TABLE VII-CONTINUED. matively, the receipts and expenditures for each fiscal year since 1850. RECEIPTS. EXPENDITURES. $ 6,026 02 14,150 01 $20,563 30 $13,703 00 $ 1,500 00 $ 1,617 75 $ 3,742 61 $20,563 36 7,857 11 3,670 99 116,175 22 3,725 95,333,076 95 153,232 80 55,764 30 16,047 00 106,650 26 331,694 36 FIFTH BIENNIAL REPORT OF THE MISSOURI INSTITUTION FOR THE EDUCATION OF THE BLIND, TO THE TWENTY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY. BOARD OF TRUSTEES. JAMES E. YEATMAN, President. GEORGE PARTRIDGE, Vice President. T. B. EDGAR, Treasurer. S. POLLAK, M. D. REV. H. A. NELSON, D. D. FELIX COSTE. STANDING COMMITTEES. ADMISSION AND DISCHARGE, S. POLLAK, M. D.; Rev. H. A. NELSON, D. D. INSTRUCTION, FELIX COSTE, S. POLLAK, M. D. WORKSHOP, T. B. EDGAR, WARREN CURRIER. FINANCE, GEORGE PARTRIDGE, WARREN CURRIER. OFFICERS OF THE INSTITUTION. PRINCIPAL, HENRI R. FOSTER. ASSISTANT, D. R. HAYNES. ASSISTANT TEACHERS, MRS. E. HOUCKE, MISS ANNA ZATTMAN, MISS CHRISTINA RENTZ. MISS CHRISTINA RENTZ, MISS JENNIE D. NEAL, MISS BELLE PAINTER. MATRON, MRS. JULIA S. WILKINSON. WORKSHOP, ANDREW KEICHLE, Foreman. GIRLS' WORKROOM, (In charge of the Matron.) ATTENDING PHYSICIAN, S. POLLAK, M. D. CONSULTING PHYSICIANS, C. A. POPE, M. D.; J. B. ALLEYNE, M. D. REPORT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES. To the Honorable General Assembly of the State of Missouri : The charter of this institution makes it obligatory on the trustees to make a report to every biennial regular meeting of the General Assembly. In performing this duty they must first express their fervent gratitude to Almighty God for His continued protection of, and favor to, this institution. During the years of the calamitous civil war its doors were not closed nor its operations interrupted; and during the recently prevailing ravaging epidemic, cholera, when death held a carnival in our city, sparing neither age nor sex-when the rich and poor fell alike victims to this fell destroyer, it passed by the threshold of this institution without crossing it. This immunity from pending evil could not have been effected by human agency; it was manifestly the work of a merciful Providence. The late President of the Board of Trustees, the Rev. Dr. T. M. Post, felt constrained to resign on account of enfeebled health and multitudinous other pressing and not less important engagements. This institution owes him many thanks for his invaluable services during his long connection with the board, and they are herewith respectfully tendered. Mr. George D. Hall, a member, and Secretary of the board, withdrew from it on account of unavoidable frequent absence from the city and the urgent demands of his business on his time. The Rev. H. A. Nelson and the Hon. Felix Coste were appointed in their stead. Also, the late Principal, Mr. Philatus Fales, saw fit to sever his connection with this institution and to accept a call to a new institution of learning, to a position more remunerative and more congenial to his taste. He has the thanks of the institution for services faithfully and successfully performed, and the best wishes of the board for his continued happiness. Mr. H. R. Foster has been elected his successor. He is a man who has made teaching his profession, is a mild but firm disciplinarian, and has given evidence of superior administrative ability. He is ably seconded by a very competent corps of assistant teachers-both seeing and blind-and it is hoped that this institution will retain its reputation as being, though one of the youngest, yet one of the best and most practically successful institutions in the United States. To the "Braille-type system of reading, writing, cyphering and music for the blind," of which mention has been made in former reports, are mainly due the great practical results this institution has attained, so as to place it in the front rank of any like institution in the land. Our pupils may boldly challenge those of other institutions to a match in spelling, reading and writing, both of language and music. The adaptation of the Braille system to the English language, and its successful intr duction in this institution and perhaps in this country, is chiefly if not exclusively due to the indefatigable and intelligent efforts of the professor of music, Mr. Henry Robyn. He has recently visited several institutions of the blind, West and East, in the interest of the blind. He has given to their respective managers some practical and convincing demonstrations of the working of the Braille system, which it is hoped will not be seed cast on a barren soil. We refer particularly to the report of Mr. Robyn about his visit to the various institutions in the East and West. It is much to be regretted that the older institutions of this country, especially East, are so slow, even reluctant, to adopt a system of types which has established its superiority both in Europe and America. In Iowa, Wisco sin, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan and Ohio this system is being introduced. How long will the older institutions resist the popular and, it seems to us, just demand for the type which is getting to be the universal type for the blind in the old and new country? Why multiply the difficulties and cost of educating the blind, when experience has proven that, with the Braille system, the schooling of the blind can be wonderfully facilitated, and be made as thorough as that of seeing? Where is the school in the land where a pupil can print his own books, or his music? That which appears as being unnecessary, if not impossible with the seeing, can be daily witnessed in this institution, as being done by the blind, by nearly each individual pupil with the Braille apparatus. Besides, with the simple and very cheap press and types invented by the professor of music, Mr. Henry Robyn, this institution can supply all the schools for the blind in the United States with reading matter and music, at half the cost it is held now for the seeing. The whole work of transcribing, type-setting and printing could and would be done by the blind, and thus be adding new means of livelihood to the otherwise limited number at the disposal of the blind. In the Mechanical Department-workshop-broom making alone has been taught of late years, it being a trade easily acquired, and which can be carried on with small means. But the board has resolved to resume the manufacture of brushes, as being the next most remunerative, and of comparative easy acquisition. This will give four paying trades to the choice of the male pupils, viz: Broom and brush making, piano tuning, type-setting and printing in Braille; while the female pupils acquire, besides a practical knowledge of sewing, knitting, crocheting and bead work, the art of type-setting. To two of the female pupils this institution is indebted for the large and very valuable stock of music and some of the elementary school books. The spirit of the age demands a Home for the Blind-that is, an establishment where the educated blind might find a place to carry on the trades, which he or she acquired at school, without being obliged to go out in search of work, or to dispose of the manufactured articles. The home should find work for the industrious blind, furnish shop rooms, tools and the raw materials, and undertake the sale of the manufactured ware free of charge. The home should furnish board and lodging to those only who are able to pay for it, but it would be more desirable if they should board elsewhere, and only come daily to the home, as the seeing mechanics to their workshop or factory. Such a home should be under the control of the trustees of the Institution for the Education of the Blind, but otherwise be entirely disconnected and independent of it. A home once properly organized and furnished should and could be self-sustaining. Such homes are connected with all the institutions for the blind, East and in Europe. They are indispensable charities for the blind, in order to make the knowledge acquired at the workshop of some good and practical effect. In view of the known difficult cond tion of the finances of the State, we refrain from asking an appropriation at present for this important object, but trust that the year is not distant in which the Legislature will be able and disposed to make such appropriation. The building of the institution has become inadequate for the accommodation and proper schooling of the present number of pupils. For the efficient classification of the scholars more rooms are required. Especially is this the case in the musical department; the sounds of the pianos and other musical instruments are being heard all over the house for twelve hours every day, materially annoying those engaged in mental studies, and disturbing those requiring repose. There is not an infirmary room for either males or females, the want of which has not been much felt, on account of the immunity from serious sickness this institution enjoyed until the last winter, when several cases of typhoid fever and pneumonia admonished the board of the necessity of making immediate provisions for an infirmary. In the present building it is impossible without disarranging the school and the whole order of the house. If, in the providence of God, disease should visit this institution, both the sick and well would fare badly. The school would have to be much disturbed, perhaps suspended, or the wants of the sick would have to remain unattended to. Heaven forbid that such an alternative should have to be resorted to. With the view of remedying the evil, the board resolved to add a wing to the present building, to correspond with it in style; the wing to be forty-eight by twenty-five feet, to have three stories and a basement. The later to contain the laterine, lavatory and baths for boys; the first floor to contain two class rooms; the second and third stories, two chambers each; each floor to connect with the floor of the main building by a covered way, as per accompanying plan and specifications. The contract price would be about $20,000, for which we earnestly petition the honorable General Assembly to make provision. In the report of 1864 it was fully demonstrated that this institution has been carried on more economically than any other in the United States but one, in Ohio. Yet, owing to the |