Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-01-07
Ohio Asylum for the Blind

We sre indebted to Representative WATSON
for the Twenty second Annual Report Of the
Board of Trustees and Officers of the Ohio In
stitution for the Education of the Blind. 1t is
indeed an Asylum for the most unfortunate
children of the State, and the Report exhibits a
gratifying degree of progress in its educational
department An enlarged building is now much
needed Some twenty years ago the present
Asylum was erected, with capacity for seventy
pupils, with necessary officers and teachers.
The number of pupils enrolled the past year
was IO5, and the average daily attendance was
go The total expenses OF the institution for
the past year were Sls, ,s37 SO. The institu-
ton was opened in 1897 with II pupils, and
the total educated is 1872 During the past
year some additional shop room and lodging
rooms have been provided, and the Report says
the Industrial Department of the school has
received full share of attention, and the pupils
of both sexes have made great progress in the
different kinds of work taught Broom making,
manufacturing of mattresses, willow baskets,
brushes, and door mats, are the trades chiefly
taught in blind asyIums, and at the Columbus
institution broom making is found to be the
most advantageous to the pupil. The Report
Of the Superintendent, Mr.. LORD, states that
several of the elder females have commenced
learning to make brooms, and Mr.. L. says:
In my report for last year, several cases were
stated showing the success of those of our
graduates who ad engaged in broom making
Since that time several additional cases of sim
liar success have come to my knowledge; but
of the scores who learned 10 make brushes,
willow baskets, mats or carpets, from 1910 to
1852, DO not know of one who has been able
TO support himself by either of these trades,
and, SO far as can be learned, not one is work
ing at either of them now, while half dozen
have returned to the Institution during the last
two years, for the purpose of learning to make
brooms.
The course of instruction is such as to give
the blind pupils the rudiments of a good COM
mon education, and such general information
seeing persons usually acquire by reading books
and papers. Their social and moral culture are
particularly attended to, in order to render them
agreeable and desirable members of the family
and the social circle. The health of the pupils
and household has been good, no death having
occurred in the Asylum for the past two years,
and but one of those who have attended during
that time has deceased. The excellent Super
intendent urges the Importance of securing
census of the Blind, in order that many parents
who are ignorant of the character and objects
Of the Institution, may be induced to send their
children before it is too late for them to be ben
eftted by the instructions which the Asylum
affords.
The Report of the Physician and OcuIist DR..
Patterson, states that but few surgical opera
tons have been performed upon the eyes of the
pupils during the year. Two cases of cataract
have been operated on, but sufficient time has
not elapsed to determine definitely the result
DIR. T. warns parents of blind children against
permitting them to use tehasss=IIs IIs-.--.-
The habit is Parni~ios's -, es---e.--a,y,
especially damaging to enfeebled persons of
nervous temperament In such persons tobacco
enfeebles digestion, produces emaciation and
general debility, and lays the foundation for Sc
rious nervous disorders"