The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-05-13

balance Of $21 H. The receipts from ell sourccs during
$751; while the expenditures have been $30e1o 25-leav
ING In the treasury the 3lst Of Decembr the SUM Of
40 g. The assessment for building the sewer In the
Ninth avenue alluded to in the last report has been
levied but not yet paid 1t amounts to l23 A. The
Of the city have decided to redncs the grade
has been commenced and wll when completed involve
the in another heavy assessment To meet
nese extraordinary expenses the regular income Of the
institution derived from the education and support Of
s pupils Is insufficient and the managers will be CON-
pesd 70 look to other for the means OF paying
tnem ny the blessing of Divine Providence our inmates
nave enjoyed unusually good health during the year
Until within the last two or three months our sick
rooms were almost uniformly vacant During that time
terminated fatally; the other about which for
time most appehensive recovered The pupil whose loss
We have been called to mourn was young Chinese girl
one OF the four three Of them bnd) brought to this
country about ten years ago by Mrs Gutsa the wife OF
the distinguished missionary She II years of age
The system education which been found be best
adapted to promote the welfare Of the blind il of three
fold nature embracing intellectual instruction. know
Ledge OF music and the acquisition of trade The OBJ
Ject aimed at by this arrangement "a to fit the blind for
usefulness and self support When the education of the
bind was at first attempted, 1t was hoped that many
structors Of the seeing, and for this purpose Haay
the great originator Of the art opened in 1853 in conaec
ton with his school for the blind in Paris another for the
OF the seeing in which all the instruction was
gwen by blind MONITORS the discipline Of this school for
the seeing being maintained by seeing persons The diff
Guilty which blind teacher finds maintaining order in
school for the seeing the why not been found
to employ them in such schools
For reason not the school for the seeing ia
connection with that for the blind in Paris did not con-
tinue beyond the year 1901 The Of Saunderson
as professor Of mathematics in the University Of Cam
bridge and more recently that Of Pangeon an srt OF
OF mathematics in the Royal College Of Anglers in France
demonstrates the possibility Of the blind filling similar
stations with usefulness honor but the talents which
might encourage such high aspirations not the endow
ment of many, and few therefore hope to initiate
their example, Stations 50 eminent can only be the need
Y nj nat nj m
have turned her Partially to the best account STILL 1t
believed that the prizes sufficiently numerous to st
mulate the exerOns Of ambition and to tempt the gene
youth though blind emul ate the fame OF
that bright list of names who equally unfortunate have
yet achieved renown such as few of their more favored
competitors have attained But if tho paths OF literature
and science present obstacles to the blind such be
surmounted by but few among them there are other
spheres of activity in which their cxerions will meetwit
rewards If not allurug ut least certain Music
Is Of these and in respects the blind have the
advantage Of the seeing in the prosecution OF musical
study. Endowed with greater deicacy OF ear, more
accurate appreciation Of time. and what may be called
musical memory far superior to the seeing, it would
seem that music province peculiarly adapted for them
This and of some trade seems to afford to the
greatest number of this class the most assured
of usefulness anda livelihood For these reasons there
FORE the system of education for the blind in this
try and at the best institutions of the old world dv
ed into the three branches of intellectual, musical and
mechanical instruction. At the Of the
present an important change made in the mode
of conducting our manufacturing department. Itther-
to- it had been managed by saared officers, having no
less energy exhibited in the management Of the de-
partment in consequence of this arrangement and that
less vigilance manifested to prevent waste of mate
rial and the production Of unsaeable articles Accord
ingly persons employed to conduct the several
branches ofmanufacture who receive fixed though mo-
derate compensation, and depend upon their skill and
energy in the management of the business for the COM
pement of income. The benefits which were antici-
pated from the practical operation of this principle
have been realized in the much greater economy
which has been exercised in the of material,
and the superior quality OF the articles produced
hp Mt wtl irh hV Law
received into the institution taken in connection with
the fact that their period of instruction is limited, has
Of late years been felt to be evil The law fixes the
earliest limit to the age of reception at eight years and
the longest term Of pupilage allowed, is years.
This makes the pupil but fifteen at the close Of his term
and he il obliged to leave the institution with half his
education unaccomphed the half too which, in refer
ence to his ability to livelihood is often the most
important Previously to fifteen. few persons have the
physical strength to enable them to do much ut trade
and besides this. year at that age is worth much
more for the purposes Of education than two at
eight 1t believed to be injurious to the elect also
to conine blind child to the school at early
an In the earlier history of the institution the evil
referred to was not experienced the pupils almost
without exception received at more advanced age than
the earlier limit allowed by law. But recently the pupils
statute. The managers would not, however recommend
any changes in the fixed by law for the adms
bity There are many important considerations, making
highly desirable that the pupils should be received at
an early aeeo The end that the formation of bad habits
may be avoided good principles ncusaed the ysical
health built up and the feeling self reliance cultivated
All these things almost invariably neglected at home
in consequence of false though natural feelings of ten
derness and sympathy with their deprivation. 1t is
therefore highly desirable that pupils should be
ceved at about the age of eight and that the first few
years Of the should be devoted to moral training
physical developemen and cultivation of the rld
mcnts of education. And it il equally important that
where the pupil is called upon to receive instruction in
trade he should have the requisite physical strength
and when his mind is really put to work 1t should have
certain degree of maturity And it is also important
that the blind when leaving the institution should not
be OF such tender years to put out of the question
q Ia
nagers would therefore recommend that the law should
be altered to allow the pupils to remain in the nst
tuition for five years after attaining the age of twelve
subject to extension two years more by the superinten
dent Of Common Schools.