Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1886-02-25
TO BE CONTINUED.
A REMARKABLE BLIND MAN.
Or. Campbell Tells of His College in
London-CIimbing the Alps.

London-Climbing the Alps.
One of the most remarkable blind men in
the world has just paid flying visit to
Washington He is DIR. Francis j. Camp
bell, Ii. D., principal of the Royal Normal
College and Academy of Music for the Blind
in London. A native of Tennessee, for
:nany years a resident of Boston, he went to
Europe, especially to Germany, in 1869, to
study, and he was mainly instrumental in
1872 in founding the great institution of
which he has ever since been and still is,
the principal In the college, over which
Dr. Campbell presides, music is one of the
main objects, but che education given is
general The college embraces a prepara-
tory school, grammar and high school,
technical school, and an academy of music.
A great deal of attention is paid to phys
ical training The doctor is little man,
approaching GO years of age, wears dark
glasses to cover his empty eye-cases, and
dark gray beard. In conversation he talks
quickly, and there is a peculiar, childlike
cheerfulness in his tone that is only found
in blind men, and only in few of them.
physical exercise is most essential in the
education of the blind, said the doctor. Il
have generally found in the college that it
has taken as much effort to overcome their
habits of idleness and Incidence as to give
them the training for their special avoca-
tions. AS a rule" said he, "the vitality OF
the blind is below the average vitality OF
seeing persons. The lack of physical power
leads to Incidence, timidity, and discourage
ment The blind must be reused from their
willingness to depend upon others, and
made to believe in the possibility OF inde-
pendence and success. We give our pupils
courage and vitality by gymnastic exer-
cises We have a very well appointed
gymnasium connected with the college. We
teach the boys to swim, too, and skate.
They don't have any more falls in learning
to skate than seeing people do, and the falls
they necessarily receive give them hardi-
hood that is worth everything to them"
EYES," said the doctors son, 1--WE have
some boys who can play around on the ice
and describe fancy figures as neatly as you
or l or perhaps the most expert skater you
can find in Washington.
"Does everyone get the ice all to himself
in turn or do they all skate at once and TO-
gether!" asked the reporter. "If many
skated at time would there not be frequent
collisions!"
''The ice-pond is circular in shape" was
the reply, with small islet in the center,
profusely set with trees and shrubbery that
overhang This little islet in the center
gives an echo, by which the boy knows
how far he is from the bank. A dozen of
them will often skate for half an hour
around that pond without single stumble.
The echo prevents them from running into
the bank. When they have skated perhaps
half an hour in the one direction a bell is
rung, and then they turn and skate perhaps
for the same length of time the other way.
They go round on the ice with just as free
and easy swing as the contestants in
skating match at Madison Square garden,
in New York"
doctor, you climbed the Alps once your
self?"
"Oh, yes. In 1880, I think it was, as
cended to the top of Mont Blanc My son,
who was then only 10 years old, accom-.
panied me, and was the first of his age who
ever rose to that height But Mont Blanc
is not by any means the most difficult
mountain to climb / never will forget be-
ing showed up for twenty three hours on the
Matterhorn That was in 1882 l thought
/ was never going to get down. 1t rather
dulled ny appetite for mountain air, but l
am very fond of travel and exercise ash
ingtOn Post"