The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-08-28
MAPS FOR THE BLIND,
Interesting Facts About Their Construc-
ton and Their Use.

AutcEcbthnS FactS ABOUT Inelr COnStruo-
tion and Their Use.
A map for the blind is a curiosity.
Blind people are fond of history, and as
history cannot be properly learned, or
indeed learned at all without some
knowledge of geography, and to learn
the latter without map is impossible,
something of the kind was necessary,
and so special maps were invented and
manufactured for the use of the eyeless.
They are all of the kind known as the
"dissected MAPS" and are of wood-are
really carved blocks. All land stands
in relief, the mountains are in ridges,
the rivers are long depressions, the state
lines are elevated. Each state is sepa-
rate block, aud the pupil is taught to fit
the blocks together and thus prepare for
himself map of the whole country.
The name of each state is marked,
sometimes ON the back, sometimes on
the front, of the block, and the observer
will notice all over the surface of the
blocks small aggregations of what to
him are meaningless dots. These are the
names of rivers, towns and cities. Cities
are designated by pin or tack heads, and
the size and shape of these show the APP
proximate number of population. In
one map cities of less than 10000 inhab-
itants were indicated by pin heads flat
on top, and those of 10000 to 5000 by
hemispherical. Flat tack heads showed
the localities of cities having 10000 to
$4,000, rounded tack heads from $4,000
to 100000. Tack heads fiat and square
indicated cities between 100, 900 and 20O,-
600. Tack heads round, but with de-
preston on the top, showed cities of
greater size.
Bounding" the states is y easy mat
ter to the pupil. Taking -Iissouri, for
example, the child requested to do the
work began by placing the hand fiat on
the block to get a general idea of its po-
sition; then the foreinger of the right
hand found the northwest corner, ran
rapidly along the elevated Iowa line, fol-
lowed the Mississippi down to Kansas,
went too far and passed to Helena, where
a pause was made, the name read and
the mistake discovered; returned, found
the line, traced it to the west along the
southern limits of Pemiscot and Dunklin
counties, missed it again at the st. Fran
els river, recovered Invent north, found
the line at Butler county, ran it to the
corner of Mcdonald county, thence
along the western boundary to the start
ing point and then gave the whole re-
suit orally without moments hesita-
ton.
By means Of these dissected maps a
fair idea is also gained by the pupils of
the respective size of various countries
and states. When asked to compare
Ohio with Texas the boy laid the Ohio
block on the Texas map, measured it off,
turned it this way, that way, carefully
keeping the count with his fingers on the
space already covered, and finally an
nounced that Texas, according to his
idea, was about five times as large as
Ohio, q calculation close enough to the
truth to excite wonder at the accuracy
rather than criticism of its lack of exact
ness. Dissected maps of every continent
are provided, and large globe, made on
the principles which underlie the con-
struction of the maps, enables the pupils
to gain fair general idea of tho shape
and geographical features of our planet.
Geography, in most schools, is used as
an aid to the study Of history, and is
studied not as a collection of meaning
less names but as subject which
throws Indispensable light ON the deeds
and words of mankind. Louis Globe
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