The separation of the sexes was early insisted upon by Dr. Ilowe, on the ground that while marriage between detectives is always unfortu nate, it is especially so in the ease of a class so helpless as the blind. In 186S-69 the cottage or family system was introduced, the State of Massachusetts appropriating nearly $100,000 for cottages for the girls.
The Kindergarten for the Blind, an offshoot of the parent institution, was founded in 1887 by Michael Anagnos, the son-in-law and sue cessor of Dr. Howe, who has continued the policy of the latter, and has greatly enlarged the work of the institution. An opportunity is thus af forded for a continuous education from the earli est stage to the gates of the college. where it is thought more desirable to have the blind mingle with the seeing than to remain segregated as a class apart.
The work of educating the adult blind in their own homes was begun in Massachusetts in I900, the Legislature appropriating a sum of money to be expended by the Perkins Institution in this way. Several teachers were employed, and the enterprise proved so successful that the State increased its appropriation the following year. Instruction is given in reading and in several branches of handicraft, suited to the sex and the physical condition of each person. The in stitution places at the disposal of these out door pupils, free of all charge. its large library of books in embossed type of four different kinds. In this manner an attempt is made to solve the problem of educating, cheering, and rendering in a measure self-supporting and independent those who become blind after the period of childhood and youth has passed.
The first thought and purpose of building up special institutions for the instruction of the blind seem to have occurred to benevolent per sons in New England, New York, and Pennsyl vania almost simultaneously, but without con cert. The New York Institution for the Blind was incorporated April 22, 1831, through the efforts of Dr. Samuel Akerly and Mr. Samuel Wood. On Mandl 15. 1832, Dr. John D. Russ began the education of three pupils, and although he resigned his position in 1836, he continued to manifest much interest in the improvement of educational appliances for the blind.
The progress of the school was for some years retarded by the want of an efficient head to direct its affairs. In 1845 Mr. dames F. Chamberlain was elected superintendent, and the institution entered upon an era of prosperity and advance ment which has continued to this day. The ex cellent. Pennsylvania Institution, which has grown to be among the foremost of the world, was founded in Philadelphia by the Society of Friends in 1633. Robert Vaux had for some years urged the necessity of making such a pro vision for the education of the blind. Julius R. Friedlander. the first principal, had had experi ence in European institutions for the blind, and came to Philadelphia in the hope of establishing a school for their benefit. He organized the school with great care and deliberation, gave ex hibitions of the attainments of his pupils before the legislatures of Pennsylvania. Delaware, and
New Jersey. and obtained appropriations for the support of beneficiaries from each of these States, and later from Maryland. The Ohio School for the Blind was established at Columbus in 1837. The Virginia school opened at Richmond in 1838, and that of Kentucky at Louisville in 1842. In 1900 there were 37 institutions in the United States, with 393 instructors and 3665 pupils, of 417 were in kindergartens, 1738 received instruction in vocal music, 1797 in instrumental music, and 1924 were in the industrial depart ments. The libraries contained 100,000 volumes. The value of buildings and grounds was $6,500. 000, and the annual expenditure was over $1,000.000.
In Europe, Mr. Anthony Buckle, superintend ent of time Yorkshire school, who died in 1900. did much for the elevation of the blind in the indus trial and moral scale, as well as for their intel lectual and spiritual enlightenment. The Ecole Braille, situated at Saint Aland& one of the suburbs of Paris. is administered with vigor and efficiency by Monsieur A. Prphau. It is under the control of the municipal authorities and entirely supported by the city. The Institution. Nationale of Paris, the school founded by 'hilly, is liberally supported by the State, and its pupils. selected front a large number of appli cants residing in all the districts of France, are, as a rule, superior in intelligence to those of other European and of .American schools. The institu tions for the blind of Germany do not differ from those of France in any of the fundamental prin ciples upon which the work is conducted. They employ a class of instructors superior to those of any other country. Few of the teachers are blind, and most of them are graduates of the German universities. The Imperial institution for the blind in Vienna now oc'c'upies a fine build situated near the Prater. and well calculated to meet all demands for the physical, mental, moral. and spiritual development of its inmates. In addition to a commodious and well-equipped gymnasium, excellent school and music rooms, and a printing-office with the necessary tools and machinery, it contains a museum, which is the best of its kind in Europe, in arrangement, elassi fication, and proper display of its contents. It is not so rich in collections of specimens of appa ratus as that of Paris. The director, Prof. Alex ander Mell, is the author of the Encykloptidischcs Handbuch des Blindenlccsens—an important work on the blind and the methods and appliances employed in their instruction and training.
An international congress for the amelioration of the condition of the blind was held in Paris in connection with the Universal Exposition of 1900. Germany, England, Denmark, Sweden, Holland, Russia. Hungary, Switzerland, Italy, Portugal, the United States, Belgium, and France were represented, the two countries last named having the largest number of delegates and the controlling influence. There is an American Association of Instructors of the Blind, which meets biennially.