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Their testimony, at the close of vacation, was uniformly in accornance -sic- with our hopes and wishes, that their children had developed and improved beyond their reasonable expectations.

To the results of that vacation upon the pupils themselves, I desire to call attention. It shows that the effects of education properly adapted and graduated to the physical, mental and moral constitution of the subjects of it, are as uniform and lasting as its general principles are universal in their application.

They returned to our care, in most cases, not only without having relapsed into their old habits of body and mind, but absolutely improved. The excitement of the journey home and back, the perception, fainter or stronger, as the case might be, of the family interest alive in their behalf, the efforts made to keep them up to our standard of management and discipline had produced this effect. Have we not in this fact a partial answer to that question, the last resort of those skeptical as to the practicability of educating idiots, when driven by the facts furnished by an hour's observation of the various exercises and achievements of our pupils to admit that their education is certainly possible? That question is -- "Will not these pupils, when they have passed from under the peculiar management, instruction and discipline of the asylum, relapse into their former habits, lose all that they have acquired of mental developement -sic-, and forget the precepts of morality they may have received?"

The walls of the new building for the accommodation of the Asylum, are now completed. The roof is on, and everything ready for the continuance of the work, during the winter and spring. By the contracts with the mechanics, it is to be ready for occupation by the first of June next. With a reasonable allowance for delay in its completion, we may hope to occupy it at some period during the ensuing summer.

It is, you are aware, the same building described in the report of last year, with only such alterations in the arrangements and apparatus for heating and ventilation as will render it, it is anticipated, all that could be desired in those respects, so essential to the health and comfort of its inmates. In making these alterations, security against fire has been studiously aimed at. All the furnaces are in a fire-proof sub-cellar, that need be entered only by the fireman. All the hot air flues are carried within brick walls, and are not allowed to approach any of the wood-work.

A proper disposition of the gas-burners will supersede the necessity of the use of the ordinary lamps, adding to the security of the building.

There is a copious supply of water, from three independent sources, that will be elevated to large tanks in the attic, whence it is to be conveyed to all portions of the house. In each story provision will be made for attaching a hose in case of fire.

A large drain, passing under the whole length of the centre of the building, and also with a branch extending the whole distance in the rear of the institution, will secure a thorough drainage.

I have submitted the plans to the inspection of quite a number of gentlemen, superintendents of charitable institutions for educational purposes, and they have expressed favorable opinions of their fitness for the purpose for which they are intended.

Conveniences for bathing have not been lost sight of.

I have mentioned these matters pertaining to the building, because with my experience in the management of a public institution, they have a special interest, and because, in the preparation of the plans, and in the construction of the building thus far, I have had a watchful eye, that in the particulars I have enumerated the new asylum should be all that was desirable.

Anticipating, therefore, an early occupation of the new institution, I would call your attention to the necessity of applying for an enlarged annual appropriation for the current expenses of the asylum during the next fiscal year.

We have now more than fifty applications for admission to the Institution. Some are for those in indigent circumstances; some are for those whose parents and friends are able and willing to pay a portion of the expense of board and education; and others still are from families whose pecuniary means would enable them to pay a reasonable compensation for their management and instruction.

I would respectfully suggest to the board of trustees, an application to the Legislature for the passage of a law, embracing the main features of the present law for the education of the deaf and dumb. That law is designed to distribute the State's bounty equally over all portions of the State; to furnish a gratuitous education to the indigent; to require from those who can afford to pay it, the actual cost of the board and instruction; and to have a reduced and properly graduated scale of prices for those who are not strictly indigent, and yet not able to meet the full expense of maintenance and education. It also requires the various counties from which indigent pupils are sent to the Asylum to provide them with suitable clothing.