Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-05-09
TEACHING THE BLIND.
Pointers Picked Up by the Asylum
Committee on Its Travels.
AID FROM STATE AND NATION,
Showing What the Local Institution May
Reasonably Expect.
THE LITERATURE OF THE AFFLICTED

In the row over the failure to re-elect GER
tain members of the Board OF Directors O.
the Western Pennsylvania Institute for the
Blind, an interesting matter has been lost
sight of, namely: The report OF the commit
tee sent to Columbus and indianapolis to in
vestigate the method of conducting those in
stitutions. The report will be brought up
at the meeting OF the Board of Directors
Monday afternoon next and is full Of inter-
esting data as to how a blind institute
should be conducted. Some Of the features
of the report are as follows:
SIN indianapolis we visited the Indiana
Institute for the Education Of the Blind.
We found that the Institution is part of
the State educational institutions. 1t is
charitable institute, in the same sense that
public school is, with the addition of
larger provision ior the pupils, as they are
compelled to be away from home. The
Legislature appropriates $3.50 per year for
each pupil. There are about 125 boys and
girls enrolled there now. They acquire a
good knowledge of such branches as are
usually taught in our common schools, and
great proficiency in music, if they have
any ability in this direction.
THEY MAKE GOOD PUPILS
"In the schoolrooms the children are taught
everything, and Notwithstanding the fact
that they cannot see they make good prog
ress with their books. II is not generally
known, but the United States Government
appropriated in 1879 $3.50, 900 for literature
to be supplied to blind schools. This liter
ature is printed by house in Louisville,
KY, which is the only concern of the kind
in this country. 1t prints all kinds of
books with raised letters, which can be read
by touch almost as rapidly as other people
could read good print by sight. The
children recite their reading lessons by
passing their hands over the letters on the
book. There are two systems OF raised
characters, one being called 'line'-that is,
raised letters-the other called New York
point in which raised dots in the paper
take the place Of letters. The line system
is considered the BEST especially for young
persons. The point system is mostly used
BY persons whose touch is by age or occupa-
ton less sensitive than younger pupils.
1.-THE reading is done by the forefnger of
the right hand Those who use the fore
finger OF the right hand are better readers
than those who use the left forefuger. The
reason for this is that when the right hand is
used the forefnger is dragged across the
page; when the let hand is used the lore
finger is pushed. Those who use the LETT
iorehnger sometimes hesitate and stammer,
as it were, while this is not the case when
the other hand is used.
CAPACITY OF THE PUPILS.
"Many of the pupils can read from 80 12O
words per minute. Among the books the
children read are the Bible, the Catholic
catechisln, the book OF Acts, the gospels,
Robinson Crusoe,' Fables for Children
the Wonder Books OF Hawthorne Bows of
Other Countries Swiss Family Robinson
Rob and His Friends, 'Rills From the
Town Pump Jack the Giant Killer, Tales
From Arabian Nights .Esop's Fables
'Grimms' Fairy Tales and many others,
for the children. For the older pupils they
have the Constitution of the United States,
Politics for Young Americans and all the
English and American classical works.
Among the former are the traditions from
Virgil's .Eneid' and Casar's 'Commen-
taries'
''They also have works on algebra, geome-
try, physiology, Shakespeare, and every
other imaginable work one could find in a
well regulated college. Many of the pupils
who leave the institution, Immediately take
up some pursuit at which they can make
good living"
When the Pittsburg institution is COM
pleted and open for business, it is expected
it will incorporate many of the features
picked up by the committee.