelUent in the child's condition through coming to this place. In many cases, too, thoroughly willin

FORTY-EIGHTH A.i" riAL REPORT.
and \ ery worthy people are unable to afford even the money needed for getting the child ready and for paying the railroad transportation involved; they are unaware of the State's proffer of money for all such cases. Again, our school needs advertisement, many people even in the most intelligent sections, knowing little or nothing of its existence. In former years, when free passes over the railroad made it pos ible, the Principal visited various place all over Georgia, repre enting the In. titution before conventions and frequently carrying pupils with him; this plan for getting pupils worked admirably and would offer many inducements now were the expense entailed not so great and the pre ence of the Principal not 0 immediately needed in the Institution. The method just mentioned is followed, 110\\ ever, with success in mo t of the other blind chools in this country. Since my appointment in June, I have done a considerable amount of advertisement through circular and per onalletters to county officers and other persons of prominence in the various sections of the State; the results from these letters have been more than encourao-ing, so that I may 'ay, with every rea on for thinking it are, that we hav~ the promise of a much larger school within the next year or two. In my work in the direction of advertisement, I have found of great a i tance the last Annual Report of the State School Commissioner, Hon. G. R. Glenn, to whom this Institution owes a debt of gratitude for the intere t he took in haYing gathered and conveniently collated, when the recent educational census was being taken, the number of blind persons of school age in each county. This summary howed 265 snch persons in the State, 125 white and 140 colored-not including the pupil of this Academy. I hope to reach and get into this place mo t of these children.
CO -RSE OF II STR CTIO .
COIIIlIION CHOOL DEPARTlIlENT.
FIR T GRADE-Reading, Spelling, vVriting. Primary Number Study, Primary Nature Study, R~citations, History Stories.
SECOND GRADE-Reading, Spelling, \Vritiug, umber Study, Primary ature Study, Recitations, History Stories.
THIRD GRADE-Reading, Spelling, Writing, Arithmetic, Primary Language Les ons, Nature tudy, Recitations.

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GEORGIA ACADEMY FOR THE BLlND.

15

FOURTH GRADE-Reading, Spelling, Arithmetic, Language Lessons, Geography and Nature Study, Recitations, Typewrting.
FIF1.'H GRADE-Language Le ons, Pbysiology, Arithmetic, Hi tory of the nited States, Geography, Recitations, \Vord Study, Typewriting, Script Writing.
SIXTH GRADE-Compositiou, Arithmetic, HI tory of the l nited States, Geography, Recitations, Hi tory of Georgia, Physics.
SEVENTH GRADE-Rhetoric, Algebra and Advanced Aritbmetic, General History, Physical Geography, Phy ic , Recitations, Geography.

EIGHTH GRADB-Rhetoric, Algebra, General History and Government Study, Chemistr), nil11al and Plant Study, Recitations. l\lU Ie DEPARTlIIE 'T.
Indi\ idual lessons on piano, orgau, violin. flute, guitar and mandolin. (The instrument adopted with each pupil is a matter that is left to the discretion of the Director, who decides from the standpoint of the pupil's proficiency and the wishes of the pupil's friend .)
Class instruction in vocal music, cla singino-, etc.
Training in orchestra.
Cia s instruction in harmony, thorough ba s etc.
Studies in the history of music.
Reading and writillCT of point type IllU ic, and training in the use of ink print lDu:ic.

INDU TRIAL DEPARTMENT.

Instruction and occupation in caning chair, making brooms and mattress-making.
In truction and occnpation in sewing, knitting, crocheting, etc.
I place below a table snowing the work done by our pupils during the past year; this table record the number of pupils enCTa ed in eac~ study and branch:

16

FORTY-EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT.

COl\Il\lON SCHOOL DEPARTl\IEKT.

Reading and Spelling

58

Arithmetic . . . . . .

105

AIg-ebra . . . . . . .

5

Language and Composition

91

History-Advanced United States

12

Elementary United States

27

Georgia History

22

Primary .

20

Geography ....

66

Physical Geography

[0

Physics ....

12

Physiology . .

31

Writing-Script

9

Point

28

Typewriting

17

Special Map . . . .

13

Speaking

....

93

Primary ature Study

27

MUSIC DEPARTl\IENT.

Piano

44

Organ

12

Violin

10

Guitar

6

Mandolin.

4

Flute. . . Orchestra.



Singing Classes (3)

94

Theory of Music. .

31

Writing of Point Type

12

History of Music

8

IND STRIAL DEPARTl\IE T.

Sewing and Needlework

2

Chair Caning . .

8

Broom Making

10

Mattress Making

6

The above" Course" and enuweration of the pupils in each study and branch, give a clear conception of the kind of work we

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