Act of the Directorate of the Institute for the Deaf and Dumb in Lviv regarding the construction of a new headquarters

To God, the Best and Greatest. Although in various provinces institutes dedicated to the upbringing and education of the deaf and dumb had been flourishing for a long time, our Galicia was deprived of such an institute until the year of our Lord 1828, under the reign of Francis I of glorious memory, the Most Serene Emperor of the Austrian Monarchy, a certain anonymous person, burning with the highest desire to help deaf and dumb youth, who chose to take the name Franciszek Goldheim, donated fifteen so-called bank shares for the purpose of establishing in Lviv in Galicia an institute dedicated to the upbringing of deaf and dumb youth, which subsequently received the name 'Institute for the Deaf and Dumb of the Most Holy Trinity'. Through the efforts and care of the High Imperial-Royal Galician Gubernium, collections were carried out in the province with such a desirable result that in the year 1830, on the 4th of October, on the day dedicated to Saint Francis – as the name day of the Most Serene Emperor Francis I, who at that time happily held the scepter of the Austrian Empire – the teaching of fourteen boys could begin in a house rented at the expense of the Institute, under the direction of the teacher Dominik Wichitil, as well as by the teacher Franciszek Hofmann, Abbot of Zhovkva and Provost of the Metropolitan Chapter of the Latin Rite, who exercised the direction of the Institute. The lack of its own house was remedied, and subsequently, by the Directorate of the Institute, thanks to the increase of its funds, a building was purchased for the price of 5800 Rhenish florins in silver coin, located on emphyteutic land in the Halych Suburb under no. [100?]. This house, as it soon turned out, due to the enormous humidity of the surrounding ground, was highly harmful to the health of the pupils residing in it. Such a difficult circumstance could not long escape the attention of the Most Serene Archduke Ferdinand of the House of Este-Austria, Governor-General of the Kingdoms of Galicia and Lodomeria etc. etc. and the Most Gracious Protector of the said Institute, therefore, by the order of the same Most Serene Archduke, that building was to be kept only until the end of the school year 1841, while in the meantime a new one was purchased, namely a spacious plot, acquired by way of exchange for the price of 3700 Rhenish florins in silver coin in the Lychakiv Suburb under no. 112 1/4, on which plot in the current year 1840 the architect Florian Onderka began the erection of a new edifice, which is to be completed in the month of September of the year 1841, and the construction costs of which will amount to 25,000 Rhenish florins in silver coin. To support this factory, the Most Serene Archduke Ferdinand, Governor-General of Galicia etc. etc., most graciously offered as a gift 5000 Rhenish florins in silver coin. Furthermore, 8000 Rhenish florins in silver coin were taken as a loan from the Bukovinian religious fund under the authority of the High Imperial-Royal Gubernium, under the leadership of His Excellency Franciszek, Baron Krieg von Hochfelden, Privy Councilor of His Most Sacred Imperial-Royal Majesty, Commander of the distinguished Order of Saint Stephen etc. etc. The rest of the amount is to be added from the sources of the same Institute, among which it is worth mentioning first of all the Estates of the Kingdoms of Galicia and Lodomeria, which annually graciously contribute 1000 Rhenish florins in silver coin. The dimensions of this Institute were, by the order of the Most Serene Archduke Ferdinand, Governor-General of Galicia, measured in such a way that, besides teachers and staff, it could in time accommodate 50 pupils, including 30 boys and 20 girls. Truly a great work, a distinguished monument of generous humanity, brought to fruition under the reign of the Most Serene Ferdinand I, Emperor of Austria, the erection of which, begun from such modest beginnings, grateful posterity will admire! What contributes in the first place to the glory of this Institute is the protection of the Most Serene Archduke, under which it was raised to its present peak of fortune, and which may Divine Providence preserve as long as possible in prosperity for the happy fate of Galicia! The current assets of the Institute exceed the amount of 85,000 Rhenish florins in silver coin, and currently twelve pupils receive board and clothing, besides whom five deaf and dumb students attend schools. The Directorate of the said Institute for the Deaf and Dumb consists of the following members, who perform their office without remuneration, namely: DIRECTOR. His Illustrious and Most Reverend Lord Józef, Knight de Broniewski, Canon of the Metropolitan Church of Lviv of the Latin Rite, Deputy of the Galician Estates. ASSESSORS. His Illustrious Lord Wilhelm Eminger, Doctor of Both Laws, Councilor of the Imperial-Royal Gubernium, replacing His Illustrious Lord Wilhelm de Reitzenheim, Gubernial Councilor, currently occupied, on behalf of the Imperial-Royal Gubernium. His Illustrious Lord Ignacy, Count Krasicki, Grand Chamberlain of the Kingdom, Knight of the Order of Saint Stanislaus, on behalf of the Estates of the Kingdoms of Galicia and Lodomeria. His Excellency Lord Stanisław Czerwiński, Magistrate Councilor, on behalf of the Magistrate of the City of Lviv. Mr. Franciszek Tomanek, citizen and deputy of the Estates, and Mr. Ignacy Csillik, citizen – both from the circle of Citizens of this Metropolis. May such a beneficial Institute bring forth the most abundant fruits for all eternity, both for the multiplication of God's glory and for the benefit of one's neighbor; and so that this undertaking may be happy and prosperous, His Excellency, the Most Reverend Franciszek de Paula Pištek, Metropolitan Archbishop and Primate of the Kingdoms of Galicia and Lodomeria, Privy Councilor of the Most Serene Emperor, deigned to bless it. [Verso:] [Trace of the document being folded in four, on the left margin an archival sticker with a signature].

D. O. M. Quamquam in diversis Provinciis Instituta Surdomutorum educationi et institutioni dicata, a notabili jam tempore florescerent, nostra Galicia ejusmodi Instituto carebat, donec anno Domini 1828 sub Imperio gloriosae memoriae Francisci I. Augustissimi Caesaris Monarchiae Austriacae, quipiam anonymus, summo desiderio succurrendi surdomutae juventuti flagrans, cui nomen Francisci Goldheim assumere placuit, quindecim sic dictas Actias bancales offerret, fine introducendi Instituti educationi juventutis surdomutae Leopoli in Galicia dicandi, quod subseque denominationem „Instituti Surdomutorum Sanctissimae Trinitatis” esortitum est. Cura ac sollicitudine Excelsi Caes[areo] Reg[ii] Gubernii Galiciensis collectiones per Provinciam fuere factae tam desiderato cum effectu, ut anno 1830 die 4ta mensis Octobris Divo Francisco sacra, utpote onomasi Augustissimi eciam sceptrum Imperii Austriaci feliciter gestantis Caesaris Francisci I., instructio cum 14 pueris, in conducta sumptibus Instituti domo, exordium sumere potuerit, per Magistrum Dominicum Wichitil, eciam p[er] m[agistrum] Francisco Hofmann, Abbate Zolkiewiensi, nec non Praeposito Capituli Metropolitani rit[us] lat[ini] Directionem Instituti gerente. Defectui domus propriae consultum fuit, subseque ex parte Directionis Instituti, adauctis quippe ejus facultatibus, comparatum erat aedificium pro pretio 5.800 flor[enorum] rhn[ensium] mon[etae] argenteae in fundo emphiteutico suburbii Haliciensis sub No [100?] situatum. Haec domus, sanitati alumnorum in ea degentium perquam nociva fuit subseque adinventa, ob ingentem soli circumjacentis humiditatem. Tam ardua circumstantia Serenissimum Archiducem Ferdinandum Austriaco-Estensem Gubernatorem Generalem Regnorum Galiciae et Lodomeriae etc. etc. Protectoremque Gratiosissimum dicti Instituti diu latere non potuit, qua propter jussu Ejusdem Serenissimi Archiducis aedificium illud nonnisi ad exitum anni scholastici 1841. retinendum erat, nova interim eaque area ampla comparata, per commutationem videlicet, pretio 3.700 flor[enorum] rhn[ensium] mon[etae] argenteae in suburbio Lyczakoviensi No 112 1/4 adquisita, in qua novum aedificium anno curr[enti] 1840. construi coepit per Architectum Florianum Onderka, mense Septembri anno 1841. terminandum, cujus aedificationis sumptus 25.000 flor[enorum] rhn[ensium] mon[etae] argenteae aequabunt. Pro sublevamine hujus fabricae a Serenissimo Archiduce Ferdinando Generali Galiciae Gubernatore etc. etc. benignissime 5000 flor[enorum] rhn[ensium] mon[etae] argenteae dono oblata extitere. Jam vero 8.000 flor[enorum] rhn[ensium] mon[etae] argen[teae] sub authoritate Excelsi Caes[areo] Reg[ii] Gubernii, Praesidente Excellentissimo Francisco L[ibero] B[arone] Krieg a Hochfelden Intimo a Consiliis Sacratissimae C[aesareo] R[egiae] Majestatis, Comendatore Insignis Ord[inis] S[anc]ti Stephani etc. etc. mutuo sunt accepta ex fundo relig[ioso] Bucovinensi. Reliquum quantum ex hujus Instituti fontibus addendum, inter quos praeprimis commemorandi veniunt Ordines et Status Regnorum Galiciae et Lodomeriae qui quotannis 1000 flor[enos] rhn[enses] mon[etae] arg[enteae] benigniter conferunt. Extensio hujus Instituti sic est emensurata mandante Serenissimo Archiduce Ferdinando Generali Galiciae Gubernatore, ut praeter magistros et famulitium, 50 alumnos, inter quos 30 pueri et 20 puellae erunt, aliquando capere queat. Grande sane opus, insigne magnanimae humanitatis monumentum, sub Imperio Augustissimi Ferdinandi I. Imperatoris Austriae ad effectum productum, cujus erectionem tam exiguis exordiis inchoatam, mirabitur grata posteritas! Quod praeprimis gloriae praesentis Instituti cedit, est protectio Serenissimi Archiducis, sub qua ad praesens fastigium sortis suae est evectum, quodque providentia divina quam diutissime incolume pro felici sorte Galiciae servare velit! Peculium praesens Instituti superat quantum 85.000 fl[orenorum] rhn[ensium] mon[etae] arg[enteae], et uno praesente 12 alumni victum et amictum obtinent, praeter hos scholas 5 discipuli surdomuti frequentant. Directionem hujus Instituti Surdomutorum constituunt sequentia membra, quae munere suo absque salario funguntur, videlicet: DIRECTOR. Illustrissimus ac Reverendissimus Dominus Josephus Eques de Broniewski, Canonicus Ecclesiae Metropolitanae Leopol[iensis] rit[us] lat[ini], Statuum Galiciensium Deputatus. ASSESSORES. Illustrissimus Dominus Vilhelmus Eminger Juris Utriusque Doctor, Consiliarius C[aesareo] R[egii] Gubernii, subsistens Illustrissimum D[omi]num de Reitzenheim Vilhelmum Consiliarium Gubernialem hactenus praepeditum, ex parte C[aesareo] R[egii] Gubernii. Illustrissimus Dominus Ignatius Comes Krasicki, Supremus Camerarius Regni, Eques Ordinis S[anc]ti Stanislai, ex parte Ordinum et Statuum Regnorum Galiciae et Lodomeriae. Illustris Dominus Stanislaus Czerwiński, Consiliarius Magistratualis, ex parte Magistratus Urbis Leopolis. Dominus Franciscus Tomanek Civis, Statuumque Deputatus, et Dominus Ignatius Csillik, Civis; ambo hi ex gremio Civium hujus Metropolis. Utinam tam salubre Institutum omne per aevum uberrimos ferat fructus! tum pro augenda gloria Dei, tum pro utilitate proximorum; huic, ut felix faustumque sit, Excellentissimus, Illustrissimus ac Reverendissimus Franciscus de Paula Pištek, Archi-Praesul Metropolitanus ac Primas Regnorum Galiciae et Lodomeriae, Intimus a Consiliis Augustissimi Caesaris benedicere dignatus est. [Verso:] [Ślad po złożeniu dokumentu w czworo, w lewym marginesie naklejka archiwalna z sygnaturą].