The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1909-07-29
SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND.
All Blind Children IN State of Ten.
nesse are Eligible and Should
be Placed IN This School.

school is admirably and beautifully sit
uated on the west bank of the Cumber-
land river, Nashville, about mile
from the union depot and less than
half that distance from the Tennessee
Central depot, Electric cars pass the
gate, making the school accessible from
all parts of the city.
The faculty consists of capable and
teachers and it may be
safely predicted that the coming year
will be the brightest and most hopeful
in its annals.
The good people of the state, in 1874,
founded this school for those unfortun-
ate children who by reason of defective
vision could not attend the ordinary
schools. They felt that right and JUS
tice demanded that some provision
must be made whereby blind children
may have an opportunity to obtain an
education. They reasoned that if edu-
cation is essential to the welfare and
success of the child blessed with the
greatest of Blessings, the sense of sight,
then it is a thousand times more neces-
sary that the blind be educated and
fitted for the battle of life. Think for
moment of the pathetic and pitiable
condition of the blind who are unedu-
cated-cut off from most of the amuse-
ments and pleasures of youth; burden
to their friends for their daily bread;
led from place TO place to place, per-
haps by unwilling hands; objects of
pity, and sometimes of aversion; their
untutored minds and rude manners
made the subject of jest and ridicule;
without hope, and seemingly forgotten
of heaven, their lot is indeed lamenta-
BILE and miserable beyond description.
But education changes all this-the
light of knowledge fills the soul, quick
ems the perceptions, exercises the fac
ulties, unfolds and develops mans en-
tire nature, and thus the blind man
becomes the equal of his more FORUM
ate brothers and sisters. But that is
not all, it refines the manners; does
away with oddities and peculiarities;
it encourages hope; awakens ambition;
and teaches him to earn his bread and
know what independence means.
This school is Il part Of the public
school system. Its province is to re-
ceive and educate children whose de-
factive sight bars them from the ordi-
nary schools. In addition to tuition,
the school gives books, board, laundry,
and medical attendance free. Parents
are only required to furnish suitable
clothing and to pay transportation tc
and from school.
An eminent occulist is connected
with the school who examines the eyes
of each child on its admission, and i
aught can be done to mitigate pain, tt
improve vision, or happily to restore
sight, it is done without delay. Th'
school physician is one of the mos
prominent practitioners of the city ant
occupies a chair in one of our medica
colleges. There is also a sick nurs
| h<o orit hAr tn nn v
of the sick and administers to all thos
with ordinary ills and ailments. Tw
governesses, who have charge of tn
smaller boys and girls, see that the.
are tidy and clean, and teach them t
dress their hair and their persons neal
ly and decently. A matron preside
over the entire household and sees ths
the food is properly prepared properl
served, and that every one has enough
Manual training, which has recent
been introduced in many of the publ
schools and has been found of so niue
!, practical benefit to their pupils, ht
formed one of the most important d
. partments of this school from its estal
lishment. Here boys learn the use
tools; to make hammocks, broom
mattresses, and to cane chairs; viii
the girls learn to sew, TO cut out, mai
their own clothes, and also fashic
! many fancy articles in worsted, raft
;, and beads.
The school is carefully graded, r
!. quiring in the literary department Il
n services of eight teachers who are gra
. yates of the best schools and colleg
in the country. The course of study
similar to that pursued in our foremo
preparatory schools. The musical d
as partment, which has long been nott
10 for its excellence, engages five VT
=, trained musicians who thoroughly i
id struct the pupils in piano, pipe org;
IN and vocal music, and also in theo
. and in harmony.
As so-many of the children come
as them weak, awkward and poorly d
5, veloped, they find it very beneficial
ID give them careful and systematic ply
; ical training, for a strong, wholesom
we'll developed body is the prime re
uisite in successful development
&c the intellect. A physical culture teac
III er is, therefore, employed and combin
with this physical training the art
correct reading or elocution.
=, All children of school age who d
Vi totally or partially blind and who c