Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1894-07-13
GOOD WORK FOR THE UNFoRTU-
NATE.
Something About the instruction Re
ceived by VermonCs Benedclaries ut
Two Mnssochusetts Instituttons

Something About the instruction Re
ceived by VermonCs BenedcIaries ut
Two Massachusetts, Institutions.
Col. Goulding, secretary of civil and mil
itary affairs, recently visited, by direction
of ov.Fuller, the Perkins institute for the
blind and the Massachusetts school for the
feeble minded. Vermont has beneficiaries
in both these institutions and for this rea-
son has a special interest in their work.
In both places Col. ,Goulding was inn
pressed with the unsparing and liberal
methods employed for the education and
development of the pupils.
AT the Perkins institute, while the state
pays the nominal sum of $500 per year for
board, tuition and care, musical instruction
is given to the pupils who can profit by it
without regard to cost. Two Vermont pu-
pills, girl and a boy, who have musical
talent, are receiving the best instruction
obtainable in Boston, the endowment OF
the institution permitting this to be done
and It's funds being used i'm most gener-
Gus way. The interest taken by these pu-
pills in their studies and the interest shown
was delightful to see. When they leave the
institution they will be abundantly fitted
to earn an Independent livelihood either as
instructors in music or artists. DR.. Anag-
nos, who is in charge of the institute and
who has been officially connected with it
for many years, combines skill, tact and
professional ability in a rare degree.
The school for the feeble minded, formerly
at South Boston, is located on a farm of 200
acres at Waverly, eight miles from Boston.
At this school the children are carefully
graded as to their mental capacity and in
,.,.1., . la.
most approved, scientific, and modern
methods. Musical training enters largely
into the work of instruction. Swedish
gymnastics and military drill are promi-
nent features of the system of physical
culture which have been adopted. Compar-
atiyeY few are taught in one room and
the most skillful teachers obtainable are
employed. This course having been pur-
| sued for years has resulted in securing a
corps of teachers who are psychological ex-
| perts. One of these teachers worked on a
child seven years before finding way into
| the darkened mind and making a compar-
atively intelligent child. The children
| spend half the day in school and the other
half in the open air, either at light labor
or recreation, everything possible being
| provided for their entertainment and
enjoyment as well as instruction. DR.. Fer
maid, the superintendent, is an enthusiast on
the subject of mental development and is
doing great work for the 400 unfortu-
mates in his care Some of the children
even prefer to remain at the school rather
than 90 home for their vacations. There
are some private pupils, children of wealthy
parents, who share and share alike, with
the poorest and for whom their parents can
find no better place.
1t will be seen from the above that the
state of Vermont, while paying as it doe:
for the care of its benefciaries, is actually
by plUcing them in these institutions, re
ceiying benefits represented by the eXpend
iture of much larger sums.