Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1908-12-14
SCHOOL FOR BLIND
DOING GOOD WORK
Prof. Gill Adding
to Its Roll Each
Year
FIELD IS A LARGE ONE
Many Parents Neglect the
Opportunity Offered Them
By Territory's Liberality.

By 7 Territory's Liberality.
Prof. S. Fl. Gill, superintendent OF
the New Mexico Institution for the
Blind at Alamogordo, passed through
the city this morning, and stopped in
to nay the New Mexican a CALL Prof.
Gill was en- route to Rio Arriba coun-
ty to accompany two blind children.
who will become pupils in the lnsti-
tute, and could stay in the capital only
few hours, as he is hurrying back to
the Institute to make preparations for
the Christmas celebration which he is
providing for his charges. This cele-
bration he purposes to make as enter
tanning and interesting as possible,
and it will include huge Christmas
| tree loaded with presents and gifts
| for the pupils. Parents, guardians,
relatives and friends of the pupils are
/ invited to be present, and if they can
not come to send to the Institute any
little gifts of remembrance that they
may desire to give the pupils to be
hung on the tree. Nothing will be left
undone to give the childre ma real
Christmas.
Enrolment Growing.
Under the direction of Prof Gill
and the able management of the Board
of Regents. consisting of Judge j. f.
Wharton of Alamogordo, president,
DR.. G.. g. Bryan of Alamogordo, secre-
tary and treasurer and Messrs. w. A.
| Hawkins of Three Rivers, Oscar G.
Snow of Las Cruces, and w. F. Bu-
chanan Of Tucumcari, the Institute is
making splendid progress, and is do
| ing great work among the blind
children of the territory. When the
| school opened September 10, 1906, it
had but one pupil, but before the end
of the school year 21 were enrolled.
In the following year the enrolment
| reached 80, and this year there are
80 enrolled, and the two who are ac,
companying Prof. Gill will make 80,
with prospect of several others be-
fore the end of the school year.
/ The enrolment this year is exclu-
sive of nine pupils, who were in the
institution last year, and who did not
return. Five of these were barred by
age, and three of them had SO far re
covered their sight under the treat
ment received at the institution that
they were able to enter the public
schools at their home. This fact calls
attention to most important part of
the work at the Institute, and that is
the attention of a trained physician
and an oculist who are in attendance
at the school and by whose efforts
many partially blind children are en-
tirely restored to their sight.
Parents Are Indifferent.
fl The officers of the Institute find that
r in order to get pupils it is necessary
: for some one to go into the homes of
the parents of the blind children and
explain to them the Importance of an
education for their offspring, and
: urge them to take advantage Of the
e schools opportunities for instruction
n Notwithstanding the fact that the
e school provides free board, tuition and
g training. many parents are slow te
n take advantage of it, either because
d they do not understand how pupils
r are to be entered, or from careless
l. ness
/ The instruction includes complet,
English course. piano, vocal culture
$ sewing, fancy work and bead worl
3 for the girls, and piano tuning, broom
r making, hammock weaving, chair sea,
2. ing and mattress making for the boys
e Prof. Gill himself instructs the boy
nj in handicraft, and the teacher Of MI
y sic is the instructor Of the girls ii
Sc their domestic arts. Thus by doublin
re the work of the faculty maximum
y amount of instruction is secured at
a. minimum of expense.
- Legislature Liberal.
: The legislature two years ago wa
very liberal with the Institute. an
provided sufficient funds to run it con
\ fortably. with the few pupils 1t the
= had. The investigations Of the boar
i OF regents, however, have shown tha
j, there are still at least 100 blind an
- partially blind children in New Me,
e leo who should be in the school, an
u It is hoped that the coming legisl;
he ture will make sufficient provision nt
~. only for the maintenance Of til
of school, but for the bringing in an
IL for the education and maintenance
sr, these 100 children who are CROWN
RI up with no practical training. The
n- should be provided for not only as
ut matter Of common humanity al
nj Christianity, but also as a policy