Patterson, Robert. "History of the Ohio Institution for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb." In Histories of American Schools for the Deaf, 1817-1893. Edward Allen Fay, ed. 3 volumes Washington, DC: Volta Bureau, 1893.

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white persons, to ascertain the number of the deaf and dumb of all ages, and to return said lists to the clerk of common pleas of said county," with a statement of their pecuniary condition. The result of the enumeration was four hundred and twenty-eight deaf-mutes in the State, without Athens and Hamilton, the latter the most populous in the State, which made no returns. Seventy-two were reported as "in good circumstances," 66 as "in middling circumstances," 279 as "poor" and 11 were not reported. It was plain that there existed material enough for a school, and that but little dependence for its support could be placed upon tuition fees from parents and guardians. Dr. Hoge now saw his way clear, and brought the subject to the attention of Governor Morrow; and, at his suggestion, the Governor inserted a strong recommendation in his message to the Legislature at the opening of the session of 1826-7, urging "the establishing of an Asylum for the education of the deaf and dumb persons in this State." On the 8th of December, 1826, the subject was referred in the House of Representatives to a select committee of three. Dr. Hoge went before the committee with an elaborate memorial, prepared by himself and signed by a large number of prominent citizens. The memorial detailed, at length, the condition of the deaf previous to instruction, the efforts that had been made in foreign countries, and recently in our own, for their relief, and the change which education wrought in them. On the 27th, the Committee reported a bill for incorporating the Institution, and it passed without serious opposition on January 30, 1827.

Prior to the act of incorporation, two applications were made to the Legislature for pecuniary aid in behalf of the deaf. During the session of 1819-20, a citizen of Stark county applied for State aid in sending his son to the American Asylum. The bill was reported in his favor, but there appears to have been no final action taken upon it. In the spring of 1821, an association of citizens was formed in Cincinnati, "for establishing a school for the instruction of the Deaf and Dumb in this western part of the country." Rev. James Chute was selected and sent to the American Asylum in July to qualify himself for the work. He returned home in the following November, and the next month the Association made application to the Legislature for an act of incorporation, under the name of "The Western Asylum for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb," and for