The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-09-22

iuhalc - Tue AdhshcnusStts Asylum IN having
such man as DIR. Howe at its head, man OF
vigor aud activity Of mind, and whose benevo-
lence Is guided by iar-seeing, Practical wisdom
Tais report principally relates 10 the work de-.
psTtneni, a very Interesting part of the institr-
ton. The plan Upon which this department Is
ccndue ted is the iollowing;-
"The institution owns the capital, provides
beard and lodging for most Of tho workmen, and
has the supervision and directioa. -...r..-
All the expenses, for stock, the rent 1f the
shop in the city, the salaries Of the master
workman, clerk, salesman, and for everything
90 sc,ed Immediately with tie department,
are paid out Of tho proceeds OF the sales. No
money has been drawn from the general tea
sury, or paid into il on account of the depart
ment.
The work men ere masters of their own time
and actions, as much as Is the case in commO on
workshops. The conditions OF their eng if'e-
msnt are, that they maintain good moral &C.
20 rtment, and obey the general rules Of the
house with regard TO the hours of rising, work
ing, going to bed, and the like. They must
work regularly ansrsteadily while they are EN-
ployed, and obey the rules OF tho shop. They
have no claim to permanence OF employment,
| and may be dismissed at any time, whenever
the work fills, or when their conduct is unsat-
isiacIory.
They receive their board ami lodging; and
their wages are graduated by scale Of prices,
so that each one working by pieoe-work is paid
according TO his rial earnings. Besides this,
they receive one third Of the net proceeds Of the
years work over ana above the actual expenses
Of the department,-the cost OF their board,
however, not included. This third Of the pro-
ceeds is divided among them in proportion 10
the amount of wages earned by each one during
the whole year; SO that he who mas worked in
| dustriously, ana earned one hundred dollars in
| Wages, receives twice as much as one who has
earned only fifty cellars.
| Another third of the profits IL paid TO one OF
their number who acts as agent and salesman,
aud has the responsibility of the management OF
| the shop; this is in addition 10 4 small salary
pad him.
The other third in reserved as IL fund for pay.
| ing the interest on The capital invested.
| BY this arrangement the agent and each
workman, become in a manner partners in ID,
concern, and have q. direct interest in it's genera
success. They have not only personal mo
| tive for promoting industry and economy, bu
right 10 protest against any waste Of time OF
stock by any Of their number, and to complain
| If his work is done IN a slovenly inG unfaithfu
| mani er, or il his character aud department ar,
unworthy; fer they know that such fellow
workman is not crly doing harm to the craft
bur lessening their own gains.
The sum to b. divided the last year was small
indeed, being only three hundred and sixty
three dollars, and eighty-seven cents; but stil
it was enough 10 show the operation of tn,
principle, and prove it 10 be good. The NOR,
the sum to be divided can be increased, and tn,
greater proportion each one sha receive, th'
more will its good elects De felt
The following brief statements present IN en-
couraging picture Of the condition and results o
the department:
The workshop has been in existence as &
separate department about six years. The work
men nave steadily improved, not only in skill
but in diligence; the amount of sales has con
stantly increased, from a few hundred dollar
the first year TO about thirteen Thousand th
last The expenses have lessened aud the pro
| cts have increased. ltsflng the last year, ch
| number of workmen and women was twenty
eight. The aggregate of wages paid them II
| cash was two Thousand and seve nty-nine dol
lars and sixty two &c nts: three Of them receive,
| an aggregate Of four hundred and nine dollar
| and twenty-eight cents, being upon an averag
one hundred and thiriy-six dollars and forty
two cents each SO that il they had been oblge,
| to pay their board, say eight dollars month
| they would have had thiriy-siS dollars each I,
three hundred and seyenty-nine dollars ans
forty-three cents, which would about pay thei
| board, but leave nothing for clothing; whilj
the rest earned only from thirty to sixty dollar
| apiece, and of course they could have don,
little or nothing by themselves"
| Ii is truly gratifying to know that 80 inter
esting class Of our fellow beings, as the blind
who few years since were regarded as neces
ssrily doomed 10 lives Of dependauce, can thu
have the means Of seli-suppOrt, and of the happi
ness consse usnt thereon, put into their owl
hands.
The greater portion of the report is devoted
sons who are engaged in the work department
shall be boarded and lodged in one great estab
lishment, thus forming a community by them
selves, or shall be bosrded in private famlie,
'where they would keep mp social relations will
seeing people and would be still Of the world7'
DR. Howe is decidedly in favor of the latter plar
aud for reasons, which, IL seems to us, are con
elusive one If the principal reaaons ia sup,
port Of his opinion in presented in the follow nf
passage with great clearness and power, pas.
sage we'll worthy of the attention of all think
ing men, Of all who are interested in the benevo.
lent movements of the day
'Bat we are dealing now only with the gene.
raj considerations in favor OF having the work
men board in families in the neighborhood, and
come 10 work in the shop, rather than have
them board and lodge in the institution II
should be a cardinal rule in the education Of the
blind, 20 keep ever in view the fact that they are
to become members Of general society, and not
Of a society of blind persons. Such societies
must have tendency TO increase in the indi-
yidual members some Of the evils and disad van
tages growing out of their in6rmity. The cor
rectness Of these general considerations seems
to me TO be maintained by the history and ac-
tual condition Of the great Asylums for the
blind in Europe. There is the Quin9e Vingt,
or Asylum for fifteen score Of blind persons in
Paris, and the asy lum for about the same num-
Der at Naples, beth OF which are marked BY the
worst features of such establishments. The in
mates are adults; they are not obliged to work
and no steady employment is provided. They
associate but little with seeing perBon.; they
have few relations and sympathies with the
world; they form an unnatural community of
infirm persons; and consequently u most un.
desirable and unlOyely spirit pervades that COM
munity. All the mom disad vanta,,es arising
from blindness ale increased and multiplied il,
their midst TO & deplorable extent and the
moral atmosphere is most unprOpitious TO the
growth of generous and manly virtue. The in
mates are clannish to the last degree; they are
suspicious almost to defiance, of seeing persons:
they are unamiable and unhappy. These very
persons, If scattered about in the country, and
living with different families, here one and
there one, would strive TO adapt themselves az
nearly as possible 10 their condition us members
OF society OF seeing persons; they wolld daily
rec Give an1 reinrr nnarx of sumnnt h., =, -.