REPORT.

To the Hon. the Legislature of the State of Michigan:

The Board of Trustees of the Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb and the Blind, in accordance with law, herewith submit their Biennial Report for the years 1863 and 1864.

The Constitution of the State of Michigan, adopted in 1850, contains the following provision: "Institutions for the benefit of those inhabitants who are deaf, dumb, blind or insane, shall⚫ always be fostered and sustained."

Previous however, to this provision of the Constitution, and as early as April, 1848, the Legislature passed a law for the purpose of establishing this Institution and the "Michigan Asylum for the Insane." Both Institutions, by that act, being put under the control of one Board of Trustees. The first recommendation to the Legislature by this Board for establishing a school for the Deaf and Dumb and the Blind upon the combined plan, as finally adopted, of teaching all of them in the same Institution, was made in January, 1851. And after the further maturing of their plans, the Board, in January, 1854, appointed Rev. B. M. Fay as Principal, and his wife as Assistant and Matron. The Institution was opened in February thereafter, in a small building in the now city of Flint, and received during said month seven deaf mutes and one blind girl. From this small beginning the pupils have increased until there is now an average daily attendance of one hundred. And about one hundred and fifty others have received instruction, many of these last having stayed seven years, the time allotted them by the State.

Those who have left the Institution, as well as many of those who are now under its influence and teachings, have had their

mental condition, which, when they entered, was enshrouded in darkness that seemed almost impenetrable, to a great degree enlightened; their intellect vastly increased; their countenances irradiated by the beams of mental, moral, and religious light, and their whole being changed from the low state, in which all suffering from the like infirmities, are usually found, to that of men and women, equal, in many cases, to the ordinary capacities of those who can hear, and talk, and see.

If we cannot, by our sympathy and benevolence, through legislative enactments, give hearing to the deaf, speech to the dumb, and sight to the blind, it is gratifying to know that so much can be done to improve and elevate their condition, and many a grateful thank offering will be rendered by them to our ⚫ legislative bodies for making provision for their intellectual, moral, and religious culture.

Instead of a small rented building, as in 1854, the Board have, by the heretofore generous grants of the Legislature, been enabled to complete what is known as the School Wing, 100 by 60 feet, three stories high besides the basement. The 1st and 2d stories intended as school rooms, the 3d as a lecture room, and the basement in part for mechanical purposes. The basement is now used from necessity, for washing and bathing rooms, ironing rooms and study rooms, (besides stowing therein the domsetic help, much to the inconvenience and annoyance of all,) and the upper story, or lecture room, is now used for a dormitory.

After the completion of the School Wing, and in February, 1857, the Legislature passed an act placing the Institution under a separate Board of Trustees; since which time the foundations of the main edifice, including the Center Building and the East and West Wings, have been laid, the walls built, buildings roofed, and the outside work of the buildings mainly completed. And by the first of January, 1865, the Board anticipate the completion of the Center Building, 50 by 90 feet, and including the basement, three stories high. The basement is used for a kitchen and store rooms, 1st story above basement

for a dining room, and the upper story, as soon as completed, will be used for a chapel. The East Wing, when completed, which will be by the first of January next, will be used for the female pupils. The 1st story for study and sitting rooms, 2d story for hospital rooms and rooms for nurses and attendants, 3d story as a dormitory, and the basement for washing, bathing and ironing rooms. This wing is 50 by 80 feet. When these portions of the buildings are completed, the accommodations for the pupils will be much increased. The Institution has heretofore suffered much for the want of room, and on this account the Principal and teachers have found it more difficult to enforce order and descipline.

The Board feel thankful to know that this deficiency or want of room, is so soon to be partially supplied. But to make the Institution effective in all its parts the whole of the building should be completed. The Institution is now in great need of the completion of the West Wing, so that the male pupils may be removed from the School Wing except during school hours, and that wing used solely for the purposes intended. Until this is done, there can be no full and general system of teaching trades to the pupils carried out without an outlay of money for buildings in which to work at trades, that might in part be obviated by the completion of the West Wing.

It is well known that all buildings left in an unfinished state deteriorate in value much faster than after completion. It would be policy, therefore, even if the whole of the buildings were not necessary for present purposes, to make appropriations. for their completion. The economist would most certainly do so with his own building.

It will be seen from the report of the Acting Comissioner, hereto appended, in what manner the funds appropriated for building purposes and for supporting the Asylum for the years 1863 and 1864, have been expended, and that the appropriations have failed to meet the necessary and ordinary expenses of the Instituiton, as well as fell short of meeting the expenses