MECHANICAL DEPARTMENT.

Mechanical instruction, embracing at present printing and shoemaking, is imparted to a large class of boys. The foreman of the respective work-rooms report a good degree of interest manifested and improvement made. Other industries should be introduced and taught as soon as may be practicable, and a building better adapted to meet the wants of the mechanical department erected. For the sake of teaching them habits of industry, it may be well enough to teach the boys from the country trades, but we endeavor to influence them to regard farming as the pursuit they ought to engage in after leaving school. This is a field wide enough for all, and industry directed by intelligence insures success in this direction to the mute as well as to any one else.

EXPENDITURES.

By reference to the report of the Executive Committee a detailed statement of the receipts and disbursements of the school for the past two years may be found. This Committee meets monthly and carefully scrutinizes the accounts of the steward. No purchases involving any very considerable outlay of money are made without its approval. A quarterly report of the receipts and expenditures of the school is made to the Board by the Committee.

The appropriations made for the support and maintenance of the school have been found sufficient to meet our current expenses. And any surplus from year to year remaining out of our funds, after provision has been made to meet our current expenses, has been judiciously and economically expended in needed repairs and in improvements of a permanent character undertaken to meet real wants.

Our expenditures for the year ending December 31, 1877, were $22,404.15; and for the year ending December 30, 1878, including outstanding liabilities to the amount of $1,575, have been $24,560.82; the per capita cost of maintenance for the year ending 30th December, 1878, has been $245.60.

Your attention is invited to the subjoined statement affording a comparison of our per capita expenditure as shown by that of several of the leading Institutions with an attendance of pupils largely

in excess of our own. It is obvious enough that the greater the number of pupils the less ought to be the relative cost of maintentenance per capita :

American Institution for the Deaf and Dumb, located at

Hartford, for the year ending date of information...... $244 00

Our most pressing want at this time is a chapel, in which the religious exercises of the school may be conducted. The room now used for the purpose altogether too small, and cannot be enlarged.

I would respectfully suggest that a neat and sufficiently commodious chapel be built conveniently near the main building, to be set apart for devotional purposes, and to be used as occasion may demand for other exercises. I would also recommend that the Board at once appropriate a part of our unexpended balance in the purchase of a library for the use of the school. The importance of such an auxiliary in the education of our pupils cannot well be overestimated, and ought no longer be denied them.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.

Our thanks are due and are herewith gratefully tendered to the publishers and proprietors of the following newspapers which have been sent to the school gratuitously, and from which the pupils have derived much pleasure and profit:

The Daily Chronicle, Knoxville, Tenn.; the Daily Tribune, Knoxville, Tenn.; the Weekly American, Nashville, Tenn.; the Christian Advocate, Nashville, Tenn.; the Weekly Gazette, Steubenville, Ohio.; the Morristown Gazette, Morristown, Tenn.; the Mute's Chronicle, Columbus, Ohio; the Deaf Mute Index, Colorado D. and D. Institution; Deaf Mute's Journal, Mexico, New York; Educator, New York D. and D. Institution; Goodson Gazette, Va. D, and D. Insti

tution; Mute Companion, Minnesota D. and D. Institution; Kansas Star, Kansas D. and D. Institution; Kentucky Deaf Mute, Kentucky D. and D. Institution; Deaf Mute Mirror, Michigan D. and D. Institution; Mute Journal of Nebraska, Nebraska D. and D. Institution; the Tablet, West Virginia D. and D. Institution; the Ranger, Texas D. and D. Institution.

Our thanks are also returned to the officers of the E. T., Va. & Ga.; N., C. & St. Louis; Knox. & Ohio, and L. & N. Railroads for their continued kindness in favoring our pupils with reduced rates in conveying them to and from school.

Respectfully submitted,

Tennessee Deaf and Dumb School,
KNOXVILLE, Dec. 30, 1878.

J. H. IJAMS, Principal.

PHYSICIAN'S REPORT.

To the Board of Trustees:

GENTLEMEN:-I am happy again to congratulate your Board in that the general standard of health in the Institution has been so satisfactory. As contributary to this standard of health, we have ample grounds around the buildings offering advantage in out-door exercise so necessary to children. The table is carefully provided with healthful food. The well arranged bath rooms give the needed means of personal cleanliness; habits of neatness are enjoined ; a surveillance is kept over the premises, and all causes of preventable disease suppressed. We have had some cases of diphtheria since the date of our last report. The only fatal case from any cause was that of one of the patients by this dreaded disease. This little girl, Martha Thompson, a delicate child, died February 22nd, 1878, her death being the fourth which has occurred in the Institution during twelve years past.

I have been faithfully assisted by the Matron and Steward in all necessary medical attention to the pupils.

Respectfully,

JOHN M. BOYD, M. D., Attending Physician.

Tennessee School for Deaf and Dumb,

KNOXVILLE, Dec. 30, 1878.