Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-01-23

With all good grace.
Shakespeare.
Young Tommy Stringer is the hero OF
the sixth annual report Of the trustees OF
the Perkins Institution and Massachusetts
School for the Blind. 1t was only a few
years ago that Tommy was a helpless
being. To-day he is as intelligent as any
child of his age. The complete, remarkable
story of which development is told thus in
the report:
The DEVELOPMENT Of this remarkable
was brought to Boston. nearly six years
and a half ago. he was nothing more
clay; a spiritless little animal, apparently
of a low degree of intelligence. and not
unlike a puppy in his vague and inane
of his arrival in Boston Tommy was placed
at the kindergarten, where he was wei
coined with open arms. and through the
loving care and rational training which
he has received under the hospitable, ROOF
of the infant institution, a veritable miracle
s aaT 6 Sraws wrought Wsht,H IN s has faSe' lis tEem u une
couth. lumpish little creature there has
been evolved a fine child, a most attractive
tive. willful, self-reliant, frank. truthful,
| restless under restraint in real boyish
fashion, full of life ana energy. given ,1,
fond of playing pranks. w,.
Although occasionally he displays a little
streak of contumacy. Tommy presents me
SDeCldCle . III III SpoNASSS 40 -
and Of a life which is all upon one plane.
Pure. generous: high-minded, almost incap,
able Of sin. ne is wholly free from vice: and
which are the flower of childhood.
'Tommy's training has been carried on
in strict accordance with the kin nd ggarai
growth afford a most striking illustration
Of the Froebelian philosophy OF learning
been a stereotyped thing nor a examining
mechanism, aiming to supply him with a
certain amount Of gathered en-
From, the time of Tommy's admission iioon,
to the kindergarten to the present day
our principal effort has been to build up
condition, to awaken his Intelligence: to
rouse his energies. to redeem aim from
moral atrophy. to develop his faculties in
a rational way, and to bring all OF them
into harmonious play.
ton has been such as to lead hin by
means of objective methods and OF Or
binary progression to think. to reason In
ideas into execution, and to become SELF
directive and capable of grasping every OPP
portunity and Of making the most OF It.
In carrying out this plan we have taken ad-
vantage of Tommy's overmastering inclin-
alton to mechanical occupations ana the
gain is evident.
This mode Of training has unquestion-
ably been productive of such excellent re-
suits in Tommy's case that thinking scnol-
0TS ana enlSNIeHeu StuueulS VI CooeooS
can not help, recognizing its importance.
and will no doubt recommend Its univer,
sal use. The only persons who are inG nd 20
~criticise it superciliously belong to the ranks
Of superficial observers and arrogant tu-
tors. who have been in the habit either
Of indulging in the practice Of some decep-
tive method or of relying wholly upon the
textbook, and who, in order to produce
brilliant and dazzling results in their teach
Ing. make their pupils memorize the con-
tents of the printed page and repeat them
slibly, to the establishment and delegation
Of their hearers. But what Of it? Who
I'm Tommy's manual training we have
Principal Of the beneicent institution, the
Sloyd Training school at North Bennett
street, which is literally supported by the
Of The iIlustrious PHrofessor Louis Agassiz.
Mrs. Quincy A. Shaw, to whom the people
Of Boston owe a vast debt OF gratitude for
| numerous benefactions. Our friend. Mr..
Gustaf LARSON. has most generously pro
vided an opportunity for Tommy to study
sloyd under his direction and personal su.
per week to this work. and during the past
year he has made ten different articles.
work. written down after each lesson in
blind:
bossed edition of selections from In the
Child's World The stories appeal to him
and hold his interest. the words being
largely such as he can comprehend. and
the stories of a kind to attract a child.
During the period from 5:15 to 5:45 p. m.
Miss Conley, his teacher; reads :. to Tom i6s
letters of each word with her right hand
into his. Seven Little Sisters is the un-
for this purpose this year, and which has
provided subjects for modelling In clay and
for conversation.
Most of the effort of the year has been
nut uDOn articulation. Toms knowledge OF
language and freedom in using 1t are in
creasing constantly. The freedom is espe-
through his fingers; but he does as yet
take any interest in articulation.
Toms handwriting is now SO legible that
he is allowed to address the envelopes him
self when writing letters, and he achieves
very good results when left to write indie
P Ea ban Begun as he to s %rIse m p Is; for F 6 sSs:
tenn beng a convenient resource for blind
persons, as it can be read by touch. where
so far as their power Of reading it is con
cerned. Tom takes a satisfaction in Braille
which he has never felt In the script form.
and can now write simple sentences from
dictation very correctly. paying due regard
to capitals and punctuation.
His work in sand last year laid a good
foundation for his continued study of geog-
raphy The sand table Is still a valuable
aid in his instruction. and he enjoys 1t
very much.
imagination. that great brightener of
human lives. is Toms in lavish measure.
1t has grown apace during the last year.
completely covering the hard granite of
owns an imaginary house in New Garden,
Bedford. where his imaginary friends. Mr..
Gas and Mr.. Son. live. He enjoys settling
down for lengthy conversations on these
topics. and talks as if they were the veriest
realities.
He planned to have a Thanksgiving cele-
bration at his house and named as invited
guests a sufficient number of people to
have necessitated what he assured them
there would be-a long dining room and a
very large table. He even RECALLED Miss
Conley with the prospective menu, whic
would have made an epicure's mouth
water.
Tom has a ready sympathy for any
one Ill or in trouble: and like the old
Quaker, who, when among a group Of
wordy sympathiZers. after some disaster.
said: I am sorry IS worth: how much is
! Thea Sorryo'r