another book, for the lady inspectresses of the day (there are no less than sixty of them), stating, in a report which they then sign, the number of children received; another, detailing not only the number of children admitted per annum, but a little history of each, i. e. their names, residences, dates of admission and departure; deaths, if any; their parents, with the profession of each. An account-book, very clearly written, of receipts and expenses. Lastly, a list of the contents of the crèche. In this inventory the furniture of the rooms is described as follows: Room No. 1. "Un Christ, un bénitier, un tronc." Room 2. "Une vierge, une horloge, et un autre trone."* Lastly, the sœur gave me the following blank printed formula, which the ladies inspectresses (among them are twentythree baronnes, one comtesse, and one marquise) are daily required to fill up : Questionnaire sur la Tenue de la Crèche pour Mms. les Inspectrices. † Mesdames les Inspectrices sont priées de donner un rapport dans le courant de chaque mois. Ce rapport continent les réponses aux questions; et si Madame l'Inspectrice juge à propos d'y mettre quelques observations, le Comité les examinera tres attentivement. Jour et heure de la visite: 1. L'escalier est-il propre ? 2. Combien de degrés marque le thermomètre ? 4. Sont-elles bien rangées ? ↑ List of Questions on the State of the Crèche for the Lady Inspectresses, The Lady Inspectresses are requested to give a report in the course of each month. This report contains the answers to the questions; and if the Lady Inspectress thinks proper to add any observations to it, the Committee will examine them very attentively. The day and hour of the visit: 1. Is the staircase clean? 2. At how many degrees does the thermometer stand? 3. Is there any bad smell in the rooms? 4. Are they well arranged? *A Christ, a holy-water pot, and a money-box. A Virgin, a clock, and another money-box. 5. Reste-t-il des vêtements accrochés au mur? 8. Les paillassons sont-ils mouillés ? 10. Les potages sont-ils bien faits? 11. Les berceuses sont-elles propres sur elles? 12. Sont-elles toutes à leur poste ? 13. S'occupent-elles bien des enfants? 14. Ne reçoivent-elles pas de visites particulières ? 15. Ne travaillent-elles pas pour elles? 16. Parlent-elles durement ou grossièrement aux enfants? 17. Mangent-elles dans les salles des aliments qui ont de l'odeur ? 18. Répondent-elles avec politesse aux Inspectrices et aux visiteurs? 19. Surveillent-elles les enfants lorsqu'ils sont aux lieux d'aisances? 20. Ne laissent-elles pas traîner des épingles à terre ou sur les berceaux ? 21. Les enfants sont-ils bien propres ? 22. La surveillante est-elle à son poste? 23. La lingerie est-elle en ordre? 24. Les registres sont-ils bien tenus? 25. Les mères sont-elles contentes des soins que la Crèche donne à leurs enfants? 5. Are there any clothes left hanging up on the wall? 8. Are the straw mats wet? 9. Is the kitchen clean? 10. Are the broths well made? 11. Are the nurses neat and clean in their persons? 12. Are they all at their posts? 13. Do they attend carefully to the children? 14. Do they not receive private visits? 15. Do they not work for themselves? 16. Do they speak harshly or coarsely to the children? 17. Do they in the rooms eat any food with a strong smell? 18. Do they answer with politeness the lady patronesses and visiters? 19. Do they watch the children when they are on their chairs? 20. Do they not drop pins on the floor or on the cradles ? 21. Are the children perfectly clean? 22. Is the Superintendent at her post? 24. Are the registers carefully kept? 25. Are the mothers satisfied with the care and attention bestowed on their children at the Crèche ? INSTITUTION NATIONALE DES SOURDS-MUETS. THIS charitable institution (situated in the Rue de St. Jacques), for the reception of deaf and dumb children, from eight to fifteen years of age, whose parents have not the means of educating them, is open to public inspection on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, from three to five o'clock, and accordingly, on calling on the latter day at the hour appointed, I was politely received, and cheerfully conducted by one of its principal superintendents into a sort of garden, in which I found, under the charge of the "surveillant en chef," himself deaf and dumb, 116 fine, healthy-looking deaf and dumb boys, dressed in blouses, amusing themselves at gymnastic exercises, at bowls, and at a Frenchified description of leapfrog. Á happier, ruddier, and more joyous set of countenances I have seldom beheld, and I was returning to several of them a small portion of the smile or grin with which they had greeted me, when all of a sudden a drum beat, on which, just as if they had heard its roll, they all instantly desisted from their games, fell into line, and by beat of drum, with which their feet kept perfect time, they marched away, following the drummer-boy, who was also deaf and dumb. 66 They cannot be perfectly deaf," I said, "if they hear that drum ?" In reply my guide informed me its roll had no effect on their ears, but created an immediate vibration in their chests, which, although in describing it he had put his hand thereon, he termed "dans l'estomac." As we were following the young soldiers, "Where are the sixty little girls?" said I. Stopping shortly, he replied, very gravely, "Visitors are never allowed to see them." "Why?" I asked. Monsieur," he replied, "parce qu'elles ont des yeux. Elles * National Institution for the Deaf and Dumb. ne sont pas comme des aveugles. Il n'y a que les prêtres qui peuvent y entrer!" On entering the Salle des Exercices, which I found full of empty benches, and in which I was introduced to an exceedingly intelligent-looking deaf and dumb professor, wearing a long black beard, I was shown a fine picture of the original founder of the establishment, the Abbé de l'Epée, embracing the young deaf and dumb Count de Toulouse, whom he had educated. There was, moreover, a bust of the founder, as also one of the Abbé de Sicard, who, on the death of the Abbé de l'Epée, in 1796, undertook the management of the establishment, which, during the revolution of 1789, had been transferred from a convent of Celestines to the buildings of the Séminaire de St. Magloire, where it now exists. After proceeding along a passage, my guide opened the door of a large room, which I found nearly full of the boys I had found playing, now as busily engaged in tailoring, under a person for whose benefit, in return for his instruction, they were sewing and stitching with great alacrity. On my asking this professor of the needle and shears whether his pupils understood him when he spoke to them, he good-humouredly replied, "We have no occasion for many words; they see by my eyes if I am not satisfied." I next entered a room in which about twenty boys were engaged in lithography, the details of which they executed very creditably. Several of their drawings on paper, afterwards to be transferred to stone, were very beautiful, and, while they were thus engaged, others at the end of the room were working the lithograthic presses. In the next room we entered I found seated on stools, hammering, grinning, laughing, and altogether looking as merry as grigs, twenty-two young shoemakers, among whom I recognised the drummer. To this boy, while the professor was gravely explaining to me his own duties, I made a slight military movement with my wrists and elbows, at which he instantly grinned, and the boys all-for all had watched me from the moment I had entered-grinned too; the professor smiled, my guide smiled, and I left them happy and hammering, as I had found them, to enter a room in which, under a deaf and *Sir, because they have eyes. They are not like the blind. No persons but priests are allowed to go to them. dumb instructor, I found a number of boys employed in turning. In the drawing room are eight double benches, on which successively every boy in the establishment takes his seat, for, although in other studies they are allowed to a certain degree to follow the bias of their own inclinations, yet all are taught to draw, for the purpose of enabling them with facility to delineate the signs and the alphabet by which they are enabled mutually to communicate their ideas to each other. The disposition of their time is as follows:-throughout the year they rise at five, in order at half-past to be at their studies, at which they remain till seven, when they breakfast, and at halfpast seven enter the various workshops, in which they continue till ten, when they are taught reading, writing, arithmetic, geography, and history till twelve. From noon until half-past they have their dinner, or, as my guide called it, their "grand déjeûné."* They then play for half an hour till one, when they go, on alternate days, to writing for an hour, till two. They are employed in reading, &c., till four, when they have half an hour allowed them for a "petit repas" and play. From half-past four, for two hours and a half, they are again in the workshops, and from halfpast six at study till half-past seven, when they go to supper; after which they are again allowed recreation till half-past eight, when they all go to bed. In a long room supported in the middle by a set of plain stone columns, lighted by windows on each side, also at both ends, and with a floor of oak, waxed, polished, and as slippery as glass, I found sixty plain iron bedsteads, each of which, besides comfortable bedding, had an exceedingly clean counterpane. At the foot of every bed was suspended the name of its temporary tenant, and between each bedstead a small "table de nuit." At one end of this airy hall there stood a large, luxurious bed, in which, blinded by curtains, and deaf and dumb, reposes and snores the "Surveillant :" at the other end, in a smaller bed, lies, curtainless, the "Garçon de Salle."§ Between the two, on little iron pedestals, I observed, standing erect, six glass tumbers, half full of oil, to give a feeble light at night. The lofty windows on both sides, as also at * Great breakfast. Slight refreshment. |