A new era in the education of blind children, or teaching the blind in ordinary schools / by Alexander Barnhill.

  • Barnhill, Alexander.
Date:
[1875]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A new era in the education of blind children, or teaching the blind in ordinary schools / by Alexander Barnhill. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    81/90 (page 77)
    stimulus and competition with their sighted companions have given them no little measure of hope and self-reliance for the battle of life in the benighted circumstances under which they go forth. The advanced character of our public schools and school books, in which they now share, are not the least of the advantages which their admis- sion into the common schools gives them. And now, thanks to Sir David Wedderburn, Bart., whose amend- ment on the Scotch Education BlU was agreed to, making the national schools available for them, we have reason to expect that blind children wiU. no more be neglected, but will have, as far as possible, equal advantages in respect to education with those having their sight. Every well-wisher of his country who is acquainted with the deficiency of the education heretofore provided for them must rejoice in this provision. The census return of 1861 reported the number of blind children in Scotland, between five and fifteen years of age, to be 222. The number being educated at the various institutions for the blind in Scotland a few years ago showed only 102—less than one- half of the entire number. The substantial addition of 30 taught at sighted schools, when inquiries were last made, affords the prospect that such a means of education may be effectual in overtaking the remainder. But seeing that there is stiU. a large number neglected, let U8 hope that the school boards wiU see to this, for of all classes none can have a higher claim to education than these dear blind children. As the teaching of the blind with the sighted may therefore be expected to take further development, perhaps it may not be out of place to give a general statement how this has been carried on. The blind child joins a class or classes suitable to his capacities in spelling, meanings, grammar, history, &c., according to his advance- ment. He comes prepared in the morning to compete in all the exercises, taking or losing places according as he can answer. If he be at all attended to at home as he should be, the healthy glow of success can hardly fad of gTeat results. (He does not read with the others, but listens to what is read, and is asked questions in turn on the passage read.) The same is true of arithmetic, not only mentally, which a blind child is as competent to learn as one with his sight, but also with the pentagonal board and pins in accounts requiring many figures, by which he can as readily and as quicldy work out the account as the sighted with their appliances. The only part in which the blind child requires separate lessons is in reading raised type, which is handed over to any disengaged advanced scholar for half-an-hour forenoon and afternoon. There is no difficulty in this, because the raised type is Alston's Eoman type, readable at sight. Thus the teacher requires to give no special attention, but only a general superintendence to see that everything is going on right. May I, in conclusion, ask the kind interest of anyone by whom this letter may be read, in any blind child not being educated, to the effect of seeing that that child may be either sent to an institution for the bhnd, or to some suitable sighted school within reach 1 and it will afford me great pleasure if I can in any way aid in removing supposed difficulties.—I am, &c., ALEX. BARNHILL.