Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind - Spotlite Yearbook (Staunton, VA)

Page 14 text:

Ul: INDUSTRIAL B L'ILDINE. INTEKIHR

Page 13 text:

Superintendents Report STAUNTON, VA., October 1, 1917. T0 the Board of Visitors 0f the Virginia School for tho Dmf and the Blind: Gentlemenzel beg leave to submit the following report of this School foi' the two fiscal years ending respectively, September 30, 1916, and September 30, 1917. Enrollment of Pupils The enrollment for the present session, Nov. 1, 1017, is as follows: Deaf ......................................................... 20-7 Blind .......................................................... 76 Total ........................................... 283 The school is full to its capacity. Objects of the School The State provides this school for her deaf and her blind children for the same reason that she provides public schools for those who can hear and see-to fit them for useful and independent citizenship. It is a free school for all white children, of sound mind, totally deaf or totally blindfor whose hearing or sight is too defective to enable them to attend the ordinary public schools. The limit of age for admission is fixed by the Board of Visitors at between eight and twcnty-one years, but, if possible, all should enter at eight. Everything possible is done for the comfort, advance- ment and training of the pupils, with special reference to giving them character and a means of livelihood after they leave school. In all cases, children must be capable of attending t0 their own per- son-dressing and. undressing, feeding tlzcmscl'z'cs, chi, 'zvz'flzout assist- ance before coming to school. The entire scholastic term of our pupils is fixed by the Board at ten years, except where a pupil becomes twenty-one years of age be- fore the expiration of ten years, and in that case the term of pupilage is fixed by special act of the Board. Pupils are required to leave the school at the close of each session, and spend vacation at their homes. This is not an Asylum, a Hospital, or a Home, but purely a school, and if a Child, cannot learn, we do not keep it here simply to furnish it a home. l13l

Page 15 text:

The School Session Pupils are expected to arrive on the first Wednesday in Septem- ber, and school opens the following day. The session ends on the second Wednesday of June, and the following day, Thursday, is home-going day. Prompt Entrance Parents are urged to enter their children promptly at the begin- ning of the session, for the delay of a week or two will frequently make it necessary to put the pupil back an entire session. Colored Children The School for the Colored Deaf and Colored Blind is located near Newport News. Address Professor W. C. Ritter, Superintendent, State School for the Colored Deaf and Blind, Newport News, Virginia. Compulsory Law A eompulsory-attendanee law would do much towards the uplift of the deaf and the blind of the State, for there are many children of these classes in Virginia who are never sent to school, but allowed. to grow up in total ignorance, and strange to say, the tendency on the part of many parents is to withdraw their Children from school as soon as they become useful at home, and before their education is at all completed. A compulsory law would prevent this culpable practice. Religion: Exercises Religious exercises are held every day. Sunday school is conducted every Sunday in the Deaf Department by the regular teachers. The blind pupils, however, attend the Sunday schools of their choice in town, and the plan is found to work most satisfactorily. The School is non-seetarian, and pupils are expected to attend the Church of their parents. The Ministers of the several Churches in town mani- fest great interest in our pupils and frequently hold services at the School on Sunday afternoon. Our deaf pupils are favored also several times a year by visits from two deaf Missionaries who are always welcome, and our deaf pupils are delighted with their sermons in the sign languages. A majority of the pupils become church members while at school. Healthful Location and Climate The school is situated or a beautiful hill in the suburbs of Staun- ton, which has a population of 12,000, in full view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It has adjoining its lawn fifty acres of land, which affords ample play grounds for pupils and an excellent garden. In addition to the UH