The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-11-08
Communicated
EDUCATION OF THE uLlND'

,rha institution for tho education OF the blind,
lpcntsd In Bnton Rouge has entered -, upon 2
nav jfe not however, go full ne az Ine WORK
Y be done s lSaa ae eiy i've yet life having in
II trp health and the promise q iuture vig9r.
The institution has gltasd w. ,a ,s ,o " so is
tfya bastowment into practical benefit pur,lna
fhc late regime this Institution a.tiered griey
oupiy bank God the d9m hn aannat Z, eno IF
fn,liHinna. III It's ono hundred and fortr-tliir
article. declares that an institution Tor TIE e4u-
S9nte. This article simply formuIatos "a princi,
pIs of the constitution OF the universe, anu
translates the best and truerl In m men INTO hu
pIuorativensss Of law II does. not prescribe o
now duty TO be performed, but requires that u
perennial obligation shell be iuliilieu.
tha Tinted States census of 1870, thore are now
more Than 600 blind persons IN L9gisiana vi
Tile number p"eepy m a,e een0g s q snss
thraa persons to snlf-heip worth dongp ought
Ito be. donel, These are. questions beyond de-
bnie, which Christian civil i1aion has answered.
ma ii constantly answering In q strongly am-
fhnsiaed ought 10 be; must be done. The
emphasis Of this affirmative hae stirred Brazil,
a ars tsns a q efs hs iee ire d b
cation so clearly recognised, and 80 definitely
Imperative. Louisiana ought not 10 BIG behind
ahe ought 10 be abreast Of Massachusetts or OF
the best European civilization
The object of education lH 10 hit men tq q
fuller and trier life. The blind need this ele-
walton. The seeing may often work out life
successfully without Systematic instructtoh
but the blind cannot. They must be specially
trained; and even when best equipped, they
must meet life at q glieyous disadvantage; put
meet II they must. They may achieve only an
humble Independence. but that iE better than y
humtlintng and debnaing dependence.
In consequences OF various hindranees. the
number OF pupils in attendance al the institute
flsn for tho blind has been small This crgnm-
stance has boon perverted into a datum from
which to dnduca an inference denrenthtlve ol
itA actual object and potential utility Small
attendance has been assumed IA snflieient feh-
son for mengre support To measure the value
III II manufacturing interest by nh ill-Hppointed
and unHkillfully managed factory would be q
gross hlunder. II Ia no less nn error 10 measure
the magnitude Of tho education OF tho blind by
tho condition of IN imperfectly organized and
consistently depressed institution.
True II IL that economy Ia. necessary In the
expenditure of public funds but ret, enchment
does not mean suppression OF educational ih-
Htitutions. Louisiana fs not too poor TO Eus-
tHin her educational institutions. but she In too
poor to do without any Of them. To deny edit
cation To the blind would be to arraign tho state
d eulprit III the bar OF civ legation, and mt the
har oil Providence Let the Legislature ut its
next Repsion wisely and generously. consider
this Interest, and provide FOR " az It's impor-
lance requires. In dealing with such an inter
eat, liherality IL the only true measure OF wis
dom and justice.