Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-07-26
BLIND MUSICIANS
MANY STUDENTS AT THE vIMToN
SCHOOL TURN TO MUSICAL
EDUCATION.

Des Moines, July 23.-Music is by
far the most popular branch Of study
with the pupils of the state school
for the blind at Vinton and netting
the most popular trade, according to
the annual report of Superintendent
T. F. McCune, submitted to the state
board of control Thursday Of the
total number of 1876 pupils enrolled in
the school, 116 are studying piano and
SO are learning to net.
Music Is one thing which all can en-
joy and in some cases can turn to pc
cuniary profit. There is class of
twenty-eight in piano tuning at the
state school, and in some cases the
pupils are able to keep places in or
chestras. But music fills in the life
of the blind a place that nothing else
can.
In the eternal night harmony can
take the place of the views of the out.
side world, Of the theatre, the sports
of the fields, and a hundred forms Of
amusement and improvement which
make life a JOY for the normal man.
The state at it's institute owns a large
number of pianos. Instruction is CIV
en- on all kinds of musical instruments
and in vocal music. There is first
class pipe organ for study of which
four pupils of the school were last
year sufficiently advanced. The pu-
pills in the various musical branches
are as follows: Piano, 116; vocal, 27;
tar, 2; flute, s.; cornet, Q; trombone,
nNint ctof toti
double bass, 8; mandolin, l. tuning,
%.
Netting Popular Trade.
In the gainful occupations netting
claims SO pupils; broom making. %:
fancy work. "a; sewing, 90: bead
work, Island carpet weaving, 5. Those
who learn netting can find work in
hammock making and in the manu-
facture of fly nets, which are the
principal uses for this trade. Broom
making is one of the most important
trades for the blind The state has
had several pupils in the broom MAX
ing department over 40 years of age.
AS the law admits any one who may
be helped such people can be admit
ted to learn a trade.
ne scnoOl during Lne past year has
had 1876 pupils, 101 males and "a fe-
males. OF these SO were admitted for
the first time last year. Eleven were
graduated, and the average daily at.
tendance in the school has been 1879.
The total expense for the general
support of the school to the state has
been S3S,456.G4. Tho principal items
OF expenses were: Wages and salaries
S13,019.67; provisions, S7,7OS.1O: fuel
and lighting. s4,S35.4s; shop, farm and
garden, S3,73074; household stores.
$32S4.07; general repairs, s2,41O.0O.
The smallest item of stipulated ex-
pense in the report is that CT the libra
ry, for which seas was expended
Fer extraordinary repairs, S1,926.O3
was spent, and for equipments
S5S4.52. The state has put very little
into improvements at this school in
the year Just closed.
The school has the smallest income
from it's own products of any of the
state institutions under the board of
control
1t possesses only forty acres of land
and this seldom raises more than it
consumes in the sustenance OF the pu.
plls. The milk COWS are pastured on
this land and few hogs are raised
There is occasionally a bunch of the
latter to sell. The sundry sales of the
school for the past year amounted to