The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1846-05-14

INV - 49,
owls cruise, the more aboundeth the more
it is drawn up.
The experience that has been gained
during these fifteen years has been yalua.
bic IN many respects ; and we think that
all contested with the older institutions
have learned that much more is vet TO be
done than they had supposed in the be.
ginning would be necessary, before the
wants Of the blind as n class will be SUD.
Piled. But on no subject has the expert.
ence been more uniform, or the testimony
more concurrent, than upon the necessity
OF providing the means Of employment for
such pupils as have completed their
course of instruction, bat who have no
homes, or who cannot find work at home.
In former Reports, the esta blishment of
supplementary institutions $50 to call lhem)
was proposed and recommended and we
have, during several years, been trying
the experiment upon q small scale; but
now that the subject is discussed else.
where, and that other institutions are con,
Iemplating the establishment of similar de-
partmen,s, it may not be useless to aIlude
TO it again.
Blindness not only prevents a person
from Obtaining instruction in a common
school, but also greatly impedes his eff
forts at earning a livelihood in any COM
mon way. Our school system, and the
whole machinery of society, are so con-
strucled, even in their minutest details,
that they cannot work except in all atmos-
phere Of light. If any thing is to be done
beneath the surface ofthe earth, or where
daylight cannot freely enter, the first step
is to procure artificial light. AS soon as
the sun goes down, savages gather around
their nigh,-fres, for light as we'll as heat,
and civilized people everywhere illumine
their streets, shops, and houses. The
tradesman, the artisan, the housewife, and
laborers of whatever kind, depend every
moment upon light; and no one finally
puts out his taper, until he is ready to
compose his limbs to rest, and 10 close his
eyes in sleep. So completely is light the
life of The world, thai, if at MONDAY there
should descend sudden and total darkness
over the land, every branch Of industry
would be as completely paralyzed as the
arms of a man smitten with palsy ; the
mill wheel would be arrested, the shuttle
would stop, the hammer would rest upon
the anvil, the plough would stand still in
the furrowi every one would grope his
way in the dark TO some place Of securi.
", and desire that everything might b.
as stable as possible for he would find
that all motion in the dark is hazardous.
of no inno rinn Onrooluoc ,ru:,- o, 1890
one day at our usual avocations, in the
dark not such darkness as we have al
night out of doors,-for even under a star.
less sky, and with the murkies. clouds
over head, there is still light, but in
darkness like that OF a closed cell under
ground, where not a ray can penet.ate,-
how utterly lost and helpless shauld we
be how many would sit down in despair,
and wait for light! Nevertheless, in
such darkness many Of the blind pass, not
one day only, but their whole lives aud
yet we expect them 10 go out into the
world, and to earn a livelihood, where
all is wbirl, and buz, aud motion, ard
where every ones safety depends mainly
upon his sight.
The force of habit is Indeed great, aud
he remaining senses are sharpened TO an
acu,eness inconceivabIe by us; and by
help Of these a blind man may do much
besides attending to his own safety; bu,
the difficulty is, that, wherever he applies
for employment of the strengih or dexteri>
ty which he possesses, he finds that the
whole establishment is regulated upon the
.supposition that every one in it can See
In the shop Of the Institution. where he
learned his trade. every thing is arranged
with a view 10 his peculiar manner Of
working. and he may move about freely
and without danger. But let US suppose
that he goes out into the world TO seek
employment; ifhe is a weaver and enters
a manufaclory, he is liable to be torn iu
pieces by the machinery ; if he is a ca5i-
net maker, and goes into common shop,
he stumbles over the workmen who are
seated upon the floor. ard perhaps treads
upon their open tools if he is a ma'lrass
maker, and goes into an upholster's shop,
and gropes about the work with his hands,
he is liable to have them clipped by the
shears Of The workmen, who never ina.
CINE that any one would thrust his fingers
between the blades.
Besides, the blind man going TO and
from his place of work, or varying from
his usual course of work, has constant need
of some one with eyes to guide him and
although the passer-by or his fellow
workmen are ready to help him upon &C.
%casion. il is not well for him nor for them
that he should be continually dependent
for such services.
II will be seen al once, that, in all that
respects the physical aud external rela.
tons Of man, the deaf mutes have an ad-
vantage over the blind which goes far to
compensate for the superiority Of the latter
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