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BLIND, EDUCATION OF THE. 



BLIND, EDUCATION OF THE. 



214 



music was the only really remunerative pursuit for the blind, under the 

 present arrangements of the Yorkshire School. 



Another hint of considerable value may be drawn from the series of 

 reports of the Yorkshire school. A year or two ago, a sergeant was 

 engaged to drill the pupils, and it has been found of the most essential 

 benefit to them. One of the pupils remarked, that he walked with 

 much greater confidence since these exercises had been practised, and 

 this feeling will be one of general experience ; it may therefore be 

 commended to the attention of other establishments for the blind. 

 The superintendent of the Yorkshire school is W. D. Littledale, Esq., 

 who is himself blind, and whose whole heart seems to be given to the 

 improvement of the school. The general branches of education are 

 taught, and books in the Roman type are preferred. The Rev. W. 

 Taylor, author of the ' Tangible Euclid," formerly devoted to the 

 interests of this school, has left York ; his attention, however, is still 

 directed to the welfare of the blind. The number of pupils in the 

 York school is sixty. 



Henshaw's Blind Asylum, at Manchester, was opened for the admis- 

 sion of inmates in 1838. An endowment of 20,00(M. was left in the 

 year 1810 for the support of such an asylum, by the will of Thomas 

 Henshaw, formerly of Oldham. Notwithstanding the large accumu- 

 lations arising from this source, no part of Mr. Henshaw's bequest 

 could be appropriated to the purchase of land for such asylum, nor 

 for the erection of a suitable building; and the sum of 10,0001. was 

 subscribed by the inhabitants of Manchester for these objects. The 

 building, together with one in exact correspondence, for the education 

 of the deaf and dumb, was erected at Old Trafford, and the approxi- 

 mation of the two charities was rendered closer by a subsequent 

 agreement of the respective committees for the erection of a chapel in 

 the space between the two buildings, thus connecting them as con- 

 sistent parts of one uniform structure, in the English Academic style 

 of architecture. The object of the asylum is not only to afford a home 

 to the impotent and aged blind, but also " to maintain and afford such 

 instruction to the indigent blind of both sexes capable of employment, 

 as will enable them to provide, cither wholly or in part, for then 1 own 

 subsistence, and to promote the employment of, or to employ, blind 

 persons." The training of the inmates is therefore both intellectual 

 and industrial, but it is not stated in the last report how the school 

 instruction is carried on. It may be inferred that the books in Roman 

 type are used ; the late governor, Mr. Hughes, emphatically says, " I 

 would discourage all systems of embossing which could not be read 

 and taught by seeing persons." The articles manufactured are more 

 various than in the generality of these asylums. The number of 

 inmates in 1858 was seventy-five. 



The Royal Victoria Asylum for the Blind, at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 

 was founded in the year 1838, to commemorate the coronation of Her 

 Most Gracious Majesty the Queen; its object, as expressed in its first 

 regulation, " being, to afford to the blind an elementary education, and 

 instruction in those branches of trade and manufacture which shall be 

 found suited to their capacity," as well as to afford them spiritual 

 instruction. During the existence of the asylum, 115 pupils have been 

 received int it, of whom 37 are now under its care, 22 of whom are 

 males, and 15 females. Pupils are received into it from the four 

 northern counties of England. The works of the inmates are of the 

 usual kinds ; the forenoon of each day is given to manual labour, the 

 afternoon to music and general education. The relief books in Roman 

 capitals are preferred. 



The West of England Institution for the Blind was established at 

 Exeter in 1839. It contains twenty-five inmates of the two sexes, all 

 of whom are taught the usual branches of education, including music, 

 'ine to make baskets, mats, rugs, sash-line, &c. Sixty-two of its 

 rs and forty -one day pupils have quitted since its commence- 

 ment. Its income is derived from the usual sources, namely, subscrip- 

 tions, donations, board of pupils, and sale of work. Lucas's raised 

 alphabet is used, and it is one of the regulations of the committee that 

 thu sy-t.'Tii of teaching to read shall be that by means of the raised 

 stenographic character." 



An Institution for the Blind and Deaf and Dumb was formed at Bath 



al t the year 1840. A considerable number of pupils of both these 



haw been instructed under its care ; and at the date of the last 



' (1868) it contained fifty-one boarders, of whom twenty-eight were 



MI! dumb, twenty blind, and three partially blind and deaf and 



<ln mli ; it also extends its benefits to day and Sunday scholars, of whom 



it numbers twelve deaf and dumb, and four blind. Miss Elwin, of 



I lath, has taken a benevolent oversight of this establishment, from its 



Mrnmt to its present mature condition. A "Home" for 



Uind girls has also been formed, for those who, having passed the 



allotti ,[ five years' instruction, have no friends able to 



prorlcu tlicm with a suitable' place of residence. The training which 



"lind children receive is both intellectual and industrial; the 



ids reading, on Lucas's system, arithmetic, geography, 



music, and singing; the latter is confined to basket-making. The 



morning hours are devoted to labour; the afternoon to mental and 



religious instruction. In the "Home," the greater part of the day is 



spent in basket-making, which contributes in part to the support of the 



i limcnt, and the inmates are frequently read to while they are at 



work. 



An ;isylum for the young blind was established in Brighton in 1841, 



the pupils not to be under six, nor exceeding twelve years of age. It 

 is designed for the town of Brighton and the diocese of Chichester, 

 with power to the committee to receive candidates from other localities. 

 This school is under the management of Mr. Moon, one of the inventors 

 of raised characters, to whose system attention has been directed in the 

 article, BLIND, ALPHABETS FOB THE. The school contains twenty-one 

 pupils. 



The Midland Institution for the Blind is situated at Nottingham, 

 and comprehends the counties of Nottingham, Derby, Leicester, 

 Lincoln, and Rutland. Its chief object is the education and training 

 of the younger part of the blind community. The age of the inmates 

 varies from nine to twenty-four. The usual intellectual and religious 

 instruction is imparted, and the trades are much the same as those 

 followed in other establishments ; it is thought some new trades might 

 be profitably commenced, and, among others, brush-making. No male 

 pupils are allowed to commence work till they can read ; but the 

 female pupils, from the day of their admission, spend half the day in 

 their work-room, to be instructed by the governess in sewing and 

 knitting, and th other half in school. The teachers, except the 

 governess, are all blind. Lucas's system of raised type is generally 

 adopted, but some of the pupils can read Moon's and the Roman 

 books. The schoolmaster, who is blind, reads books on six different 

 systems, but gives the preference to that of Lucas. In arithmetic the 

 pupils are considerably advanced, and can work and comprehend frac- 

 tions and decimals ; the arithmetical board and pegs differs from that 

 used in the institutions of Scotland. The admission of day-pupils free 

 on the recommendation of a governor is a good feature in this esta- 

 blishment, though it is not confined to it. Such pupils may remain as 

 long as there is room for them ; and when they have acquired a trade, 

 so as to make articles sufficiently well for sale, they are employed and 

 paid journeyman's wages. 



The General Institution for the Blind, at Edgbastou, near Birming- 

 ham, was commenced in 1846 by private benevolence, and adopted by 

 the public the following year. Its income is derived from the usual 

 sources, namely, subscriptions, legacies, donations, payments on behalf 

 of pupils, sale of work, &c. The present number of pupils is fifty-nine, 

 and they are classified both for school and labour, so as to give all the 

 advantages suitable for their age. The school teaching comprehends 

 reading, spelling, arithmetic (peg and mental), geography with the aid 

 of globes and maps, and object lessons. There are upwards of sixty 

 maps, and one is used by every two pupils. These maps are made by 

 friends of the superintendent, and have been much admired by the 

 conductors of different institutions. In music the pupils practise from 

 one to three hours a day, according to their progress and talent. 

 Church music only is taught. Four of the pupils, from sixteen to 

 eighteen years of age, have obtained situations as organists, at salaries 

 varying from 201. to 30/. a year. In reading by the touch, Moon's 

 system is used. This institution has the advantage of an indefatigable 

 treasurer, Thomas Goodman, Esq., whose exertions for this and other 

 charities which have for their object the relief of human suffering, are 

 beyond all praise. 



The title of the next institution to be noticed would lead to the 

 supposition that a new sphere of operations was to be brought under 

 observation. It is called " The London Society for Teaching the Blind 

 to Read." It is situated in Avenue Street, Regent's Park, and it has 

 been in existence twenty years. The indications of its distinctiveness 

 are few, and chiefly relate to its plan of admitting pupils, and its 

 adhesion to Lucas's system of reading, in which it has published the 

 whole of the Scriptures and many other works. The usual kinds of 

 school-instruction and of labour are taught to the pupils, of whom 

 there were sixty in the institution in 1858. As an auxiliary in the 

 cause of the blind, it must prove beneficial. According to its rules, it 

 receives free boarders on the nomination of donors of 250A in one sum, 

 and by election of subscribers for three years ; indigent boarders on 

 payment of 15/. per annum ; music being an extra charge of two guineas 

 per annum. Male adults are not lodged in the house, and have to pay 

 2. a week for lodgings in the neighbourhood. Day-pupils are admitted 

 free on the recommendation of a subscriber. 



The* establishments of which some account has been given are not 

 the only means carried on in these days for alleviating the condition of 

 the blind, and increasing their means of happiness. Other appliances 

 are also in action. Although blindness cannot be considered as the 

 heaviest of human calamities, it is one which claims the most imme- 

 diate sympathy and prompts the universal desire for its relief. 

 Societies have been established for teaching the adult blind to read ; 

 many of which are connected with Moon's system. Mr. Moon, himself 

 blind, commenced his printing labours at Brighton more than ten years 

 ago ; his books are not only largely used in that place, but in many 

 other provincial towns, which have been supplied with home teachers, 

 and in which lending libraries have been established. One of these 

 societies has been formed in London; from it have emanated two 

 lending libraries of Moon's books; and its first report (1857) states 

 that in eighteen months 236 blind pupils had, for longer or shorter 

 periods, been under instruction; of these 117 had learned to read, of 

 which number 53 were above 50 years of age, and 8 were from 70 

 to 75. It would be very ungracious to cast a shade of doubt on the 

 statements put forth of the rapidity with which the art of reading was 

 acquired by these aged persons through the medium of touch; yet 



