Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1884-01-30
Amusements of the Blind.

"What are the amusements of the
blind?' This was asked of Superinten.
dent William b. Wait, who has been in
the New York institution for the blind
more than thirty years.
The amusements of the blind,' Mr..
Wait replied, wary like those of persons
who have sight, according to the tastes
and capacities of the individual. They
are always crcumscribed by the absence
of sight, and are necessarily made difficult
by the necessity of substituting the use of
the faculty for another. Education will,
of course, change the general character
and capacity of the blind in about the
same degree AS it does persons with sight.
But blind person is always afraid 10
move unless he has learned the ground
| He is, rs you would be in the dark, on his
guard. He must move cautiously unless
he is certain that he can move with safety.
| Many persons wonder at the outdoor sports
of our inmates, but it must be remembered
that all are not totally blind. Many have
faint glimmerngs of light that enable
them to guide one another by voice and
touch. So you may see them in the yard
wrestle, jump, form line, and play leap
frog, because that depends mainly on the
touch, but they cannot play hop scotch.
They cannot play ball or marbles or
billiards, but they can Jump the rope and
swing. They can skate or swim with
guide, they can row boat or dance,
because these require chiefly the sense of
touch. The dancing Is easily managed,
because but a small space is required, and
they can easily keep within that and guide
each other or be guided by one or two in
set who can see 1t is, of course, more
difficult for them than for persons with
sight to learn the steps, but some of them,
especially the females. learn to dance
gracefully. | have known them TO be
fond of fishing, but they must go with
guide.
At indoor games the blind are often
very expert. Checkers or draughts is
iavorite game. They play on board
that has alternate squares depressed.
Instead of white and black pieces, they
have round and square. which are easily
distinguished by the touch. Some of
them are very expert checker players, but
they are always hampered by the necessity
for feeling for the pieces to keep the posi-
tion in mind. | have know blind persons
to play chess; but very few. The mental
process is somewhat the same that persons
with sight have who play what are called
blindfold games; but the blind chess
players have the advantage Of lingering
the pieces to keep their positions in mind
The pieces are usually distinguished by
players of chess, because unlike most
blindfold players, they never see the
board, and must practice with difficulty.
1t is common thing for the blind to play
cards. 1t is easy TO mark the cards with
cut corners, or with needles which prick
up burrs, as is sometimes done with court
cards by card sharpers. They play with
the same qualities of mind that sighted
persons have. Blind persons are very
fond of domnoes. They can as easily
count he spots as they can read raised
writing. have seen the blind roll nine
pins; but, although they use the ordinary
implements, it is very much game of
chance.
The difficulty in teaching the blind
arises from the fact that most of those
who come to us are not of the most
favorable age to learn. find that IS per
cent are between the ages of 10 and 20;
about 80 per cent are between the ages OF
20 and 80, per cent are below 10, and
one-half are more than so. 1t is easier to
learn in the lower decades of life, but
most of those we get to teach are in the
other decades. should say that only Is
per cent are of schoolable age. The old
have first to unlearn old habits before
they can learn new ones estimate that
there are in New York city about one
thousand blind persons. Music is un-
doubtedly the chief amusement of the
blind. Handel, the great composer, was
blind; but he was great musician before
blindness came upon him. McFarren,
also composer of eminence, was blind.
Everybody has heard Of Blind Tom, the