SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19140, 25 October 1927, Page 4

SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF.

A DOMINION INSTITUTION. • ORAL SYSTEM OF INSTRUCTION I SUCCESSFUL. I In many huuscholcls throughout the Dominion there is cause to remember Sumner, for there is situated the School for the Deaf, which is. a national institution and receives pupils from all parts of New Zealand. The school is pleasingly located in the valley portion of Sumner and fronts the LytteltonSumncr road, the hills coming tbvni almost to the back of the buildings. The grounds are sufficiently extensive to provide a considerable area of garden and also a small dairy farm. The School for tho Deaf was established by the Education Department m the 'eighties, and the first director was Mr Jcritt van Asch. who retired in 1906. He was succeeded by Mr J. E. Stevens, who retired in 102:3 when the present director. .Mr J. M. D. Crawford, U.A., took office. The school originally was at Beach Glen, but as years passed it was not found large enough to accommodate all the pupils, and the Department acquired the buildings then known ns Sumner College from the late Mr C. L. Wiggins. In this building were the school-

rooms and tlio boys also .slept in it, the srirls sleeping at Beach Glen. Afterwards the Department bought the property from Mr Wiggins Of the tota! area of '2-5 acres some evvere purchased from Mr Wiggins and some from MiGraham, consisting of part.of Iris dairy farm. Mr Graham's homestead was originally the home of the Rev. G Cotterill, father of Mr Henry Cotterill, the well-known barrister and solicitor There is still standing a cedar tree planted by the Rev. Mr Cotterill. The present school buildings are of brick, the wing latest added having been erected in If) 13 Since the establishment of the school many hundreds of pupils have passed through it and havo benefited by the instruction received. Ex-pupils" are engaged in various occupations. Some have been found work in the Post Offices of the Dominion as letter sorters; others are ongag/'d in various trades and occupations such as carpentering, bookbinding, glass-work, boot-