BLIND. 174 BLIND. of Herr Zeune in 1806, Haiiy having paved the waj- for it on his way to Russia. In 1808 three institutions were established — one in Amster- dam by an association of Freemasons, one in Prague by a charitable society, and one in Dres- den. In 1809 Haiiy put the school in Saint Petcrsburf; in operation, and Dr. Hirzel organized that of Zurich. In 1811 the Society of the Chain, an organization similar to the Free- masons, started an institution in Copenhagen, and many others were founded soon afterwards. All the principal countries of Europe have spe- cial institutions for the instruction of the blind in t!ie rudiments of learning, in music, and in mechanical arts. There are more than 150 of these on the Continent, many being under Gov- ernment supervision or control. In the United States of America the education of the blind rests on a diflerent basis. As soon as their claims to a sliare of the benefit of com- mon-sclool learning were urged, it was conceded not as a matter of charity, but as a matter of right. The most valuable distinctive feature of vhe American institutions is that they consti- tute an integral ])art of the educational system of the country. The right of the blind to partici- pate in all the educational benefits provided for every child in the Conimonwealtli is acknowledged by the State in its sovereign capacity, and since they cannot be taught in the common seliools, an express provision is made for their instruc- tion. This policy has acted very favorably upon the l>lind. and has inspired them with self-respect and a worthy ambition to be independent. The general system adopted in the American schools is as follows : ( 1 ) to give to all pupils the same sort of instruction, and to the same degree, as is given in the best public conunon schools; (2) to teach them the elements of vocal and instrumental music: (3) to train them in some sort of simple handicraft by which to earn a livelihood. Owing, however, to the prevailing desire of the young in America to strike out in new directions, to the general preference for brain-work rather than hand- work, and to the disadvantage at which the blind do mechanical work, comparatively few, hardly two-tenths, it is said, practice for a living the handicrafts which they have learned at the sev- eral institutions. Most of the graduates resort to various branches of the musical profession, teacliing the elements of vocal and instrumental music, playing upon organs, tuning pianos, or trading in musical instruments. Some graduates take petty agencies, and with a guide go about the country peddling on their own account. Others, favored by friends, find employment in some of the establisliments where hand-work com- bined with a certain amount of liead-work is re- quired. A few work diligently at their trades, and earn an lionest and comfortable liveliliood. The general condition of the graduates is allected by the prevailing feeling of compassion, which, it must be said, is often abused by the blind. Upon the whole, however, the general effort made to lift the blind out of the pauper class has had very satisfactory results. There is doubtless ,a greater proportion of really self-supporting blind persons in the United States than in any other country. This is owing mainly to the public instil utions for their education and training, especially to the pioneer school, the Perkins In- stitution, on which the others are modeled to a great extent, and to . its director for forty- five years. Dr. Samuel Gridley Howe. Dr. Howe, the Haiiy of .■America, possessed not only the human- ity and inventive genius cliaracteristic of the famous Frenchman, but also great executive ability. The first school for the blind in the New Woi-ld was founded in Boston, Mass., ehielly through the efforts of Dr. John D. Fisher, a young physician, who had visited the French school. It was incorporated by Act of Legisla- ture March 2, 1820, as the New England Asylum for the Blind. The SUite granted its aid from the beginning, this being proportioned at first to the number of beneficiaries received and edu- cated, and active work was commenced in 1831, when Howe was engaged as director. Exhibitions of the pupils were given before the Legislature at an early date, and much interest and en- thusiasm were aroused. Col. Thomas H. Per- kins gave liis mansion in Pearl Street to the in- stitution, which was renamed in his honor, as the Perkins Institution and ilassachu-setts Asylum (now School) for the Blind. The other New England States promjitl.y took measures to se- cure for their blind cliildren the advantages of instruction; but instead of erecting institutions at home, they sent their beneficiaries to the Massachusetts school. Instruction in the literary department included not only the simpli; branches of a common-school education, but also some higher mathematics, astronomy, and natural philosophy. The study of languages, too. was introduced at an early date; but, of course, the main emphasis was laid on a solid English education. In addition to vocal music and instruction upon the piano and organ, the foundation for an orchestra was im- mediately commenced. The tuning of piano- fortes, taught as a jiractical employment, has proved to be a lucrative one. The pianos of the public schools of Boston have been tuned and kept in repair by the blind for the past twenty- five years. Physical training, both in the gym- nasium and out of doors, has always been in- sisted upon, and the pupils are gently stimu- lated to run about and play like other children. The Perkins Institution soon surjiassed the Euro- l)ean institutions, anil has long been the best school of its kind in the world. A printing-press was started at an early date, and many im- provements in the apparatus for the education of the blind were made. A detachment of pupils visited various parts of the country, and they were exhibited before the legislatures and people of twelve different States for the purpose of inducing them to make provision for similarly afllicted persons within their own limits. These exhibitions were so elTective that "provision for the education of the blind was made in those States before the representatives of the people had time to wijie the tears from their eyes." In 1837 Dr. Howe began the education of Laura Dewey Bridgman, a child seven years old, who had become blind, deaf, and dumb from scarlet fever at the age of two. It had been supposed up to that time that a person in Laura's condition could not lie taught the use of language; and Dr. Howe's success elicited great interest, his reports detailing the progress of his pupil being translated into several European languages. His mctlioils. which remain the standard ones, may be thus briefly stated : Upon
