The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1870-04-21

In glory, and with God
AzuTON. Miss. ....-...... bo-
Ne..a.e from Ghe Governor in Re-
Iation 30 the Blind Asylum.
IA the Senate and House Of Representatives..
GENTLEMEN: The Constitution for the
the Education of the Blind is one of the
most interesting of the charities under the
direction of the State government. Mrs.
sarah B. Merrills report as superintendent
Of the establishment, for 1853, embodies
tbe only information L hold on the subject.
That dOcument-a copy OF which | submit
with thiS-shOws that the total number OF
pupils in the Institution, for the past year
or for part of the year, has been but twenty
one: and that number l. as many as have
enioyed its benefits during any year since
ts foundation. The number in this school
TOT the Blind is nOw,I am. Informed, so
few as seventeen.
The report of Mrs. Merrill is not rs eXplic-
IL as might have been wished. 1t is however,
sufficiently specific to show That on an outlay
for nine months in 1859 of S6,245 -, the
Institution has lost by discounts on State
warrants, 81 800 OF! 1t shows furthermore,
that from October lst, 1868, to June 9TH.
1863 the expenses of maintaining the estab-
hshment, have amounted to $6,SH 20. Sup
posing twenty -one pupils TO have been
maintained during that interval, their main
renance and education has cost the State at
the rate, per year, per pupil, OF $474 20
But while this appears startling we should
recoect that the education of blind people
il EXCEPTIONALLY expensive, and that, while
il Is as low as $26S per pupil in Kentucky, it
averages on two years in Missouri 1864, and
in the State of Georgia, so much as $424-
averages, unlike those given for our own
State, unaffected, | presume, by discount on
warrants.
One striking feature in our system is its
r,y,,, Ill
the fact that Missouri, for example, makes
nits workshop for the blind an income of
Sl7s9a year. does not point the moral of the
objection that our Institution for the Blind
does not yield the State dollar. The real
objection conveyed in that lies in the fact,
that our education results in turning our
blind pupils upon the world without any
means of bread. This demands immediate
remedy as vital omission of our system !;
for instead of giving the blind back to socie-
" utterly helpless, We should endeavor TO
enable them to live comfortably by such
pursuits as making brushes, brooms, wicker
work, chair-bOttOms etc.
The state census OF 1866 shows white pop
ulation of 343,460 At the proportion of blind
amongst the whites, rs shown in statistics of
the United States, the number of blind pco-
pie amongst us in 1866 NAV be set down ut
about 40. The proportion of these COM
mitted TO the State for education appears
from the report of Mrs. Merrill to have been
about One-seyenth. The new order of things
adds, according to the State Census of 1866,
greater breadth to the demands on this in
teresting charity by having thrown upon
the State the duty of providing for the edu-
cation OF the blind among 3Sl, 25S people of
color. These questions arise therefore; how
many are these new applicants for educa-
ton; and how shall their education by the
State be provided for?
Of the free colored people in the United
States, those afflicted with blindness num-
bered one ia every thousand. A painful con-
trast is presented TO us in this fact when we
reeOllect that the blind amongst the whites
Of the United States numbered but one in
In 400! And in justice 10 a system dead,
am rejoiced to say, beyond all hope of resur-
reetion, | must do the institution of slavery
"A funeral honor, the credit of declaring
that IL showed a nursing care which is con-
feSSed by the census of the United States, in
concurrence with my own observation and
experience. 10 have kept the number of
blind amongst the slaves to the low prapor-
lion Of one in every 300! At this rate the
addition TO the number of blind whose edu-
cation may be held chargcable to the State
may be set down at %: Dut at the rate of
the pro rats of blind shown amongst the
Tree people OF color in the census of the
hited States, the additions to the demands
upon the stste for education of the blind.
would number so many as "a. Taking the
average of these two, the additional appli-
s4tlohs LOT education OF blind people by the
STATE under the new order of thing would
aulouht 70 about IS or 80. The aggregate
nuuloer OF pupils TO be provided for hence
Iiortn hy the charity under consideration
lbs go.
Eut the proportion of the whole number
"a Their blind shown, by those committed to
he care 81 the State by the whites, will fall
pelow the proportion likely to be commit
pa TO the care OF the State By the people of
eolor. The wealth of the one class of peo-
PIE and the poverty Of the other, go to give
reason for looking for much higher per
Eentage of the colored blind TO be made
ISnargeable for care and education to the
|cIate: How far that consideration may at
kect the average stated above, IL is impossl-
Iple 70 say; but / may warn you, with per-
f-ect safety, that it will go to Increase the
|ndhoer of blind chargeable In future to the
than 60.
What shall we do with the blind people
tliing on the State for education? We GER
ISlnIy ought not to go on In acceptance of
Ihelr appeals under such . system as the
present appears on its face to be--a system
euoJeeting us to taxation increased by %
Per cent. discounts and 10 such an oIltFa-
'seous expenditure on every pupil as $474 20
PR annumi The accompanying letters of
Tue Superintendent of the Institution for the
seat dumb and blind, of Louisiana, open
aste OF taxation, If it shall not be found
iser. it certainly would be more dignified,
make some economical provision for our
pllad. an institute of our own.
recommend that be authorized to make
ne question OF educating the blind the SUBJ
Ieet of investigation by commission. with
view to a report on the existing State es-
Punishment, the transfer of our blind schol-
rs to the Institute at Baton Rouge. or the
punishment of the charity ca > footing
commensurate with the demands Of the new
proer of things, under a system Of careful
economy, by the employment of ths oppoT-
UNITY presented to us for that purpose in
ne present availability Of certain public
uiiulngs at Natchez. j. l.. ALCORN.