Norwich bulletin., 1915-03-30
HELPFUL WORK FOR
 THE UNFORTUNATE BLIND Shown in Biennial Report fo Cohneeti- cut lnstitute-43 Pupils in School.

The biennial report of the Connecti- cut Institute for the Blind has been published for the fiscal year ending Sept 30, 1914. During the year end ing Sept. S0. 1914. 4S pupils were in attendance, g boys and 21 girls. Six new pupils were enrolled and one left. The pupils are from the following towns: Hartford g, Waterbury 4, South Stafford Springs 1, New Milford l, Walhngford 1, Woodbury 2, Groton 1, Mantle 1, Stratford l, Taftville 1, Ply mouth 1.
 Regarding health, the directors re- port says: ''rhe health report has for merly been satisfactory, but, owing to negligence on the, part of some of the parents, two epIden1ics were started and made considerable headway. Al though no one was dangerously i'll, much Inconvenience was caused in the household department, and the school suffered materially
 Of the literary department, the di- rectors say: It has always been our custom, when deemed expedient, to send pupils to the Perkins Institute for to our trades department, to acquire some useful occupation, but we have never had any graduating exercises or awarded diplomas.
 First Graduation.
 "In June, 1915, we shall hold our first graduation exercises, and pupils who have successfully passed examinations required by our course. which includes the grammar grades and one year of high school, will receive diplomas. This new departure will mean much to the school, and it is intended to make the graduating exercises as attractive and interesting as possible. The pupils are all very enthusiastic and we are look ing forward to a very gratifying years work.
 Tt has been our endeavor, as far as possible, to cover the same ground as that of the Hartford public high school but we have been obliged to make some slight changes in order to coin eide with the course of study at the Perkins institution, where we still in tend to send some of our graduates. We hope that the date is not far dis tant when the Connecticut school may be able to do for it's pupils what at present is being done in the Massaeflu- setts institution.
 "As I mentioned in my last report, the efficiency of the school would be materially increased by the addition of a printing department. The cost of such machinery would be little com pared with the benefit derived by the pupils, if we were in position to print our own books
 For the Girls.
 Of the household departfnent the board says: Tt is essential for our girls to have systematic training in domestic affairs, as many blind worn- en have attained very fair measure of success in this line of work. This year we have given them the entire charge of their sleeping rooms, and their part of the establishment as clean and orderly as the best tradi- tions of the art of Housekeeping re- quire.
 we wish to call your attention to the desirabihty of giving our girls should be very glad to have cooking taught, and the girls are most anxious to begin. All that is needed to make this possible is a pipe from the main building to the annex and the purchase of a gas range, as we have teacher well qualified to Instruct in this branch
 "The pupils have lost none of their interest in the outdoor work. In fact, more has been accomplished than we thought possible. The boys had their vegetable gardens, and, considering a dry season, they turned out much bet ter than the year previous"
 Nursery Department.
 The report of Miss Lillian Russell, the natron, is also included. She says: During the past two years the nursery has had 15 children under it's care. In dQCllLloH to the pTaCItCdl SV0Fy0dy 1SS- son in Independence and helpfulness, nine of the children have school work. One little boy is taking piano lessons and is making good progress.''
 The report also includes a statement of the department of trades Of the Connecticut Institute for the Blind 1t says: During the two years we have had under our care Connecticut state pupils as follows: 29 men and women Of this number; 15 finished their course of three years allowed by the state. Tn addition to the pupils from Cenneeti- cut, we have instructed five men from Massachusetts and one from Rhode Island. We have employed in tho va rious departments during the two years 27 blind people, Is men and 12 women, the most Of whom had no home or other place to go. To these employees during that time the institution has paid in cash for their work s5,021 0e besides their maintenance, which means that without the department of trades Of the Connecticut Institute for the Blind, a7 blind people would have had hard work to secure their faaifite-. nance, not to mention the s5,o2l.o2 they received in cash
 Easter Service for Knights Tsmpiaf.
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