Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 46.djvu/662

644 perhaps only desideratum exist in the original centers of apprehension and action—the gray tissue cells of the brain itself.

As a commentary upon Miss Teisen's views, I may add the very interesting statement of Dr. Fernald, that the reason why sound and color give so much pleasure to the feeble-minded is that the simplicity of their brain and nerve fiber requires a greater blow of sense, so to speak, to affect it pleasurably. The idiotic child has the peculiarity (shared with it by Alexander III and the composer Bach) that he is most affected by loud music. In the same way fullness and force of color give the greatest pleasure to his eyes, such as the gorgeous crimson rose, or the serried stalks of full-petaled sunflowers, or huge beds of brilliant feathery chrysanthemums.

Instructors of the blind have always regarded the sense of touch as increased by the loss of sight. The fuller opportunities for close aural attention and thought—concentration, due also to their blindness—have been noted. There is no question but that the blind derive unusual enjoyment from music, and that their chief pleasure is found in listening to it.

There is an absolutely infinite field open for the improvement of the blind in clay modeling, which is already a main feature of their education. But no school has as yet pushed pupils of great promise in this respect with the intent of developing them into Karl Bitters in this wide field.

Given damp clay and a specific object to imitate, blind pupils are enabled by constant digital comparison (and their subtle sense of touch is no mean guide) to turn out in clay a very fair reproduction of their stuffed models. Afterward they model from memory, and without opportunities of comparison.

Henry Tschudi, a boy of seventeen, blind from birth, and educated in the American College of Music, passed his examination in June, 1891, in harmony, counterpoint, the history of music, musical form, terminology, acoustics, and the theory and practice of the organ. It was necessary for candidates to play at command compositions of Bach, Handel, Mendelssohn, and other composers, in polyphonic sonata and free forms; also to transpose, to harmonize a figured bass, improvise upon a given theme, and determine pitch tones by ear. The demonstrative examination at the organ was conducted by three experts, and Mr. Tschudi received 92·80 per cent, being the first blind person to pass the examination.

Another pupil, of whom the New York Institution for the Blind is justly proud, is Mr. Lewis B. Carll, also born blind, who was prepared for Columbia College within its walls. He was graduated from Columbia College in 1870, being a classmate of the now president/ Mr. Seth Low, and took second place in a class