Page:U.S. Department of the Interior Annual Report 1873.djvu/96

776 set forth in his "Report on the Systems of Deaf-Mute Instruction pursued in Europe," presented to the board in October, 1867.

While he would by no means claim that the system in general use throughout the United States is free from defects in its practical workings, he is convinced that the principles on which it rests are sound, and that greater benefits can be secured to the mass of deaf-mutes through its agency than by any system which undertakes to make articulation its basis, assuming to teach all deaf-mutes to speak, and discarding the language of signs.

During the absence of the president the general direction of the institution was committed to Professor Fay; and the recitations coming under the charge of the president, in his capacity as professor of moral and political science, were conducted by Professor Porter. Both these gentlemen discharged the duties thus devolved upon them to the entire satisfaction of the board. And in this connection commendatory mention should be made of the faithfulness and efficiency of the entire corps of officers, all of whom, during the absence of the president, were ever ready to sustain acting President Fay, and to do whatever lay in their power to advance the interests of the institution and maintain good order in its several departments.

The courses of study pursued in the several departments have remained essentially the same as in previous years. The following schedules will show the branches taught and the textbooks used in the respective classes:

During the first and second years of instruction: Elementary Lessons for the Deaf and Dumb, by Harvey Prindle Peet, LL. D. First Lessons for the Deaf and Dumb, by John R. Keep, M. A.; the School Reader, part first, by Charles W. Sanders, M. A.

During the third and fourth years: Lessons for Children, by Mrs. Barbauld; Reading without Tears, part second, by Mrs. Mortimer; Felter's Primary Arithmetic; Primary Geography, by Fordyce A. Allen, M. A.

During the fifth and sixth years: Primary History of the United States, by G. P. Quackenbos, A. M.; Common School History of the World, by S. G. Goodrich; First Lessons in English Grammar, by Simon Kerl, M. A.; New Intermediate Geography, by S. Augustus Mitchell; Felter's Intermediate Arithmetic.

Instruction is given through the whole course in the structure of the English sentence, and in penmanship according to the Spencerian system.

Mathematics.—Eaton's Grammar School Arithmetic; Loomis's Treatise on Algebra, (through quadratic equations.)

Physical Geography.—Guyot's Physical Geography.

History.—Lossing's Common School History of the United States.

Natural Philosophy.—Peck's Ganot's Natural Philosophy.

English.—Kerl's Common School Grammar; Berad's History of England; original compositions.

Latin.—Allen's Latin Grammar; Allen's Latin Lessons; Caesars Commentaries.