presence of a teacher, who is at once loved and respected by his charge, is, without doubt, the most efficacious. Considered merely as a means of preventing the formation of rude, or vicious habits; of restraining the turbulence of passion, or of providing against whatever may excite it; of repressing conversation on trifling, or worse than trifling topics; of removing, in short, all temptations to grossness or violence, the importance of constant supervision cannot be over-estimated. In comparison with this, all lessons in morality, however frequently and feelingly inculcated; all laws, however rigid in their enactments, or severe in their penalties; all arguments addressed to the interest or the understanding; all ap peals to the conscience or the heart, are alike futile and alike unproductive. Results, which authority or persuasion, promises or threats, admonition or exhortation, would fail to accomplish, are the natural and certain consequences of the teacher's presence. If any have come to the Asylum with habits of rudeness, indolence, or vice already formed, here is an irresistible influence, constantly exerted, beneath which, those habits must wither away and perish.. And if any have come from under the ever-watchful eyes of anxious parents, who have thus far trained them up in the practice of virtue, around these too, is thrown a wall of defence against contamination, which shall preserve them safe, until we restore them to their friends, enlightened in intellect, and strengthened, as we hope, in every good purpose. And if it be desirable to correct evil habits, how much more so, to prevent their formation. If it be an object, worthy of our most anxious efforts, to guide the wanderer from virtue, back again to the narrow path, which he has forsaken, how much more, to give firmness to the step, which has never deviated, to convince him, who has always trod in wisdom's ways, that they are ways of pleasantness, and lead him to follow from choice, the course, which he has hitherto pursued from necessity. Since the adoption of this system, the anticipated benefits to the pupils have been strikingly manifested. Kindness and contentment prevail among them, and all the moral virtues are practised, which characterize a cheerful and happy community.

Evidence has been furnished the Board of their intellectual, as well as moral improvement; and a few specimens of uncorrected, original compositions are appended to this report, that the Legislature may have the means of judging of this for themselves.

The directors are happy to perceive that the interest which was awakened in favor of the institution when the undertaking was new, is still cherished by their fellow-citizens. In illustration of this remark, they would instance the recent examination of the pupils at the City Hotel. The room in which it was held, although ore of the most spacious in the city, could not contain all who desired admission, and hundreds were obliged to retire without witnessing the performances. The assembly showed substantial proof of their approbation by subscribing five hundred dollars in aid of the furds. Urgent calls were made upon the directors through the press to repeat the examination, but the duties of the principal rendering his absence from the city unavoidable, prevented their otherwise cheerful compliance with the public wish.

Important alterations have been made in the department of instruction by the voluntary relinquishment of the situations held by some of the instructers, and the accession of others to their places. Mr. Loofborrow and Miss Stansbury have resigned their places since the date of the last report. Mr. Seward, whose acquaintance with the nature of the employment would not admit at the commencement of his engagement of his deciding the question of permanent continuance, felt constrained, from a sense of duty and the importunity of friends, to retire from it, with a view of entering into a different field of labor.

From a careful examination into the best mode of conducting the several departments of the institution, the board became fully persuaded that its interests would be essentially promoted by releasing the principal from the daily instruction of a class. To him are committed the general charge and oversight of the whole institution, the guarding of its expenditures, conducting its correspondence, attending to the calls and inquiries of visiters, seeing that the plan of instruction is duly pursued and their duties attended to by the other teachers, marking the progress of the several pupils in the school, and various other details of active employment, sufficient to occupy his whole time. It was evident that the confinement of the principal to a class, inconveniently interfered with all these duties, and rendered the performance of some of them almost impracticable. The board were therefore anxious for the release of the principal from any particular department of tuition, in order that by occasional visits to all the classes he might consult with, and advise the several teachers, personally inspect the deportment and progress of

the pupils, and by his influence contribute to that good order and discipline, the maintenance of which is so essential to the respectability of the institution and the moral and intellectual advancement of the interesting objects of its care.

It is a subject of great satisfaction to the Board, that they have been providentially favored, almost beyond their expectations, in engaging all the assistance required in the department of instruction. Mr. David E. Bartlet, Mr. F. A. P. Barnard, Mr. Samuel R. Brown, alumni of Yale College, the first two, from the American Asylum at Hartford, and Mr. J. Addison Cary, an alumnus of Amherst College, have been employed, with the hope and expectation, that they will devote themselves permanently to the duties of instructors of deaf mutes. The employment of these gentlemen, in addition to the services of Mr. Vaysse, the circumstances of whose connection with the Institution, were given at length in former reports, have so increased the facilities for communicating instruction, that each of the classes is now under the charge of an excellent teacher, and, with the careful supervision of the principal, will enjoy every advantage, that any Institution for the instruction of the deaf and dumb, in this country, is able to afford.

Such is the general condition of the Asylum, and the arrangement of the details of labor, that the same care and attention are bestowed upon the physical wants of the pupils, that they would be likely to receive in the bosom of their own families. This object having been secured, the directors are happy to state, from a plan which has been submitted to them, that the instructors are making very laudable efforts to raise the standard of attainment, and to store the minds of their pupils with knowledge of an useful and practical nature, in addition to that which is embraced in a course of common education,

At no period in the history of our country have efforts been made, corresponding with the present, for the general diffusion of knowledge. To this end the press is subservient; seminaries, for the education of teachers, are established; lectures are delivered; and exertions are made, both by individuals and associations, to advance the cause of popular education. The mode of instructing deaf mutes was introduced into the United States under circumstances the most favorable for success; but, while much has been done, practically, for the benefit of this unfortunate portion of the [Assem. No. 210.]

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human family, much, very much remains still to be accomplished. With the single exception of the article in the Encyclopedia Americana, no paper on this subject at once copious and valuable, has yet appeared in this country. There has been too little of plan in the methods, hitherto pursued, of teaching language, and, although sufficient time has elapsed, the results of experience are still floating in the air, having never been embodied in a well defined system. Each instructor has been obliged to depend too far upon his own unassisted judgment. No books have been prepared of a suitable character to be used, either in the elementary, or more advanced classes; and no attempt has been made to form a library in order to create a thirst for reading, or to minister to its gratification, when once awakened. Nothing, literally nothing has been done to illustrate truths in physics, chemistry and natural history, or to explain, in any way, the principles of science, as applied to the arts. While improvements are multiplying, almost in a geometrical ratio, in all the departments of knowledge, to aid those possessing the gifts of utterance and of hearing, can no avenues be opened to render these gushing fountains accessible to the deaf and dumb? Shall we be content to pursue the same trodden path, and see our pupils leave us, one after another, unenlightened, except within the pale of simple elementary truths? Our convictions of duty urge us forward. We feel an obligation to spare no pains to supply existing deficiencies, to contribute our share to the common stock of improvement, and to elevate this branch of education to the highest degree of practical usefulness.

One step, and that a very material one, towards promoting the intellectual culture of the deaf and dumb, in accordance with these views, seems to have been made in the plan already alluded to. Not to enter minutely into its details, it will be sufficient to say, that it proposes, without interfering with the ordinary exercises of the school-room, or with the daily mechanical employments of the pupils, very greatly to enlarge the amount of information communicated, and, by presenting it in a systematic form, to secure as effectually as possible, its permanent retention in the mind. By this means, and by encouraging the perusal of books, for which facilities will be afforded, the time, which is now least profitably employed, will be turned to the most valuable account; and, as the knowledge acquired by the pupil will be upon subjects which are of necessity excluded from the school-room, where such things fully occupy the time as are absolutely indispensable in his educa

cation, much that has hitherto been unattainable will be placed. within his reach. His happiness will be promoted by the acquisition of that which is useful; his views will be expanded as he contemplates the extent of the intellectual field; while the delight, with which he will hail the development of so much that is new or surprising, can not but stimulate him to more vigorous efforts in the prosecution of his daily task. The study of language possesses, for the young mind, very few attractions. This truth any one will acknowledge, who casts a thought back to his own schoolboy days. It can not be said that the deaf and dumb do not, in general, put forth very commendable and persevering efforts in its pursuit. The evil of ignorance is too immense, and too palpable, not to force them to exertion. Yet, cut off as they have been from childhood, from the knowledge even of what is to be known, the darkness of their intellects renders them almost insensible to one of the highest motives which can influence the human mind to diligence, the desire to be informed. This desire must be proportioned to the estimate made, of how much is unknown. Knowledge is a hidden gem. He only will seek it with eagerness, who is acquainted with its nature, and can therefore rightly appreciate its value. There is, then, a mode of stirring up the energies of the deaf ard dumb, and stimulating them to activity, which has never, hitherto, been systematically employed. To vary the monotony of the school room exercises, the perplexing detail of rules and exceptions, of inflections and anomalies, of idiomatic phrases, and the endless caprices of language, no attempt has been made to introduce more entertaining subjects at stated times, by way of illustrating the value of knowledge, and holding out an earnest of the reward, which is in store for the diligent. No substantial proof has been afforded, that language is not merely to be sought for its own sake, but as a master key, by which to unlock treasures of limitless value. Indeed, when we consider how little has been done to satisfy the longings of the vacant mind, to rouse apathy to effort, and to encourage industry in the prosecution of a laborious task; when we consider how little encouragement has been held out to cheer the mute onward in his toilsome undertaking, or even to teach him the value of that which he is immediately acquiring, we cannot but wonder that he should so contentedly persevere; we cannot but pity him, that his deliverance from intellectual thraldom is by a process so tedious, and so disheartening. The plan which it is proposed to introduce into the institution, will, we trust, do much to render this process more pleasing; and the