New-York tribune., 1907-11-03
TEACHING THE BLIND.
An Hour Soith DR.. Campbell at the
British Royal Normal College.

OF all the dread caIatnities which could befall
any human being, surely loss of sight is the worst
VI all men who deserve the highest esteem Of their
Yellow creatures, surely he deserves it who devotes
MS lie TO the welfare Of those poor creatures upon
Whon perpetual night has fallen, says '"Tit-Bits. :"
such a man is DR.. F. ]. Campbell, the principal
Of the Royal Normal College for the Blind at Nor
wood DR.. Campbell has been blind since he was
four years old, and is one of the most wonderful
men living. Accompanied by his wife, he court
eously showed the writer over the college and ex-
planned many things which have hitherto been
puzzles.
How the blind can read and write is the greatest
mystery to sighted people, but it is really very
simple when one knows how it is done and takes
into consideration the highly developed sense of
touch in people thus afflicted.
The Braille system of printing is one of the
combination of dots TO represent characters and
words, and only six dots employed. Printing
and writing IN BTaile exactly the same. and
Dr. Campbell allowed me to see the pupils at their
lessons.
For writing, each student is supplied with a
Braille frame. thick paper and an instrument like
blunt bodkn. The frame is about quarto size,
with brass clip at the top to fix the paper in.
In order to get 1t straight and to depend upon
getting it in the right position. It is pushed to
two pins at the top then clasped.
The writer then takes a folding piece of metal
on the underneath half of which pierced sew
eral series of six holes to correspond with Braile
writing The top half is pierced in oblong shapes
each of which q series of six holes. This
arrangement is slid to the frame and the writer
punches out whatever he wants to write by insert
ing the blunt bodkin into the obong spaces of the
slide and telling by the sense of touch which
holes in the brass below ne is punching through.
l was astonShed at the rate those little instru-
which the writing was read by the scholars. One
youth made mistake in one dot In second he
had popped the paper the frame again, dattened
out the dot. inserted another. and got 1t correct
1t was difficult almost to believe he could not
Music is of the chief features at the college,
and have never heard such exquisite touch as
But how does he learn to play with both
hands" | asked: IF he has to read the Braille
Easily smiled DIR. Campbell He learns the
right hand first, then the left; gets it by heart,
and puts it all together But come and see the
There were pianos in all stages of undress. and
a gentleman was teaching, by touch. how they were
made and strung how the actions worked and how
were dozens Of other pianos to practise tuning
'.An our tuners" said the doctor, who have left
this college are making their own hvings Several
When a pupil enters the college he Is taken in
@ naIo JISS IKE d" IT 10 tempbt everYtbn like
other children. except that his senses Of touch and
hearing ra are e. aRpealsd % TO instead OF ssh I'
In the carpenters shop saw useful articles made
by the boys which would shame many a sighted
aIIp marks are made bv the Instructor with sharp
instrument which makes groove rms sulueS
the blind carpenter. -,
the maps are embossed, and the blind pupils by
running their fingers over them. picked out towns
have have to learn the same as others with double the
Not at ALL" said DR.. Campbell. 1T comes al
ing as for you by sight We have bowling alley
pr a%n bv Se hT 6d sensg Psp Of pS hh IT IS the
same in the skating rink Everybody here skates.
m then d we P9 b y yard 5zyaS Tasg m hGe 9
a minute It was derelict. and yet it was evi-
IDENTIFY kept scrupulously clean. I inquired It's use.
the doctor aad f this 6d bus IS kept here teach
them how TO get up and down J.. , -
lives OF these afflicted people not only bearabe but
f The fs5 Roy Xoma ho
nasam have ever & seen; There a la cyoit1g ma
appliance 10 initiate padding canoe Swedish lad
dsrs ships wheel for shoulder exercise all kinds
Our great aim" said DR.. Campbell ".is to re;
to make them Independent An uneducated blind
genF Is gs an 2af is as good as
How far this wonderful blind leader of the blind
has succeeded is shown by the remarkahle inde-
psndeen&ce c. Of tsoSe q under his care They walk
very slightest In9u9n OF the hand sometimes that
and in the crc or SgRted people the Blind g are
taught 70 swim dive and 70 save life The latter
Their method Of doing aarithmetiG; is curious, but
frame of metal. pierced with a multitude of small
octagonai holes all over Ike draining board or
square type with dot at one end and a line at
the other end OF each.
Either a dot or a line Is placed upwards 9s the
type inserted into the holes and tho incline OF
the line position OF the dot indicates the figure
II stands for With tho oCtaGinal holes and square
type one piece of metal can thus be made to mean
any single one of sixteen different things.
The teacher gave ont sum. running into appaI-
ling millions while was there. Immediately
there a clatter like "pieing" all the type in
a composing room; It lasted second. and. with
their three little rows of type, they had done the
sum, tho bottom row giving the answer.
The college, with it's dozen buildings in eleven
OF beautiful grounds stands under the shadow
Of the Crystal Palace towers and Is easily reached
from any part of London.