Remarks upon the education of deaf mutes : in defence of the doctrines of the second annual report of the Massachusetts Board of State Charities and in reply to the charges of the Rev. Collins Stone.

  • Howe, S. G. (Samuel Gridley), 1801-1876.
Date:
1866
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Remarks upon the education of deaf mutes : in defence of the doctrines of the second annual report of the Massachusetts Board of State Charities and in reply to the charges of the Rev. Collins Stone. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by King’s College London. The original may be consulted at King’s College London.

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    The whole thing is taken upon faith. 'Now, we our- selves do not lack faith in the honesty and ability of those to whose care they are committed; but officials should walk by light, and not by faith. We say there is nothing deserving the name of examination, for it would be a mistake to call the present practice by such a name. The Governor and Council, in their annual progress among State institutions, sometimes go out of our bor- ders, and visit the asylum at Hartford. The prac- tice is a good one, and certain good results follow; but surely nobody will pretend that there is, or can be, upon that occasion, anything like an examina- tion. It is merely an exhibition to a highly intel- ligent and sympathetic audience. Then, once in a year, the Legislatm'e aj)points a committee to look after public charitable institu- tions generally, and especially to see that they do not spend too much money. This committee makes a general inspection of all the charitable and penal institutions in the State; and once a year they visit the Connecticut asylum. They have reason to be pleased by what they witness; and they generally give the institution a complunentary notice in their report. It. is well known, however, that members are not selected with a view to their ability or fitness for judging the merits of a S3^stem of instruction for mutes, and that their single flying ivisit is only a general inspection. It is not, and