Blandford Weekly News. — 1889-07-20 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

TRAINING OF THE BLIND.  The Roa Commission on the Blind, the Deaf and Dum &C., have completed their inquiry and drawn up their report. The commissioners recommend that the provisions of the Education Acts be extended to the blind, and that the compulsory attendance at a school or institution be enforced from 5 to 16. There is said to be a want in London of a metropolitan industrial school for the blind, which one of the existing institutions might supply. This institution should consist of a preparatory school for the infant classes, an elementary school where modelling and the making of maps, and some knowledge of music and technical training, should be imparted in addition to an ordinary elementary education, and a school where technical instruction should be given in the trades suitable to the blind, together with a continuance of their educational studies. Games and gymnastic exercise should be strongly encouriwed and form part of the ordinary school work. The commissioners recommend that from 16 to 21 the school authority should have the power and duty to give to all the necessitous blind a liberal grant to maintain themselves while they are learning a trade ; that a central shop and workshop for adult skilled workers should be established in every large centre where the same has not yet been started; the State should not directly subsidise their work, and it should be left to pri /ate benevolence to start such central workshops and boarding-houses, where the blind could be assisted to obtain work or be provided with materials at cost price, if they wish to live at their own homes, and where they would obtain a ready sale of their work; and that the adult blind and those who have become blind from 21 to 50 should equally receive either help from theschool authority to learn a trade and to read some raised type, in the same way as if they were under 21, or if they have passed through an institution, the old pupils should be assisted and supervised on the Saxon system as soon as the funds can be obtained for that purpose. The commissioners think that the State might fairly becalled upon to assists secondary school for the blind, which should prepare the most intelligent for a university career. Many recommendations are also made with regard to the deaf and dumb. The commissioners are of opinion . . . . .  that the provisions of the Education Acts shoilld be extended to the deaf and dumb, and power be obtained to enforce the compulsory attendance of children at a day school or institution up to the age of 16, that where the number under any school authority is too small to form a class, the school authority should be required either to send a child to an institution or to board out such child under proper inspection, and to contribute to his education and maintenance such annual grants as would be equivalent to the contribution now allowed to be paid by boards of guardians. The commissioners state that, independently of the position of the parent, a capitation grant not less than half the cost of the education of such child, with • maximum grant of £lO, [should be given for all in the same way as in ordinary elementary schools, and that the fees payable by necessitous parents should not exceed those payable in the case of ordinary children, but that in all cases parents should cvntrt• bute according to their ability.  A Bcitish subject, named Mackie, who has for years been making • business of roL.. ig Lanka on the Continent, and who stole 200,000 marks from the Hamburg branch of the German imperial Bank in 1885, has just been sentenced at Hamburg to eight years' penal servitude for that offence. Friends of Dr. John Mclnerney, who has been missing for some time, have endeavoured in vain to d_scover his whereabouts. The statement of Connors, a Cantlegarden employe, thric Mclnerney is alive in not accepted as satisfactory by John Devov and other prominent Irishmen. They believe that 'Mclnerney is dead, and that the same influences which inspired the slaying of Cronin induced his taking off. Connors hinted that Mclnerney was in Colorado, but a careful investigation provesthat he has not been in that State. Mr. William J 111311311 Mitten, a Government auditor, who resided at South Cliff Cottage, Scarborough, has committed suicide by cutting his throat with • razor, nearly severing the head from the body. He was about 32 years of age, and single. Nothing is known as to the causes leading to the fatal act. By the death of Mrs. Gertrude Beckett, of the Knoll, Torquay, the nation obtains a small but valuable collection of paintings by great masters, bequeathed by her late husband, and including " The Drinking Boy," by. Murillo ; " Polly Fenton," by Hogarth ; and works by Guyp, Grouse, Rubens, and Ruysdael.  CUTTINGS FROM THE "COMIC  (From_ Punch.)  HARROWING Mati.—July 15. Lords. Harrow Al. Eton B-Eton.  No SRPARATIST ! BUT GRAND OLD UNIONIST ! Mr. Gladstone on his golden wedding day.