The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-05-11
TINE INSTITUTION Fos TIVE BLIND.

The thirty first anniversary exhibition Of the New
York Institution for the Blind took place yesterday
afternoon A. three o'clock In stenway Hail. before one
Of the iagc audiences that have attended any OF the
annversac of the week. There Of The sensss
which AFFORD ch endless variety Of perceptions and
such a fuai :. ,atcrals for both the mind and the
imagination 10 NIX upon as that or sight When any
consider e. moment what an Infinitely greater
amount OF ii 3aa'ion is acquired by the eye than by
the ear, he arss his conclusion that the
blind infinitely on regards calamitlcs and
must be in much missrsbls end helpless con-
ditlon than the deaf In reality, however, such il not
the The blind, rule are lively and cheerful
the deaf shy and melancholy, and, indeed often
and saspiooaa TAKE bcy Of Mac or ~ years Of age
who never the light and be will be found con-
vsssshis and ready 70 give long narratives Of past
currsnces. Of persons and things. Place by bis
side boy Of the same age who has had ths
misforuns to be deaf and observe the contrast.
The latter Ia nsensible TO all you say be smiles per-
haps and his countenancs 10 frightened by the beams
Of holy light No enjoys the face OF reads
with attention your features, and by sympathy reflects
your smile frown; but that is all To most ntcns
and purposes no is only mimic aud remains mute,
being unable TO give any Of past experience
future hope The latter is dull and unaninated while
the blind boy expands with every thought you Inspire
him WITH and all his other senses seem sharpened Wy
Ssswssn tss blind and deaf Is because tbs former have
moro hngs In common with persons who possess the
arc far nors Isolated ali their ves The blind can
scarcely fail 70 md their own tasss suited In some Of the
s.lk o. their neghoos whilst the assf unless they
or the hand and Ear moro removed In the circle Of
studies, are far more solitary ihan the blind There
like Homer, Milton and Blackjack; blind divinss, like
Lucas and fr0ugh,on; blind mathematicans, like Fan
derson and Noycs; blind nanraiists like HUBER In fact
there Is nothing that sight discovers which the blind
arc not able TO comprehend Thor conception OF some
thing, sscs - light color ~ ana sss y nearly ndssoo
their other for tho loss Of sight II estimated
that there less than three millions OF blind per-
in the world Of which nearly the entire number
In Europe and ~ the present time about sixteen
thousand IN the States OF these latter New York state
the business Of tbs New York Inssution 10 Cor
the wants OF these helpless persona Any one yesterday
stage Of sicnwsy Hall could not but feel npre scd with
the sorows Of the unfortunate blind Here was bright,
rosy sweet Face with the windows o. the SOUL as the
eyes appropriately chrstensd by the Arats barred
for there youth looking at you With sye!ess orbs
or hopeless, wandering look ON his countenance Oc-
inexperienced gsss would be perfectly right and
capable Of vision: but looking nearer you observed
thai thsy ssd nss and indeed ussisss 70 their
possssscrsysa ana yss no syss rhe blind eansos Dat
enlist the sympathiss Of all IN their behalf Bndass
itssf J: an adnsct Of Old ase 70 which we are all
verify doomed and even regarded from this point Of
vsw u shoula enlist sclAsh.sy nyashy from some
people suppose that by closing Iber eyes they
they cannot comprehend the psrpisxi.ie., the
WEAKNESS and isolation Of those 70 whom
forever They srs Unable sds.S 10 get rich. idea Of
the great oss Of sight None but those who have been
blind and have cropped IN darkness for ysars can know
what II Ia TO be bRd, and We who have been blessed
with vision can but pity them, and help such inssitu
lions sDdsavor 10 alleviate the miseres Of thor cond
ton.
The programme for shs day, being like tina, usually
al nrst rate concert afforded The audience much
pleasure and satisfaction. After the customary intro
dnctory prayer common TO all tho anniversaries piece
Of Handeis Was beautifully played on The organ by
blind pupil o. the name Of Msnonsy Aer this ;hs en-.
chorus IN william Tell iow Bright and Fair The Morn Is
Breaking" Next couple o. the male pupils gave due.
rslships exercise was given the pupils 10
ssnsbs 70 have an idea about various foreign com,
importing information They consist o. raised
tics on the map world arc carefully preserved IN
rhsy were asked various questions such What and
where Cairof ~ Morrow where Is II situated ~ and
disreat places Al the same timo A. they gave their
descriptions Tne teacher Of geography al insltu
ton y NJ Bsbccck, and no appears 70 have met with
After this exercise Of the lady pupils sang In
charming mszso soprano vocs Longfsows well known
song
she can both false and friendly be
A musical fantastic Of Beetnovens followed The song,
and this IVES succeeded by the Of the concert tho
chorus from Donixetti's DEtnr a. Amors. The method
Of astvuctiag tho blind In reading, and, In fact, In
ssnsr. book snowisdEs may BE- said 70 ,. divided into
The sphsbstics system compr.es the nrss and oldest
form or alphabet for The blind, known - "Alson's
System Of Roman Capisals;" secondly, the "Bosten
hover Csss" alphabet ~ u is called, invented ~ Or
q 8 Howe, Of Boston; thirdly the French sipeseet
asd f6srshy and issly, Alston's modified alphabet.
me ssbss systsms q iastrucsss the blind are ave IA
bumbey they arv, Arst. 1Aca's system secondly,
lrsrss sysssm, thiraiy Mons sys'.m' feur,hIy,
no sysiAme Braae, and lastly, the Systemic
Carlos. The bsss type. apparently, and the easiest
for the bind 70 road II that systsm ~ rsised
letter. known ~ the Boston Lower Case In
sbls aphabss oss Of tho works In for the blind
prntsd and three Of ,hs pupils rad vpiubly clearly
ssd witbous seammers unnecessary panssB chapter
from - matthews sosrs which vas sslsc.sd u random
By one Of the .dcnos One Of The professors q the
Institution afterwards explained new alphsbes which
hsd been inventsd BY blind man. u 10 called the
"knot alphabssn ard " constructed BY forming row
Of knots along cord. The vowels a q, T. o, O. are
represented each By charactsrac and spec knott and
Ne esnsseue b common knot being paaceA ncarss o.
sssss ~ ~ vswss v vAish Ne sSasenans ssmss