FOURTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT.

Of the Directors of the New-York Institution for the Instruction of the Deaf and Dumb, to the Legislature of the State of NewYork, for the year 1832.

The directors of the New-York Institution for the Instruction of the Deaf and Dumb, are permitted, under the gracious smiles of a kind Providence, to present to the Legislature their fourteenth annual report, embracing a record of their transactions for the year eighteen hundred and thirty-two.

By referring to the treasurer's account, which is hereunto annexed, it will be seen, that the income of the society, from all sources, during this period, amounts to fifteen thousand, seven hundred and fifty-two dollars and fifty-two cents, falling short of the amount received in 1831 by fourteen hundred and fifty dollars and seventy-seven cents. It will be perceived, that this deficiency is wholly in that branch of the revenue derived from the sales of lottery licenses in this city; while the aggregate receipts from those pupils who sustain the expense of their own board and tuition, are considerably increased.

For reasons which were stated in their last report, the excess of disbursements over their income, during the preceding year, was five hundred and forty-seven dollars and eighty-nine cents. This balance has since been paid, and two thousand dollars have been applied to the reduction of the debt incurred for the erection of the building; leaving in the hands of the treasurer, on the thirtyfirst day of December, one thousand, one hundred and forty-five dollars and twenty-nine cents.

The drafts made upon the treasury for current expenses amount to twelve thousand and eighty-eight dollars and thirty-four cents; and if the proceeds of the place, which have been collected and paid over to the treasurer, are deducted, this sum will be reduced to eleven thousand, five hundred and seventy-two dollars and twenty-three cents.

A detailed account of the management of the concerns of the institution, was given in the last report. The plan of operations

therein submitted, and which was then in a course of experiment, has been found to meet most fully the wants of the institution.

During the past year, the general health of the pupils has been unusually good. Upon the first appearance of cholera in the city, the anxiety of parents in the interior of the State was intense; and, partaking of the general panic which seized our own citizens, and induced such multitudes to fly in all directions from the dreaded pestilence, they, in some instances, removed their children from the Asylum. Desirous of allaying this anxiety, and of doing all in their power for the safety of their interesting charge, the directors caused a circular to be addressed to the Special Medical Council, and to other physicians of the first talents and professional ability, stating the facts with regard to the location of the building, and soliciting their opinion whether any causes existed, connected with its situation, which might have a tendency to invite the disease; and whether it would be judicious to remove our pu pils to some place which might be deemed less obnoxious to its attacks. The concurrent testimony of these gentlemen confirmed the views previously taken by the Board, of the inexpediency of adopting any other measures, than those which a wise precaution would suggest, to meet the anticipated evil. And we desire to record the fact, with devout gratitude to Him, at whose bidding diseases come and go, that while many were cut down on the right hand and on the left, the destroying angel was not permitted to enter the Asylum, and no case of cholera occurred among the pupils.

Amid general prosperity, and for the most part the enjoyment of individual health, it becomes their painful duty to announce the death of their lamented associate, John Slidell, who was one of the founders of the institution, and its undeviating friend. His mind was ever active in devising measures to affect its enlargement, in order that its power to afford relief might be commensurate with the wants of that portion of the community for whose benefit it was designed; and it is hoped that his devoted example will exert a happy influence upon those who are now, and who may hereafter be entrusted with the management of its affairs.

In the mechanical department, the number of occupations submitted to the choice of the pupils or their friends, has been increased by adding that of cabinet-making, and the several branches are so

conducted as nearly to sustain themselves. All the occupations, gardening, tailoring, shoe-making and cabinet-making, are under the direction of skillful workmen of unexceptionable character. The time which is daily spent in the acquisition of a trade, is about four and a half hours. The benefits resulting from manual labor are immediate as well as prospective. It gives vigor to the constitution, elasticity to the frame, and promotes cheerfulness and good feeling, while it holds out the certain prospect of future support. Experience has fully demonstrated the fact, that these advantages, and many more, are realized under this system, which, at the same time, has proved an auxiliary to the more rapid development of intellect.

The actual number of pupils returned to the last Legislature was eighty-seven. Two who were admitted, but who had not arrived at the date of the last report, increased the list to eightynine. Fifteen have been admitted during the past year, and the same number dismissed; making the whole number resident in the Asylum on the 31st day of December, 1832, eighty-seven.

In the month of November, three unexpected vacancies occurred in the list of State pupils, in consequence of erroneous views of parental duty. In each of these cases, the removal took place two years before the expiration of the period provided for by law; but the consideration of pecuniary advantage, as the avails of their labor, outweighed every argument which could be urged in favor of their remaining. But these are not the only instances of this kind that have occurred, and no allusion would now be made to them, if the evil, reasoning from the past to the future, were not likely to prove a serious one; but strange as it may seem, there are some who calculate on the sordid principles of loss and gain, how much they have to sacrifice in giving up the emoluments of their children's labor, during the time that is to be spent in acquiring the benefits and the solace of a useful education; and who, placing a higher estimate upon the products of their hands, than upon the acquisitions of their minds, actually deprive them of one or two years' instruction, to which they are entitled by the bounty of the State, and which, but for parental avarice, they would enjoy. As a consequence, they leave the Asylum half educated. Their attainments are neither creditable to themselves, to the State, nor to the Institution. They can derive no pleasure from the perusal of books, are unable, except on a very limited scale,

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to hold intercourse with the world around them, and their knowledge of language is insufficient to aid their future efforts for iment. And yet, with this small amount of knowledge, they go out and mingle in society as specimens of what can be effected in the education of deaf mutes. And hence the general impression, that these children of misfortune cannot be brought to think, and reason, and use language as a medium of thought and intercourse; but must grope their way through life, with only a few glimmerings of intellectual light, destined, from the very nature of their condition, never to behold the brightness of a full-orbed sun. They occupy, for a short time, a place, to the exclusion of those who might otherwise appreciate, and diligently improve their privileges, and leave it, perhaps, at a season the most inconvenient to fill the vacancy. Enlightened public opinion, and the influence which can now be exerted by the Superintendent of Common Schools, in conjunction with the efforts of the directors, are confidently relied upon to provide the appropriate remedy.

The law passed on the 23d of April, 1832, requiring the overseers of the poor in each town to furnish the Superintendent of Common Schools with a list of the deaf and dumb persons in their respective towns, in order that he may select, as State pupils, such as are properly embraced within the provisions of the existing laws, and make such regulations in relation to the admission of pupils at stated periods, as will remove the inconvenience of permitting pupils of the same class to enter the school at different periods, has not yet been carried into effect; owing to the time necessary for the Secretary of State to prepare instructions to the overseers, to print and distribute the laws prescribing the duties of these officers. At his suggestion, therefore, the class which entered in the month of October, was formed from the list of applications made to the principal of the Institution.

It was stated in the last report, that the system of government and discipline, embracing a supervision of the pupils, during their hours of relaxation and labor, as well as those of study, was incomplete in some of its details. The deficiencies have since been supplied, and, during no portion of the twenty-four hours are the pupils exempted from its operation. The Board would embrace the present opportunity to express their conviction of its importance. Of all visible means for promoting the practice of morality, and encouraging a correct and manly deportment among youth, the