YORKSHIRE INSTITUTION FOR THE DEAF AND DUMB. 317 



year ending April 1, 1836, was £550: so that there is every pros- 

 pect of the benefits of instruction being extended to the full number 

 of pupils the house will accommodate. 



The children are taught on Pestalozzian principles, which, being 

 purely synthetical or inductive, are peculiarly applicable to the in- 

 struction of a class of persons whose observations, however exten- 

 sive, have to be reduced into language by a gradual process, be- 

 ginning with the simple or elementary parts, and ascending by re- 

 gular steps to those that are more abstract ; thus the unknown is 

 founded on that which is known. The pupils are generally taught 

 to read and understand ordinary books, and the power of acquiring 

 still further knowledge is imparted to them by the attention that is 

 given to make them understand language ; they are acquainted 

 with the elementary principles of geography, arithmetic, and his- 

 tory, and those who show a natural talent for drawing, receive les- 

 sons in that art. Great care is also bestowed on their scriptural 

 education. In addition to their school labours, they are all trained 

 to habits of industry ; the girls by being instructed in every depart- 

 ment of household labour, sewing, making and mending clothes, &c, 

 and the boys in those occupations usually performed by men-ser- 

 vants, and in the different branches of gardening. There is also a 

 work-shop on the premises, for those whose genius is mechanical. 

 From the commencement of the institution to the present time, 121 

 children have been admitted ; fifty-one have left, entirely or par- 

 tially instructed, according to the time they continued in the insti- 

 tution, or their natural capacity for improvement. Many of those 

 who have left school are pursuing various employments with credit 

 to themselves, and to the satisfaction of their masters. The mana- 

 gers consist of a head-master, a matron, two assistants, two deaf and 

 dumb assistants, and a work-mistress. The honorary secretary is the 

 Rev. W. C. Fenton, vicar of Mattersey. The following gentlemen, 

 amongst others, were in the committee for the past year : — Sir W. 

 B. Cooke, Bart., Wheatley Hall, mayor of Doncaster ; E. B. Deni- 

 son, Esq. ; P. D. Cooke, Esq., Owston House ; Mr. J. Branson ; 

 Dr. Robinson ; Dr. Hardy ; Dr. Scholfield ; Rev. Dr. Sharpe, of 

 Doncaster ; Rev. A. B. Wrightson, Campsall ; and J. W. Childers, 

 Esq., M.P., Cantley. 



