The Colville examiner. [volume] (Colville, Wash.) 1907-1948, 1916-06-17

the Governor and Board of Control
members and a reception room. On
the second floor will be the audi
torium, class and recitation rooms.
On the third floor will be the teach
ers' and officers bed rooms. In the
basement will be the plunge, where
swimming will be taught to every
pupil; the gymnasium, manual art
training room, wrestling dens and
dressing rooms for both the boy and
the girl pupils. The building will
have roof garden for the benefit of
the teachers.
other buildings at the school are
boys dormitory and girls dormi-
tory. Both of these buildings are
fire proof The population of the
school has grown, however, so that
another dormitory is now needed, es-
pecially for the boys as that building
is filled to overflowing. There is a
first-class engine and boiler house
which was constructed by the Board
of Control when the present COVER
nor, Ernest Lister was a member of
the board
1t is difficult for the public in gen.
eral to understand how much the
sightless can really accomplish in
practical way. One thinks of the
blind as simply folding their hands
and sitting in idleness and as being
a constant object of care. At our
School for the Blind the girls make
pillow cases, aprons, sheets, towels,
napkins and laundry bags. They also
make hammocks, study typewriting
and make all kinds of fancy work.
The boys make hammocks, nets,
rugs, cane chairs, brooms and tune
pianos We recently supplied other
institutions with brooms which were
made by the boys of this institution.
The children do some of the work
about the place. All make their own
beds; the girls wash and dry the
dishes in the pupils dining room; the
boys split and take wood to the kitch-
en- and assist in keeping the yard
clean. The difficulties in training
blind children are very great.
Strangely, the industry in which the
blind seem to be most successful Is
one which depends upon the accurate
employment of colors in harmonious
arrangement, the weaving of art fab
| RIGS. The education of the blind Is
yet in it's infancy and the future will
see great strides in the way of edu-
cation as we'll as in the matter of
prevention.
1t has been our endeavor to bring
about systematic and accurate teach
ing in all departments of the school.
To provide for the educational needs
of the talented, the mediocre and the
dull, requires patience, energy and
charity upon the part of all. We be-
| lieve that the bright pupils are now
better provided for than they ever
| have been. We know that the medi-
ocre and the dull are receiving far
more intelligent help and attention.
| To bring about a well graded school
| REQUIRES years of patient effort.
| Higher standards are required in the
school and the children generally are
eager for study and use every means
at hand for thorough preparation.
| The division of the study hour so
| that pupils would not need to study
so long at any one time and the es-
tablishment of the reading hour has
brought about very beneficial re-
suits. Instead of haphaZard read
ing to pupils of all ages, the school
ing to ability to interpret and ap-
preciate literature. Magazine arti-
cles and current events are thus pre-
sented to our young people. Under
this tuition, If child passes several
years in the school, his life Will be
cultured with good literature and his
vision broadened with a knowledge
| of world events
That a large part of the blindness
| Is due to Optholmia Moratorium,
contracted at birth, and that this
might be avoided II the law requiring
the physician attending at birth to
drop a diluted solution of nitrate OF
silver in the eye of the new born
babies, (the statement of DR.. Rich
ards, which startled New York;, Is
absolutely true, according to Edward
e. Allen, of Watertown, superintend-
ent of the Perkins institution. Many
physicians do this nowadays
All of our teachers for the blind
are not only we'll equipped education
ally for the work Of the school, but
they are progressive and temperament
ally suited to bring about results Of
high order. While they approach
their work with serious hearts, an
atmosphere of good cheer at all times
prevades their school rooms.
To meet the needs of the music
department we have been compelled