REPORT OF BOARD OF VISITORS GEORGIA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF MAY 26, 1910. ATLANTA, GA. GRAS. P. BYRD, State Printer, 1910. . REPORT To His Excellency, JOSEPH M. BROWN, Governor of Georgia: >SIR: The Board of Visitors named to visit the Georgia School for the Deaf at ,Cave Spring inspected the school on May 26, 1910, and beg leave to submit the following report and suggestions: We were impressed with the splendid location of the school and the beauty of its surroundings and the admirable equipment of buildings, sheps and general appointments. The grove and lawn sloping gra;cefully from the dormitories and school 'building must leave a lasting and helpful sense of the beautiful upon the minds of the children who are trained into life's new and practical meaning at this pleasant spot. Everything is well kept and neatly ordered about the whole premises' and a quiet air of gentility rests upon all, showing a pride in the institution the State maintains for its children who are defective in hearing and who dwell in silence that would be appalling but for the intelligent bounty of our noble commonwealth. We found all buildings in a good state of repair, kept with strictest regard to cleanliness, and well adapted to school and dormitor'y uses. There seems to 'be ample room for the girls now in the school, but the boys" dormitory is badly crowded. At present there are eight beds, single iron frame, in every room in this building, the rooms not exceeding 20 3 feet square. Such crowding is unavoidable because of the number to be accommodated and the lack of more space, but this should be remedied promptly as suggested in later sections of this report. The school rooms are well arranged and fur- , nished, well lighted and ventilated and provided with the simple apparatuS' needed for the instruc- tion of speech to those not aided by any sen e of hearing. The number of pupils in each class, while not now greatly excessive, should be reduced if pos- sible so as to place each pupil more closely under the eye and per onal attention of the teacher. We suggest at least two or three more sooool rooms and teachers if these can be provided without a great increase of the maintenance fund. The system of instruction i oral, as far as is pos- sible. The oral department is well arranged and the course is scientific and progressive in plan and principle. From the earliest kindergarten work, il- lustrating color and form and feeling and eye-train- ing through the articulation 'of simple words up to the pronunciation of more difficult names found in the geography, there is evidence of a painstaking care nothing less than wonderful. Classes were ob- served in recitation in spelling, arithmetic, history, English, geography, reading, writing, and other common s'chool branches, showing a proficiency that was gratifying and quite up to the work of hearing ohildren of similar grades. The work of the schol- ars in acquiring these branc;hes is complete, but of course is marked by the more or less imperfect ar- ticulation of words, which can not be given with the ease and fluency of hearing children. In the Manual department the same thoroughness of study and acquisiti'on of knowledge is shown in all branches, but without any effort by the pupils in articulation or results by speec;h. 4 11 is not to be under tood that the cqildren caIl, nor do the 'officers of the chool claim it, by speech utter all word ea ily and naturally. The limitations imposed hy their deafness can not be removed unles full hearing could be restored. All the public exercise and chapel ervices are conducted in the accepted signs of the deaf and finger spelling, used by all the children alike in the oral and the manual departments. Lip reading at any distance is known and conceded to be among the practical impossibilities, however much it may be available in the close contact (If cIa s room and home life of the pupils. Especial mention is made of the wonderful work and progress of the pupils' in the industrial departments and in decorative art. Beautiful work was hown in sewing, hoe making, printing, wood working, carving, basketry, drawing, drawn work, and embroidery. The practical work i excellent, as for instance all the clothing, caps and shoe worn by the pupils are made by them, cutting fitting, and completing of all garments being included in the school work by the girl. In the shoe hop the boy are taught to make, and do make and turn out complete, all the hoe worn by the pupils. In the wood shop the boy are taught to make and do turn out, as from the best cabinet hop all the ohair , tables, bureaus, chiffonier, mantel, book cases, and other furniture used in the chool room and dormitorie as well as some of the most perfect work in carving and decorating of che t , chairs, book racks, boxe , stools, screens, and various other useful and ornamental articles. In cookinO" the girls are taught the whole subject, from gatherino- vegetables in the garden and their preparation for the table, or taking groceries as they are usually delivered to the preparation of a complete meal. A Ie on menu is prepared and recipes are given and followed out for baking bread, 5 biscuit, rolls, cake and a:U the other mysteries and miracles 'of the kitchen to placing it hot and tooth- some on a neatly set table ready to tap the bell for the family to sit down to wholesome food. We inspected the negro department, where everything was found in good order. Thirty or more \ \ negro children of school age were well instructed. They showed advancement in reading and writing and arithmetic, letter writing, and other simple branches. The method is entirely manual. The work of the girls in plain sewing, garment making and in drawn work is very good. The dormitory was clean and in good order. Some of the iron beds were in a sad state of dilapidation from sheer long use and even with good care. The kitchen and laundry were clean and well kept. Besides the need of better beds there is an insist- ent need of an infirmary. When any of the chil- dren are sick they must perforce remain in the same sleeping apartments with 'other children. In cases of contagious diseases, or any epidemic of even mild form, the results might become disastrous. A separate building for this purpose need not be large or expensive, but it is seriously needed. This building could also be made to afford better bath- ing facilities for the pupils. While they are kept clean now in pers'on and ha'bits the methods are necessarily primitive. Prof. Gordon, the instructor, deserves great praise in his 'Work. The practical part of all the school work is to fit every pupil for a life self-sustaining and self-re- specting, providing for all its own actual needs in spite of the handicap of deafness that would usually be considered a bar to all the useful and profitable work of our plain people. We can not pass from this review of the work of the school without commending the splendid corps 6 of teachers and instructors. Prof. W. O. Connor, the able principal for forty-three years, has builded in this work the highest te tirnonial to his own supe- rior fitness for his great life calling. As the head and director of it all he ha been a blessing to the deaf children of our State past all expression of our admiration of the results of his work. We con- sider Georgia fortunate in having a devoted, conse- crated, and withal an unassuming gentleman, with the very spirit of a child and the heart of a mother to guide our deficient children into lives of useful- ness and happy accomplishment. He is ably assisted by the lady associate principal, Miss' Nettie McDaniel, whose work is of the highest order and whose direction and planning of classes is most excellent. None the less do we commend the ladies teaching the various oral grades and the gentlemen who teach in the manual and industrial departments. Names may not be given at length, but our observation of all evinced thoroughness and succesS' in every case. We learn with pleasure that the entire list of teachers has been re-elected by the trustees, upon the nomination of Principal Connor, for the ensuing year. The salaries in many cases are but meager when judged by the standard of their work and the difficulties they surmount by their skill in teaching without ears some of the brightest pupils Georgia can afford. No less do we commend the faithful board of trus- , tees, who give their time and attention to the details of the school without any compensation. Without 11 invidious distinction we mention especially Dr. J. W. ] Taylor, of Meriwether -County, one of the trustees of over thirty years standing. This courtly gentle- man of the old school accompanied us upon our in- spection and rendered valuable aid in our work. His f~therly interest and affection for the school should 7 commend him e pecially to our peopie and to the parents' of the children entrusted to its tuition. We understood a bill is before the State Legislature providing for the appropriation of some $50,000 to more thoroughly equip and enlarge the scope of the chool and make it somewhat adequate to the needs of all the deaf children of the State. This bill is pre ented specifically for three purposes: '1'0 connect the old and new dormitories by an annex some 5Ox90 feet, three stories and basement. This to afford the needed leeping rooms for pupils and avoid the present 'Congestion in the boys' dormitory. To increase the water power plant to 50,000 gallons capacity in the stand pipe, and to reinforce the dynamo capacity by water motor so that electric lights may be maintained throughout the night. The power plant now closes down at 10 0 'clock and the neces ary lighting of halls is done by lamps which are a menace not only to the buildings but to the sleeping pupils as well. To complete the basement of the new boy , dormitory and provide gymnasium and better bathing facilities. To construct a barn f.or the use of the proposed farming and dairying department. This department would carry al 0 the raising of poultry and illustrate the smaller farm economies that are being fo tered in the great "back to the farm" movement of our State. The present methods of industrial instruction would nece arily take away from tbe farm home the young man who may have become a printer, shoe maker, cabinet worker, painter, blacksmith, or other workman the s'chool may turn out. The young woman who has been educated, besides her tudies, in the art {)f the seamstre s, laundry work~r, basket maker, would have her usefulness in- 8 , creased as a home helper and housekeeper by the practical and scientific work in dairying, poultry, and bee keeping, horticulture and small fruits, the new department may include in it scope. Such a sum as proposed, and for the purposes outlined above, would be one of the best investments the State could make. It will add to the usefulness and more fully meet the needs of the institution that stand today as Georgia's pride in economic effectivene s. We recommend at lea t one more supervi or for the boys. A faithful one i now in charge, but there are too many boys for one man to properly direct. If one could take charge of the smaller pupils and one could have the larger ones a more adequate supervi ion in the dormitory, tudy hall, and recreation hours could be given. We noticed no disorderline s in any respect but we would readily see the need of an additional man in this work. We suggest further that a school census of children totally deaf, or too deaf to enter the common schools of the State, be made by the County School Commi sioners. We ubmit that a mere recital of numbers would be