St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1893-12-28

which was to carry means of relief tc
Prussian Poland. On his return, ht
was detected and imprisoned al
Berlin. After six weeks. his release
was effected, and he came back to
Boston, where he regularly assumed
charge of his work with the blind
in 1882.
The example of Massachusetts
and DR.. Howe was so rapidly and
admirably followed by one state
after another that the nation of the
stars and stripes now leads the
world also in educating the blind.
We can point to upwards Of thirty
excellent commonwealth organiza-
tions for the instruction of the blind,
having in the neighborhood of four
thousand students. We can point to
government approval and aid in the
work. We can point to the earnest
cooperation of all the states. We
can point to the hundreds of noble
men and women who have con-
tributed the best years Of their life
to the cause.
Now, does the reader ask why all
this draft upon national interest,
state funds and personal effort !?
Does he ask why the blind Child
should be educated at all Does he
ask how he can use his education
after he gets it These are legiti-
mate questions which the public has
a right to ask. answer them as
follows:
The world tried exposing the blind
on the mountain-sides to perish
this did not meet its idea of human
ity and civilization. 1t tried suffer
ering them to beg in the streets of
its cities; this offended its pride.
1t tried furnishing them homes and
care through life; this tended to-
ward an increase Of the class and
growing cost OF maintenance, from
which the future promised no escape.
As a last resort, SO to speak, the
experiment of education, in its
broadest and truest sense, was
made, an experiment which con-
stantly gained Importance and pop
ularity, because it brought in the
largest return for the patience, time
and money invested.
When | use the term education,
do not necessarily mean the knowl-
edge WHICH comes from spelling
book or an analytical geometry.
Education is simply the process by
which one learns to do something.
In this wider significance OF the word,
then. the problem of today, before
educators of the blind, is; BY what
course can a given child attain the
highest stage of economic independ-
ence of which he is capable? l reply
1t makes absolutely no difference
what he is taught, SO long as that is
the thing for which he seems best
fitted.
The good results from educating
the blind have been so forcibly
brought to public notice, of late,
that there is no longer doubt or
question IN the mind of any one who
pretends to be moderately well-read
| admit that the number of avenues
open to the blind is greatly limited,
yet far less so than is generally
at first thought On the
one hand, we see the blind making
an honest, and in some cases, abund
ant living as broom manufacturers,
makers, chair seaters, trav-
cling agents OF various kinds, type
writers, telephone exchange clerks,
piano tuners, musicians and teach
ers. On the other hand we find them
successful as rope twisters, carpet
weavers, basket makers, medical
specialists, telegraph operators, min
isters, lawyers, ship contractors,
political speakers and authors.
Right here within ten years, in
score or more of cases, boys have
shaken off the dust of state institu-
ton grounds from their feet, scaled
the towering barriers, and forced
their way into the very best acade-
mics, high schools and colleges that
the country affords. They ask only
fair play
Along all the lines mentioned, an
irksome string of concrete cases
might easily be cited, but the writer
has no wish to burden the reader
wit Ct tiSticS or def ailS The sole
object of this paper has been to sug-
gest few points of progress in
special branch of education which
has quietly fallen into line with
other interesting movements of the
day, and with them is keeping
creditable step.