Arizona weekly citizen. [volume] (Tucson, Ariz) 1880-1901, 1895-12-14
THE NEW YORK BLIND.
An Institution for their Education
and Care Visited by the Citizen
Correspondent.-Th
Blind They Sse.

Over the entrance is "The New York
Institution for the Blind, founded 1881
A. D." Ringing the bell, lady nearly
blind opens a little window, asks what
is wanted, upon being told she admitted
US into the reception room, rang an cleo
trio bell which was answered by blind
girl tbout fourteen named Winifred
who walked straight ahead without any
hesitancy and up the stairs without taxi
ing hold Of the railing on each side, sbe
guided US into one of the class rooms.
Many Ct the children held their heads
down as if the light hurt their eyee,
some Of the rooms we're partially dark
ened. To look of their eyes is sicken-
ing sight, those whose eyes are most dis
figured wear dark epectacles. Miss
Riley who is totally blind conducted us
around, she said II would rather take
a number through than one, l feel then
that | am doing something.
We went into a number of arithmetic
classes: in one they were multiplying up
to over 700 simply in their minds, when
one makes mistake the rest raise their
hands; in another room, the teacher a
nice looking young man was almost to-
tally blind; at another boy stood out
side the dor, Miss Riley said II guess
somebody is locked out here, it don't look
very WE'LL" in another they were doing
sums in interest on their States which
are wooden marked off in small squares
in each OF which is an open epace in
which are inserted lead type, the numb
ers up to eight being indicated bv the
position in which piece of type is Elac
cd in square, in this manner they
work examples on their states IN the
same way as ordinary schoolchildren
putting as many pieces Of type in for an
example as we would numbers; they al
give the answer togei her ard one is
asked to explain it; the system is very
easily learned, one Of the girls told u;
she would give us two minutes to learn
it, we told her tGey were more expert
scholars than we.
In the machine room they we're stitch.
ing on sewing machines with the aid OF
mechanical guide to keep the work
straight: here WAS case Of fancy work
the articles were mostly knitted and
crocheted and we're eX9uisitely done Miss
Riley said I'VE are not at the expense Of
gas TO do our work." this work is sold
ard the money put to the bank account
of the poor scholars and given to them
upon leaving the institution to start
themselves in life as most Of them are
obliged to be partially or wholly self
supporting; in this room is wreath OF
hair work framed, made by former
pupil, also G wreath of read work. One
visitor gave Miss Riley pretty bouquet
of flowers and she must have felt am ply
repaid at the gratified way in which The
poor blind lady smelt OF them every few
seconds.
We visited one of the dormitories
where the occupants made their own
beds and dress themselves entirely, in
GLIDING combiDg their own hair. In an
other room a girl of about SIXTEEN, YVES
prRciiciDg on the piano. she played Il
piece correctly for US. 10 the chapel Il
young man was playing On the organ.
One would not know from the converse
ton of the blind that their eyes are
slghtless for they talk about looking and
seeing.
In the kindergarten the children were
making geometrical figures On square
Hat cushions marked in squares with
pins aiding themselves to make them
the proper shape by small straight sticks
of wood; one little boy did his work par
ticularly neatly but his next neighbo
was quite the reverse, the teacher was
very patient with him. she said, "Fred-
die dosen't always get it quite right"
Mamie. little colored boy explained to
the clEss what figure they were to
make and how; the children Gang for Us
the teacher asking different ones what
they would like to sing, one was "Wbai
Does Little Birdie Ssy?" in singing Of
the trees they pointed up, and OF the
nests they brought their hands together
in the shape OF nest, they make motiops
in all of their songs; their clay work
was well done, the neat boy had made
a cylinder, little girl bad made half al
apple with the seeds in which was very
good, the class of last year had made
all kinds OF dishes.
In the geography class there was as
much struggling to think Of the names
OF the continents which bound the
oceans as we have seen in some other
schoolrooms; oceans are represented by
fiat surfaces, land by raised surfaces,
by still higher elevations,
10 yn nv HnnrncCrnnn
cities by pin heads and capitals by screws
the teacher told one portion of the class
to turn to the west which they did and
another portion to the north which WAS
done.
One of the girls read to us from a
book in the New York Point Print; It
was invented by Mr., w. B. Wait who
has been connected with the institution
as teacher and superintendent for 81
years, it has been the means OF great
advancement in the education of the
blind; this year the American Bible
Society has given the institution the
whole Bible in the Point Print; this
print consists of reised points, the
of the points indicsting the
letters of the alphabet, following is
specimen Ia y 10 - Ca q. y g.: y
In the dining room each one has his
and her own place at the table, TIE nap
kin ring of each being fastened to the
table. Girls are taught cooking and
household economy. In the reception
room We wrote our names in the visitors
book. In one department blind men
make new and make over old mattres.
;es for customers.
In another work shop a blind man
teaches the blind boys to cane seat
chairs and they GO 1t well. one of the
Jules OF the institution is anything
worth doing ct all is worth doing well.
Many OF them are very cheerful, their
'ense OF feeling is very acute, they
'eem to know il anyone is standing near
hem and it is wondrful how they walk |
md adroitly avoid coming in contact |
With obstacles as chairs and tables, |
hey go straight to the door they want |
mong the numerous ones and open it, |
me hardly realizes from the work they |