Letter from Superintendent William Merrill to John Duncan, John W. Robinson, and A. Virden; February 1, 1865

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Letter from Superintendent William Merrill to John Duncan, John W. Robinson, and A. Virden; February 1, 1865

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Banks, Bettie Busby, Charlie Carr, Antoinette Clark, Charles, 1811-1877 Cresswell, Salem Douglass, William H.Duncan, John Eagan, Terence Haley, Leonard Howe, Unknown Lamb, Annie Lane, Unknown Merrill, William Mitchell, Ella Robinson, John W.Sherrod, Bettie Sherrod, Dempsey B.Virden, A.

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Mississippi. Institution for the Instruction of the Blind Mississippi. Legislature New York Institution for the Blind (New York, N. Y.)Ohio Instituion for the Education of the Blind (Columbus, Ohio.Perkins School for the Blind (Watertown, Ma.)Schools Wisconsin Center for The Blind and Visually Impaired (Janesville, Wis.)

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Jackson (Miss.)Massachusetts Monticello (Miss.)New York (N.Y.)Ohio Wisconsin

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Mental illness People with disabilities People with disabilities--Blind

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Miss. State Institution for Blind
Jackson Feby 1^st/65

Jno. Duncan
J. W. Robinson
Alex. Virden

Trustees,

Gentlemen,

As the Legislature will meet soon, I send you, as requested, a short report, referring you for detailed statement to my report of last October.

The number of pupils in the Institution this year has been eleven, viz:

Bettie Banks
Antoinette Carr
Annie Lamb
Ella Mitchell
Bettie Sherrod

Charlie Busby
Salem Cresswell
W^m H. Douglass
Leonard Haley
Dempsey Sherrod
Terence Eagan

Of four more blind, who wrote me that they were coming,—two have been detained by sickness, and the other two by causes unknown to me. They will probably all be here, when the means of traveling become better established, and the weather less inclement. Two other blind boys of suitable age for school have been kept at home by want of proper clothing. As our funds were not sufficient to support and educate the number now in the school, I, of course, could make no arrangements to provide for such cases. It has been difficult to raise sufficient funds to meet our current expenses—as all

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purchases must be paid for; and nobody is willing to lend money in these times of doubt and difficulty,—because no one can tell how soon he may need all his means for his own support. The school is now in debt for money borrowed ^about^ $6.500.

The Institution owns four cows and three yearlings, which would probably sell for twenty five hundred dollars; and has on hand provisions and fuel worth about eight hundred dolls; and has paid for furniture since my last report $866 75/100—making an aggregate of over $4000⁰⁰,,. As we could not get funds to make purchases of meat and corn last Fall; we have been obliged to buy in small quantities, from week to week, as our necessities required. Prices have been constantly rising, so that corn meal—potatoes—and peas now sell at twelve dollars per bushell,—beef and rice at $1.25 per lb,—wood at 30$ per load—butter at 5$ per lb, and other articles in proportion.

A few articles of food and clothing can be bought for (10) ten times the prices paid before the war—but most of such articles sell at from 15 to 50 times the specie prices. It eill readily be seen that nothing but the most rigid economy has enabled us to keep the expenses within the present limits. The whole expenses for the last twelve months, including $1819 50/100 for moving Institution from Monticello to Jackson and over 2000$ paid for furniture and repairs, amounts to less than nineteen thousand dollars; or say fifteen thousand for current expenses. Before the war the annual expenses were 6000$ in specie. The amount spent last year would not have bought 600$ in gold. Altho' all articles are selling at such high prices, I believe that I could support the school the coming year on 1.000$ in gold—or its equivalent in currency. As no one can foresee the rise in prices, I would suggest to the Board the propriety of asking the Legislature to make an appropriation;—1^st,, To pay the debt accumulated during the last year;—2^d,,, To increase the quarterly appropriation to $5,000⁰⁰,,.

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3^d To place a contingent fund in the hands of the Governor to be paid to the Trustees, if he is satisfied that the necessities of the Institution absolutely require it.

In the seeing schools of the county, the prices for Board, Tuition, music lessons, ,&c, average from two thousand to twenty five hundred dollars per annum for each pupil. It is well known that much greater labor and expense is required to support and educate the Blind;—but I think that I can manage to sustain the Institution on the ^amount^ named, if ~~the~~ prices do not continue to increase; and the number of pupils does not increase to more than fifteen, the probable number.

I wish also to call your attention to a serious evil connected with this Institution, which can easily be remedied by act of the Legislature. In former years blind persons have been admitted, and supported by the school; whose age, and former habits have rendered them unfit subjects for education, and unfit associates for younger pupils. Having attained the mature ages of 25, 30, or perhaps 40 years, they look upon the school as an Asylum for the Blind, bound to support them,—instead of a school to educate those capable of receiving instruction. They are always unwilling to submit to necessary rules, and such discipline as is absolutely essential to ensure good order, and proper attention to study. The influence of such persons over the younger pupils is demoralizing in the highest ^degree^—and no institution can ever be properly governed, while such disturbing elements are permitted to remain. This was frequently spoken of by Mr Lane, the former superintendent, as a most serious evil; and the history of almost all schools shows that they have had to contend with similar difficulties, which they have met by having laws passed regulating the admission of pupils, and the time of their leaving the Institution. It was never the intention of the Legislature to make the school an Asylum for supporting blind men and women, whose age, and previous habits totally unfit them for study.

Dr Howe the distinguished Superintendent of the Massachusetts

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Institution, speaking of Adult Blind in the workshops in 1848, says: "My own opinion is that they should live separately, by all means, for the sake of the younger pupils. Sometimes Adults are received into the workshops who were not trained in any school—men, who have been soldiers or sailors, and who could hardly be of any profit to boys as associates."

It will be seen, that he would not even allow them to live with the pupils,—much less to be their constant associates. In the report of the New York Institution for 1851, we find as follows: "The law fixes ^the earliest limit of^ the reception of pupils at eight years, and the longest term of pupilage allowed is seven years. The managers would not recommend any change in the ages now fixed by law for admissibility. There are many important considerations, making it highly desirable that the pupils should be received at an early age to the end that bad habits may be avoided,—good principles inculcated, the physical health built up; and the feeling of self reliance inculcated. The managers would, therefore, only recommend that the law be so altered, as to allow the pupil to remain in the Institution for five ^(5)^ years after attaining the age of twelve—subject to extension two years more by the Superintendent of common schools." [gap] The report of the Philadelphia Institution for 1855, says: "The most suitable time for admission is between the ages of ten and fifteen years. Pupils are not usually received under ten nor over seventeen years of age." [gap] The Ohio report for 1846 says: "A system that admitted the older blind in connection with the younger pupils would be liable to very serious objection.

The habits of the different classes are so dissimilar, that they could not lodge in the same house and form the same family with profit to the younger pupils." [gap] The Wisconsin report for 1857 says: "No person of imbecile, or unsound mind, or of confirmed immoral habits, will be knowingly received into the Institute,—and in case any pupil shall after fair trial,

(over)

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prove incompetent for useful instruction, or disobedient to regulations of the Institute; such pupil shall thereupon be discharged".

Similar remarks may be found in the reports of all Institutions, with which I am acquainted,—all agreeing that blind men and women cannot be admitted into a school, and permitted to associate with the pupils—without serious injury to, and demoralization of the pupils—

I would, therefore, urgently request your Board to secure the enactment of a law by our Legislature, limiting the ages of admission to from (8) eight to seventeen (17) years; and allowing no pupil to remain after (20) twenty years old; unless exceptions be made in both cases, as a reward of merit, by the action of the Board of Trustees on the recommendation of the Superintendent.

The health of the pupils has been and is remarkably good. There has been no death, and no very serious illness among the pupils since I took charge of the school, more than three years ago.

Thanking you for the prompt attention always given to the best interests of the Institution, and the pecuniary and other aid rendered to enable me to sustain the school in the midst of its pecuniary embarrassments—I am ever,

Yours Respectfully,

W^m,, Merrill
Superintendent.

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Institution for the Blind

Report of Superintendent to Trustees

1. Feb'y. 1865