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TO THE MEMBERS OF THE CORPORATION OF THE NEW-ENGLAND INSTITUTION FOR THE EDUCATION OF THE BLIND.

Gentlemen,

AT the return of your annual meeting it becomes the duty of us, to whom you entrusted the immediate direction of your Institution, to render you an account of our stewardship. Our task, however, is a most pleasant one, inasmuch as the history of the Institution for the past year has been an uninterrupted series of propitious events.

When, a twelvemonth ago, we undertook at your direction the management of its affairs, it was unknown to the public; a doubtful experiment on the feasibility of educating six poor blind children was in operation; the appropriation by the State was insufficient for their support; the subscriptions were nearly exhausted; and, within one month after our appointment, we found the Institution to be absolutely in debt. Now, however, the scene has entirely changed; the Institution has attracted public notice, and gained public favor; it is in the enjoyment of liberal patronage from this, and the surrounding States; it possesses a considerable funded property; its five-and-thirty happy inmates, inhabit a splendid and airy mansion, with extensive grounds, and every thing necessary for their health, comfort, and education; and preparations are made for the reception of as many more.

For this pleasing change in the affairs of the Institution, we would take no credit to ourselves, but ascribe it to the liberal patronage of the State; to the generous interest of the public; and to the munificent spirit of individuals. We cannot but flatter ourselves, however, that all these advantages have been fully improved, and that the present state of our charge will show that the patronage so liberally bestowed, has not been unavailing.

Previous to detailing the present situation of the Institution, we will recapitulate briefly some of the principal events of its history: in July, 1832, the gentleman employed by us to procure the necessary information, apparatus and teachers in Europe, returned, and we determined to make a thorough trial of the feasibility of educating the blind, even although we should be obliged to expend the last dollar in the treasury; for we were confident that if we succeeded, we might rely fully upon a generous public for the means of establishing a suitable Institution. Accordingly we took six blind children, at random, from indigent families, and after having kept them under instruction for six months, made an exhibition of their acquirements before the Legislature of Massachusetts. The result of this was so satisfactory, -- it proved so incontrovertibly the capacity of the Blind for receiving instruction, that the Legislature made at once an appropriation of $6,000 per annnm -sic- to the Institution, on the condition that it should receive and educate, free of cost, twenty poor blind persons from the State of Massachusetts.

Exhibitions were then made before the public, which produced considerable sensation, and awakened the community to the duty of providing a suitable establishment for the education of the Blind; and nothing can be more honorable to a community, or to human nature, than the spirit manifested by the inhabitants of Boston and its vicinity on this occasion. No sooner was it proved to the people, that the before neglected and ignorant blind were as capable as themselves of receiving a common education, and more in need of one, than it became a general and eager inquiry, "What shall we do for them?" The ladies, ever foremost in deeds of charity, immediately made an effort to raise a large sum of money; individual subscriptions and donations were offered on every side; Boston and Salem seemed to contend with each other in the race of benevolence; and different plans were suggested for turning to the advantage of the blind, the current of popular excitement; but nothing was decided upon, until, by an act so munificent as to excite astonishment and admiration even at the moment when all were generous, one of our citizens gave a particular and definite direction to the general effort. We allude to the proposition of Thomas H. Perkins, to give his mansion house in Pearl-street as a permanent residence for the Blind, provided a fund sufficient to ensure the perpetuity of the Institution could be raised; and we can pronounce no greater eulogium on the wisdom and foresight of the donor, or on the generosity of the public, than to state, that within one month, upwards of fifty thousand dollars were raised and placed to the credit of the Institution.

Nor ought we omit to mention, that the generous intentions of Mr. Perkins were made known to us, before they were communicated to the public; that we considered his proposal, from the first, as equivalent to an outright gift; and that the condition annexed, proved only that his generous heart was guided by sound judgement.

Exhibitions of the pupils were afterwards made to the large towns in the Commonwealth, and a general interest in the welfare of the Institution was excited. Nor was this confined to our own State; an exhibition was made before the Legislature of the State of Connecticut, and the appeal in favor of the poor blind of that State, was answered by a vote appropriating the sum of $1000 per annum, for twelve years, for the support of as many blind children at the Institution, as could be educated for that sum. Two pupils only have been received under that appropriation. The Legislature of New-Hampshire voted $500 and a temporary appropriation; and four pupils are now reaping the advantages of it. The Legislature of Vermont, at their last session, made the liberal appropriation of $1,200 for ten years; but no pupils have as yet been received under it.

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In order to accommodate a large number of pupils, it was necessary to make some alterations in the disposition of the premises in Pearl-street; and the stables being of brick and built in the best manner, it was concluded to convert them into school-rooms and work-shops. It was also necessary to provide a large play ground; and the estate in the rear of the mansion house, and fronting on Atkinson-street, being fortunately for sale, it was purchased for the sum of $14,000; and thus the Institution became owners of the whole square from Pearl to Atkinson street. All the arrangements having been made, and the estate on Atkinson-street having been laid out as a play ground, the inmates took possession in September, and the Institution was advertised as ready for the reception of pupils from all parts of the country. Since that time, the number has gradually increased, and many more are expected: the whole number admitted has been thirty-eight; the actual number is thirty-four; one having left voluntarily, two having been discharged on account of illness, and one from a neighboring State, discharged for want of funds for his support.

There are now twenty-four from Massachusetts; four from New-Hampshire; two from Connecticut; one from Rhode-Island; one from New-York; one from Ohio; and one from Virginia. Three of the pupils from this State are beyond the age stipulated in the act of incorporation, at which the Governor may send pupils by his warrant; one of these pays her own expenses, the other two are at the charge of the Institution; as is also one from the State of Ohio. It will be seen that more pupils have been received from the State of Massachusetts than were strictly required by the terms of the grant; we have, however, considered it our duty rather to extend the advantages of the Institution to as many pupils as possible, than to accumulate funds.

With regard to the internal economy and arrangements of the establishment, your body will perhaps obtain a better idea of them from examination than from a detailed statement. The regulations of the school are simple: such pupils as manifest a disposition for intellectual acquirements, or whose relatives are in a situation to provide for them the means of subsistence, devote the principal part of their time to study; and it is proposed to give them as thorough an education as their situation will admit; some of them will doubtless be enabled to pass a collegiate examination, and may if they choose gain collegiate honors. Those now in school are occupied in the study of arithmetic, history, geography, the English and French languages; and, in fine, of all the branches taught in common schools. Others are occupied part of their time in study, and a part at different kinds work. A third class, whose age or situation in life requires that they should devote their whole energies to the means of acquiring a livelihood, pass their time solely in learning handicraft work and music: the whole give their attention more or less to music, the vocal department of which is under the sole direction of Mr. Lowell Mason, who also has a class whom he instructs upon the piano-forte, preparatory to the organ. Music is the field which seems to offer to the blind the fairest opportunity for competition with clairvoyans; the post of church organist is one which a blind man can fill equally as well as a seeing person, and it should ever be an object to qualify as many of them for it as possible.

The trades introduced are the manufacture of doormats, which are woven from the Manilla hemp in looms; different kinds of basket work; and the manufacture of mattresses. Some of the pupils have already attained considerable skill in the fabrication of these different articles, and we may hope soon to render them so perfect, that their work will command a market from its real value.

With regard to the hours of work and study, they are arranged as follows: --

Winter Term.

First bell rings at half past 5 A. M.

At 6 roll is called for the male pupils, while the females are engaged in making the beds.

At half past 6 all assemble for prayers; after which school continues, also the work in the shops, until 8.

At 9 A. M. bell rings for school and work.

At half past 10 recess until 11.

From 11 until 1 P. M. school and work.

From 1 until half past 2, recess.

" 2 " 4, principally devoted to work.

From 4 until half past 4, recess.

" half past 4 until 6, school and work.

" 6 to 7, recess.

" 7 to 8, such as choose, listen to reading.

At 8, prayers; small pupils retire to bed, and all retire at 10.

On the Sabbath all the pupils are required to attend church: the rule of the Institution is, that each pupil may worship at whatever church he, or his parents, may select; but in case any other is selected than the one at which the majority attend, (at present the Park-street Church,) the pupil must furnish his own guide. It is desirable that the most perfect freedom in regard to religious matters should be enjoyed by the pupils; but it would be very inconvenient for the Institution to provide guides for each one; therefore this rule has been adopted. With respect to the religious services in the interior of the establishment, they consist of the reading daily of the Scriptures without any comment, and the Episcopalian form of prayer, besides a weekly meeting for reading and explanation of the Scriptures, at which the attendance is voluntary

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Strict attention is paid to the health of the pupils; and although the time during which they are occupied may seem long, it is so varied by music and by work, that it has no injurious effect. Every fair day the house and school-room is closed upon the male pupils, once at least, and sometimes oftener; so that they are obliged to resort to exercise in the open air. Once a week every pupil has the opportunity of having a warm bath; and on all occasions they are required to keep their persons clean.

The females, when not occupied in school, are under the care of the matron, whose duty it is to watch over their conduct. They are taught to do various kinds of house-work, needle-work, knitting, plaiting straw, &c.

The object ever kept in view, is to enable the pupil to gain his own livelihood in after life, and for this purpose it is necessary to throw him on his own resources entirely; to teach him that the deprivation of one sense does not cut him off from the human family; that he is to compete for a livelihood with those who have an advantage over him no greater than may be counterbalanced by superior industry and ingenuity, and by the application of powers to such pursuits as require the aid of but four senses. There are many such pursuits; and, when we contemplate the field that opened for the Blind, in music, -- in the profession of teacher of various sciences, -- in the practice of several kinds of handicraft work, we cannot but anticipate for many of our pupils a happy independence, and for some an honorable distinction; for even were we without historical proofs of the intellectual eminence to which many blind men have raised themselves, we should find in our own school the sure indications of future mental superiority.

Independently however of any positive or pecuniary advantage to be derived by the pupils from a course of instruction, there is opened to them, as it were, a new world of intellectual enjoyment; the degrading sense of inferiority and dependence is removed, and the whole moral nature is elevated; while a constant and active use of the physical and intellectual powers gives health and strength to the body, and food and happiness to the mind. The expression of one of the pupils, "that she had never known before she began to learn, that it was happiness to be alive," may be applied to many.

For an account of the finances of the Institution, we would respectfully refer you to the clear and able Report of the Treasurer: remarking, however, that although it will be seen, that after all the expenses are paid, a considerable balance remains, it should be borne in mind that the wants of the Institution are still considerable; and that its permanent usefulness as yet is dependent entirely upon the grant made by the Legislature, which at any moment of State embarrassment may be withdrawn, and then the greater part of the pupils would be thrown upon the charity of their fellows. In a country like ours, provision should be made for the education of the Blind which should be dependent upon no contingency; an Institution should be so amply endowed, as to be able to extend its operations without any fear of a sudden cessation of its income.

Upwards of two thousand dollars will be required for an organ, piano-fortes and other instruments; a collection of books is needed, and the first surplus funds of the Institution should be devoted to the printing of books for the benefit of the blind, not only of our own Institution, but of all those who know the English language; and a fund should be established for the clothing of such poor blind persons as have no relatives to support them, and whose home is the alms house. Most of the Institutions for the education of the Blind are calculated merely for the education of the indigent, and do not afford such advantages as persons in affluent circumstances would desire for their children; we have endeavored so to regulate ours, that a proper division of the pupils may be made, and the education of each one may be conformable to the sphere he is destined to fill in life; so that persons in affluence who have children born blind, may here find a school where they may acquire a knowledge even in the higher departments of science, as well as be qualified to appear advantageously in society.

For the success which has attended the efforts to educate our pupils, praise is due to the persons immediately concerned in teaching them. It is gratifying, moreover, to pay the tribute due to the persevering industry of our Mr. Trencheri, the instructor from the French institution, who, though blind from his infancy, possesses a great fund of acquired knowledge which he imparts to his pupils with remarkable success. Indeed, it is one of the most gratifying circumstances connected with the education of the blind, that they themselves when properly educated become the best teachers of their fellow blind.

Above all, we must notice the labors of our Director, Dr. Howe, who has applied the large experience, acquired in Europe, with great success to the instruction of the pupils under his care, and has watched over their personal and moral welfare with a truly parental interest.

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On the whole we have great reason to congratulate ourselves on the present condition of our charge; nor would we conclude without expressing our thanks for the untiring interest of the public which has cheered us in all our labors, and which has been the means, in the hands of Providence, of rearing up this Institution, in an unparalleled short space of time, to be the means of extensive, and we hope, permanent usefulness.

We have the honor to be

Respectfully,
SAMUEL T. ARMSTRONG,
EDWARD BROOKS,
JOHN D. FISHER,
JOHN HOMANS,
HORACE MANN,
WM. P. MASON,
SAMUEL MAY,
WILLIAM H. PRESCOTT.