The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1862-11-12
Editorial Correspondence OF the Press.

Editorial Correspondence OF the Press.
Visit 10 the Perkins Institution for the Blind
at South BostoR-G Correction-AQudridl
Gardens - Hopard Ataeneum - the Elec-
tions-tte Storm.
BosToN, Nov. s, 1862
Dear Readers The annual visit of your
State authorities to the Perkins Institution
and Massachusetts Asylum for the Blind was
just commenced, and many of the pupils have
not yet returned; but every facility was afford
ed us for examination, and we were shown
over the entire building by Mr.. Campbell,
teacher Of music, who Is himself blind In
the music rooms several of the larger pupils
were practicing their lessons on the piano, aud
some of them exhibited marked proficiency.
The school-rooms are well supplied with maps
made expressly for the blind, and the various
classes we saw, showed that they had made
fair improvement in their studies. Several
of the pupils can write with considerable ia
cility. They have sheets of pasteboard pre-
pared with little grooves, running parallel
across them. Upon these, sheets of aper are
laid, and by following the grooves, and guild
left hand, the pupils are enabled to write, some
of them with considerable facility. The class
in mathematics, under the instruction of their
blind teacher, Mr.. Parks, exhibited marked
progress in this department, and readily and
quickly solved difficult mathematical problems
by mental process entirely. In the work
shops connected with the institution are
e
DC. There are nine pupils now in the institu-
ton from our own State, eight of them
State benefciares. Their names are as fol-
lows: Helen Mute. Wiscasset; VIM. L. Stoyer
York; Elvira S. Murray, Bangor Frederic
Crocker, Bangor; Grace Reed, Portland; Al
ice and Maria Snow, Bath; Joseph Jones,
Hodgdon; Lizzie Chick, Limington. There
is no fund, such as belongs to the American
Asylum; and the annual expense is two hun
dred dollars for each pupil. This sum covers
all expenses except for clothing, such as board,
washing, medicines, use of musical instru-
ments, books, &c. Pupils must pay their own
fares to and from the institution, and furnish
their own clothing. The usual period of in
struction is for five to ten years. INDECENT
blind persons, residing in Maine, can obtain
warrants for free admission to this institution
upon application to the Governor and Coun-
ell. The application should be accompanied
5y certificate from the city or town authori-
ties where the person resides, that the parents
are unable to pay $500 per annum for the
chid's instruction; also a certificate signed
by some regular physician, that the child has
not sufficient vision to be taught in our com
mon schools, and that he is free from epilepsy
and from any contagious disease. ALL the pa
pers should be sent to the Secretary of State,
Augusta, Me.
From the statistics of the institution we
learn that the blind, as class, do not live so
long as other people. They are less endowed
with vitality, aud as a consequence have less
health and strength, less ability for the active
duties, and consequently the pleasures of life.
But if the standard of bodily vigor is lower.
the standard of mental activity is higher than
is to be found in ordinary schools of the same
grade. Having less to distract their attention,
all their mental powers can be- and are, more
intensely concentrated; and hence blind child
rem, other things being equal, have what are
termed "precocious intellects."
Our little party left, well satisfied with their
visit, and convinced that our noble State loses
nothing by its liberality to its poor blind child
rem.
In our letter from Hartford we notice that
the types make us say that the estimated cost
of maintaining the pupils at the American
Asylum for the deaf and dumb is one hundred
and eight dollars. We wrote, or intended to
write, one hundred and eighty dollars. Our
readers will make the necessary correction.
Persons visiting this city should not fail to
visit "Barnum's Aquarial Gardens" A living
whale is a curiosity of itself but besides this
there is large number of beautiful tropical
fish, as well as fish not so beautiful all living
and seemingly healthy. Here may be seen the
beautiful and intelligent seal, as well as the
more unwieldy walrus,-litte crocodiles, mon
keys, Guinea pigs, &c. &c.,-so that one may
spend an hour or two very proiitably as well
as pleasantly.
Last evening we went to see Mr.. and Mrs.
Barney Williams in their hvorite characters.
at 11e Howard" Barney's delineations of
Irisb humor and character are truthful and
amusing in the extreme, while Mrs. w. is
equally au iait as an Irish dainsel or yankee
GAL" They were not supported well however,