GETTING AN 



IDEA 



OF THE WORLD 



WITH THEIR 



FINGERS 



]?y lucaiis of tlioso kU)1)0S. 

 wliich are loaned to tliosc 

 imlilic scliools of New York 

 City :ni(l l'.r()okl.\ ii wliioli 

 icMch til,, lilind. tlic cliiklrcn 

 Kct tlic'ii- first conccijlion of 

 what I lie world is liko. They 

 rcali/.f that it is round, that 

 it inclines on its axis, and 

 they learn to locate its prin- 

 cipal cities and chief i)hysi- 

 eal features. They feel the 

 heiglits of tlie mountains and 

 the flatness of the deserts and 

 run their lingers along the 

 courses of rivers. When 

 they have discovered the 

 character of a country they 

 are told the history of the 

 lieople who occupy it, and 

 they are allowed to handle 

 specimens illustrating cloth- 

 ing and implements and na- 

 tive animals. Blind children 

 who have taken a number of 

 lessons can point to any 

 l)lace mentioned. They may 

 make a journey by sea from 

 New York southward and 

 across the Panama Canal, or 

 a trip by train across the 

 continent and thence to 

 •lapan, stopping at the Ha- 

 waiian Islands on the way. 



The American Museum has 

 fifteen such relief globes, 

 twenty-six inches in diame- 

 ter. They were designed in 

 consultation with the late 

 Gertrude E. Bingham, super- 

 visor of classes for the blind 

 in New York City, and were 

 executed by Ho wells' Mi- 

 crocosm, Washington, D. C. 

 Great care was used in pre- 

 paring them. A trial globe 

 was made and corrected 

 after experimental work with 

 the children 



XoTK. — Tlie flaslilight photograph reproduced on tlie liack of the cover of this 

 number of the JofRN.\i. shows a group of blind and partly sighted persons 

 examining mounted specimens of wild birds in the foyer of the American Mu- 

 seum. It is not difficult to tell from the expressions on the various faces which 

 of tlie group are wholly blind and which have been surprised by the flashlight. 

 Opportunity is atTorded both before a lecture and afterward to see the objects 

 lectured about. On the occasion of a wi'd-flower lecture the foyer is gay with 

 masses of the fresh field and tree blossoms; before a bird lecture there are 

 tables covered with the mounted birds and with bird nests. In all cases in- 

 structors are at hand to answer questions. The interest of the blind in nature 

 is very genuine. They are especially glad when they "see" a bird or flower they 

 have heard about but have never touched before, or when they see one perhaps 

 known in years gone by when they were not blind. After having made the 

 acquaintance of the birds in tliis way they take special pleasure in listening to 

 tile whistled bird songs 



