The cow barn, for which an appropriation was made by the last legislature, has been erected and is now occupied. The actual work of construction was in a great part done by the older boys in the home aided by the institution carpenter. A new boiler has been purchased and placed in service.

Several months since an orchestra was organized at the home, and its members have made excellent progress in their work. It is now well equipped, and has been found to be valuable in the institution work.

An appropriatian is needed to raise several cottages on the girls' side. The intention is to raise them so as to make twostory buildings like those on the boys' side. In these girls' cottages the children live, sleep, wash and dress on the same floor. They are much crowded, the sleeping apartments are not as well ventilated as they should be and the day or sitting room is too small. This enlargement will necessitate some new furniture, and more new furniture is needed in any event for the children's cottages.

The present boiler and engine house is small, poorly located, dismal, ill-arranged, and was erected many years ago without thought of future needs of the institution. It is a disgrace to the state, and the demand for a suitable new building is urgent. Some new boilers will have to be purchased, also feed water heater, dynamo, pumps, and motors. A new chimney must be built and a coal house erected.

Slate roofs are needed on a few cottages having shingle roofs which are so worn as to be beyond repair.

Many valuable improvements have been made in the property of the state during the biennial period, besides those already mentioned. New steam and water pipes have been laid, also new cement walks and additional water hydrants have been put in. Guns have been purchased for the military company, and the buildings generally placed in an excellent condition of repair. The health of the children has generally been good.

COLLEGE FOR THE BLIND.

During the first year of the biennial period ending June 30, 1900, the total enrollment of pupils was 190, and during the last year of the period, ending June 30, 1901, said enrollment was 150 as against an enrollment of 228 during the last year of the prior biennial period.

Since the institution came under the supervision of this Board,

and especially during the past two years, an effort has been made to limit admission to the institution strictly to those persons authorized by statute to receive its benefits; for instance, feeble-minded children have not been allowed to return to the school; others have been discharged or not permitted to enter because their sight was good enough to permit of their acquiring an education in the public schools. It is the opinion of the Board that the law contemplates only the education of persons in this institution at the expense of the state whose eyesight is so defective as to prevent them from acquiring an education in the public schools. This manifestly just construction of the law has resulted in preventing many from entering the college who were formerly received. In cases where a pupil has been in the college and enjoyed its benefits for years and has shown no ability or purpose to obtain an education, he has been refused readmission, as the Board construes the purpose of the law to be to make the college an educational institution, not an asylum or boarding house for the sole purpose of furnishing blind people a free home. These restrictive measures have resulted in depleting the population of the college, but not more so than was proper. Great care has been taken to see that no blind person of suitable age and capacity who could not, on account of blind · ness, obtain an education in the public schools, was refused admission to the college.

The sewer and water closets for which appropriations were made by the Twenty-seventh and Twenty-eighth General Assemblies, have been constructed, and thus a long-felt want has been met. Considerable brick paving and brick walks have been laid, which add much to the comfort of operating the institution and are of permanent and substantial value.

The health of the pupils has been excellent.

The services of Dr. Lee Wallace Dean, as ophthalmic surgeon have, during the period, been of great value to pupils in the proper fitting of glasses and in improving the eyesight of those capable of improvement.

During the last year of the biennial period, which ended June 30, 1901, there were but seven months school. In view of the fact that this action has been severely criticized and the facts in relation thereto have been grossly misrepresented, whereby some persons may have been deceived, we shall briefly state the circumstances which prompted the Board's action.

The expenses of the institution are met from two funds pro

vided by law. One is called the "ordinary expense fund" and is $10,000 annually. From this must be paid all salaries of officers, teachers and all other employes, also for all furniture, books and maps. The other fund is called the "current expense fund," and is $35 per quarter for each resident pupil. This is to pay for support, clothing and everything except the items heretofore mentioned and repairs, for which a special appropriation is made. Likewise a special appropriation is available to pay the occulist, and from time to time other special appropriations have been made for building a sewer and other specific purposes.

The Attorney General of the state held that the amount appropriated as an "ordinary expense fund" was a limitation of the amount which could be used for the payment of salaries of officers, teachers, etc., and that the Board had no power to use any portion of the "current expense fund" in the payment of such salaries. Under the old Board these two funds had been used as if they constituted but one fund, and the criticism spoken of was provoked because this Board refused to continue to violate the law even after it had the opinion of the Attorney General heretofore mentioned.

Being thus limited in the amount which was available for the payment of teachers, and believing that it was not sufficient to permit the operation of the school nine months each year in the biennial period, we urged in our last biennial report that funds to operate this and other institutions should be provided by a general tax, or that a sufficient per capita allowance be made to furnish ample funds for the purpose of meeting all the expenses of the institution, or that if neither of the above plans was approved, that the "ordinary expense fund" and the "current expense fund" be consolidated. Either of our recommendations, if followed, would have placed sufficient funds at our disposal to have met all expenses and operated the school for the usual time each year of the biennial period. However, the legislature took no action in the matter, and the Board was compelled, for the lack of sufficient funds to pay officers, teachers, and employes, to shorten the school period during the year ending June 30, 1901, to seven months. There was only one other way open to us, and that was a reduction of the salaries paid officers and teachers, or employing a less number of them. Either of these alternatives would have seriously crippled the institution and materially lessened its usefulness. We therefore

determined to keep the school up to the standard and shorten the terms, as the least objectionable measure.

It is therefore absolutely necessary, if the school at the college shallbe in operation for nine months each year, as it should be, that further money be provided for that purpose. We therefore recommend and urge that the existing law as to appropriations for this institution be repealed, and that in lieu thereof a fixed per capita appropriation be made of not less than $22 per month for each pupil, based upon the average actual monthly attendance, and that the act making the appropriation be made to take effect at once and the appropriation be made available from September 1, 1901. Unless this appropriation be made the school must be closed at the end of the seven months.

The cupola and porches of the building are in bad condition and the porches must be rebuilt. The amount needed for this purpose is too large to warrant our taking it from the general contingent and repair fund.

A pipe organ and a motor to operate it should be provided for the chapel of this institution.

SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF.

As appears from the superintendent's report presented herewith, the average daily attendance of pupils during the first year of the biennial period was 272 5-9 and during the second year of the period it was 254, a decrease of over eighteen as compared with the first year. Since the dual system was done away with there has been no trouble at this institution. Progress in school work has been excellent.

A new electric generator and engine have been purchased and are now in successful operation.

We recommended in our last biennial report that the salary and support funds at this institution be consolidated and a monthly per capita sum appropriated for all purposes covered by both of said funds. We also stated that it would require a monthly per capita of $20 per month for nine months for each pupil, based upon the average daily attendance. Our recommendation was not acted upon. We now repeat this recommendation and urge that such action be taken and the per capita fixed at $22 per month. These additional funds provided by such appropriation should be made available from January 1, 1902. We regard it as necessary in order to maintain this institution at its present grade and to accomplish in an educational line what is

expected of it. Its work is very satisfactory, and the increased revenue is needed and will be well expended.

The health of the pupils during the period has been excellent. Proper storage facilities for coal are needed; at present the only place to store coal is in front of the boilers and the room is very limited.

Not since 1898 has an appropriation been made for the library of this institution, and we recommend that an appropriation be made for the purchase of books and other reading matter.

New laundry machinery is needed to replace old and worn-out apparatus.

New type and tools for the industrial schools are necessary. Motors are desired for use in the industrial building to operate machinery as well as to run the feed mill and sewing machines. The exterior of the buildings needs painting and a new fence around the grounds is required.

The west wing of the main building is insufficiently heated; the system must be overhauled, new material supplied and an efficient system provided.

This is an old institution. The main building is poorly constructed and in constant need of extensive repairs.

INSTITUTION FOR FEEBLE-MINDED CHILDREN.

As appears from the biennial report of the superintendent, published in this volume, the number of inmates enrolled June 30, 1899, was 815, and the number remaining at the close of the biennial period was 935, an increase of 120 during the two years. This rapid increase in population, which may be expected to continue during the ensuing biennial period, will require new buildings as soon as the same can be provided.

The health of the inmates has usually been good.

The work in the schools has been very successful during the period.

We call special attention to that portion of Superintendent Powell's report which treats of the epileptics, and join him in urging that immediate steps be taken to care for them separate and apart from the balance of the inmate population. We do not believe, however, that it is wise or proper to make provision for the permanent care of epileptics in this institution, Provision. should be made therefor by the establishment of an epileptic colony where all of this class, whether in this institution, or in