Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1910-08-04
TENNESSEE SCHOOL
FOR THE BLIND
Objects and Aims of This Worthy
Institution for the UnfOrtu-
ate Children of the
State.

John v. Armstrong, Superintendent
oy the Tennessee School for the Blind,
sends the following to the News for
publication:
The sixty-seventh session of the
Tennessee School for the Blind COM
mences Thursday. September 1, 1910.
The School is admirably and beauti-
fully situated on the west bank of the
Cumberland river, about mile from
the Union depot and less than half
that distance from the Southern and
Illinois Central depot. Electric cars
pass the gate, making the school ac-
cessible from all parts of the city.
The faculty consists of capable and ex-
perienced teachers and it may be safe
ly 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 un-
fortunate children who by reason of
defective vision could not attend the
ordinary schools. They felt that right
and Justice demanded that some pro-
vision must be made whereby blind
children may have an opportunity to
obtain an education. They reasoned
that if education is essential to the
welfare and success of the child bless
ed with the greatest of all blessings,
the sense of sight, then 1t is thous-
and times more necessary 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 uneducated- off
from most of the amusements and
pleasures of youth; burden to their
friends for'their daily bread; led from
place TO place, perhaps by unwilling
hands; objects of pity, and sometimes
of aversion; their untutored minds and
rude ma. ners made the subjects of jest
and ridicule; without hope. and seem
ingly forgotten of heaven. their lot is
indeed lamentable and miserable be-
yond description. But education
changes this and the light of knowl-
edge fills the soul, quickens the per
ceptions, exercises the faculties, un-
folds and develops mans entire ma
ture, and thus the blind man becomes
the equal of his more fortunate broth
ers and sisters. But that is not all, it
refines the manners; does away with
oddities and peculiarities; it encour-
ages hope; awakes ambition; and
teaches him to earn his bread and
know what independence means.
This school is part of the public
school system. It's province is to re-
ceive and educate children whose de-
fective sight bars them from the or
binary schools In addition to tuition,
the school gives books, board, laundry
and medical attendance free. Parents
are only lEequired to furnish suitable
and to pay transportation to
and from school.
An eminent oculist is connected with |
the School who examines the eyes of /,
each child on its admission, and if
aught can be done to mitigate pain, to
improve vision, or happily to restore
sight, it is done without delay. The
School physician is one of the most
prominent practitioners of the city
and occupies chair in one of our
medical colleges There is also sick
nurse who gives her entire time to the
,are of the sick and administers to all
hose with ordinary ills and ailments.
Two governnesses, who have charge of
;he smaller boys and girls, see that
hey are tidy and clean, and teach
hem to dress their hair and their per-
IONS neatly and decently. A matron
,residss over the entire household and
ees that the food is properly prepared,
served, and that everyone has
'nough.
Manual training, which has recently
een introduced in many of the public
chools and has been found of so much
ractical benefit to their pupils, has !
ormed one of the most important de-
artments of this School from its es-
Here boys learn the use {