Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1850-11-30
Institution for Embeciles and Idiots, Barre,
Massnc hnsetts.

MaSsGS huSctts.
The age of miracles is not past. Ours is en-
phatcally such an age. The blind see, the lame
walk, the deaf hear and the dnmb speak. in
somewhat different way, it is true, and by very
different means, but not less really and truly, than
when the disciple of John Baptist came to Jesus to
obtain evidence, whether he were the Christ And
now, as then, these miracles are wrought by Chris
tian charity. They the fruits and evidence of
religion, which has come down from heaven 10
earth, and is designed to restore man to the favor
and image Of God.
We had often been in Asylums for the deaf and
dumb, for the blind, and for the insane and seen
with delight how much can be done TO ameliorate
the condition and even TO educate the minds and
hearts of these unfortunate classes. Bat it remain
ed for recent visit to the Institution we have nam
ed at the head of this article to show Us the highest
triumph of charity guided by wisdom. Nothing
ever seemed much like raising the dead, like
breathing the breath of life into human body and
anlmatins it with living soul There were per-
sons, who year since only breathed and uncOnsci-
ousiy digested the food which they scarcely knew
how to swallow, who Were incapable of walking or
performing any voluntary motions, now climbing
ladders, rolling at nlne-plns, catching dumb-bells
and going through various gymnastc exercises with
a great degree of agility. Others came TO the In
suon, almost all idiots are, helpless in THEFT
personal habits as regardless Of personal decences
as the verlest infant and far more disgusting to the
eye aud every sense of the behoder; but they have
been taught to dress decenty, to maintain personal
cleanliness and to observe the prophecies Of life tc
such degree, that the teacher and proprietor of the
' R5 bit foo o. s nd q .5 fa 81 i
now, as :" beautiful children Others ogain M,
purely and strictly idiotic, hut whom. from soma
cause or other their parents and ordinary teachers
had been unable 10 teach anything have mastara5
elements al IA,
seen at Their desNs with their books in their hand
ana learning their lessons like any other scholars n
theh age 1t was delightful to behold the mex
hauslble patience and the unwearied kindness lii
winch Dr. and Mrs. Wilbur devoted themselves to
Inc comfort and Improvement Of these moor cras-
lures, not Only teaching and training them bv 5gv
pol watching over them by night, not as if im1eled
ny necessity or mere duty, still less for filthy ncre'
s'Ne' pu' expressing and manifestIy feeling toward
III no sAail measure, the tenderness of paren-
TAI love. And 1t was painfully interesting TO 500
how the helpless nnocenIs in return cIonu 10 hi,
ups and watched their persons, hung on their lins
ana watched their every movement with all an IN.
iant fee!ing OF affection and dependence. NAV
they meet their reward from an enlightened nnhiyc
ana liberal commonwealth, which their secdenv.
ing iabors 50 richly deserve
he lnstltSeon at Barre is wholly a private on
'efprise. Inc children are chiefly if not altogetb-
! :" " P"iehts IN comfortable cream.
stances 1t was instructive and affecting to hear
what names they have, and to learn what flmiIia,
they represented ''i''''e'
lhere Is but one other Institution of the kind in
me United States. That is under the direction n
Dr. Howe, and is connected with the Massocbuso,t,
Asylum for the Blind in Boston. OF coursp !; 10
sustained by the State. 1t was opened little mora
'han year since, with only ten or twelve pupils,
ana SIMPLY as an experiment. The result in Ros'
ton as IN Barre, has demonstrated the possibili,y
ana therefore the duty of greatly improving the
condition OF class hitherto sunk in hopeless deora-
dauon and wretchedness. There is work enough for
more than one or two such schools to educate the
Tue l4oo or 1900 IDIOTS Of this commonwealth and
.e 9la'e treasury should be opened freely for the