Beckwith, Albert Clayton. History of Walworth County, Wisconsin. Indianapolis: B. F. Bowen & Company, 1912.

Page 161

stitutions for the instruction of deaf and blind children, and for the care of the insane. The Legislature duly memorialized Congress, but without result.

Ebenezer Chesebro, an early settler of the town of Darien, had a daughter who was born deaf and thus "wisdom at one entrance quite shut out." Ariadne had received some instruction at a New York school for the deaf. Her father, in 1850, induced Miss Wealthy Haws, then of Magnolia, in Rock county, to come to his house and continue the girl's education. A neighbor's son, James A. Dudley, then aged twelve years, found here, for him, a golden opportunity. These two continued their study, the next year, under John A. Mills, a graduate of the New York institution. Four years later these two pioneer teachers became man and wife, and bother were employed at the state school, he as teacher, she as assistant matron. The little class at Mr. Chesebro's house increased to eight pupils, but was soon suspended for want of funds. The six later pupils were Clarissa B. Kingman, of Darien, Washington Farrer, of Summerville, Rock county, with Abraham, Betsy, Charles and Helen Hewes, of Eagle. Mr. Chesebro's feeling was too deep and strong and his mind too beneficently active to let the school drop and become one more matter for sterile regret. About one hundred citizens of the county joined him in a petition to the Legislature in 1852 for the establishment of at least one school in Wisconsin for instruction of deaf children. Thanks to the merit of the proposition in itself and to Assemblyman Barlow's effective presentation of its justice and expediency, Governor Farwell's signature, April 19, 1852, made the bill to incorporate the Wisconsin Institute for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb a law. The site was to be at or near the village of Delavan. Nine trustees were appointed, one-third of the board renewable each year. This number was reduced about 1870 to five, and in 1881 the board was abolished, its functions having been transferred to the state board of supervision. This body succeeded the older board of state charities and reform and is now known as the state board of control. For a few years the trustees were chosen from the county; but, with increase of the school's importance to the state came representation of other parts of the state. The trustees resident of the county were: