Field, Homer H. and Joseph R. Reed. History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa. Vol. 1. Chicago: S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1907.

Page 148

The board of trustees so appointed and chosen consisted of Hon. James W. Grimes, governor; Hon. G. W. McCleary, secretary of state; Hon J. D. Eads, superintendent of public instruction; John C. Culbertson, Rev. F. A. Shearer and William Crum.

One of the first official acts of this board was to absorb the private school of Mr. Ijams with his twenty pupils, appointing him as principal, Mrs. Ijams matron, and Mr. Perry Barns teacher, and the state institution, afterward to be known as the School for the Deaf, was duly founded.

The school grew rapidly, the building became inadequate, and another one was rented to accommodate the increasing number of pupils. The $10,000 appropriated for the equipment and support of the young institution was exhausted at the end of the biennial period, and the succeeding general assembly in 1857 appropriated $7,000 for its continued support. This was followed by an appropriation for $8,000 annually for the years 1858 and 1859. Liberal as these acts of the general assembly might seem to be, yet, under the most careful management deficiencies at the end of the term appears and applicants were denied admission. At this time the school numbered fifty-nine pupils.

This unfortunate condition continued for several years, under the strain of which Mr. Ijams' health failed, compelling his resignation.

At the beginning of the term of 1863 Mr. Benjamin Talbot, a former teacher in the Ohio School for the Deaf, was placed in charge. Each year showed an increase in the number of pupils. The necessity for better accommodation and larger facilities becoming more and more apparent, on the third day of April, 1866, the general assembly passed an act by the terms of which the institution was removed to or near Council Bluffs. A commission consisting of Thos. Officer, Caleb Baldwin and E. Honn was created and empowered to select a permanent location, invite plans and receive proposals for the erection of the buildings. One hundred and sixty acres were selected, plans were submitted by different architects and after adopting one that appeared the most acceptable, bids were asked for and received. The matter was then referred to the general assembly with a recommendation that $300,000 be appropriated to carry out eh suggestions as made by the commission. This was approved only to the extent of an appropriation for the erection of the center and one wing of the main building, and the commission was authorized to proceed with the erection of the same.

From this time on the institution seemed destined to come up through tribulation. Defects in plans were encountered and changes were made, faulty construction was charged, as well as inferior material, time had to be extended, and it was not until December 1, 1870, that the pupils could enter their new but not very comfortable home. The center building of five stories and one wing of four were erected on an appropriation of $125,000.

In 1876 the general assembly provided for the erection and completion of the other or west wing, but before this was completed a fire on the 25th of February, 1877, nearly destroyed the center and east wing, and rendered what had been imperfectly done uninhabitable and useless. Some of the children were sent to their homes, while some were provided for in an industrial school