The Texas State Gazette. (Austin, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 18, Ed. 1, Monday, December 21, 1857 Page: 3 of 4
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BUSTERS
i THE BL1
ELU5S
2Sth. u
Texai .
fcr educat
Inual Rcpor
isibility to
)lic.
I to OTSmklz.e
wuicq tor
lias ting brrH
lato class of i
this dav b
u( of th
tract ef th.
M 1st IS51
li . -
M tiic accoiml
nth fjr!ir-)
i I
BLLl I
J
Secretary
MB.
rusteen.
ISecratarr.
IH .
:
W
tn thi;
riutend-
ined and
of paniLf
y of book.
us sufficient
lcrpd in ex
it' SJKVtfSed
Iril of Trni-
and avail -
tosc Inter
of various
r of these
call and
I
ur
nnayivani
received a
writh a copy
oiwltment
re of Ohio
ranee &c"
rt wggw-
abliahmeat
lublic. To
r.
itation of
lineal Re-
per with &
nstitntion.
f the beat
of ducat-
ditaa
a beginning as would entitle it to a favorable consideratkn ' A committee of seven gentlemen was appointed to attend 'tures of the Institution from its commencement up to October
aSFST mtituony in other State. the exam i pat ion And make a written -report to the trustees first 1857. . .. -
AH tne necessary preliminary fdeps having kn taken in upon the improvement of the pupils and the general condition All of which is respectfully submitted.
fiHWT that tbf Rohnnl mirrK lw ;n j;.n C iL. .. z. ft .1 i i i i r r . i .i . i a TIT DiVPtl
" 7 . - . ""&- " 'ra'ucra iir mc reception oi tne scnooi. un tne uav appointed the examination tooK o. n . dahm. --
ti iiniiu u t Track vi win j-i a. . .. . . ; mj: . J Ida - .
""rrrr -: " "" auove specmeu. notice was given by place and was att
attended by every member of the committee
Austin October 27 1857.
The report of the committee was received on the Saturday: ffe following is a Schedule of the expenditures to October
following the eighteenth and was ordered to be printed and i or .
distributed as extensively as nossihle
j . r .
To show the opinion of the committee in regard to the i r "V""1 UUUBe aHa iaaa3 onti r
'n 3
-lv '..; i . .. : j
puDiiK.uon in ine newspapers in this city accompanied by a and a large number of citizens from Austin and its vicinity.
1CH- " ucwouaperu m oiner Kections ot the Btate would
copy the same. This notice stated the time wh.;n' the school
would commence the names of the officers and the condi
tions UTKier wnicn pupils were to be received.
Notwithstanding these effort the Dublic were sW in ft.
i.ninj tn no tk; r..nGA. ii - improvement iinu conaition oi tne scnooi. a tew extracts irom ' . . '
unwiuicoi uecemncr Kobert McKachern son of Dun- -- v "Matron
can McEachtrn of Rusk. Cherokee county was admitted. " First in general terms that they were agreeably sur- "Teacher
He was seventeen years of ug.- well grown and healthy his Irised in every particular connected with the Institution." j hooks maps and slates -
mind che- rful and active and he jKsesses more thanan or- ''Ah ntuer aud instant engagements had kept most of the milsical instrument (Piano)
dinary capacity for receiving instruction committee trom -isiting the Institution up to the time of the . servant hire -
On::.e third day of January. 18f7 Kobert A. Jones son of lamination they were not prepared to witness u progress so j flui? ....
C'rawibrd Jons of Travi county M admitted. He was nine; rapid. " uoor in gasdeo
fars of age his health feeble and his physical and mental Again: " The examination of the pujiils embraced spelling J To this must be added am't of sal-
powers but imperfectly dev. loped. He was entirely uninstruct-' nading. geography history arithmetic and English Grammar. ( aries due Oct. 1st to Sup'tand
ed eo much o that he could not count rive. Their knowledge of history geography and grammar had been ; Pliy'n. from Aug. 20th to Oct.
t m :ho ntteenth of the same month Robert A.Davis sonjacquired in about rourmontus. Ana we nazard uotnug in; 1st -of
Mr-' Doctor Bows of Barditfs l'rairi- Travis coontr was saying that if the same progress had been made by the same . Matron Aug. 20th to Oct. 1st
admitted. He was eleven v-ars of age. and of a f'ooil j.hvsi- I pupils with the use ot their eyes under the ordinary modes oi Teacher. Sept. 1st to Oct. 1st 41
cal and mental development. He had been blind two years teaching and training their advancement would have been Serv't hire toll. B.Eggleston. four
. I - . m I 1 "I h. . . i .- . . . 1 . t . . I . r f I - f il T 1 - A
.rouuuuveu uuauiiui. months anu ten aavs . - :4
in speaKing oi tne appearance oi the pupils they
Superintendent.
qrs
u
1900 00
675 42
913 40
450 00
187 50
375 00
266 84
266 07
105 00
111 00
49 Q0 j
Though 4ue
sizty-foar
dollars aad
sevenlr-tw
. cota had
not ba
drawn fro
Treasury oo
October lit.
6')
-79
J'
I
)
Miu pr .viuiis to his loss ol MirJit had made some progress in
the rudiments of the common branches of learning. His mind
well !alanced and active and his capacity for receiving in-
struction equal to that of any boy of his age.
On the twenty-third of the same month William L. Moore
of Palestine Anderson county was admitted. He was twenty-five
years of age and had been blind from childhood. About
two years previous to his coming here he had spent three
months in the Louisville Institution for the Education of the
Blind in Kentucky. For six weeks of this time he was sick
and unable to be in the school room ; the remainder of his
short stay was spent in learning to read the raised letters aud
to spell in both of which branches he made such progress as
to be able to read short and simple words with considerable
readinesw. He had received no other instruction.
Of :h-j two former pupils McEachern was born blind and
Jones became so at the age of one and a half years. With the
exception of Moore above stated none of the others had ever
felt a raised letter printed for the use of the blind. The books
which !iad been ordered early in September did not arrive
t the middle ot March but a lew cards with raised letters
-yof "The. Blind Child's fcooV and a "Slate for the
supplied us with what in the commencement of the
is most needed. In addition to reading spelling and
instruction was given in mental arithmetic and gram-
enthof March another blind child was added to the
ederick William Palm from York's Creek. Hays
ere hi father had resided for two years. He was
-sia. and became blind from an attack of scarlet
age of five years. He remained with us about four
during tins time made rio progress whatever in
not so much as to speak one word uf
ask for anything he might want. Neither
native language. The services of leam-
repeatedlv procured in order to see
1 be crowned with better success than
ken to of home its objects of afteetion
sure both in his own and in his adopted
the result if their efforts was as
part of etxh day was sient in
little beys and attempts were
ne articles with which he was
ng his stay he repeated words
as I could understand without
ular meaning. Every expedient
vd in order bo attract his attention
in his mind. Toys childish sports.
i music both vocal and instrumental were
'earning
67
78
67
w
and u
ridimr. v
each resorted f in their turn and each were alike destitute
of all power t. waken a pleasurable emotion in his soul. His
health was btl when he came and continued so during his
entire stav. lor several weeks he was confined to his bed
with severe atticks of ' Chorea." Medical treatment relieved
these attacks bet accomplished nothing in restoring his gene-
ral health. He was said to have talked before he came here
mm) t- v.v. oivn evidence of nosfreasinc the faculty of imita
tion is St markedilegree.
Was this wceecrful change the effect of Nostalgia of in
other words home-sickness r
He was sent home on the nineteenth day of July I have
thought the ahe account of this boy wouid not be out of
place in this Keport as ne was one among me urei ui um
pupils and for e reasons here stated was sent home.
TV five pupib above named constituted the entire number
of our school lor the first term.
At the end of thf? first quarter W. G. Yates who had been our
teacher resigned; and his place was supplied by Wm. 0.
Otis. The boob for the school arrived about the middle of
March and from this time a more extended and systematic
course 'of instruction was adopted. There were several public
examinations aal the school was visited by strangers from
various part6 of tie State.
The branches ao taught are Reading Writing Spelling
with definitions Arithmetic both mental and by the slate
History Geograpif English Grammar and from the first oi
June VocalMusk and the Piano.
At a Kwvtinir of (the trustees on the ninth day of July it
was voted there should be an annual vacation commencing
this year on thestfeenth day of July and continuing until
the first Monday i September ; and after this year to com-
oMBoa on the first Monday in July and continue to the first
Monday in Septenhlr- "v j
It was also voted hat a public examination should be had
this year on the U? ...previous to the vacation.
ay :
"On their faces were stamped their inner thoughts and feel
ings concerning the progress they were making and the pleas-
ure they derived from the acquisition of knowledge and the
kindness of those to whose care and guidance they were com
mitted.
Immediately after the close of the term all the pupils with
the exception of Moore returned home.
On the twenty-second of July and during the vacation
Ambrose M. Nipps was admitted. He is twenty-five years of
age and lias been blind two years. When admitted he could
not read and was in all respects as ignorant as a man could
well be who had lived that period of time in a civilized com-
munity. On the twenty-third of August Elender P. Jackson from
Ellis county near Waxahachie was received. She is healthy
and of an active intelligent mind and in all resjects a pro-
mising pupil.
On the tenth of September Peronela Bailey from Decro's
Point Calhoun county was received. She is eleven years of
age and has also l?en blind from infancy. Her mind seems
active enough but entirely uncultivated ; and her general
appearance indicates a lax and feeble habit of body inclining
to scrofula.
Thus it will be seen that up to the first of October hut
eight pupils had been received and but seven of this number
were suitable candidates to be continued in the school.
There are probably in this State about one hundred blind
white persons ; and after making suitable deductions for those
who should be excluded by age idiotey. epilepsy and other
forms of disease which would render them unfit inmates for
such an Institution there must still remain thirty who are
proper subjects for education; and their own happiness and
tl.e g.-od of society demand that they should be here. And it
is not for want of proper efforts on the part of those who have
charge of the Institution that they are not. Unless we ''go
out and compel them to come in" we can do no more. Nor
is this a new difficulty or peculiar to us. It is the early history
of every Institution for educating the Blind in this cotmtry.
Mr. Ohapin Principal of the Pennsylvania Institution in a
letter dated September ninth 1856 says :
"In regard to your first steps to collect children together if
you have not already commenced it would be desirable if you
could get three or four intelligent blind children say between
the ages of nine and thirteen teach them to read the raised
letters a few vocal pieces and the Piano if there is a talent
for music some mental arithmetic and some familiarity with
the slate &c. When thus prepared however moderately let
the Principal or Teacher take these children and exhibit them
before the Legislature when in session and also travel to the
principal towns and on the most convenient routes giving a
public exhibition in each town. This would rouse a popular
interest in favor of the school which could not fail to bring
children to it. You may otherwise find as we all find great
difficulty in obtaining pupils."
The average ratio ot uunu persons in proportion to tne wnoie
population in this country is found to be as one to about two
thousand and seven hundred.
In 1854 Pennsylvania with a population of two millions
and two hundred thousand had at her school for the Blind
iu Philadelphia sixty-seven pupils or one to every thirty-
two thousand eight hundred and thirty-six.
In 1856 Michigan with a population exceeding half a
million had in her Institution nine pHpils or one to every
fifty-five thousand five hundred and fifty-five.
Texas with a white population exceeding three hundred
thousand lias eight pupils in her Institution or one to every
thirty-seven thousand five hundred. But it must be remem-
bered that Pennsylvania has been educating her blind chil-
dren for the last twenty-five years and is now educating at
the rate of sixty-seven every seven years or about ten every
year. In Texas the Blind have had no public provision for edu-
cation until now and the numbers have been accumulating ; so
that for every one that is in process of education at this time
there should be three. In other States where similar Institu-
tions have been established the average ratio which has been
gathered in during the first year does not exceed that of Texas.
After making due allowance for obstacles which must in
some degree have impeded its progress such as want of books
at the commencement of the first term and the short time
which was allowed to get up and furnish the Institution its
success has been truly gratifying.
Attached to this will be found a statement of the expendi-
17
12 50
S 61-
Serv't hire to R. D. Townes
" " " E. Clark
From this should bo deducted
rent prepaid from Oct. 1st to
Nov. 20th - - - $125 00
Cash in hand of Superintendent 50 00
Materials and willow work on
hand - - - - 80 08
-203 404502 03
$255 08
With the above credits then two hundred and )
fifty-five dollars and eight cents J
235 08
The actual expenses of the Institution are lour )
thousand twa hundred and forty-seven dollars .$4247 55
and fifty-five cents. )
Respectfully submitted
S. W. BAKER
Superintendent.
Read and adopted October 28th 1857.
TERMS OF .A-TDMISSIOIC : .
Those who are able to pay are charged seventy-five "dollars
per year for lxard and instruction. There is no charge made
to those who are not able to pay.
All pupils are expected to clothe themselves.
HOUSE JOURlf 4X8 :
Austin December 11th 1857.
Houte met pursuant to adjournment roll called and Ser-geant-at-Anus
dispatched for absentee?.
On motion Messrs. Buckly and Brown were excused from
attendance on the House on account of indisposition quorum
present gouma of yesterday read and adopted.
On motion of Mr. Locke Robt. Cotter was excused from
attendance on the House on account of sickness.
PETITIONS.
Mr. Cooley presented the memorial of citizens of Llano
county remonstrating against legislative action or enterpoei
tion relative to the location of the county seat of Llano county;
referred to the commit. ?e on Counties and County Boundaries.
Mr. Hart presented the petition of Snsana Lane ; referred
to the committee on Private Land Claims.
REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES.
Mr. Murrah one of the committee on Public Lands made
the following report relative to bringing into market the public
domain.
CouiriTTEE Room
Austin December 9 1857. j
To thk Hon. W. S. Taylor
Speaker of the House of Representatives :
The committee on Public Lands to whom was referred tor
consideration a resolution to enquire into the expediency of
bringing into market the public domain of the State hav
i are fully considered the same and they are of the opinion that
sound policy requires it.
Many reasons warranting this conclusion forced themselves
upon the attention of the committee.
The public domain is vast and will be of great value to th '
State provided a proper use is made of it but so long as it
remains unappropriated to individual use it is capital unin-
vested and inactive and like the vast mineral resources im-
bedded in our soil yield no profit. By exposing to sale the
public land we not only bring into the Treasury its price to
be employed by the State as her interest and policy demand
but the amount of taxable property is thus increased and the
general prosperity advanced by diminishing in that propor-
tion the tax imposed upon the people to defray the expenses
of the Government.
And again we are admonished that the State must adopt
this policy and adopt it speedily if she expects to gather
much profit from this legitimate source of her wealth and
power. Her public domain is daily passing away into certifi-
cates and grants issued at the instance of individuals ; and
these individual applications instead of diminishing in num-
bers increase with time and promise not only to become
more numerous but more importunate and stubborn as land
advances in value.
Compliance with the demands of one encourages others
and those who have slept upon their rights if rigle they ever
had for from ten to twenty years are now pressing wit.
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Marshall, John. The Texas State Gazette. (Austin, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 18, Ed. 1, Monday, December 21, 1857, newspaper, December 21, 1857; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth81323/m1/3/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.