Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-06-22
FROM BOSTON.
A BENEFIcENT NsT1TUT1oN-"EY EYES TO THE
DLND"-NEw BOOKS.

week just finishing has been the graduating ex
ercises Of perkins Institution aud Massachu-
sets School for the Blind, AZ it is now call.
ed, the old title 'Blind Asylum" having been
long ago given up for the broader and more
comprehensive title. Indeed the Institution
has long since lost all characteristics Of an
asylum, and is now devoted entirely to edu.
cational purposes II has its graduating
classes like any other school, and It's ostab-
lished curriculum of study, besides giving a
practical industrial training The girls are
taught to knit, to SOW and to run sewing ma
Chimes while the boys learn piano tuning aud
telegraphy. Every thing they are taught
they do with wonderful oxactness and thor.
oughness. 1t seems, in watching them, rs
though the fneness and acutoness of the
othor senses almost made up to them for the
loss Of sight, which to those who are blessed
with vision seems an irreparable loss. The
possibilities Of special training, the culmina-
tion of a work that is almost divine in its pa
tience, is nowhere better exempifed than in
the results shown by the pupils Of this school,
AS | sat in the midst of the great crowd that
filled fremont Temple to its utmost capacity
on Tuesday afternoon, and looked upon the
platform at the row after row Of sightless
faces, and saw them illumined with the light
| of intelligence, happy and contented, l felt a
thrill Of gratitude and reverence towards the
memory of tho man whose life work bad been
to "giyo eyes to the blind. There was
graduating class OF five, three young women
aud two young men. As is the custom in all
Schools the graduates read their own essays,
which were carefully prepared and showed a
great deal Of original thought and genuine
research. One Of the young men wrote on
electricity, and illustrated his essay by expert.
monts with the battery. His explanations
were clear and forcible, his illustrations made
quickly and with the utmost accuracy. All
the essays were on literary or scientific sub
jects, and they were written in such a manner
that all who heard them were convinced that
the writer's were talking of what they abso-
lutely understood. But the exercises we're
not confined to the graduating class. The op-
portunity was improved to show what was be-
ing done with the little ones, and the Kinder.
garten exercises were not only fascinating but
remarkable. The children sang their Kinder
garten songs, and went through the calls
thenic practice with as much delight to them
selves As pleasure to their audience. Their
little tables were brought in, the gifts were
distributed, aud the work began. There, in
full sight Of the audience the little girls did
paper weaving, folded the papers into geo
metrical shapes, and made very pretty figures
by placing together pieces of paper cut into
I II ii -. Il.
and one little fellow in au incredibly short
space Of time made the branch of a tree on
which was n nest with four eggs; on the side
of the nest was bird, and on the branch
stood another. The modelling was very well
done, and when it was remembered that it
was the work Of blind child only about
eight years old, it was really wonderful. Mr..
Anagnos, the director, is extremely anxious to
have kindorgartens established for bind chill
dren also to have their own facilities in
creased that they may be able to accommo-
date much larger number than they can at
present take care Of Next TO the Kindergar,
ten exercises the recitation in Geography eI.
cited the most interest. basket full of
what seemed to be irregular pieces Of wood,
to the platform, and as the pieces were put
into the hands of the class of boys, they
named with wonderful quickness the state or
country which it represented and gave full
description of it. The same boys also gave
an exercise in reading. | wish everybody
could see for themselves what work is done
here, and hope that no one who reads this
will fail, when in Boston, to visit the school,
which, as Mr. Anaguos announced is open to
visitors from six o'clock in the morning to
six o'clock in the evening, every day'-cer-
tainly more comprehensive invitation could
not be given.
James Il. Osgood ~ Co. have recently pub
lished Mrs. Frances Hodgson Burnetts novel,
| Through One Administration. 1t was first
| printed in the Century rather an unfortunate
circumstance, since it was eminently unsuita-
BILE for serial. think many persons took
| a prejudice to it that will keep them from
reading it in its present form. Il is decided
ly fine novel, and is better, from an artistic
standpoint than even That Lass O Lowrie's" "
1t is harmonious and we'll proportioned, and,
even if it leaves one saddened and a triAe hu-
initiated, there is after all feeling of salts
faction at the literary result. No book has
been written that has presented the several
phases of Washington life as this has done.
There is something unreal in existence there
only it is transtory sort of existence. II is
all up and down; positions get quoerly re-
versed. There's nothing like it anywhere
else; and Mrs Burnett, having lived in the
midst of it for SO long-although in way
outside of it or beyond it, since neither the
Gins" nor the 'ouls" can affect her-has had
rare opportunities for studying it, and has
portrayed it with viyidness that makes it
intensely real 1t is no matter whether Ber-
tina, Richard and the rest are real persons or
only types we know they or their counter
parts exist and public affairs are afterward
| judged by their existence. There is another
notable book of the Osgoods, "The Real Lord
Byron" but have not time to consider that,
and must leave it for another letter. Hough-
ton & Miffln have added Henry Cabot Lodges
"Study of Daniel Webster" to their list OF
American statesmen, and it is a book we'll
worth reading. SALLIE JOY WHITE