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Address Of The The Trustees Of The New England Institution For The Education Of The Blind To The Public

Creator:  Edward Brooks, Horace Mann, and S.C. Phillips (authors)
Date: 1833
Publisher: Carter, Hendee & Co.
Source: Perkins School for the Blind

1  

TO THE PUBLIC.

2  

It is four years since an act incorporating the Trustees of the New England Asylum for the Blind, was passed by the Legislature of Massachusetts. Why so much delay has occurred in commencing operations, will be duly explained.

3  

The Trustees have now the satisfaction of announcing, that their institution has been in actual operation for five months; and that their most sanguine expectations of the capacity of the blind for receiving an education, have been fully verified in the progress of the interesting beings under their charge. But before giving any account of the state of their institution, the Trustees beg leave to make some general remarks on the blind; on the light in which they have been held; and the manner in which they have always been treated by their fellow-men.

4  

Blindness has been in all ages one of those instruments by which a mysterious Providence has chosen to afflict man; or rather IT has not seen fit to extend the blessing of sight to every member of the human family. In every country there exists a large number of human beings, who are prevented by want of sight, from engaging with advantage in the pursuits of life, and who are thrown upon the charity of their more favored fellows. And it will be found, that the proportion is at all times about the same, in the same countries; for not only is the proportion of those who shall be born blind, decreed in the statutes of the Governor of the world, but the number of those becoming so, by what we call accident, is regulated by laws as infallible and invariable; and it is as little probable that by any accident, all mankind should lose their eyes, as that by any precaution all should preserve them. Blindness then is one of the evils entailed upon man, and it becomes him to grapple with it, and try to diminish its pernicious effects.

5  

The blind may be divided into two classes, those born blind, and those becoming blind by disease or accident, the latter class being infinitely the most numerous.

6  

The frequency of blindness varies in different climates, and upon different soils; it is most frequent in that part of the temperate zone bordering upon the torrid; and decreases as we approach the poles. It has been ascertained by accurate censuses taken in different countries of Europe, that the number is fearfully great, and that although they are screened from the public eye, they exist in almost every town and village. In Middle Europe, there is one blind person to every 800 inhabitants. In some Austrian provinces, it has been accurately ascertained, that there is one to every 845 inhabitants; in Zurich, one to 747. Farther north, between the 50th and 70th degree of longitude, they exist in smaller proportions; in Denmark are found one to every 1000. In Prussia, there are one to every 900. Egypt is the country most afflicted with this evil, and it may be safely calculated that there are there about one blind to every 300 seeing person.

7  

In our own country, no means have been taken to ascertain with exactitude the number of blind; the returns made by some censuses, have been ascertained to be very erroneous; nor is there any reason to suppose that the laws which act on nations under the same latitude in Europe, should be null here; indeed, the Trustees have ascertained that in some small towns, not exceeding 2000 inhabitants, and where the census gave but one or two blind, there really exist four, five, and six. These unfortunate beings, sit and wile their long night of life away, within doors, unseen and unknown by the world; and society would be startled, were it told that there exist in its bosom so many of its children who never see the light of heaven; it would hardly credit the assertion that there are more than eight thousand blind persons in these United States; yet, such is undoubtedly the case.

8  

The public must be ignorant of this fact; to suppose it is not so, and yet that it had done nothing for so large a class of the afflicted, would be an impeachment of its charity, and its justice; and the Trustees appeal to it in the full confidence that the ready answer will be, 'what can be done for them?'

9  

Fellow citizens, much can be done for them; instead of condemning the poor blind man to stand at the corner of the street, and ask for charity; or to remain cooped up within the walls of an alms-house, or to sit and mope away his solitary existence among his happier friends, alike a burden to them and himself -- you may give to him the means of becoming an enlightened, happy and useful member of society; you may give him and his fellow-blind the means of earning their own livelihood, or at least of doing much towards it; you may light the lamp of knowledge within them, you may enable them to read the Scriptures themselves,

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'And thus, upon the eye-balls of the blind,
To pour celestial day.'

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All this you can do by the establishment of institutions for their education; and it is to demonstrate this fact, that this Circular is addressed to you. The Trustees do not ask assistance for the Institution alone, but they call upon the public to consider the situation of the blind everywhere, and every where to extend to them those benefits, which are greater than the most liberal alms that can be bestowed.

12  

This is not a common call, nor is it a common case; for the object proposed, differs materially from most charitable establishments; first, in that there is no possibility of deception, since no one can doubt or deny the claim which the blind have upon the charity of their more fortunate fellows; and second, that the object is an economical one to the community. It is to take from society, so many dead weights, that it is proposed to educate the blind, and enable them to get their own livelihood: and society ought to consider any capital so invested as a sinking fund for the redemption of its charitable debt; as a provision for for -sic- preventing the blind from becoming taxes to the community. In proof of this the Trustees would try to draw the attention of the public to the different kinds of work which are performed by the blind in the different institutions in Europe; some of which may also be seen at the infant institution under their direction.

13  

That a blind man may become a first-rate professor of music, frequent example has taught every one; it remains however for many to be convinced, that a blind man may become a good teacher of mathematics, the languages and almost any science; that he may gain a decent livelihood by the labor of his hands in the fabrication of baskets, mats, mattresses, twine, &c., &c. To do these things, he needs only an apprenticeship in an establishment devoted entirely to this purpose, and pursuing a peculiar plan of education adapted to his wants: and it is in aid of their efforts to establish such an institution, that the Trustees call upon their fellow-citizens for encouragement and support.

14  

It is alike the character and honor of our age, that society is not content with administering charitable aid to the distressed, but that it seeks to strike at the root of the evil and prevent its recurrence; it remains yet for our country to apply this principle to the pauperism of the blind. It is not now the time to discuss the direct and indirect tendency of blindness to produce pauperism; suffice it to say the blind are generally paupers; they have always been so, and the place to seek the blind, has always been at the way-side begging for alms. Nothing was done for their education until about forty years ago, when the humane Abbe Hauy undertook to educate some blind children in his own house, and his success was so great, that the Government of France employed him to establish an institution in Paris. This he did, and it became so interesting an object that he was called by the Emperor of Russia to St. Petersburg for a similar purpose; and after successfully putting his system into operation there, he laid the foundation of a school for the blind at Berlin. He invented the method of printing in raised characters, made tangible and sensible to the blind; he also constructed maps, musical notes, &c., but left the subject in a very imperfect state at his death.

15  

Similar institutions have been since founded, and are in successful operation in Amsterdam, Vienna, Dresden, London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool and other places; the condition and operation of which have been thus noticed in a Report made to the Trustees by Dr. S. G. Howe:

16  

'The European institutions for the education of the blind may be divided into two classes; those established and supported by the Governments, and those which owe their foundation and support to the charitable efforts of individuals, the latter are by far more useful than the former.

17  

'There can be no more delightful spectacle than is presented by these establishments, where you may see a hundred young blind persons, changed from listless, inactive, helpless beings, -- into intelligent, active, and happy ones; they run about, and pursue their different kinds of work with eager industry and surprising success; when engaged in intellectual pursuits, the awakened mind is painted in their intelligent countenances; and when the whole unite in sacred music, there is a display of deep felt interest, of fervid zeal, and animating enthusiasm, which I have never seen equalled.

18  

'The proposed end of these different institutions is to give to the blind the means of supporting themselves; and this is effected with different degrees of success.

19  

'I visited all the principal institutions for the education of the blind in Europe, and found in all much to admire and to copy, but much also to avoid.

20  

'Those institutions, which are founded and supported by the Government, labor under many disadvantages necessarily attendant upon such a connexion; and it may be said without injustice to the persons employed, that they are obliged to follow such a system, and make such exhibitions, as will redound rather to the glory of the State than the good of the pupils. Hence so much of useless parade and show -- hence so much time and patience spent upon learning to perform surprising but useless things. Those on the other hand, which are kept up by individual effort and public benevolence, fall into the error of considering their pupils too much as objects of charity, and of petting and caressing them too much.

21  

'The Institution for the Education of the Blind at Paris, as it is the oldest, and as there is about it more of show and parade than any other in Europe, has also the reputation of being the best; but if one judges the tree by its fruit, and not by its flowers and foliage, this will not be his conclusion.

22  

'Its founder and the great benefactor of the blind, the Abbe Hauy, invented and put into practice many contrivances for the education of the blind; and otherwise rendered the institution excellent for the age, and the time it had existed; but as he left it so has it since remained. It receives, supports and educates about a hundred blind youth; and there being no other in France, it follows that there are only one in 300 of their blind who receive an education. The great fault in the Parisian Institution, is the diversity of employment to which the pupils are put; and the effort made to enable them to perform surprising but useless tricks. The same degree of intellectual education is given to all, without reference to their destination in life; and a poor boy, who is to get his livelihood by weaving or whip making, is as well instructed in mathematics and polite literature, as he who is to pursue a literary career. Now there is no reason why a shoe maker, or a basket maker should not be well educated; provided he can learn his profession thoroughly, and find the necessary leisure for study. But if this would be difficult for a seeing person, how much more is it so for a blind one, who, to attain any degree of excellence in a trade, must apply himself most intensely and most patiently. The necessity of this is made apparent by the situation of those youths, who come out from the Institution at the end of the seven years passed there; they have devoted five hours per day to mechanical employment, but to so many different ones, that they know but little of any. Weaving, whip making, mat, and net making, and spinning, &c., &c., have so effectually divided their attention, that at the end of the year devoted to learning the one, they have almost entirely forgotten that which they have acquired the year before.

23  

'It has however with all its faults been productive of great good, and has sent out many pupils who are not only well educated and happy men, but most useful members of society; among others may be cited Mr. Paingeon, the celebrated Professor of Mathematics at the University of Angiers. This interesting young blind man came forward as a candidate in the public controversy for the prizes in Mathematics at Paris; -- and after carrying them all off, was named to the professional chair at Angiers.

24  

'There are in Germany five institutions for the education of the blind, which are carried to different degrees of perfection: some are under the direction indeed of men of science, but who are cramped in their exertions by various causes; others however are less fortunate.

25  

'The one at Dresden for instance, is under the management of a most excellent lady, but whose only merit is extreme kindness to her interesting charges; the intellectual education of the pupil is almost entirely disregarded, and they are not taught to read or write: nor am I aware that if she had the disposition, she would have the power, of giving them a better intellectual education.

26  

'The Institution of Berlin, under the direction of the excellent Professor Zeune, is better managed; but that gentleman cannot carry his views into operation; for instance, he is obliged to employ seeing teachers, because a commissioner wills it, where blind persons in his own opinion might perform the duty infinitely better. How often is it the case that in institutions of various kinds, the practical knowledge and experience of those immediately engaged are overruled by those who look into the subject but once or twice a year, and insist upon directing the whole.

27  

'It may be safely said, that none are so well fitted for teaching the blind, as the blind themselves; nay! more, the blind can become most excellent teachers of seeing persons: I have known a blind person manage a class of twelve seeing boys to perfection; and what was astonishing, he had sufficient moral influence over them to keep them in the greatest order, and prevent them from playing those tricks which boys will do when their master does not see them.

28  

'In the Berlin Institution, as always must be the case in well regulated ones, great attention is paid to instructing the blind in music. Who does not know that the blind generally evince greater capacity and inclination for music than seeing persons; and who can doubt, that the blind man who has acquired his knowledge of music scientifically, may teach it scientifically also, and thus fill a useful sphere in society.

29  

'The Institution owes its existence indirectly to the illustrious Hauy who passed through that place on his way to St. Petersburg, whither he was summoned by the Autocrat to establish an institution for the education of the blind. This latter, however, though founded and encouraged by an emperor, has fallen into decay; while the Berlin establishment is continued almost solely by the philanthropic labors and hearty zeal of a few simple citizens.

30  

'In the Berlin Institution, though the pupils are taught to read and write, they have very few printed books; and the information is given orally. This arises however from the expense of books, and not from any doubt of their utility; in fact Professor Zeune exerts himself to the utmost to increase his library for the blind.

31  

'He prints with types filled with pin points. The pupils are taught also geography, history, languages, and the mathematical as well as lighter sciences. The time is partly occupied in learning different trades; and on the whole the pupils are as well, if not better qualified to make their way in the world, as those from the Paris Institution. There are four similar institutions in Germany, the best of which seems that of Vienna; there is also an excellent one in Zurich, which I did not visit.

32  

'The Institution for Indigent Blind in London, is an excellent and most charitable establishment, and productive of great good.

33  

'It is indeed a most delightful sight to see so many blind youth assembled in the work-shops, all neatly clad, and with smiling faces, busily employed at their different trades; and all earning a large part of their livelihood, by their own labor. Instead of the solitary, helpless beings which we so often see, the blind here presents us the spectacle of an active, industrious and happy youth, who, finding constant occupation in the exercise of his physical powers, and being buoyed by the hope of rendering himself independent of charity, has no time and no inclination for repining at his lot, or for drawing unpleasant comparisons between himself and those about him.

34  

'The Institution in London is intended merely for indigent blind, and their intellectual education is not at all attended to; nor do they occupy themselves about anything but their trades, with the exception of a little music. There seems to be a doubt in the minds of the persons who direct the institution, of the utility of teaching the youths to read themselves, by means of raised letters; which is singular enough to one accustomed to see the immense usefulness and pleasure afforded to the blind by the use of these books.

35  

'The doubt is apt to be raised however only by good men who question the utility of knowledge in any person beyond the strict demands of his calling. It is said, that they can always have the assistance of a seeing person to read to them; but besides that the blind cannot always have such a person at their elbow, there is infinitely more pleasure and advantage to be derived from feeling out the letters themselves. They can stop, and go back, or read over a passage a dozen times, reflect upon it as long as they choose, and refer to it, on any occasion.

36  

'In mathematical studies particularly, where only a few brief problems and rules are given, books printed with raised letters for the use of the blind are almost indispensably necessary. The advantage, nay! the necessity, of printing the Gospel in raised letters for the use of the blind will be apparent to every thinking Christian. Here is a large number of our fellow creatures within our reach, who might be supplied with the New Testament at small expense, compared with that laid out in sending it among distant heathen.

37  

'It may be said indeed, that the blind can hear the Bible read by their friends, while the heathen cannot; but on the other hand let one consider what a precious treasure a copy of the Testament in raised letters would be to a blind man; he would pore over it, read and reread it, until every word became familiar; and how much greater probability there would be of its producing a good effect than in the hands of those who have a thousand other things to occupy their thoughts. Then too, let one consider the all-important nature of the study; and how jealous one should be of trusting to aught but the cool decision of his own reason.

38  

'In fine, let any pious Christian put the case to himself and say, whether he would be content with having the scriptures read by another; whether he could abstain from feasting his eyes on God's sacred pages; or refrain from shutting himself up in his closet with his Maker, and his revealed Word.

39  

'What his eyes are to him, the fingers are to the man deprived of sight, and to the one equally as to the other, is solitary reading and reflection a useful and healthful exercise.

40  

'Nor to the blind alone would the scriptures printed in raised letters be a precious treasure; there are many people who from weakness or temporary derangement of the organs of sight, would be happy to spare their eyes and read with their fingers. The acquisition of this faculty is not at all difficult, any person may in three or four days enable himself to feel out very easily the raised letters, and read pretty fast.'

41  

'I mentioned in a letter from Europe to your sub-committee a plan which I had conceived of publishing one of the Evangelists in raised characters; without now detailing on all the methods which I would substitute for those hitherto used, I may say, that it is founded upon the only principle which can possibly obviate the immense inconvenience of bulk and expense, viz. that of contraction or stenography; a principle which if acted up to, may I am convinced, render books for the blind as cheap and as compact as those printed for our use. Whether this system shall substitute tangible for the visible forms of letters, or whether the symbols shall represent sounds, is a secondary question.'

42  

'The Institution at Edinburgh is on the whole the best I saw in Europe, it comes nearer than any other to the attainment of the great object of blind schools, viz., enabling the pupils to support themselves by their own efforts in after life. The establishment is not so showy as that at Paris, nor has it the same means which the latter possesses, and which receives an allowance of 60,000 francs, or $12,000 per annum from Government: nor has it printed books for their use; still they receive most excellent education and learn some most useful trades. The mattress and matmaking business are carried on by the pupils with great skill and success, and many are enabled to earn per diem nearly enough for their subsistence. They are mostly day scholars, and receive a sum of money in proportion to the work they do.

43  

'The mats and mattresses which come out of the Institution, and which are entirely the work of the blind, are certainly better made than others in the city, and command a higher price in the market. The pupils are occupied also with making baskets, which is a clean and pleasant employment, but not altogether so profitable as the others. They display great ingenuity, and finish very fine and difficult pieces of basket work, but it is a branch in which they have less chance of successful competition with seeing persons. Indeed, one great fault in the systems generally followed in Europe, is the attempt to counterbalance the natural infirmity of the pupil by his ingenuity, his patience, and the excessive nicety of his remaining senses, and to enable him to compete with seeing persons in spite of the advantage they have over him. Now this ought not to be the leading principle; on the contrary, taking it for granted that the seeing person ever must have an immense advantage over the blind, in all handicraft works whatsoever, we should seek out for him such employment as least requires the use of the eyes.

44  

'There are some occupations, such as knifing, weaving, &c., which a blind person may perform nearly as well as a seeing one, but in the present age, the introduction of machinery has superseded in a great measure this kind of labor. In matmaking, the blind man can nearly compete with the seeing one, and therefore should it be taught him, as a means of making himself useful and necessary to others; for after all the efforts of charitable men, this unfortunate class will ever be in a precarious situation, until they can become so useful as to command attention: men are charitable by fits and starts only, but self-interest never sleeps; if the blind can appeal to this, they are sure of being heard.

45  

'Many of the pupils in the Edinburgh Institution are, as I observed, day scholars; that is, they reside with their friends, and come in to work and study every day, and an allowance is made to them proportioned to the work they do, if this is adequate to their support.

46  

I would observe, that sufficient attention is not paid to the personal demeanor of the blind, either by their parents or in the public institutions: they contract disagreeable habits, either in posture, or in movement; they swing their hands, or work their heads, or reel their bodies; and seem in this way to occupy those moments of void, which seeing persons pass in listlessly gazing about them.

47  

'They are apt also to be exceedingly awkward and embarrassed in company, and are often very bashful while very vain; all this can be corrected by pursuing the same means as used with seeing children, and by accustoming them to society.

48  

'Blind persons can become as well qualified as seeing persons for many employments which are generally thought beyond their powers, they can teach languages, history, geography, mathematics and many other sciences, perfectly well; I know not why they should not make the first rate councillors, and think it possible that they might fill the pulpit both ably and usefully.

49  

'I have the pleasure of calling my friend, Monsieur Rodenbach, member of the Belgian Congress: a man who possesses great influence, and who often makes that house ring with original and naive speeches; he is an agreeable orator, and an active business man, and a graceful member of society, and yet has been stone-blind from his childhood.

50  

'I hope that the blind will not have to struggle against unfounded prejudices in our country, yet much do I fear that they will, people are so accustomed to consider the blind as helpless dependents on others, that they will not believe them capable of a high and useful part in society; and when they see one of them, who by uncommon talent, struggles and raises his head a little in the world, in spite of the weight by which society would sink him beneath its surface, they regard him as a passing wonder, and draw no inference in favor of his fellows in misfortune. That great mathematician and philosopher, the illustrious Saunderson, Professor at Cambridge, who deserves a niche in the temple of fame between Newton and Laplace, drew one of his atheistical arguments from the false opinion of men concerning his powers; he said to a clergyman on his death bed, "you would fain have me allow the force of your arguments drawn from the wonders of the visible creation; but may it not be, that they only seem to you wonderful, for you and other men, have always been wondering how I could accomplish many things, which seem to me perfectly simple."

51  

'But to return to our notice of the different institutions; that at Edinburgh is certainly superior to any in England, and on the whole is so to that of Paris, and were it now in place, I might detail to you many curious and interesting processes for facilitating the education of the blind; the general principle however is to combine intellectual and physical education in such a way, as to qualify the blind for the performance of a useful part in the world; and of so storing the mind with knowledge, that they may have a fund within themselves from which to draw in after life.

52  

'The school at Glasgow, is a more recent one, and is not yet equal to the one in Edinburgh in the advantages of intellectual education which it offers.

53  

'The Liverpool school is remarkable for the very great degree of attention which is paid to the cultivation of the musical talents of the blind, and for their astonishing success in it. An idea may be had of their proficiency from the fact, that the product of their concerts is about $3,500 annually.

54  

'I shall take care to put into the hands of your committee, a more detailed notice of the different establishments which I have visited, and I now close by respectfully submitting to you the conclusions at which I have arrived respecting the general management of your proposed institution.

55  

'Keeping steadily in view the principal object, qualifying the blind to act a useful part in society, one ought to adapt his education to the sphere which the pupil will fill; choosing for every one the occupation in which the least possible necessity exists for the use of the eyes.

56  

'Those who are fortunate enough to be above any pecuniary wants, may occupy themselves entirely with the development of their mental faculties, and the acquisition of all kinds of knowledge; alternating their studies only with such mechanical employments as may be necessary for physical health. I can conceive nothing more delightful than watching and administering to the intellectual wants of a blind person of good parts, as they gradually unfold themselves; and enabling him to wander at will among the fields of fancy and science. Such a person may attain a knowledge of the classics, of ancient and modern languages, and of almost all kinds of science. There is nothing to prevent his becoming an elegant and accomplished scholar, and of being qualified to adorn society, as well as to be a contented and happy being himself. Think of such a person, and compare him with one sitting in intellectual and physical darkness, and say whether it is not worth while persevering in your undertaking.

57  

'In the education of indigent blind children, or of those whose principal dependence must be on themselves, I should hope that our institution will avoid the extremes into which the French fall on the one hand, and the English on the other. We should depend entirely neither upon physical nor intellectual education, nor should we lay down any general rule to be observed towards all pupils. One ought to be even more observant of the bent of a blind boy's mind, and the direction of his talent, than he is in the education of seeing children.

58  

'Considering handicraft work to be the occupation in which the blind can compete to less advantage with seeing men than any other, it should be resorted to only in the case of those who manifest no decided talent for anything else. Among twenty blind youth, there will probably be found four who possess a decided musical talent, this then should be assiduously cultivated, music should be their principal study, and they should devote as much time as possible to it.

59  

'If one or two should exhibit a strong inclination for mathmatical -sic- studies, or display what may be called the teaching propensity, that is the talent for communicating their knowledge, they should have these powers cultivated; they will surely do better by them in the world, than by making baskets or mats.

60  

'The majority whose talents are but ordinary should be taught some mechanical arts, such as mat, basket or mattress making, and they should make it the chief object of their education to attain an excellence in them. I would not indeed prevent their learning to read and write, or acquiring a store of intellectual knowledge, but it should not be allowed to impede their way in learning their trade.

61  

'I have often wondered, when in the workshops of the European blind institutions, that they did not have some one reading in the room, while the pupils are at work. I do not believe that it would materially take off their attention from their occupation, and if they did not profit much from the reading, they would do so to a certain degree.

62  

'The pupils who are to learn thoroughly any handicraft work, should not have their attention too much distracted by a multiplicity of occupations; it is true that there are some advantages attending the French method of teaching the children a half a dozen trades, as there are advantages attending almost every bad system; but they by no means outweigh the immense disadvantage of the want of that excellence in one trade which can only be acquired by strict and undivided attention to it.

63  

'As the children destined to a trade should not devote too much of their time to intellectual pursuits, so on the other hand those educated for a higher occupation should not be left unacquainted with some mechanical occupations: they cannot have their mental powers always on the stretch, and as they have the same means of amusement as seeing children, they must be provided with some means of getting the necessary exercises and recreation.

64  

'This may be obviated by a regular attention to work, and by introducing many amusements among them.

65  

'I have often observed with a delighted eye the movement of the blind boys in Paris as they leave the Institution to go to play; each grasps a cord held by a seeing boy, and follows him rapidly and unhesitatingly through narrow streets, until they enter the immense. "Garden of Plants," when quitting the string they run away among the trees, and frolic and play together with all the zest and enjoyment of seeing children. They know every tree and shrub, they career it up one alley and down another, they chase, catch, overthrow and knock each other about, exactly like seeing boys; and to judge by their laughing faces, their wild and unrestrained gestures, and their loud and hearty shouts, they partake equally the delightful excitement of boyish play.

66  

'It appears to me very probable, that the delicacy of health so often the lot of the blind, is owing to the want of proper circulation of the blood; they being much of the time in a state of physical and mental rest.

67  

'We must also adapt our Institution to local circumstances, and in our workshops try to produce those articles best adapted for sale in our markets. I have no doubt that the profit of work done in this country by the blind will be infinitely greater than in any other, owing to the higher price of labor; audit one cannot make a blind man approach any nearer to the seeing workman in the amount of his gains, yet, thanks to Providence, the gains of a laboring man with us are not so stinted that he would starve on their being diminished one quarter."

68  

In submitting to the public this extract of the Report of Dr. Howe, the Trustees are aware, that they are furnishing to cavillers some opportunity of objecting to their infant establishment, on the ground that it is so difficult, even in Europe, to bring them to that degree of perfection which enables them to pay their own way; but besides that the Trustees are unwilling to suppress any evidence in the case, they are convinced that they can steer clear of many of the difficulties, which are to be encountered abroad, and they insist that too much consideration cannot be given to the fact, that they will have fewer obstacles to encounter, and more circumstances to favor them than their predecessors. It cannot be that in these United States there exists a parish which would not give a salary to a blind organist, in preference to a seeing one, provided they were equally well qualified, yet in Europe this is the case. There is not here this fixed prejudice to struggle with, nor yet the immense obstacle of the low price of labor, which in many parts of Europe is in direct ratio to the means absolutely necessary for supporting life.

69  

'They have too the light and experience which the others did not, and can profit by their experiments, successful and unsuccessful.

70  

The Trustees are well aware that the advantages of an education cannot be extended to all the blind; and it is in the hope of doing some little good to them, that the attention of their relatives is invited to some remarks on the subject of the domestic education of the blind.

71  

'There is a great error prevalent among those who have friends or relations deprived of their sight; and who imagine that too much kindness, or too much attention cannot be lavished upon them. This is entirely a mistake, and it is quite certain that the greatest obstacle to the education of the blind children who are received into the European institutions, is, that their previous treatment has been such as to prevent the development of their remaining senses.

72  

'Parents absolutely smother the faculties of a blind child in kindnesses; 'the poor dear thing' is blind, they say, 'it cannot feed itself, it is blind,' 'and cannot dress itself;' and if it venture across the floor alone, the anxious mother runs and silently removes every obstacle, instead of teaching it a lesson by letting it run against them; and bye and bye, when she is not near the child it may severely hurt itself by falling over something of which it never dreamed.

73  

Then the blind are continually addressed in a strain of pity, -- they are reminded every moment of their misfortune, and taught to believe themselves inferior to their fellows, and burdens upon society.

74  

Now nothing can be more injurious than such treatment of blind children, and 'It is all important to disseminate' in the community useful knowledge on the subject of infantile and early education; the mother is the most influential teacher in the world; and if few have correct ideas of their influence, and their duties as teachers of their seeing children, we may say that almost none understand how to act their parts in relation to a blind infant. The compassion of the woman, the affection of the mother, doubly claimed by the misfortune of her infant, grows into fond doting; and as the anxious bird in its eagerness to warm its shivering nestling, may stifle it beneath its feathers, so the mother of the blind child renders it doubly helpless by an excess of solicitude about it; by preventing it from supplying its own wants, or putting forth any of its own energies. (1)


(1) Dr. Howe's Report.

75  

'It should be strongly impressed upon the mother of the blind child, that she ought to do nothing for it which it can by any possible pains do for itself; she should allow it to roam about where it will; there is no fear of her suffering it to come to any serious harm; there is no danger that the tendrils of maternal affection should fail to twine about the frail plant, but there is danger that they may encircle it so closely, as to stint forever its growth.

76  

'It would be useless to quote the immense attainments of many blind persons, who have had the advantage of a proper education, or have been endowed with great talents, for such examples would rather tend to discourage many blind than induce them to strive at imitation; but I may notice what I have repeatedly seen; the extraordinary difference between blind youth possessing the same natural advantages but differently treated by their parents. I have known young men who could not walk out without a guide, nor occupy themselves in any handicraft work and who could not even dress or feed themselves; they were moping, helpless dependents, sitting bowed under the weight of an infirmity, and the consciousness of their inferiority, which was recalled at every movement by the officiousness of their friends; they were alike useless to themselves, and burdensome to those about them.

77  

'I have known others too without greater natural advantages, who required little more personal attendance than seeing persons, who never were assisted in shaving, or dressing, or feeding themselves, or going about in the neighboring houses; who could go all over a city; nay, who could ride on horseback in the country, and mingle with grace and spirit in the waltz, and the other amusements of society. These young men prided themselves in dispensing with the services of those about them as much as possible, and would take quite in high dudgeon any speech of condolence, or any allusions to their infirmity.

78  

'In fact a blind youth should not be reminded of his infirmity, nor taught to consider himself as inferior to his fellows; it is not only useless but discouraging, and his abilities ought to be directed to the development of those of his senses which remain to him. He ought to be made to attend to all his own personal wants and comforts, he ought to be left to puzzle and grope out as many things as possible, and to be left rather in perplexity for an hour, than receive assistance in the accomplishment of anything which it is morally possible for him to do. And let me say that they can accomplish many things which to an unattentive observer would seem impossible; it would be hard, for instance, to convince many people that a blind man can by the sound of his voice ascertain whether a table of a sofa had been removed from a room which he had much frequented; that he can tell pretty correctly the age and size of a person from hearing him speak; or that he will correctly judge the character or another from the intonation of his voice in a conversation; that he can attain as much excellence in mathematical, geographical, astronomical and other sciences as many seeing persons, and that he can become as good a teacher of music, language, mathematics and other sciences, yet all this, and more can he do.'

79  

The Trustees have endeavored to base their institution upon broad and scientific principles, and have spared no pains to commence aright. They have procured from France, one of the most accomplished young men who have been educated at the Paris Institution for the Blind; a young man whose acquirements in the classics, in history, mathematics, and general knowledge, would do credit to any seeing person of his age. He combines also with this, the talent of communicating his knowledge to others.

80  

The Trustees earnestly beg the attention of the public to this fact, which they consider of great importance, viz., the superiority of the blind to seeing persons as teachers of the blind; they agree with Dr. Howe, that no person can so well understand and overcome the difficulties which a blind child has to encounter in learning, as one who had to encounter and overcome them himself. 'I should consider,' says he, 'a school for the blind without blind teachers, as necessarily imperfect.'

81  

The Trustees have also procured from Edinburgh a blind mechanic, who teaches different kinds of work, which may now be seen at the Institution.

82  

They flatter themselves that they have already introduced into their Institution, some important improvements in the method of teaching the blind; as one instance, they would refer to the map at the end of this pamphlet, which is on a plan entirely new, and unknown in Europe. There the maps are made with infinite pains and expense, by glueing strings on to another map, pasted on a board; besides the great expense and necessary clumsiness of which, they do not admit of the divisions and the lettering, which are here introduced. A map of this size would cost at Paris and Edinburgh five dollars; and it would weigh three or four pound's, and not have half as many distinctions as this, which costs less than one hundredth part of that sum.

83  

The Trustees deem it unnecessary to go into any particular detail of the method of instruction pursued at their Institution; the specimens at the end of this pamphlet, the raised letters, the musical notes, &c. indicate that the touch is the sense upon which the blind depend, for the acquirement of their knowledge. Their apparatus is as perfect, to say the least as that of any other institution, and they confidently hope for success, in accomplishing the object proposed by educating the blind.

84  

Fully satisfied as the Trustees were themselves, of the capacity of this neglected class for receiving an education, they were determined to prove it by experiment before making a call upon the public; on the return therefore of their agent from Europe with the blind teachers, they took seven blind persons from different parts of this state, varying in age from six to twenty years. These children, taken at random, have now been under instruction nearly five months, and can read correctly with their fingers books printed for their use; they learn arithmetic faster than the generality of seeing children; they acquire more correct and definite notions of geography from their maps than seeing children can, since they are unassisted by the written names; and their progress in music is decidedly great. In regard to manual labor, some of the pupils can already fabricate moccasins and door mats, which are as strong and durable, and as handsome in appearance, as those made and sold in our shops.

85  

Finally, the Trustees consider that they have accomplished the most difficult part of the task in putting their institution into actual operation; they have planted the tree -- it depends upon a generous public to water it and rear it; and they will only add, that if there be the slightest hesitation in the mind of any one about the propriety of encouraging the charity -- if there be any one who shall entertain the shadow of a doubt of the utility of their Institution, its doors are open, let him come and see for himself.

86  

N. B. The Institution is located at No. 140 Pleasant St. and may be seen Thursday afternoons, from three to five, by a permit from one of the Trustees, or from the Superintendent, Dr. S. G. Howe.

87  

N. B. The lithograph appended is a fac simile of the hand-writing of the blind teacher.

88  

OFFICERS OF THE NEW ENGLAND ASYLUM FOR THE BLIND
PRESIDENT,
Hon. JONATHAN PHILLIPS.
VICE PRESIDENT,
Hon. WILLIAM B. CALHOUN.
TREASURER,
RICHARD D. TUCKER, Esq.
SECRETARY,
CHARLES H. LOCKE, Esq.
TRUSTEES.
ABBOTT LAWRENCE, JOHN D. FISHER, EDWARD BROOKS, JOHN HOMANS, SAMUEL T. ARMSTRONG, WILLIAM H. PRESCOTT, PLINY CUTLER, STEPHEN C. PHILLIPS, ROBERT RANTOUL, SAMUEL P. LOUD, WILLIAM P. MASON, HORACE MANN.

89  

HOUSE..... No. 22.
MEMORIAL.
To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court Assembled.

90  

The undersigned, a Committee in behalf of the Trustees of the New England Asylum for the Blind, respectfully represent, that after considerable delays and expense, they have at length brought that Institution to a state of forwardness, which is not only sufficient to demonstrate that the Blind are capable of being made to contribute in a considerable degree to their own support, but are susceptible of great progress in intellectual and moral improvement. In order to arrive at this point the Trustees first dispatched a gentleman of high reputation to Europe, where he remained several months, and in the course of that time, visited most of the Institutions on the Continent of Europe, as well as in England, for the Instruction of the Blind. On his return to this city, he brought with him two blind Teachers, one of them a native of France, as an instructor in the Mathematics and higher branches of literature and science; the other from Scotland as a Teacher in several mechanic arts.

91  

Immediately on the return of their Agent, the Trustees decided after mature deliberation, to select half a dozen children from among the numerous blind in the State, and make an experiment in educating them.

92  

In the month of August last, the Institution was opened in this city, with six young persons, most of whom were supported at the expense of the Institution, being unable to contribute anything towards their own education.

93  

The Trustees are now desirous that the Legislature, by whose bounty they have been enabled to prosecute their design thus far, should witness the success of the experiment. The mission of an Agent to Europe; the purchase of the necessary apparatus for teaching; the Salaries of Teachers, and the support of the pupils thus far, has so nearly exhausted the slender resources in the hands of the Trustees, that without further aid it will be impossible to continue the establishment even in its present humble condition, much less to extend its usefulness so as to embrace any considerable proportion of the unhappy class of beings for whose benefit it is intended.

94  

The undersigned respectfully request that the Legislature will permit the Trustees to lay before them the result of their exertions, confidently relying on the good feeling and intelligence of the community to extend to them that aid which they are convinced may be justly claimed for the indigent Blind of the Commonwealth.

95  

EDWARD BROOKS,
HORACE MANN,
S. C. PHILLIPS
Committee of the Trustees.
Boston, January 15,1833.

96  

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, JANUARY 15,1833.

97  

Referred to Messrs. McKAY, of Pittsfield, FOSTER, of Worcester, and OLIVER, of Boston, with such as the Senate may join.

98  

Sent up for concurrence.

99  

ATTEST.
L. S. CUSHING, Clerk.

100  

IN SENATE, January 15,1833.

101  

Read and referred to Messrs. LOUD, and MOTLEY, in concurrence.
CHARLES CALHOUN, Clerk.

102  

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

103  

The Joint Committee of the Senate and House of Representatives to whom was referred the petition in behalf of the New England Asylum for the Blind, having fully considered that subject, ask leave to

104  

REPORT:

105  

That the Trustees of the said New England Asylum, after the organization of that Institution in the year 1829, pursuant to their Act of Incorporation, finding themselves entirely destitute of funds wherewith to accomplish the objects of their association, applied to certain individuals in this city, from whose liberality they realized about the sum of $2000. In the year 1830, they applied to the Legislature for aid, and by a Resolve of that year the unexpended balance of the annual appropriation for the Institution of the Deaf and Dumb at Hartford, was placed at their disposal. From this source the Trustees have realized on an average upon the three years during which they have received it, the sum of about $1400 a year. These have been the only funds in the possession of the Institution; and it is with these means alone that the Trustees have defrayed all the expenses of the measures hereafter spoken of, and have placed the Institution in its present encouraging condition.

106  

This unexpended balance now constitutes the whole resources of the Institution; and aside from the smallness of the sum, it will be at once perceived that it is liable to be altogether withdrawn to meet the priority of claim, which the Deaf and Dumb may have upon it.

107  

At the time of this grant there was not an Institution for the education of the Blind on this side of the Atlantic; and the Trustees, being fully convinced, that the most effectual mode of subserving the permanent interests of the Asylum, would be to avail themselves of the experience of other Institutions established for a similar purpose, deemed it advisable to despatch a special messenger to the Continent of Europe and the Island of Great Britain, where schools for the instruction of the Blind had, for many years, been in successful operation. They accordingly engaged the services of Dr. Samuel G. Howe, who embarked for Europe in September 1831, and having thoroughly examined the principal Institutions upon the other side of the Atlantic, he returned to this country in July 1832. At Paris, he engaged the services of Mr. Trencheri, a blind gentleman, who had been a teacher of Mathematics at the Royal Institution in that city. Dr. Howe also engaged a blind mechanic from the Institution at Edinburgh, who is capable of teaching his blind brethren to manufacture a great variety of articles, requiring mechanical skill and ingenuity, and for the fabrication of which an apprenticeship is necessary even for those who are blessed with the organs of sight.

108  

The Trustees have uniformly expressed, in the strongest terms, their entire satisfaction with the manner in which Dr. Howe had executed the object of his mission. He seems to have made himself master of the general processes of educating the Blind at foreign Institutions, not merely for the sake of transferring those processes here, but rather as furnishing useful hints for further improvements.

109  

Your Committee are further informed, that the Trustees, anxious to demonstrate the feasibility of educating the Blind, resolved to devote all their means to one satisfactory experiment; fully believing, that, if their efforts were crowned with success, an enlightened and Christian community would come forward to aid them in their cause; while, on the other hand, should they fail, the object of the Institution might be abandoned without further expenditure.

110  

Accordingly, having given notice of their intentions, they took the first six blind youth who offered themselves; and as they were all paupers, the Trustees were obliged to board and lodge, as well as educate them at the expense of the Institution.

111  

These Individuals were not selected with reference to their mental or physical capacities. They were of different ages, varying from six to twenty years. They were from the interior, and two of them were accidentally met by Dr. Howe, in the high road, while going in search of another. They were sisters, daughters of a mother who has had four blind children, three of whom are now living.

112  

The education of these children commenced at the Asylum about the first of September, 1832, and your Committee, on visiting the Institution were delighted and astonished at the progress which they had made in the short space of five months.

113  

One little girl, only six years of age, related such chapters and verses in the New Testament as were named to her, and read them with perfect distinctness of articulation and correctness of pronunciation; the letters being raised from the surface of the page, by a peculiar mode of printing, so that she could feel the shape of them with her fingers. These passages were taken at random, and were named to her by some member of the Committee.

114  

Another girl of eight years of age could read more rapidly. She read passages of Scripture taken promiscuously, and also from a volume, consisting of extracts from various English authors.

115  

She answered with perfect correctness many questions in geography, and seemed to have a clear idea of the nature and object of that study. Upon the map she would readily indicate different countries, give the boundaries, their latitude and longitude, put her fingers upon any capital town, whose name was mentioned to her and, indeed, would answer any questions proposed to her, appertaining to that subject, with as much readiness and accuracy, as children of her age usually exhibit.

116  

Most of the pupils had made such progress in arithmetic as to be able to solve questions in the four fundamental rules. Their sums are wrought by fixing types in a board, tilled with holes, so that they discover the value of the figures by the relative position of the types, and can add, subtract, multiply, or divide, with facility. In mathematical studies at least, the Blind seem capable of making quite as much proficiency as seeing persons.

117  

Besides the studies already mentioned, considerable attention appears to have been given to music, the pupils being able to sing and to play on different musical instruments with some skill and taste; and your Committee cannot doubt that most of them may be qualified to become organists in churches and teachers of music.

118  

Finally, as the result of a careful investigation, your Committee would express their firm conviction of the practicability of imparting to the blind the benefits of a mechanical, intellectual and moral education, by means of an Institution, like the one whose petition has been referred to their consideration, provided they are furnished with the necessary apparatus, and supplied with the pecuniary means of obtaining competent instructors. It becomes then, in their opinion, the imperative duty of the Legislature, acting in their paternal character, to ameliorate the condition of this unfortunate and hitherto neglected class of the community.

119  

The State of Massachusetts has ever distinguished herself by her efforts to place within the reach of all her children the means of education; acting upon the only sound and reciprocal principle, that if the duties of a good citizen are to be required of the man, a good education should be first given to the child. Not less than half a million is raised in the Commonwealth annually, by taxation, for the education of her youth. In this bountiful appropriation neither the Blind nor the Deaf and Dumb can at all participate. The latter class, however, have been most liberally provided for. There is, at the present time, a standing appropriation of $6,500. to be expended out of the State for the purpose of their education. They have been thus provided with the means of supplying, in some degree, the deprivation of their senses. It is now ascertained that there is another class of our fellow beings, equally unfortunate, and it is believed equally numerous, who are as capable of being taught, and who have still stronger claims upon the humane regards of the Commonwealth. Your Committee repeat, that in their opinion the claims of the Blind are stronger than those of the Deaf and Dumb, because the latter can learn a trade with more facility, and obtain a livelihood without any peculiar method of Instruction, or any Institution established for that express purpose; while the Blind, if abandoned to their fate, must inevitably become a burden to their friends or to the community.

120  

Your Committee would not be understood to question for a moment the propriety of all former appropriations for the education of the Deaf and Dumb. On the contrary, they would refer lo the liberal allowances made in their behalf, as among the beneficent acts, which every generous friend must strive to imitate, and which, even her enemies cannot but applaud.

121  

As a further consideration, pertaining to this subject, your Committee would stale, that the Blind are generally the children of poor parents, because the poor are more exposed than the rich to the accidents occasioning the loss of sight, and because they are more likely to postpone such medical advice, as can be useful only in the early stages of diseases of the eye. Blindness, too, being often hereditary, tends to reduce to poverty, the family upon which it is entailed. The same causes may perhaps be adduced to explain the fact of the greater prevalence of blindness in the country than in the city. In Boston there are but two blind persons of a suitable age for education, while in many towns in the State, containing a population of not more than two or three thousand inhabitants, there are three, four, or five young blind persons.

122  

Were the subject to be regarded, then, only in an economical point of view, it becomes a matter of State policy to educate the blind, since nine out of ten of this class of persons, if left to themselves, would, in some way, burden the community with their support; while every one who is educated and thereby enabled to provide for himself, is a citizen rescued from the almshouse and made a happy and useful member of society.

123  

Considering then, the peculiar wants of this infant Institution; that they are in need of a printing press of a construction totally different from those in common use; that they require some musical instruments to instruct the Blind in an art in which they usually excel; and that they are in want of many other implements and means of acquiring knowledge altogether unlike those used in common schools; and considering further the ability which this Institution seems to possess for the extensive diffusion of usefulness, and comfort and happiness, your Committee recommend an adoption by the Legislature of the accompanying Resolve.

124  

All which is respectfully submitted,
SAMUEL P. LOUD, Chairman.

125  

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

126  

In the year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Thirty Three.

127  

Resolved by the Senate and the House of Representatives, in General Court assembled, That there be paid out of the Treasury of the Commonwealth to the Trustees of New England Asylum for the Blind the sum of six thousand dollars annually, in quarterly payments, the first payments upon the first day of each successive quarter; and the whole to continue during the pleasure of the Legislature and no longer. Provided, that in consideration of said sum of six thousand dollars, the said New England Asylum shall receive, board, lodge and educated twenty poor persons belonging to the State, to be placed there under the direction of the Governor and council; and to be dismissed from the Asylum by the same authority; and proved further, that no individual under the age of six years nor over the age of twenty-four years shall be placed in said Asylum by said authority, nor any person who shall be excluded by the standing by-laws of the Asylum.

128  

Be if further resolved by the authority aforesaid, That the Governor, by and with the advice and consent of Council be, and he hereby is requested to draw his warrant upon the Treasurer of the Commonwealth for the benefit of the said Asylum, for the same sums and payable at the same times as are mentioned in the preceding Resolve.