A few years since the Head Master of the Deaf and Dumb Institution at Derby was sent for, with a request that he would hasten to the police court to see what could be done with a little deaf and dumb boy. The sketch is a faithful picture of the little fellow as he stood in the dock charged with stealing. The police, in giving their evidence, said that many complaints had been made of the boy's conduct. One lady complained of his illusing her dog, another a cat, and another killing her bird; others that he was always throwing stones or stealing, and that he had actually tried to upset a railway train. It appeared that twice previously the boy had been taken up by the police, but owing to his tender age nothing could be done with him. The Same Pupil after one Year's Training.
The Same Pupil after one Year's Training. The Mayor, addressing the Head Master of the Institution, said something must be done with the boy; unfortunately he was getting worse and worse; the case was a very sad one, the boy being deaf and dumb, but the public must be protected. The other magistrates present concurred with the Mayor's remarks, and after consulting with Mr. Bailey, J.P., Chairman of the Committee of the Institution, who was on the bench at the time, the boy was sent direct to the Institution, where food was given to him, after which his photograph was taken. The sketch given on the previous page is copied from it. The boy settled down, but not without giving considerable trouble; it was not to be expected that a boy, though so tender in years yet hardened in bad habits, should at once conform to the rules of the Institution. The teachers were not, therefore, greatly surprised to find him early one morning prowling in a quarter of the Institution to which he had no proper means of access. From time to time his teachers had difficulties to contend with not easy to describe. There has, however, been a gradual improvement in the boy's life and character. The sketch given above is from a photograph taken when the boy had been in the Institution one year.