Report of Board of Visitors to the Georgia School for the Deaf, 1905

REpORT

OF THE

BOARD OF VISITORS

Geo / Ja. S'C 0 I ~ ~

) 1/

TO THE

or /

State ~cademy for the Deaf and Dumb

JU IUS F. HILLYER, CHAIRMA.
A'tLA 'TA, CA. 'the Franklin Printing and Publishing Co.
GEO. W. HARRISON, Manager
1905

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REPORT.
To His Excellency Joseph M. Terrell, Governor of Gem'gin: The undersigned members of the Board of Visitors, re-
cently appointed by you to visit the State's Academy for the Deaf and Dumb at Cave Spring, visited that Institution on May the 17,] 90D, in company with its Trustees, and beg leave to submit the following report of that vi~it:
We inquired into the management of the Institution j we met the principal and teacher, availed ourselves of the opportunity thus affolded to inspect the property of the Htate, to ouserve the health and happiness of the pupils, to examine the methoq of instruction, and to test as far as possible, the degree of success which has already been at tained, and to note some particulars where improvements appear to be needed.
I.
As to the property. It is located in a beautiful and healthful valley, in the midstof a moral and cultured community. The ground are ample and are kept in first-class order. The buildings are impo ing, and, except as hereinafter mentioned, seem to be suitable and in good condition.
II.
We saw the pupils at th air study, at their work, at recreation, and in the industrial department. Everywhere they appeared to be healthy and happy, and manifestly are being taught faithfully and patiently.

III.
Tbe method adopted find their endor ement in the cbaractel' of the work by which they are exemplified.
The pupils are ucce fnlly taught to read, write, and, a a rule, t~)ey show proficiency in arithmetic, grammar, geography and history. We were much impre eu hy the exhibition of "lip reading," by which, a we learned, in. many ca e , the dumb are made to peak and to understand
poken language. 10reover, they are kindly and sy tematically educated along line of u eful and self-sustaining indu try. But, more than all el e, perhaps, to these afflicted children of the State, i the fact that they are placed in an environment of morality and culture, in which they are not only taught to practice and enjoy the cu toms and amenities of refined society, but where, under a judicious religious training, their piritual natures may be highly developed.
I.
We find the Institution well managed in every department, con idering the amount of money expended, and we commend to your Excellency a management which ball wrought 0 much, and which promi"e 0 much in thi field of beneficence. The ucce i dne, no doubt, to the efficiency and fidelity of the learned principal, Prof. W. O. Connor, who, for so many years, ha guided the affairs of the In titution. We found him urrounded by a corp of teacher, whose kill and efficieucy were apparent to your Board of isitor, in the intelligence and uniform cheerfulness with whieh the pupils complied with every demand made upon them. The relation between teacher and pupil was just uch a to produce the be t reult -on the one hand, tenderne and patience; on the other, confidence and love. Everywhere the committee ob erved cleanlines , neatnells and order to be the rule.

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"\ e beg leave to ubmit the following recommendation

1. otwith tanding the great improvement recently

addcld in a new dining-room and kitchen, and additional

work-room, and the con equent addition to the sleeping

apartment, we are compelled to ou erve that there is till

a pre'o ing ueed for further improvement. A careful e'ti-

mate demon trate that the II') titution is till without

a ufficient number of sleeping apal'tment. Every room

i8 crowded to almost, if not quite, double it proper

cal acity, We think that this subject demands your special



attention.

2. " e note, further, that the bathing facilitie are not

adequate. We recommend the aduition of one or two

more bathroom, and that hower batbs be ubstituted for

hathtub ,

3, \Ve fnl'ther recommend, that pl'OV ision be made for

rp.pairing the building and property, In many places we

noti ed the floor' are nearly worn away, Upon thi . ub-

ject we uumit that there hould be an annual appropria-

tion, of a definite um, to be expended in repairs to the

property,

4, We ob erved that there are not enough instructor

ill the Institution, We think that no teacher hould have

undel' hi care, at once, more than twenty-five pupil.

ufficient numbel' of teacher should be provided to come

within thi limit. The probability i.~, that uch an increa e

of teacher would be con i tent with a wi e economy. It

would tend to elevate the standard of work, if it did not

shorten the term required tor a full COUI' e in the Insti-

tutiou,

5. We are infol'med that the salary for teachel' in like

institution of our i tel' tates, is better than in Georgia,

The effect is to render it difficult to reta\n in tructors in

orne departments. A soon a they become proficient, by

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experience, and acquire reputation, their services are in

clemand at higher price. We think our State should

command the be t ordet' of talent. This can be done only

by providing adequate compensation.

6. We recommend that the number of Tru tee be in-

I'eased from even to at lea t ten. even of whom hould

re ide within convenient di lance of the In titution, in

order that a working quorum may be readily called to-

gether. The re t of the Board should be [rom more cli -

tant section of the tate,judiciously elected. Thi recom-

mendatiou is iD tended in no ense to be a criticism upon

the efficiency of tbe B aJ'd of Trustees as nowcoustituted,



but we believe that such a change would tend to produce

more general iutere t aDd co-operation throughout the

tate,

7. Your i iting Board wa in formed that more than

fi fty per cent. of tbe inmate of the chool are over thirteen

year of age, and become matured men and women before

leaving the In titution, and that many of them fall in love

while in choo] together, and afterwat'ds intermarry. While

at first glance this would not appear objectionable, yet ta-

ti. tic show that of tbe off pring of congenital mute"

twenty-five per cent. are al 0 mute, and that when they

many normal per on thi deaf-muti m ha a tendency to

eli appear. It thu appear that by thi a ociation of the

exe in one in titntion the tate i aiding, not ouly in

perpetuating, but actually increa ing deaf-muti m. s

thi i a set'iou matter, and as tbe short time would not

permit it thorough inve tigation, the committee he itates

to make any definite sugge tiou, but we submit, at lea t,

tbat a committee hould be appointed to inve tigate the

subject carefully, and recommend orne remedy for what

appears to your Vi iting Board to be a pathetic evil.

\Ve deemed it unnece ary to check the books and finan-

cial tatement of the'Institution, a tbat matter was looked

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after by a recent legislative committee. We Db el'ved,

however, that the y tem of bookkeeping and account i

in accordance 'with the provi ions of the tatute, and that

the record and voucher I a exhibited, are neatly and clearly arranged.

All of which is re pectfully submitted.

JUN!

F. HILLYER,
hairman.

]. A. ANTRELL,

GLIYER lOORE,
1. LEDBETTER, T. L. THOMA ON,
LAUDE A. MITH,

FERMOR BARRE fT,
WE LEY HROP HIRE, Board of Vi itors.

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