Floyd County GaArchives History - Schools .....First Annual Report of the Commissioners for the Georgia Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb, Cave Spring July 1 1850
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Linda Avery txsvalley@aol.com January 29, 2004, 10:23 pm

TO HIS EXCELLENCY, GEORGE W. TOWNS.

The "Commissioners for the Georgia Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb," beg leave to 
present the subjoined Report of the operations of the Institution under their 
control, during the past year, commencing July 1st, 1849: and as this is the 
first Report which has gone out to the public, they would also beg leave to 
Report, in the same connection, a brief account of the labors of those who were 
engaged in promoting the interest of the Deaf and Dumb previous to the present 
year.

So long as the year 1834, Mr. Weld, Principal of the American Asylum, at 
Hartford Conn., visited Georgia for the purpose of awakening an interest in the 
public mind in favor of the Deaf and Dumb. He brought with him a class of deaf 
mute pupils, and gave an exhibition of their advancement before the 
Legislature, which was then in Session. He was so fortunate as to secure an 
annual appropriation from the State Treasury of $3,000 for the education of the 
Deaf and Dumb, and also the Blind. This appropriation was afterwards increased 
to $4,500. According to the law making this appropriation, all indigent deaf 
mutes who were resident within the limits of the State, and between the ages of 
ten and thirty, could enjoy the privilege of remaining at the American Asylum 
for the term of four years. Compared with the number who could of right avail 
themselves of this benefaction, very few did so. Nor indeed was it contemplated 
by Mr. Weld that a large number from this State would become pupils under his 
care. The ultimate end to which he looked was the establishment of an 
Institution within the limits of the State, or at some southern point, where 
the climate was better adapted to the constitution of southern pupils.

The law making the above provision also empowered the Executive of the State to 
appoint some suitable person who should collect the State beneficiaries and 
accompany them to Hartford, Conn. This office was in succession filled by Rev. 
E. E. St.Clair, Rev. G. Hillier, and Rev. Jessee H. Campbell. The deaf mutes of 
this State are indebted much to the energy and efficient action of the last 
named gentleman, for his agency in procuring the location and endowment of an 
institution for their instruction. With the heart of a philathropist and 
Christin, he was prompted to action in endeavors to ameliorate the condition of 
those who could not avail themselves of the provision of the law because of the 
distance to the American Asylum. As a preparatory step, he procured an 
amendment to the original statute, whereby Beneficiares could be educated 
within the State, as well as at the American Asylum. After the passage of this 
amendment he opened a correspondence with the Trustees of several institutions 
of learning; and among them was the Board of Trustees of the Hearn School This 
school is located near the village of Cave Spring, Floyd County. An arrangement 
was effected between Mr. Campbell and the Board of Trustees of this School, to 
the effect that a department should be opened for the reception of deaf mute 
pupils. The preliminary arrangements having been completed, Mr. O. P. Fannin, 
the Associate Teacher in the Hearn School, was deputized to bring the State 
Beneficiaries from the American Asylum, and enter them as pupils in the deaf 
mute department of the Hearn School. He returned from the American Asylum with 
four pupils. The department was placed under his immediate supervision, and was 
opened on the 15th of May, 1846. This period, to which the friends of the Deaf 
and Dumb can now look with pleasing recollection, was fraught with a degree of 
interest far beyond that which was conjectured at the time. The novelty of the 
enterprise, and the entire want of a knowledge of the mute character on the 
part of all concerned, seemed to connect the undertaking with the idea of a 
speedy abandonment. Not so, however, has the result proven. With devout 
thankfulness and humility would we acknowledge the guidance of an overruling 
Providence in this hour of need.

The pupils were boarded at private houses; and that too, at a distance from the 
rooms provided for their school exercises. The success of the efforts at 
instruction for this year and a half which succeeded the opening of the 
Department, was not such as we could have desired; but considering the many 
disadvantages under which the Department labored, it was such as would commend 
itself to the favorable judgment of every friend of the deaf and dumb. In the 
meantime the services of Mr. J. B. Edwards, as an Assistant Teacher, were 
secured. Mr. Edwards is quite an intelligent deaf mute, formerly a Beneficiary 
of the State, and educated at the American Asylum. The number of pupils had 
also increased from four to near or quite a dozen. Thus the Department stood at 
the close of the year 1847.

Additional Comments:
Printed by Benjamin F. Griffin. 1850. Macon. Reprinted 1898. Georgia School for 
the Deaf.

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