Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume II.djvu/738

 718 BLIND had parts of the Bible embossed in Arabic in Moon's type. Some of the American and Eng- lish residents in China are also doing some- thing toward aiding and instructing the blind in some of the seaports. The following table presents a list of the institutions for the blind in the United States in 1870, prepared by Dr. Howe, director of the Perkins insti- tute for the blind at Boston, for the bureau of education at Washington. -The facts exhibit- ed by it show that more attention is bestowed upon the care and education of the blind in this country than in any other. While only five of these institutions were commenced before 1840, it will be observed that more than 6,000 blind persons have been under their care and instruction, a proportion considerably greater than obtains in Great Britain, and vastly greater than in most of the countries on the continent of Europe. INSTITUTIONS FOB THE BLIND IN THE UNITED STATES. NAME. IXXSATTOK. Year of formation. Total No. admit- ted lince opening. Present number. jl*

Is 3 S. si o ft Ss Superintendent. Perkins Inst. and Mass. Asylum for the Blind Boston. Mass. New York city. Philadelphia. Columbus. O. Staunton, Va, Louisville, Ky. Nashville. Tenn. Raleigh, N. C. Indianapolis, Ind. Jacksonville, 111. Janesville, Wis. St. Louis, Mo. Baton Rouge, La. Baltimore, Md. Jackson. Miss. Vinton, Iowa. Macon, Ga. Austin, Texas. Flint. Mich. Talladega, Ala. Little Rock, Ark. Faribault, Minn. Oakland, Cal. Wyandotte, Kan. Batavia, N. Y. Ced'r8prings,S.C. Romney, W. Va. 1829 1881 1838 1887 1889 1842 1844 1846 1847 1849 1850 1851 1852 U58 1658 1868 1856 1854 1858 1868 1866 1867 1867 1869 1870 776 1,001 751 782 645 277 128 113 481 894 178 168 159 186 103 187 29 41 62 106 70 69 85 23 60 108 105 83 40 61 60 80 18 9 24 4 2 7 4 8 6 none. 1 3,655 2,500 8,800 1,116 420 1.5(10 1,920 1,100 8,910 Samuel G. Howe. Wm. B. Waite. Vfm. Chapin. G. L. Srnead. Chas. D. McCoy. B. B. Huntoon. J. M. Sturtevant. S. F. Tomhnson. W. II. Churchman Joshua 1'hoads. Thos. 11. Little. II. K. Foster. P. Lane. F. D. Morrison. Sarah B. Merrill. G. A. Knnpp. W. D. Williams. R. M. Mills. Egbert L. Bangs. Joe. H. Johnson. Otis Patten. J. L. Noves. V. Wilkinson. W. W. Updegraff. A. D. Lord. J. M. Hughston. II. 11. llollister. Institution for the Blind Institution for the Blind Institution for Deaf, Dumb, and Blind Institution for the Blind 18 . H Institution for the Blind Institution for the Blind Institution for the Blind 25 17 7 7 9 14 28 8 Institution for the Blind . Institution for the Blind 465 Institution for the Blind Louisiana Inst. for instruction of the Blind . . Institution for the Blind 28 124 244 1 2 9 2 1.000 100 1,580 Institution for the Blind. . . Academy for the Blind Institution for the Blind 15 1 160 Institution for the Deaf, Dumb, and Blind. , . Institution for the Doaf, Dumb, and Blind. . . Institution for the Blind 854 181 14 40 66 88 28 121 14 11 2 11 87 83 66 8 2,456 Minnesota Inst. for Deaf, Dumb, and Blind. . Institution for Deaf. Dumb, and Blind 19 15 27 8 8 1 1,850 Kansas Institution for the Blind New York State Institution for the Blind. . . Institution for Deaf, Dumb, and Blind 166 "'is' 2 1 1 400 Institution for Deaf, Dumb, and Blind 456 Total... 2.018 The following early history of the institution for the blind at Boston is condensed from a report of its trustees. Through the exertions of Dr. John D. Fisher an association of gen- tlemen was formed in that city in the year 1829 for the purpose of founding an institu- tion for the blind, and an act of incorporation was procured under the name of the " New England Asylum for the Blind." Owing to the time occupied in collecting information, it was not opened till 1832, and then with six pupils in a private house in Pleasant street, Boston. Dr. Samuel Gridley Howe took charge of the institution as director, and under his able management it has flourished to this day. Col. Thomas Handasyd Perkins gave it his man- sion in Pearl street, which was exchanged in 1839 for the Mount Washington hotel in South Boston, where it has remained ever since. Mr. William Oliver made a still more munificent donation, and other gentlemen contributed lib- erally. The Massachusetts institution has from the first aimed to give the blind an education which should fit them for any position in life compatible with their infirmity. The education of the celebrated blind, deaf, and dumb girl Laura Bridgman in this institution, who was born the year it was founded, forms an interest- ing portion of its history. Some of the institu- tions in the United States are legally private in- corporations ; whether receiving aid from the state or not, the latter has no control in the man- agement, which is held by a board of trustees. Such is the case with the New York institution for the blind, in New York city. Others are purely state institutions, and others still are mixed, the property being held by a corpora- tion, and the state appointing a certain num- ber of trustees. The Boston institution is of the latter character. Dr. Howe, in his com- munication to the commissioners of education, says: "In 1831 Dr. Akerly of New York city, who had been active in introducing instruction for deaf mutes, interested himself and others in procuring like benefits for the blind. Some children were taken from the almshouse and instructed by way of experiment in a small room ii; Canal street by Dr. John D. Russ, who raised th'a infant institution to maturity ; and though he !ong since ceased to superintend it