tor.

[283] We have already noted that the colored deaf of the District of
Columbia and West Virginia are sent to an outside school.

[284] In regard to the organization of the several boards that have to
do with the education of the deaf, it may be stated that in some states,
as in Ohio and Indiana, the law restricts the number that may be of any
one political party. In connection with the government of schools for
the deaf, the saddest feature has too often been the political
influences which have been allowed to become factors in the conducting
of some of them. In certain instances the playing of "politics" has been
of serious moment, and with incalculable harm to the work of the
schools. In some cases the administration of schools has been considered
legitimate spoils to the party in power, and appointments have been made
as a matter of reward, and removals as a matter of punishment. The evil
effect of such procedure it is hard to overestimate, and indeed in an
enlightened land it is even difficult of credence. Public opinion should
severely condemn all attempts at political interference in the work of
the education of the deaf, and those seeking to promote it should be
dealt with befittingly. Happily, however, such conduct seems now on the
decline in the schools, and it may earnestly be hoped that the end is
not far in the future.

CHAPTER XI

THE DAY SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF

INCEPTION AND GROWTH OF THE DAY SCHOOL

A small number of the institutions for the deaf had begun as day
schools, the pupils living away from the school outside school hours,
and had continued so for a longer or shorter period. The schools were
then in an experimental stage, and this plan came first to hand. In the
course of time it was found that this feature was not practicable, as
the pupils were often far scattered, and the boarding arrangement was
accordingly adopted.[285] This was the policy finally chosen in all the
states having schools. Later, however, when the states had grown in
population, and in some of the cities there were found not a few deaf
children, the demand was renewed for day schools.[286] The result has
been the beginning and development of a system of day schools in a
number of states; and they have come to occupy part of the field
formerly covered by the state institutions alone.

Of the day schools now existing, the Horace Mann School, of Boston,
which was established in 1869, is accredited with being the