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New York State Asylum For Idiots, First Annual Report
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15 | With these views we would not recommend the erection of a larger building at present. It would not be prudent to make additions to the present building, without a previous purchase or an agreement to pay for them -- which is not probable. If authority be given to receive ten additional pay pupils, and a corresponding appropriation be made, all will be done that seems now advisable. | |||||||||||||||||
16 | Appended, is an abstract of receipts and expenditures, in which the latter are classed as either for permanent objects, or for current support, also a list of the State pupils and the teachers. | |||||||||||||||||
17 |
JOHN C. SPENCER, | |||||||||||||||||
18 | January 28, 1852. | |||||||||||||||||
19 |
RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES | |||||||||||||||||
20 | There has been drawn from the State Treasury for the use of the Idiot Asylum, on various warrants, the sum of $4,595 22. | |||||||||||||||||
21 |
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22 | There still remains an outstanding account that will swell the account of repairs by the addition of $350. Additional furniture and apparatus, say $150. | |||||||||||||||||
23 |
TEACHERS IN THE ASYLUM. | |||||||||||||||||
24 |
LIST OF STATE PUPILS IN THE ASYLUM. | |||||||||||||||||
25 |
SUMMARY.
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26 | -Regard for the future interests of the pupils and for the feelings of their relatives has induced the substitution of the initial letters of their names instead of giving them at length. They will be furnished, however, to any member of the Legislature, on application to the Executive committee or to the Superintendent.- | |||||||||||||||||
27 |
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT. | |||||||||||||||||
28 | To the Trustees of the New-York Asylum for Idiots: | |||||||||||||||||
29 | Gentlemen -- Brief as has been the period since the passage of the act of the Legislature establishing an asylum for idiots in the State of New-York, through your prompt and efficient action in the preliminary measures for carrying the provisions of that act into effect, those preliminary measures may now be regarded as nearly completed. | |||||||||||||||||
30 | Certain essential requisites for the complete fulfilment of the design of this public chatrity seemed almost providentially furnished to our wants. A large and commodious building, ample grounds, a good supply of pure water, a location presumed to be healthy, retired but yet accessible- all desirable external appliances were early supplied. While within, competent and faithfull assistants and servants and a great variety of pupils, selected as equitably as possible from the several judicial districts, leave nothing wanting that the most ardent ardent friends of the present measure could desire. The present legislation upon the subject was temporary and somewhat experimental in its character. Still, with the well-attested facts accumulated at other and kindred institutions, with the language of the bill before me, and with what I know to have been the intention of the framers of it, I am warranted in saying that the experiment could have relation only to the circumstances of future State endowments. It was to furnish facts as to the number of persons for whom such special care and instruction was needed, as to the best modes of management and instruction, and also more intelligible motives for still larger appropriations from the State treasury. It would have been a narrow-minded legislation that shutting its eyes to the triumphant success of public experiments, in parallel circumstances, as to the practicability of educating idiots, should demand a new trial of that question when the friends of degraded and miserable human beings were pleading for their elevation, education and relief. | |||||||||||||||||
31 | At this stage of our history as an asylum, an exhibit of the results of our efforts will not be looked for in the report of the Superintendent. Yet certain proper materials for a report to the Trustees and to the Legislature, even at this time, are not wanting. |