In Derby Police Court

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

complai ed 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 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.