The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1895-12-16


| highest success has been found possible
only when they are put under the man
agement of blind men. This has opened
an honorable career to the SightleSS. All
the wide world is open to those who see,
and its opportunities invite enterprise
not handicapped by the loss of this cap
ital sense.
This institution from its foundation
forward for several years was superin-
tended by men with their eyesight. No
diScredit to them is intended when l
say that they did not make it a success.
It's manufacture was limited by its
failure commercially 1t was without
discipline or order. The restraints nee
cessary in such place were wholly
lacking. The skill of the blind teacher
in imparting the handicrafts to blind
apprentices had produced good work
men, but their ability to produce simply
increased the congestion between the
shop and the market and so heightened
the discomfort of the intended benefi-
Charles.
These conditions were encountered by
the first directory. 1t met them by TAX
| ing the blind teacher out of the shop
and making him superintendent He
has served in that capacity seven years
and six months. He is now the longest
| in service of any head OF a State in
stitution in California. with one excep-
ton. Since his service began the peni-
Tertiary Wardens, the Superintend-
ents of the insane asylums, the Presi-
dent of the State University the Prin-
cipals of the normal schools | believe,
have all been changed under political
pressure or by other circumstances. His
position has not escaped assault, but
his record in office has withstood all at
tackS
During six years of this service he
acted as Superintendent and teacher,
though he received only the salary of
Superintendent, and thus saved the
State 5000 per year or $500, which
would have been the salary of teacher
of his skill.
His devoted wife has served as ma
tron for seven years and half, with
out penny of pay. The hapless blind
women have had her patient attention,
the sick her care and the dying her
tears. as an unhired offering on the al
tar of humanity.
Turning from this phase of the mat
ter which appeals to the quickened
heart of every philanthropic citizen, l
present the practical results of Mr..
Sanders management in the cold hg-
ures found on our books here and in
the office of the State Controller at
Sacramento.
Statement of the financial operations
of the Adult Blind Home from the date
of its organization to July l, 1879:
FIRST.
Under superintendent Burris and
Crawford, thirty-three months.
Average shop force during the above
term, 81.
Average monthly payroll, S264 o..
Average wages paid, 81 10.
Average monthly income, $l61 OF.
Under superintendent Sanders ad-
ministration, SO months.
Average shop force, 40; increase . or
II per cent.
Average monthly payroll, S406 10;
increase 1892 u, or - per cent.
Average wages per hand, S11 40; in
crease So 81, or As per cent
Average monthly income, S1,52S 81;
increase S767 20, or 100 per cent:
Earnings of the institution paid over
to the State Treasurer for the eighty
three months of Superintendent San
ders' administration TO July /, 1893,
S126. S91 45.
Earnings for first five months of the
present fiscal year, paid into the
treasury. S6.714 80; total for Mr. San
ders' term, S133, GOO o.
| submit that private employer
would hesitate to displace Superln-
tendent of his business who had pro-
duced such results. These institutions
are but little understood by tee general
public. They have no feature in COM
mon with the scholastic establishments
for the Juvenile blind. The latter have
had sight so briefly that its loss is pro-
gressiyelv COMPENSATED by nature in
the increased vividness of the capital
senses which remain. But when the
eve alone has been long the guide of
the other senses its loss is an lrrepara-
BILE abridgement of their use.
Of the three defective classes, the
deaf mute. the Juvenile blind and the
adult blind, the latter was the last to
he the object of efforts to amehorate ITS
condition. These efforts began in
France scarcely a century ago and
have been patiently maintained ever
since Experiments have been made
with many handicrafts, and experience
has narrowed the list to rev. Ihese
are for men. the manufacture OF
brooms, brushes and coarse mating;
for women, the manufacture of whisk
brcoms. cane seating furniture, knit
ting and needlework.
Broom making is everywhere the
leading trade for the adult blind, and
this is the principal industry in all OF
these institutions. They have never
been made self-supporting by the labor
miracle is wrought whereby age and
blindness shall be transformed from a
handicap into a distinct advantage in
the learning and practice of new
trade
Statistics show that blindness in
adults is largely caused by diseases or
! by accidents which have also shattered
the physical constitution. 1t is safe TO
say that an adult blind man is an in
A OF a them
have a common history. The means
they have at hand when sight is lost
are expended in vain efforts for its re-
eovery, and those iron jailers. perjury
and DESPAIR. thereafter hold them in
bonds Their only resource is some pro-
vision to enable them TO work with their
hands. as a relief from melancholy in
tfcspection or attempts TO escape it by
such dissipation as they can find.
In this and other institutions of the
kind. l have witnessed good effects
! from employment of these unfortunates
which touch and quicken the heart that
| can svmpathize with misfortune. These
effects are the more impressive upon
all thoughtful people that they are al
most without exception wrought out by
the patience and knowledge of blind
men III charge of the institutions in
which they are manifested. This brief
statement covers the history and re-
suits of experience in the effort for the
adult blind.
I have compared the experience and
record of this Institution with others,
| and il ranks to-day with the most sue
cessful in the world. Since 1t passed
under the management of Mr.. Sanders
tofhcr States have followed the example
OF California In making similar founda-
lions. As d rule. they have been NOR
ltifying failures through omission of the
prime cause of our success. which is
Cue solely and only to the management
| II man blind from childhood, trained
! in the bandicrafts and commerce to