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From the time he assumed charge of the institution Mr. Gallaudet's duty was to give six hours daily to the teaching of a class that had no other instructor: he was expected to receive those, and they were many, who desired to visit the school: he maintained a large correspondence with the relatives and friends of pupils: he arranged and conducted exhibitions of pupils for the purpose of enlisting the interest of legislatures and the public in the institution: though not understood to have charge of the domestic concerns of the school he had more trouble with them than would have been the case had he been clothed with proper authority to manage them: it was necessary that he should take time needed for rest to train new teachers for their work: he gave up days of his vacation for the preparation of Annual Reports to which the name of the Clerk of the Board of Directors, and not his own, was appended: he was appointed by vote of the directors to membership on some of their committees and asked to attend and give advice at the meetings of the board, and then was called intrusive and impertinent by members of the board because he had complied with such requests.

Ample evidence of these facts is in the hands of the writer, to give all of which would unnecessarily burden these pages.

Two quotations from letters to the directors will suffice.

On the 4th of September, 1817, less than five months after the opening of the school, Mr. Gallaudet addressed a long communication to the board in reference to the management of the domestic affairs of the institution. These had been placed under the control of a gentleman and his wife who were supposed to be competent and trustworthy. This not proving to be the case, abuses were reported to Mr. Gallaudet, who felt compelled to interfere in behalf of those who had suffered.

Mr. -- -- -- , says Mr. Gallaudet to the directors, is bound by his contract to take care of the pupils on the Sabbath. Commodious seats in church were provided for them by the committee; but Mr. and Mrs. -- -- -- -- absolutely declined sitting with them. The care of them has, of course, devolved on some of the directors and the principal, who will continue cheerfully to accompany them to church on one condition, that Mr. -- -- -- -- be made explicitly to understand that in this particular, he is to exercise no control over them, and especially, that he is not in the face of the whole congregation to make signs of rebuke at them, thus situated under the care of the principal, very much, as has often been the case, to the mortification of the elder pupils, especially the young ladies.

I am told by my friend and fellow laborer -Mr. Clerc- that he is sometimes neglected in the gratification of so simple a want as that of a piece of white bread, and that when the mistress of the family, who is well acquainted with his wishes in this respect, makes not provision to have them always gratified, and when he has asked the servant for so small a favor and been told that "the house can not furnish it," with his accustomed good nature he has contented himself with a draught of milk alone.

After speaking of many other complaints, which he feels are well grounded, Mr. Gallaudet concludes as follows:

I would beg leave, respectfully, to inquire whether the principal of the institution is not entitled to some kind of authority within its walls; whether the pupils are to regard him as quite on a level, out of the school room, with themselves; or whether he is to have the right of interposition or control, should he see the pupils ill-treated, their conduct and language, as it has often been, very much misapprehended, and themselves incapable of understanding the signs which are awkwardly and vehemently made to them? Are they to feel themselves destitute of redress in case of grievances; of an interpreter in case of a mistake; of a friend in case of abuse? These things are suggested not, I hope, from feelings of wounded pride, as has been most ungenerously attributed to me, nor from a wish to exercise authority, which is by no means, to me at least, a pleasant task, but from the conviction, and surely it is a sober one, that the usefulness of that man is soon at an end, who, filling a public station of responsibility, and called to form the minds and conduct the education of those who look up to him as their teacher and guide, suffers the loss of that respect without the enjoyment of which both himself and his office must soon become contemptible.

The other communication to the board is so short that it may be given entire:

March 18, 1818.
To THE DIRECTORS ETC., GENTLEMEN:

When your board first began to hold its meetings, I felt reluctant to attend them, and I did not until I was told by many gentlemen that my attendance would be very acceptable. I was even urged to go on the ground of my having been sent abroad on purpose to collect that information and experience, the knowledge of which might prove highly useful to the directors in their deliberations. 'You will be wanted as our chaplain,' was said to me, 'and you must be on committees for the transaction of business, which committees will have to report to the directors, and your presence therefore, so far from indicating any thing like intrusion, is really made necessary by the fact of your being placed on these committees. I, of course, began habitually to attend the meetings of the board, and to express my opinions on subjects relating to the welfare of the institution. Instances have occurred when I have hesitated about giving my opinion and have been told that no apology was necessary, but to express my mind freely. It was with feelings of surprise, therefore, that I have heard it suggested that my attendance at the meetings of this board has, in some instances, I know not by how many of the members, been deemed incorrect. Whatever rights may be supposed to belong to the principal of an establishment like this with regard to his attendance on the meetings of the directors, whatever value may be attached to his opinions on subjects touching the interests of the school, how great ought to be the confidence placed in one, or how much the indulgence, if indeed it deserve this name, shown him, who has been a laborious servant of the deaf and dumb -- how far an invitation to this effect has virtually been given by placing him on several committees -- these are considerations, gentlemen, which I would not wish to urge for one moment. After being invited and solicited to attend the meetings of this board, I retire from them, only requesting at the same time that the directors would please to express an opinion on this subject and to inform me what their views are with regard to the propriety of attending their meetings, a thing which I did not at first solicit and which I have not the least wish to repeat should it be unacceptable to this respectable board.