Letter from Superintendent William Merrill to John Duncan, John W. Robinson, and A. Virden; October 1, 1864

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Letter from Superintendent William Merrill to John Duncan, John W. Robinson, and A. Virden; October 1, 1864

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Each transcribed document contains links that connect it to other documents on the same topic in the collection.

People

Duncan, John Merrill, William Robinson, John W.Sherrod, Bettie Sherrod, Dempsey B.Virden, A.

Events

Legislation. Mississippi Legislation. Mississippi. Chapter XLIV (1864)Military Events--Impressment Military Events--Impressment. War Material

Military Units

United States. Army

Organizations

Mississippi--Institute for the Deaf and Blind Mississippi--Legislature Schools

Occupations

Educational Profession Educational Profession--Teachers Farmers Gardeners Merchants

Places

Mississippi--Hinds County. Jackson Mississippi--Lawrence County. Monticello Mississippi--Warren County. Vicksburg

Social Identifiers

Educational Status--Students Impoverished people People with disabilities People with disabilities--Blind persons

Vital Statistics

Death Disease and illness

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Miss. State Institution for Blind
Jackson Oct. 1^st/64

Col. Jno. Duncan
J. W. Robinson
Alex. Virden

Trustees,

Gentlemen,

My last report, dated Oct 28/63, was written at Monticello, Lawrence County, where the Institution was then located.

The Legislature having made an appropriation of two thousand (2.000) dollars to defray the expenses of moving back to our home in Jackson,—arrangements were made by your direction, and the Superintendent with his family, pupils, and such furniture as had been preserved from impressment, or purchased by us, arrived safely in Jackson about the first of August. Altho' every care was taken to avoid expense in making this change, and teams were procured at the very low price of fifteen dollars per day—the aggregate of expenses thus incurred was eighteen hundred nineteen 50/100 dollars ($1819 50/100), as per accounts already rendered to you.

Since my return to Jackson, I have paid for repairs on the buildings, and putting the grounds in order five hundred seventy three 50/100 dollars ($573⁵⁰), and for furniture three hundred eleven 75/100 dollars ($311 75/100), making a total for removal, repairs, and furniture of ($2.704 75/100) two thousand seven hundred four 75/100 dollars. There are some small bills still due for repairs; and other repairs are very much needed, especially on the roof, which still leaks, altho it has been partially repaired.

The Institution is exceedingly destitute of suitable fur-niture. While in Monticello I managed to hire a few

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articles, and bought a small quantity. We are now deprived of the hired furniture; and many of the articles purchased, and of those saved from impressment have been worn out or destroyed,—so that the pupils cannot be decently supplied with beds or bed cover, table furniture, towels, chairs, wash bowls, dippers, etc, and the store room and kitchen are almost equally destitute of suitable materials. The pupils, too, who are dependent on the state for everything, have worn out the clothing and shoes that I have procured for them, and are now almost destitute. Other pupils, who have heretofore furnished their own clothing, now write me that they cannot get a supply, and cannot come to school, unless I can assist them in getting such articles as are absolutely necessary. To supply all these wants with our present income is utterly impossible. All our funds have been used, and the school is now in debt.

The annual appropriation of ($8,000) eight thousand dollars (it was six thousand before the war,) will not pay the current expenses here in Jackson, where every thing that we consume must be bought at extravagant prices; and where servant hire and fuel alone will cost, at present rates, fully one half of that amount per annum; leaving only four thousand (4.000) dollars per annum, or about ten dollars per day to feed a family of pupils, teachers, and servants—to clothe a number of pupils, and to pay the saleries of Superintendent, matron, and teachers. The ten (10) dollars per day, thus left for all these expenses, would not furnish a single day's board to a traveler in one of our Jackson hotels,—and yet the expenses of hotels are no higher in proportion than ours. While in Monticello our expenses for

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Servant hire and fuel did not exceed 1,200$ per annum—and our garden and field provided us with an abundance of vegetables—green corn—early potatoes, &c—and we could buy and kill beeves, and raise our own pigs and poultry. As we arrived in Jackson too late for gardening—all these things must be purchased in the market for money. There I could buy many articles needed by farmers at wholesale prices, and exchange them for provisions at retail prices—thus making quite a profit for the benefit of our funds. In Jackson, the merchants make all such exchanges. Thus it will be seen, that we now depend upon our funds to meet all expenses.

Before the Institution was moved from Lawrence County, it was suggested that here it would be easy to get a permit to sell cotton in Vicksburg; and thus get supplies for our Institution at low prices. Such an arrangement would be a great benefit to the school, and would save much expense to the State.

Now is the time to purchase corn, meat, potatoes, fuel, and clothing for the coming year. I trust that the suggestion of getting the most costly of these supplies from within the enemy's lines may be successfully accomplished—but still it will be necessary for your Board to provide funds for purchases, that must be made now,—because, if deferred, the prices will doubtless increase, as has been the case heretofore. At least six thousand dollars are needed to make these purchases.

We shall have to provide this year for thirteen, or, perhaps, fifteen pupils.

During the past year the pupils have made rapid progress in their studies—and their health has been generally very good. No deaths, ~~and no~~

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and no very serious cases of illness, have occurred in the last three years.

It is proper, that I should remind you of the fact, that, by special act of the Legislature at the last (called) session,—Miss Bettie Sherrod, a seeing pupil about eighteen years old, was placed in the Institution to be educated at the public expense,—and, by the same act, your Board is ordered to furnish Dempsey Sherrod permanently with furnished room and board.

This, of course, materially increases the expenses of the Institution.

Permit me in closing this report to render to the Board my sincere thanks for the prompt attention at all times given to every thing tending to promote the best interests of the school.

Very Respectfully Yours,

W^m,, Merrill.
Supt. Miss. Inst. for the Blind.

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Institution for Blind

Report of the Superintendent

1,Oct, 1864