The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-12-16

| the most interesting ever Issued IRON the
institution.
The report of the board of trustees
makes the following suggestions:
| /. There is urgent need for increased
facilities for shop work. The character
of work turned 0Et improves each year,
and the quantity has increased along with
the demand for such articles as are manu-
featured, until enlarged facilities are
necessary, or progress in this department
must be seriously retarded.
2. The room for laundry purposes is
inadequate, and must be increased.
3. The fence around the grounds, be
ing made of wood, is in such frequent
need of repairs that good permanent
fence of iron would be much more econ
omical for the state, and more suitable to
the general appearance of the place.
4. The increase in the number of pa
pills since the last musical instruments
were purchased, and the wear upon those
now in use for several years, has rendered
the purchase of additional instruments
necessary.
The same may be said with reference to
the furniture of the building.
The educational progress of the pupils
has been highly satisfactory, and the stan
dard of scholarship advanced, until it is
fully abreast of the best schools of our
Texas cities. In this department there is
also need of better facilities. This is es-
Pecially true in the department of natural
philosophy. There is insufficient appara-
tus for proper Instruction in physics,
mathematical and physical geography.
With reference to the kindergarte. de-
partment we desire to call attention to the
fact that at no time in the history of the
institution has the proportion of younger
children been so great as now. This fact |
neceseitates ample facilities for primary |
instruction. The most advanced educa
tors are agreed upon the fact that the oh
jective method of teaching is the only |
true way of instructing children under ten
years of age. This is especially true of
blind children, who are almost exclusively |
dependent upon object lessons for instruc
ton the first few years of their school
life. We deem it unnecessary to enlarge
upon the importance of proper instruc-
ton in the early training of child. Much
is needed in this department.
In conclusion, we invite careful peru
val of the report of the perintendent,
md would again impress the idea that
his is not an asylum, but emphatically an
Institution of learning. At least one citi
zen of distant state (having an lnstitu-
ion similar to ours), travelled over fifteen
hundred miles to Austin under the delusion
hat this was an asylum. He came upon
he representation of citizen of Texas,
hat Texas had an asylum for the blind.
lie is now being cared for on the county
arm of Travis county. The constitution
lever intended that il should be used as
n asylum" ard such nomenclature
has no place in our statute
looks, and we trust that all legislation in
he future will look to this important dis
inction."
RI. Rainey gives the following
ADVICE TO PARENTS S
tho have blind children: g
When your bllad child is eight years of 9
ge, or older be sure to send it to this G
reat school Immediately. Blind children
sually, from the neglect of their parents,
orm bad habits when they are young;
nd, if let alone too long, they grow up f
18th the toughest manners and ideas that
is possible for any human being TO O
ave. Ii luVJ uIO oOhU nClO WhOu uhOJ ID
tile, we learn to love them, and begin a
to teach them good manners
nd habits. If your child is under eight o
ears of age, write to me and will send IL
on an alphabet of raised letters, so that IL
on may teach him before he starts 20 tt
,hool 1t is of NO use to send blind e.
erson to school who is over twenty -four S
ears old, if he had lost his sight before q
Q was twelve years of age; therefore, for t,
sake, and as an act of justice to
our blind and unfortunate child, do not f
low it to grow too old without giving it V
chance for an education. Some parents C
ay that they cannot part with their blind p
lildren, and therefore keep them at o
ONE until they are too old to learn any o
ling. How can conscientious mother C
estrain her son or daughter from a
citing an education which would make b
ither of them happier and more useful! i
low can good hearted mother, b
trough mistaken fondness for her f
lind child, hold it back and deprive it of
chance to attend school, and keep it at G
ONE, growing up in ignorance, with ugly t
ait and habits, and yet allowing her see I
ng child, who needs it less, to have every
dyantage? When that mother comes to c
lie, if in her senses, she will look upon a
Ter deformed, ignorant child, and die, c
ceiling that she had robbed it of knowl- c
dge, of refinement and happiness; left it
Without single hope, hardly able even to
appreciate its great loss and its sad future,
wherein it must float along down the s
tream of time, buoyed up only by the {
harity of strangers or of the coun-
ry.
There are blind boys and girls here now
Who did not come until they were
eighteen or twenty-five years old, and all
Of them deeply regret that their parents
kept them back. Some of these, however,
have strong hearts, and say that they will
do their best to make up for lost time;
but, alas time has done its work through
mothers mistaken fondness.
Parents should never allow their blind
,hild to have any greater privileges than
heir seeing children, because too great
Indulgence develops selfshness in the
,hild and makes it dictatorial and inpa-
lent. They should not allow the child to
lit about the house, but make 1t run out
% play about the grounds, teaoh
il how to use knife and fork,
now to cut its meat and sit
IL IDo.,,~,A To