Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1897-12-24

is the French love of children shame
fully exploited, and the birth OF
blind child into a poverty-stricken
family is often hailed with rejoicing.
Tor the unfortunate will very soon be-
come very profitable source OF In
come to all those connected with MIN.
A well-known philanthropist, M. Pep
hau, made up his mind to provide
remedy for this deplorable state OF
things. After many fruitless efforts.
he interested the government in his
scheme, and on Jan. /, 1883, was for
mally opened the Ecole (schooD
Braille, which, though originally
founded in Paris, has now been trans
ferred to the pretty country town OF
Saint Mande. Once, however, that q
blind child has the good fortune to
find himself an inmate of the Ecole
Braille, his lot may be envied by his
more fortunate brother or sister, for
each blind scholar is not only care
fully taught all that the ordinary
French child learns in the primary
government schools, but also shares In
the advantages of a splendid gymna-
SUM and delightful playground. Most
people have heard of the Braille sys-
TEN of teaching the blind, but prob
ably few realize exactly in what 1t
consists. The sense of touch or feel
ing is very highly developed among
those who are without sight, and 1t Is
extraordinary to what an extent this
sense can be cultivated and increased.
The Braille system simply consists OF
developing and applying the sense OF
touch till through it the pupil can be
taught everything, from the alphabet
to discriminating. In other words, al
though 1t may seem paradoxical to say
so, everything is done to develop
among the blind the sense of observa-
ton. Indeed, in some ways the in
mates Of the institution would seem
to be even more intelligent and quick
than are ordinary children, and, as
rule, they reply to the questions put to
them by their masters and mistresses
quickly and accurately. Nothing can
be more strange, and at the same time
more pathetic, than the spectacle OF
natural history lesson at the Ecole
Braille. Before each pupils is put the
model of an animal. Immediately
number of little hands are seen rapid
ly passing over the model, seeking out
the eyes, the feet, the teeth, the tail.
Then comes the answer in chorus.
ssTbic ic q doo ~ uThic 10 duclx
teacher" giving as clearly as may be
what has led each pupil to the right
conclusion. The same system is pur-
sued in every case, and some extraor-
binary results have been achieved
with the help of raised maps and ter
restrial globes. AS the visitor turns
round the globe, he can ask pupil
to indicate to him town in Asia, Eu-
rope or America, and after a few mo-
ments, the right spot or raised dot.
will be indicated Another excellent
fashion of teaching geography is by
the help of those wooden puzzles
which, when completely fitted togeth-
er, form the section of map. The
blind child does not, as a rule, care
to play or run about. He has to be
taught all the usual games, but after
a very short time at Saint Mande a
new pupil becomes as keenly anxious
to take his part in the playground as
elsewhere. When each pupil, boy or
girl, attains the age of 10, he or she
Is apprenticed to trade, brushmak-
ing and all kinds of rough straw-work
being taught to the boys, while the
girls become artificial-fower makers
or take part in the manufacture of
those hundred-and-o articles which