EARLY HISTORY OF THE COLLEGE. 695 



tural College aud using the money to perfect their extensive plans for 

 the Insane Asylum. 



At Flint, instead of expending their $15,000 in laying foundation walls 

 for a big asylum for the deaf, dumb and blind, they rented a building and 

 fitted it for the school and almost at once were ready to receive pupils, 

 and by January, 1855. had made such progress in educating the blind and 

 dumb mutes that their exhibition before the Legislature showed such 

 marked progress as to astonish all present, and they enabled the Flint 

 institution to secure the entire appropriation (asked for by Mr. John P. 

 Leroy of Pontiac and James B. Walker of Flint, with the other trustee 

 whose name I have forgotten) without hesitation. I think the amount 

 was $40,000. 



At this juncture, when there seemed to be no doubt as to the per- 

 manency of the Flint institution, I went to Morgan L. Drake and had him 

 draw up a bill providing for the removal to Lansing or within fifteen 

 miles thereof, all state institutions except the Jackson State Prison, 

 and that in the establishment of other State institutions, they must be 

 located within that fifteen miles radius as a matter of convenience and 

 economy, thus enabling the Legislature and all state boards to visit these 

 institutions at a trifling cost of money and slight loss of time. 



The introduction of that bill brought the Kalama7,oo delegation in line, 

 with some of their sympathizers, and saved the Agricultural College by 

 a mere scratch, and we secured the appropriation asked for. which I 

 think was $50,000. 



Respectfully, 



R. GOODRICH. 



