INSTITUTIONS FOR DEAF AND DUMB. 2. REPORTS OF SUPERINTENDENTS. NEW YORK INSTITUTION FOR THE INSTRUCTION OF THE DEAF AND DUMB. Hon. J. F. CROOKER, Superintendent of Public Instruction: Sir. I present herewith the seventy-sixth annual report of this, the oldest institution for the education of the deaf, in the State: There were under instruction for the year ending September 30, 1894, 390 pupils, of whom 259 were males and 131 females.. Of these, 228 were supported by the State; 125 under 12 years, by the counties; 31 by the counties a part of the year, and by the State the remainder thereof; 4 by parents and guardians; and 2 by the institution. The whole number of teachers, including the principal, is 23, 8 gentlemen and 15 ladies; of these, 5 gentlemen and 13 ladies are hearing; 1 gentleman and 2 ladies are semi-mutes; 1 gentleman partially deaf; and 1 gentleman deaf, all experienced specialists, and to these has been intrusted the classroom work. The trade schools have been under the charge of 13 instructors, 8 gentlemen and 5 ladies; of whom 6 gentlemen and 5 ladies are hearing, and 2 gentlemen semi-mutes. During the year the institution has, under the direction of the directors, been most thoroughly equipped in every department so that it may be safely asserted that there is no superior in the State. Chartered in 1817, with DeWitt Clinton, it first president, it has had the benefit of wise direction throughout these succeeding years and, as a result of long experience, has reached the highest point of usefulness in its special line of work. A two The principal improvements of the year have been: story brick addition to the Mansion House, 80 x 36, on the first floor of which are 5, classrooms, each 25 x 16, and 12 feet high, designed with particular attention to light and ventilation. Each classroom is furnished in conformity with the needs of little children and devoted to the special subjects-kindergartening, speech, aural development, and manual instruction. The classrooms open upon a wide corridor leading to the old building, and also to the staircase to the upper floor. This floor is utilized as a dormitory for 70 little boys under 10 years of age, and has, in addition, a large toilet-room, with all modern improvements, and apartment for the attendant supervisor. The total cost of this building was about $8,500, and it was occupied on the 8th day of November last. A perfectly equipped gymnasium, under the care of a competent physical director, was opened on the 1st of April. Physical measurements and examinations were made of every pupil and a special course of exercises for securing proper chest development and correctness of breathing begun. From this systematic daily training it is to be expected that not only the highest results in articulation teaching will be secured, but also an elasticity of carriage and a ready response of muscles to the will, removing, in great measure, marked defects incidental to deafness. A complete system of rain-baths have taken the place of tank and tub, giving to this institution the most perfect sanitary bathing arrangements. A new fireproof power, laundry and servants' dormitory building, situated at the extreme northern boundary of the institution property, was completed in August at a cost of $33,000, replacing the dilapidated frame structure which had for 26 years served these purposes. These improvements were made possible by the use of funds obtained from private sources, not a single dollar of public money having been expended therefor. The observance of Arbor Day, according to the program prepared by the Department of Public Instruction, has become a regular feature of our school year, and a splendid specimen of oak was planted on the institution grounds by the pupils. At a convention of the American Association to Promote the Teaching of Speech to the Deaf, held at Chautauqua, July 3-10, I presented a paper upon "The History of Articulation Teaching in the New York Institution," which possessed peculiar interest from the fact that this was the first oral school established in America. The system of instruction now employed is broadly eclectic. A study of the needs of each pupil is made, and the method to be used is determined by the needs of the individual, the aim being to give to each an ability to use the English language with ease and correctness, so that oral, aural and manual methods are followed as the exigencies may indicate. Very respectfully yours, ENOCH HENRY CURRIER, Principal. West One Hundred and Sixty-third street and Boulevard, New York city, October 19, 1894. INSTITUTION FOR THE IMPROVED INSTRUCTION OF DEAF-MUTES. Hon. J. F. CROOKER, Superintendent of Public Instruction: Sir.-In compliance with your request to send the usual statement of facts concerning this institution for publication in the forthcoming annual report of your Department, I beg leave to submit the following: During the school year which has just come to a close there were connected with this school 218 pupils. Of this number, 128 were State pupils, 77 were county pupils, 12 were pay pupils, 1 was a free pupil. The corps of instruction consisted of 16 regular teachers and 5 special teachers. Of the regular teachers, 13 are ladies and 3 are gentlemen; of the special teachers, 4 are gentlemen and 1 is a lady. The regular course of study, which was pursued during the period covered by this report, embraces: Kindergarten work, articulation, lip-reading, penmanship, reading, language lessons, composition, arithmetic, complete; form study, natural philosophy, chemistry, geography, of all countries; history, natural history, geometry, bookkeeping, freehand drawing, from copies, casts, and natural objects; instrumental drawing. The special lessons were in: Clay modeling, oil painting, cooking, plain sewing, dressmaking, woodwork and metal-work. This course of study, which differs materially from that used in the common schools, has been devised with special regard to the needs and requirements of the class of pupils whom we have in our charge. I take it to be our chief duty to the State, to enable these pupils to become self-supporting when they leave school. The only way in which they can support themselves is by engaging in some manual pursuit. With few exceptions, deaf-mutes have to make their living by the labor of their hands. Occasionally we find one who is successfully carrying on some business, or who is holding a position as clerk or bookkeeper, etc., but such cases are rare, and the great mass of our pupils have to enter shops and factories when they leave school. Hence, it seems that we can not do better than bend all our energies toward developing their powers of observation and training their eyes and their hands while they are in school. We have 25 school hours a week. Of these 25 hours, we devote in the advanced classes 11 hours each week to the study of physics, chemistry, geometry, freehand drawing and instrumental drawing. In the lower classes, also, a considerable portion of the school time is given up to drawing, form-study and clay-modeling. Besides, all the boys over 14 years of age spend eight hours each week in the manual training department, and some spend from three to five hours additional in the art studio. From these statements it will be seen that the greater part of the time of the older pupils is given up to such subjects as have a direct bearing upon ordinary trades, and a knowledge of which can be practically applied in the workshops to which they have to go when they leave school. It must be gratifying to every one who is charitably inclined, that of late years there has been a considerable decrease in the proportion of deaf-mute children in the State to those who can hear and speak. The decrease is especially noticeable among the better classes of the population. This can be explained in the following way: Only a comparatively small percentage of these afflicted children are born with their infirmities. The great majority of them lose their hearing at an early age, through some accident or through the common children's diseases, such as measles, scarlet fever, diphtheria, etc. It is well known that in these ailments proper nursing is just as important as medical attendance, if not more so. If, nowadays. a child whose parents are in good circumstances, is taken sick with one of these diseases, they will at once engage one or two trained nurses, who will watch the child carefully and intelligently, day and night, and if the least symptom appears of a complication which may affect the ear, they will discover it at once, and a medical specialist will be called for consultation. The result in most cases is that the child recovers from his illness without being left deaf. The competent aurists that are now to be found in almost any city, large or small, and the trained nurses that can be procured almost anywhere, have, in my opinion, been instrumental in greatly reducing the number of deaf-mutes among the children of the better classes. It is to be hoped that before long the benefits of proper medical treatment and of good nursing will become available to the children of the poor as well as to those of the rich. Taking into consideration the fact that from year to year deafmutism becomes more and more limited to the children of the poor, who are obliged to make their own living after leaving this institution, there is additional reason why our course of study should be shaped in such a manner that our pupils receive that kind of information and that kind of skill which they can directly apply in their future occupations. Respectfully submitted, D. GREENE, Principal. Lexington Avenue (between Sixty-seventh and Sixty-eighth streets), New York, October 6, 1894. ST. JOSEPH'S INSTITUTE FOR THE IMPROVED INSTRUC TION OF DEAF-MUTES. Hon. J. F. CROOKER, Superintendent of Public Instruction: Sir.-During the year ending September 30, there were in attendance at the three schools of St. Joseph's Institute 375 pupils. Of these, 184 were State and 156 county pupils, the remaining 32 were supported by guardians. The schoolroom work of the last year was carried on in accordance with the oral method adopted in 1888, and the branches taught are those pursued in the public schools. As stated in my last report, we recognize the importance of manual training for the deaf and have endeavored to secure firstclass teachers for the various industries. On an average, two hours a day are devoted to industrial training in the senior department and from 30 minutes to an hour in the junior department. As a rule the pupils appreciate the advantages afforded them through the liberality of the State and are eager to improve. Very respectfully yours, CELESTINE SCHOTTMULLER, Westchester, November 10, 1894. CENTRAL NEW YORK INSTITUTION FOR DEAF MUTES. Hon. J. F. CROOKER, Superintendent of Public Instruction: Sir. In accordance with your request and custom I have the pleasure of submitting for your consideration a review of the operations of the Central New York Institution for Deaf-Mutcs for the year ending September 30, 1894. There were connected with the school on September 30, 1893 — 132 pupils - 66 boys and 66 girls. Since that time 15 (eight boys and seven girls) have been admitted, making the total enrollment for the year 147 pupils-74 boys and 73 girls-15 have severed their connection, of which number nine were returned to their parents on account of the expiration of their terms; one was discharged, not being a fit subject; one died; and four were detained at home by parents (cause unknown), leaving 67 males and 65 females, a total of 132, connected with the institution on the 30th of September, 1894. Of the whole number, 98 were supported by the State of New York and 49 by the counties. The institution in all its depart |