American School for the Deaf asks State for Funds to Build Its New School

Speaking for the school were:

1. Francis Parsons – testified as to the necessity of the school’s relocation, listing the reasons as the inadequacies of the current buildings; the school was no longer the only school for the deaf in the country; the school’s property had original been rural but was now surrounded by other buildings; the city planned to cut two streets through the campus; and the school had been looking for a new site for several years prior to purchasing the property in West Hartford.
2. Henry A. Perkins – testified that the current buildings would be sold; that the estimated cost of the new buildings was $500,000; that the new buildings would be fireproof; that the other states will probably withdraw their students from the school; and that the new school facility would accommodate 250 students, most if not all of whom would be from Connecticut.
3. Archibald A. Welch – testified that it was essential that the new location be accessible to teachers from Hartford; that the new location was rural; and that the new location was easily accessible.
4. Frank R. Wheeler – testified about the work of the school and that money invested in the education of the deaf was money well spent.
5. John H. Buck – testified in favor of the bill.

This is likely the order in which they testified as well, based on the Courant’s reporting of their testimony.