davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The herald., 1896-01-26

On the boat below st. Louis Mr.
Bacon was informed that building
was being erected in Jacksonville and
would soon be opened as q school for
the blind. Hoping to secure position
as teacher, Mr.. Bacon left the Missis-
sippi boat and went to Jacksonville,
then one of the leading cities of the
state, only to find that what he had
been informed was to be school for
the blind was in reality hospital for
the insane, founded in response to the
appeal of Dorothea Dix. Mr.. Bacon
was disappointed but not discouraged.
He met the enterprising citizens of
Jacksonville and discussed with them
the founding Of a school for the blind.
The state constitutional convention
WAS in session in Springfield and
thither Mr.. Bacon went, urging the
necessity of a state school for the
blind. Owing to financial and other
reasons the request was not granted,
but Mr.. Baker and his supporters in
Jacksonville kept on.
At meeting held in Jacksonville in
April, 1648, a subscription was taken
to enable Mr.. Bacon to collect informa-
tion about the number of blind in the
state and to establish private school
in Jacksonville in order to show the
practicability Of educating the blind.
The enthusiastic blind man visited
many counties of the state, travelling
on foot, on horseback, by wagon or
stage and by boat, more than 1000
miles. He secured the names of nearly
sixty blind children, and on June 5 of
that year he opened his private school
with four children. Early in January,
1919, he took these four children to
Springfield and exhibited them to the
legislature "to satisfy them that the
blind could be and ought to be edu-
Gated" Four days later the bill pro-
viding for the school in Jacksonville
had passed both houses and had been
signed by Governor French. The state
school was formally opened April 7,
1S49, and during the first year twenty
three pupils were in attendance. In
The herald., 1896-01-26

same boy when he picks up violin
and makes it talk in the least tangible
aud most artistic of all languages-the
language of music. The blind love
music. They have natural ear for it,
probably because their intirmity has
rendered their sense of hearing more
acute. Music is the department in the
education of the blind that appeals
mott to them and is the most attrac-
tive to the seeing world. The natural
training gives the blind boy trade
and makes him independent. The
school training develops the mind and
opens to him the field Of literature.
Music inspires him with all that is
lofty and beautiful. Music gives him
a pleasure which partially compensates
for the loss of his sight.
Manual training, literature and mu-
sic are the three departments that re-
ceive attention in the Illinois institu-
ton for the education of tfs Of the
which the sympathetic peorvnIe Ior
the education of afflicted children. The
three have gone hand in hand since the
foundation Of the school half century
ago. The three are begun now as soon
as child enters the school and are
continued until graduation. The mu-
sical department of the Jacksonville
institution has for years bsen in charge
of Prof. Wallace p. Day, a musician and
a musical director of recognized stand
ing, Before coming to Jacksonville to
become the head of the Illinois college
of music he had long experience
The herald., 1896-01-26
NumSrdl5
IhunnVsr "sion ! 3 !. 5 ! .? 8 ?

grope and feel his way as he used to-
He walks with firmness and precision.
His voice is clearer and his words more
sharply cut. Heis perfectly at home
in any of the buildings of the institu-
ton, knows the stairs with the gates at
the top, knows his own hat rack and
the rooms where he recites. When
dinner time comes he falls in line with
his fellows, marches down the hall and
into the dining room, going right to
his own seat. The older students
know their way outside of the grounds.
Very often they walk up to the town to
some store or to concert at the opera
house or the conservatory. They have
learned the way by following a seeing
guide, but are now independent. A
cane is used for feeling when there is
any doubt. A few years ago the blind
had a military company Of their own,
and it is proposed to reorganize it, as
it proved valuable in teaching its men,
bers self confidence.
The home is an important feature in
the institution. It is factor in the
development of character that cannot
be overlooked. Many of the children
come from homes of destitution, from
associations that tend to degrade
rather than elevate them. To all such
the institutions offer more than an ed
ucatlon or industrial training. It i'm
parts ideas of correct manners and de.
velops such virtues as order, punctu-
ality, respect, duty, right and rever-
ence. In all this the influence of such
persons as DIR. Snort, the superinteDd-
ent, and his wife, the matron, are al
most beyond estimate.
THE BRAILLE WRITER
Ex-Superintendent Halls greatest
service in the institution and to the
education of the blind everywhere was
in the invention of the braille type
writer, by which all the literature and
music of the institution is written, and
of the braille stereotype maker. The
typewriter consists Of six keys, one
for each position Of the dots in the
The herald., 1896-01-26
THE BLIND

in Canada in teaching the blind
music. OF the 300 pupils in
the school nearly all are taking
some form of musical instruction,
some making it specially and others
carrying it on as side study. Professor
Day gives instructions to ten students
on the pipe organ, has harmony class
or thlrty-five and a chorus class, in
which the blind take great delight. of
about forty members. There are con.
siderably over 100 pupils on the piano.
the teachers being Miss Susie Draper,
who has been with the institution for
fourteen years; Miss Alice Clark, who
WAS educated at the school, continuing
her musical studies in Boston, and
Miss Helen l.. Waller. Nearly thirty
pupils are taking individual vocal les
SONS from Miss Louise f. Short. The
orchestral work is in charge of Profess
sor M. FL. Grist, who has fifty odd
pupils on the violin and several each
on the cornet, violoncello, viola, pic
colo, French horn, euphonium and
other wind and string instruments.
In the olden days the blind we're
taught music by dictation and memory.
The performance Of the instructor
was memorized and repeated. This
was the only way available, because it
was impossible fer the blind to read
ordinary music. In late years all this
mas been changed. Now the blind
have their own music printed in the
American braille system of raised
points. The blind read their own mu-
sic, study out the parts and learn the
music by themselves. The result is
the. cultivation of independence on
t 'pir ow' part and saving of time,
worry and patience on the part of the
instructor.
The herald., 1896-01-26

sion; dine and recess, 12 to 2; litera-
ture and music, 2 to 6, with three
quarters of an hour intermission; sup
per and recess, 6 to Z; history to s;
retire, $780,
Manual training was an important
feature at this early date, sewing, knit
ting and bead work being taught by
| Mrs. Rhoads. In 1856 workshop was
erected and in the next year the super
intendent reported: Every pupil in
our first class can make good brush,
a good broom, tolerable basket and a
strong rope, in addition to his ac-
ouirements in literature and music"
=EEarly in the spring of 1869 fire de-
stroyed the main building, leaving
nothing but ashes. The children were
all removed in safety and taken cara
of by the citizens of Jacksonville. A
week later the school was reopened in
the building of Bureau college, which
was offered for use by Mrs. Eliza
Ayers. Before the stones were cold
the board began the erection of an
other building, using the insurance
money and portion of the amount
appropriated for regular expenses.
This prompt action was not according
to law, but no one ever made the least
complaint.
DR.. Rhoades resigned in 1874, being
succeeded by DR.. f. w. Phillips, who
continued at the head of the institu-
tion until his death in 1883. Under
DR.. Phillips the number OF pupils in
attendance increased from 72 to III,
and vast improvements we're made in
the building and equipments of the in
stitution. His son, w. s. Phillips, who
was familiar with the workings Of the
institution, was chosen as his success.
sor, and filled the place until 1890,
when Frank II. Hall, who had had 25
years. experience as teacher and super
intendent in the public schools of Illi-
nois, took his place as superintendent.
Among the improvements secured by
the younger Mr.. Phillips we're the erec-
The herald., 1896-01-26
MAIN BUILDING

For music there are other characters,
the blind readily Distinguishing the
music from the ordinary reading mat
ter. The notes of the scale are made
out of combinations of the four upper
dots. As there can be no graphic
representation a great many de-
tails such as intervals have to be given
and additional characters used for such
things as dotted notes, staccatos, slurs
and the dozens of other signs which
the seeing musician comprehends in
glance. Printing this music is not diff
ficult in the case of simple songs or
hymns, but to the blind these are gen.
orally 80 simple that they are not
printed. The most classical music is
reproduced for the blind and is COM
pretended easily by means of their del
icate finger tips.
MEANINGLESS MUSIC SCORNED
Music is so much to the blind that
they have little or nc sympathy with
the popular ditties of the day. They
want music that means something,
The. music may be- jnynns-it eeneral1y y
is-but it must have meaning. For
tunately for the blind, Jacksonville is
an unusually musical city. "Home
talent" as generally used nowadays, is
misnomer when applied to the resi-
dent musicians of Jacksonville, many
of whom have been drawn there on ac-
count of the artistic and musical at
mosphere, and many more of whom,
after having spent years of study
abroad, have preferred to settle in
their old home. On account of these
facts the blind have frequent opportun-
tiles to hear the best music produced
by skilled performers. A delegation
from the blind is presented at every
The herald., 1896-01-26

concert given in the city. They listen
more intently than do any other per-
sons in the audience, and show intelli-
gent appreciation. At these concerts
the very best music is produced, the
faculty and more advanced students
taking part. Often some graduate of
the school who has been making a
name for himself or herself comes
back to encourage the younger stu
dents. Perhaps the most striking and
interesting feature of these blind con-
certs is the work Of the orchestra. The
leader has 9rained each one separately,
but they play together as one. They
cannot see the baton, but they keep
perfect time.
tuition are making livelihood out of
their art, either in singing, organ or
violin playing or teaching. But wheth-
er this be SO or not, they have gained a
means of enjoyment, a means for
Frightening their dark lives and for
making brighter the lives of those
about them.
INDUSTRIAL TRAINING.
The most practical department of
education in the institution is the in
dustrial. This really begins when the
little tots are first received from their
parents and are put into the kinder
garten and sloyd room, which are con-
Quoted on about the same plan as with
seeing children. Their hands and
muscles and bodies are trained and
later on they are taught to use their
hands in some practical manner, de-
pending upon the aptitude and capa-
bility of the individual. Many of the
boys are learning piano tuning, which
is perhaps the most skillful of any of
The herald., 1896-01-26

pressions. These plates take up go
little room that they are kept in stock.
A sheet of music, once stereotyped,
can be reproduced at any time and the
same is true of any of the books that
have been printed in the institution.
Most of the plates have been prepared
and the printing done by the blind
themselves. Arthur Jewell, who was
graduated from the institution in 1886,
is now engaged in this work. He has
one accomplishment which somewhat
compensates for his loss of sight and
ought to make him the envy of every
prootreader in Chicago. He can read
proof with one hand and follow the
copy with the other.
There is unfortunately great diversi-
ty among different institutions in re-
gard to the proper system of printing
for the blind. Some prefer the old
raised letters or line, which can be read
by seeing people and in which much
literature for the blind has been print
ed. The disadvantage is that the finger
tips do not easily distinguish the diff
ferent letters, and this makes the read
ing very slow. The "point" systems
are much easier, because the finger
feels each time simply for the six
points and can therefore read much
faster. There are two or three point
systems, but the brsille is becoming
most generally used. A great deal of
literature and music has already been
printed in the braille.
ALONE IN THE DARK WEST.
J There is pretty little story connect
ed with the founding of the institution
The herald., 1896-01-26

system of braille writing. The op-
orator presses down the keys of
the dots in the character to be
reproduced and then by small lever
presses them into paper. As there are
SO few keys it is possible to write with
this machine with very great rapidity,
and the blind have the advantage Of
being able to read at once what they
have written. The stereotype maker
is on the same principle except that
the writing is on thin copper-plate
instead of on paper. The copper plate
is thick enough for the embossed dots
to stand up under thousands of i'm
The herald., 1896-01-26

Mr.. Bacon was succeeded by DR..
Joshua Rhoads, who had formerly
been superintendent of the Pennsyl-
vania institution. Soon after his
selection land was purchased from the
Hardin estate in the eastern part of
the city and building erected which
was opened in January, 1864 DR..
Rhoads' first report to the trustees con-
tains the following "order of busi-
ness"
Rise at 6; prayers and reading of the
Bible, 6:45; breakfast, 7; literature and
music, 8 to II, with half hour intermis-
The herald., 1896-01-26

dustrial training for the girls at
least and music were taught from the
start.
Among the romantic features of the
connection Of Mr.. Bacon with the in
stitution was his marriage in 1849 to
Miss Sarah Graves, who had assisted
him in the private school as reader
to the children and to himself. Mr..
Bacon resigned in 1850. After leaving
Jacksonville he was instrumental in
the founding of the schools for
the blind at Vintop, Ia, and
Nebraska City, Neb. He Is now
living on his farm near Nebraska City.
The herald., 1896-01-26
Blind DEVOTED TO MUSIC
Their Dark Lives Frightened
and Clleered
AT JACKSONVILLE'S ASYLU M
Unfortunate Children are Taught Self.
Help
Education Invoked to Drive Away the Doubt
and Hesitancy and illuminate
Their Souls

JACKSONVILLE, Ill, Dec. 2S.-There is
a pathos in the picture of a blind boy
weaving canes for chair seats even
though we know that the trade will
make him an independent citizen in
stead of an object of charity. There
10 admiration and almost awe for this
The herald., 1896-01-26

the trades open to them. For the same
reason that they love music they are
especially adapted to this. Others are
engaged in chair Gaming. broommaking
and in weaving horse nets and ham
mocks. In the girls workrooms sewing
The herald., 1896-01-26

PROF. w. p. DAY, nUSICAL DIRECTOR
for the blind at Jacksonville. In the
year 1S47 Samuel Bacon, who had just
been graduated from the Ohio institu-
ton for the blind at Columbus, started
out alone in the dark to seek his fort
une in the west-the wild west, thinly
populated and full of perils. He went
down the Ohio on a steamboat, the or
dinary method of travel during those
days, intending to go to Galena, which
was then attracting wide attention on
account of its lead mines.
The herald., 1896-01-26
There was little schoolma' am
Who had this curious way
OF drilling in subtraction
On every stOrmv dov

"Lets all subtract unpleasant things
Like doleful dumps and pain,
And then" said she, you'll gladly see
That pleasant things remain "
st. Nicholas.
The herald., 1896-01-26

Amtrie an Brdtlls'
ub d { + . h x m n op =:
-. -: -: :; & !: =. -.
v s NV w Ky
..;.': So ,:
PuncTudt'On.
-: ! 49,. J
The herald., 1896-01-26
c1ys Ussd in tlo5' Brdhk NJ otatlon Of Nus'G

9hth rts+ 9 ouortSr res7 n of rsst Whols ffsr
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-08-21

others shall be adjudged by the testimony
in one case" Mr.. Haskell asked to pro-
coed with the hearing at once.
Justice Carroll said that it would be
impossible to go on with jury trial then.
A yenire must issue and it would take
time to get together the jury and added
that there is jury trial which would come
on in the afternoon.
Mr.. Monteith said: "We want to give
the officer chance, at this time, to cor
rect his statement made in the complaint
as to whether there was public meeting
when these arrests were made. We de-
mand public trial at once"
Justice Carroll said that jury was not
present.
eve are ready to proceed. and we are
willing to take any twelve men in this
room as jurors" said Mr.. Monteith.
Justice Carroll said that he would put
the entire matter over until Saturday
morning, when he would set the case for
trial.
The Socialists and their attorneys then
left the courtroom and gathered in the
corridor outside, where they discussed the
situation and the proceedings in the court
room. Mr.. Monteith declared that the
action of the court was courageous, and
in this opinion several of his clients con-
Cured. Those who are held to appear
Saturday morning next on account of the
happenings at the corner of Seventh and
Market streets are as follows: William
Costley, E. T. Kingsley, George Speed,
George Aspden, M. Speeney, J. Poster and
f. T,ux
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-08-21
UNLAWFUL BUSINESS.
No Amount of Police federation Can
Legalize the Letting of Premises
for Immoral Purposes.

No Amount of Police federation Can
Legalize the Letting of Premises
for Immoral Purposes.
The Supreme Court gave little rap to
the Police Department of this City in q
decision handed down yesterday. The
case was that of Charles A. Chateau
against Justin Singla, the plaintiff asking
for the dissolution of copartnership
formed for the purpose of furnishing and
letting certain premises for immoral pur-
poses.
Singla opposed the petition on the
ground that the courts could not inter
yene. since the business carried on by the
partners was illegal. The Superior Court,
b however, sustained the legality of the
pa rtnership since the police authorities
permitted the business in question to be
carried on in that quarter of the City in
which the premises were located, and pro-
ceeded to the dissolution of the copartner-
ship and the appointment of a receiver.
On appeal by Chateau the point made
by him in the lower court is sustained, the
business being held illegal and the matter
referred to the lower tribunal for further
action. In rendering the decision the
Supreme Court says:
Public policy is not made or unmade by the
actions or omissions of Police Department,
nor will it be contended that the Police De-
partment may abrogate penal statute or
annul an express mandate OF law.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-08-21

provided with accommodations at Meiggs
wharf, Broadway wharf, Folsom-street
wharf and the Mail dock, while the Post
Office has big building all to itself at the
foot of Market street. OF these, only the
barge Office at Meiggs wharf and the Post
Office pay rent. In future all the others
will be assessed, and the State will be SO
many hundred dollars richer at the end of
each year.
Owing to slight error in his calcula-
tons, the late A. Page Brown has put the
commission to an extra expense of $4,000
in constructing the new ferry depot. The
boards attorney, TREY L. Ford, was in
structed to look into the matter and see if
the loss could not be collected from the
dead architects bondsmen.
gang of petty burglars have been at
work on the water front for some weeks
past. a number of stores have been
broken into, but in every instance the
booty was light. Detectives Egan and
Silyey have been put on the scent, and
they expect to run the thieves 10 earth in
few days.
Benjamin Pincus was locked up in the
Harbor police station yesterday for dis
turbing the peace Com mission Merchant
Riley, who was standing on Washington
street wharf, remarked that Clerk Sulli-
van, who was near by, could throw a
potato from where they were standing
OfCI JdChsOu-SII6cb SHtQ. Ii D0b
$40 to So he can't" said Pincus. The bet
was made and Sullivan, choosing small,
potato, sent it over the intervening space,
over the Jackson-street shed and into the
slip beyond. Riley divided the $40 with
Sullivan, and then the row began. Pincus
swoTe he had been robbed, and wanted his
money back. To soothe him $40 was re-
funded, but that only made him the more
eager to get the remainder. He finally
showed fight, and was arrested. He is
now out $40 and will have to answer the
charge OF disturbing the peace to-day.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-08-21
The MARTHA DAVIS
LONG OVERDUE.
Captain Soule, Her Master,
Was to Be Married
Last Week.
DELAYED BY GAINS.
The S. G. Irwin, Which Got In
Yesterday, Reports Very
Light Winds.
CHANGES ON THE FRUIT wharf
Napa and San Quentin Boats Will
Not Move to Pacific
Street.
CHANGES ON THE FRUIT WHARF

s'As idle as painted ship upon a
painted ocean,"
The bark Martha Davis is now out
thirty-slx days from Honolulu and people
along the water front are plying Captain
SouIe. He was to have been in Washing
ton, D. c., last week to be married, but
the wind and weather are against him
and the stout bark is still drifting around
between the islands and the coast.
The brig S. 6. Irwin arrived from Homo
lulu yesterday after twenty-four days
passage. Captain Williams says that
nothing was encountered save light winds
and Gains, and that for days the brig did
not make mile an hour. He did not
speak the Martha Davis. but says that if
Captain Soule has experienced the same
weather as his vessel did it may be week
before he gets in. Should the bark not
get IN before next week she will have
made one of the longest trips on record
| from Honolulu to San Fran cisco.
When the Martha Davis reaches San
| Francisco she will be laid up or sold.
Portland has cut into the San Francisco
; trade with Hawaii to such an extent that
| half the sugar boats leave here empty.
The oats, hay and produce that used to go
| from San Francisco are shipped from Port
| land, and in consequence vessels like the
Martha Davis will have to go out OF COM
mission.
The accompanying cut shows the bark
in dead calm. Captain Soule, knowing
| that he was still hundreds of miles from
land, has, according to Mr. Coulter, char
/ tered seagull to carry his love a message.
The Harbor Commissioners held an
other lively session yesterday. At the
last meeting it was decided to give the
| whole of Jackson-st street wharf to the fruit
| men. The Sacramento Transfer Com
pany, the Napa Company and the San
| Quentin boats were ordered to move to
Pacific, but they refused to obey the Chief
| Wharhnger. They pointed out that for
| twenty-five years and over they had been
docking at Jackson street and that all
their business came to that point and to
move would be hardship
When the board met yesterday Major
P. ]. Harvey of the Sacramento Trans
portation Company, Captain Leale of the
| Caroline and Captain Wolfe OF the
| steamers Napa City and Zinfandel were
on hand to oppose the move. They
| pointed out that an injustice was being
| done them and the commission recon
sidered its action.
All the boats named will remain at
Jackson street, but the fruitmen will be
compelled to remove the shipments as
soon as they arrive and the wharf will no
more be used as a warehouse. At the
present time there is an enormous stock
of empty boxes on the wharf, and they
will be moved to-day. If not bv the
owners they will be by the Chief Wharf
niger, and some one will have to pay for
the moving.
President Colnon drew the attention of
the board to the fact that Uncle Sam was
using space on the front and paying no
re mt for it. The customs authorities are