The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1870-12-01

The ratio of the blind to the entire popu-
lation of the United States, is to 2.S2S.
The Stales lying between the parallel of 3Oo
and $50, have to 2.525; between $50 and
400, to l.75O; between 400 and 45o, to
AGO. Comparing these statistics with those
of most Of the countries of Europe, the pre-
dominance is found to be greatly in favor of
the United State, Shat is, blindness is less
prevalent in this country"
Let us now. from the same sources, review
the treatment and instruction Of the
blind from the earliest ages:
Although individuals among the blind
have in all ages attained to a fair
amount of education, vet it does not seem
that the idea of making provision for their
education as a class entered into the minds
of either the Greeks or Romans. They pro-
cured precariorIs subsistence by begging by
the wayside, or at the entrance OF the tenn
pies, but there was no one who would teac..
them more honorable means of obtaining
| livelihood, or rescue them from the insepara-
bic evils connected with life of mendicIncy.
Nor amidst the NOBLE and philanthropic re-
forms introduced by Christianity, was there
any provision made for the training and in
struc,ion of the blind. They begged on as
before, though now frequenting the doors of
| the Christian churches, instead OF heather
temples, and asking aims in the name Of
Christ instead Of Esculapius.
The first public provision made for the
blind Is believed to have been the founding
of the Haspice deg quinzs ringts at Paris lby
Louis IX., better known as 81. Louis, in
I22O. 1t was established by the kind
hearted monarch for the benefit of his sol
diers, who. in his campaigns in Egypt, had
suffered from Ophthalmia.
During the 18th century, thoughtful and
benevolent men, who had seen with interest
the sad fate of the blind, sought TO devise
processes for their instruction, bat with no
great success. Attempts were made to print
for them in intaglio, that is, with letters de-
pressed below the surface, but finding this
illegible to the touch, experiments were
made with raised letters, made to slide in
grooves. These proved announcement. Pierre
MORGAN, in 1910, failed to cast letter snc-
cessfnlly in lead. In 1870, the Padre Iona
Terri, Jesuit Of Brescia, who had already
published an essay on the instruction Of deaf
mutes, appeared with treatise on the in
strucfion Of the blind. Nearly a century later
the Able Deschampr and Didero:, proposed
plans for their instruction in reading and writ
ing. 1t was not, however, till lisa that Valen-
tin Hany, ''the Apos,leof the blind, a. the
French people have appropriately n-me'!
him. commenced his labVrs in their behalf.
His first pupil was young blind besyar,
whom he paid stipend in place o; lis ae-
quirenents by begging, and who sDon proved
an ap. scholar The encouragement which
he met from various societies, induced him
70 put forth greater exertions, and, in 1886,
his pupils, twenty-Sour in number, we're
called TO exhibit their attainments in the
presence Of the King and royal family at
VeAillesL The royal patronage was secured
for the enterprise; the school increased; Its
pupils became eminent musicians or mathe-
maiician<, AMI Hany and his school wese
objects If interest To all.
The school and its great founder passed
through the most trying vici--itndes, and
the Hrmer finally lost its identity in other
institutions; bat one thing WAS established,
schools for the blind were known 70 be hence
forth in the 9Th Of dazzling success. In
ssifuiiors spread over Europe, and, in 1882,
the firsa school in this country wa organized
nj Boston, and called ''The Perkins lnstii,,-