Fuller, Harvey A., Trimsharp's Account of Himself (1876)
New York, Edward O. Jenkins Pub., 154 pp.

The book contains brief history of the education of the blind and their achievements to which is added a collection of his poems. He was a student at NYI 1856-1860

CHAPTER V
SCHOOL LIFE AT NEW YORK-REMARKS ON THE EDUCATION OF THE BLIND, WITH SOME ACCOUNT OF THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS

A few months subsequent to my arrival, we were visited by a friend who was connected with the office of public instruction at Albany, NY. This friend was desirous that I should become a student at the Institution for the Blind in New York, and offered to secure an appointment for me, saying that I was entitled to a term of five years at that place. I readily consented to the plan, although my friends seemed very reluctant to part with me; for I had in view, not only my education, but I trusted that something might be done for my eyes. As soon as I was installed in the Institution, I went to the eye infirmary to ascertain if there could be anything a done for me; but was told by the faculty that my case was entirely hopeless. I then returned to the Institution, feeling grateful, indeed, to a sympathizing public for having established such an asylum, but too much weakened by sorrow and disease to avail myself of much of its benefits.

This Institution of learning, it may be proper to remark, was founded in 1832, and, at the time of my coming (1856), was located on Ninth Avenue between Thirty-third and Thirty-fourth Streets, the workshops being situated on Eight Avenue. The intermediate grounds were allotted to the students for recreation, the trees and shrubbery being no hindrance to their sports. The students at this time numbered one hundred and eighty, most of them being entirely blind. A few, however, had sufficient sight to conduct the others on the streets when they wished to go outside. These seeing ones formed the aristocracy of the place, though their honors were, of course, well earned. These blind students, strange as it may appear, were cheerful and happy and most of them were very talkative, seeming to take more delight in conversation than in meditation or study. Some of them, I noticed, were more loquacious and spoke louder when away from the Institution than at other times. This peculiarity may be attributed to their anxiety to be heard amid the noise and confusion of the streets through which they passed; but it often served as a roll-call to other blind friends, especially those of the opposite sex, who chanced to be within the sound of their voices; for chief among the regulations of the school was a law prohibiting the mingling of the sexes, and such plans as these were frequently devised in order to secure a friendly intercourse.

The blind seldom intermarry, though I have often found them enjoying the wedded life with those whose sight was imperfect, and, what seems strange to me, so far as my knowledge extends the children of the blind invariably possess good sight, although the parent may have been sightless from birth. There are many families of the blind thus situate4, who support themselves by their trade, or by music, or as public teachers, who seem as comfortable and happy as those who see; and yet I believe that a majority of them would be in a better condition could they content themselves with a life of "single blessedness "-and this may be said with equal propriety of many who have the free use of their senses.

This Institution, like all those of the same character, had two departments of instruction; namely, Literary and Mechanical. The Literary Department comprised mostly of the English studies, and to these were added both Vocal and Instrumental Music. The instruction was given orally with the exception of Reading, Writing, Mathematics, and Geography, a knowledge of these be acquired by the sense of touch. The method of printing for the blind has been so often explained by others, that description here seems quite unnecessary. The apparatus used in writing was simply a card in which were parallel grooves designed to guide the pencil, the student being previously taught the form of the letters by means of blocks curved for this purpose. In the study of mathematics a slate was used, which was so constructed as to receive type on which points representing figures were engraved. The maps used in this Institution were made wood, the part representing land being elevated above that representing water. The mountains, boundary lines cities and villages were indicated by slight elevations or pin heads, while the rivers were marked by small grooves. In the study of music, books with raised prints are sometimes employed; but, generally, the lessons are first read to the blind by a seeing teacher, and, when committed, can be easily taught by them to others. For any student of ordinary capacity to memorize a piece of music, only one or two readings are necessary. The blind can learn to play skillfully on all kinds of instruments, but the piano and organ seem best adapted to their condition. Many teachers and tuners of these instruments are employed in the city as well as the country and almost invariably give satisfaction. Indeed there is no barrier to the progress of the blind in any intellectual pursuit where knowledge of color is not required.

Says; S. G. Howe (Prin. of the New England Inst. for the Blind) under date of 1836, “There are many avenues open to the mind and, with the exception of color, all kinds of knowledge of the physical world may be obtained through the medium of other senses than sight.
"As to the mind, and all its powers, as to the moral world, and all its beauties, who cannot study them with his eyes closed or in his dark closet as well as in the broad blaze of day?
“For deaf mutes, we must invent a new language; and when it is afterwards perfected, still how imperfect is its range; how few of us learn it; and how like a man in a foreign country and ignorant of its language must a deaf mute ever be, among people who cannot talk to him by signs; yet to what beautiful and useful results have we arrived in the education of this unfortunate class!
" But how much broader is the avenue to the minds of the blind; how much nearer to us are they morally and intellectually; and how free, illimitable, and perfect may be our interchange of thought, reason, and feeling, by means of conversation and by reading!
The deaf mute must ever carry his slate with him, as his imperfect interpreter. But the blind hears the lowest whisper and judges by the slightest intonation.
"To him, silence is a blackboard, on which every sound or tone writes its distinct and legible mark; and his ear signalizes, with unerring accuracy to his mind, every note in the gamut of feeling from the low breath of affection, to the stern accents of defiance.

"How much is lost by the deaf mutes in the dark or the imperfect light of long evenings when their sign can be but imperfectly seen and understood; while the blind are ever prepared for conversation and exchange of thought.
"We know the world is full of bright and beautiful pictures. Now as we write, after having closed our eye a moment to reflect upon the situation of the blind shut up in their dark cell of the body, when we turn toward the green grass and gorgeous blossoms in view, we feel a gush of inexpressible gratitude for the blessing of sight. Now can any one love better than we do to admire and adore the Power which gave beauty to the rose and lily, and its greater loveliness to the human eye and face when radiant with health, and feeling, and intellect? And yet, lovely and rich as is the world of sight, to us the blind is richer and lovelier; and should we be obliged to choose we would unhesitatingly prefer the darkness of the blind to the dreary solitude and unbroken silence of the deaf. We know there is a sudden shrinking at the thought of injury to the sight and a shudder at contemplating the situation of the blind; but a little reflection and little attention to the comparative advantages of each class would make all side with us. And to confirm this decision and show its wisdom, one has but to compare the blind and the deaf of his acquaintance and think who are the most cheerful, the most intelligent, and the most agreeable. It is only physically that the blind can possibly be considered as less favored than the deaf and dumb; morally and intellectually the advantage is immensely on their side; and their moral, religious and intellectual education is far more easy and may be far more advanced by art, than that of the deaf mutes.

"But, notwithstanding this truth and the apparent fact that their physical infirmity calls more loudly upon the community for aid in their behalf of than in behalf of deaf mutes who can learn a trade and gain a livelihood, there have been comparatively few efforts made in' their behalf; and, until within .1 few years, our country, which boasts of some of the first institutions in the world, hardly knew that the blind could be taught in Schools. Within these four years, however, much has been done. Already one of our institutions, at least, offers advantages for the intellectual education of the blind equal to any in the world, and the others are rapidly acquiring these."
Since the above was penned by Mr. Howe the work has rapidly progressed until nearly every State of our Union has its Institution f6r the education of the blind, and by this means a class, hitherto helpless and dependent, are enabled to sustain themselves honorably and comfortably in our midst.

We come now to speak of the mechanical department. In this several trades were vigorously and successfully pursued the manufacture of brooms and of mattresses, being the most acceptable to the inmates of the Institution, and chiefly sought by them. The ladies of the Institution also received daily instruction in the art of needle work, and displayed much taste and ingenuity in this direction. The treaded their needles without difficulty and seemed to be quite proud of their attainments.

The making of bead-work was conducted by the students independent of the Institution during tile hours allotted them for recreation, and the proceeds of their labor brought them quite an income. Their wares consisted of wire and beads so arranged as to form card baskets, vases, etc., combining the useful with the ornamental. The beads were put into boxes of different sizes that there color might be distinguished. The idea so often entertained that the blind can discern color by the touch is true only as far as this, that the different coloring substances used for coloring purposes so affect the fabrics as to render them easily distinguishable by the sense of touch, color itself being intangible. The idea of the blind in reference to color is that it compares with the different varieties of sound the darker colors with the lower tones, while the brighter bear a relation to the finer and higher keys. As an illustration, a blind musician once said that red was like the sound of a bugle, that scarlet resembled the music of the clarinet, and like the ringing of bells.

Every Tuesday the Institution was opened for the inspection of the public. The visitors were conducted through the different apartments by the blind graduates who, in return, often obtained sales for their bead-work and sometimes received fine gifts or presents from the most liberal of their guests. It was curious to note the difference which existed in the minds of visitors with reference to the ability of the blind; some supposing that they could even paint the beautiful maps that hung in the school room, while others wondered if they could walk alone without stumbling or falling. Sometimes they would con-verse about the blind in their presence as though they considered them deprived of hearing as well as sight. This of course afforded much amusement to the unfortunates who were also often amused by the ludicrous questions that were often put to them.

One day, while a little boy was manufacturing a large hand brush, a visitor inquired if he knew what kind of a brush he was making and for what purpose. The boy humorously replied that it was a toothbrush and designed for cleaning the teeth. But the greatest curiosity on the part of visitors was to know how they could eat unassisted, and frequently, during meal time, the windows and doors of the dining hall were crowded with wondering spectators to witness this entertainment.

One day an individual who had never witnessed their skill at the table asked a blind boy to explain to him their manner of eating. The boy replied that he took a string and tied one end of it to the handle of a spoon and the other end to one of his teeth, then, filling the spoon with food, he traced the string up to his face, opened his mouth and tipped the spoon into it. Of course the stranger would infer there would be no further trouble in disposing of the food.

The students here, like those in seeing schools, were practical jokers. They did not play their pranks so much upon their comrades as upon the new comers to the Institution. Generally, when a new student arrived, they would put a variety of questions to him and, being satisfied of ability, position in society and depth of pocket (particularly the last, for money was quite a consideration with them, especially when in the hands of one who was liberally disposed), they would proceed to examine his qualifications for school. First they would try his voice to see if he would do to enter the singing class; then he was required to dance, and if he did not move around quite as lively as they desired, they would request him to remove his boots and try it in his stocking feet, which he would do to the infinite amusement of the bystanders who stood gazing intently on the scene--with their ears of course. Sometimes it was seriously suggested that the student might receive his sight, and being encouraged by this, he would willingly subject himself to the scrutinizing gaze of a blind man who, after a thorough examination, would declare his case a hopeless one. The results of these examinations were used during his stay as a reminder of his novitiate. As for myself, I escaped most of these trials; for when told by them that Holland had been taken by the Dutch, I replied that such jokes were stale with me and that they had better perpetrate them upon persons as verdant as themselves. This, with a few similar hits, gave me peace and a good reputation among them during the remainder of my stay.

We have already stated that there were nearly two hundred students at the Institution in the year 1856. This may seem an astonishing number to those who rarely meet with an individual of this class. But when compared with the thousands of sightless ones who grope their way in darkness over every habitable portion of our sunny earth, the number is, indeed, quite insignificant. As a few statistics in relation to the number of the blind may be acceptable to some of my readers I will here insert them, giving as my authority the American Encyclopedia and similar reliable works.

It is interesting to find that there is much less of this, affliction in our temperate latitudes than in the extremely hot or cold climates; for instance, in the United States the ratio of the blind to the entire population is one to every two thousand three hundred and twenty-eight, while in Egypt the ratio is one to every ninety-seven.
In this country the ratio is also much less than in Europe. The difference in the former case is attributable to the fact that the sun's rays are more tense and dazzling when reflected from the polar snows and from the glittering fields of sand in the torrid zone than when they strike upon less reflective parts of the earth; and, in the latter case, to the facts that in the densely populated districts of Europe there are more accidents by gunpowder, more prevalence of smallpox and other diseases which often destroy the sight, and the intermarrying of relatives is more frequent.

The number of blind in the United States is 10,000 in Great Britain and Ireland 25,000, in Germany 30,000, in France 33,000, in Russia 50,000, in the city of Yeddo alone 36,000, and in the world the number exceeds 500,000.

Although there doubtless has been a large number of this class in society from its earliest existence, or, at least, so far remote as the time when the Patriarch declared that lie had been eyes for them, yet no public provision. was made for their education until the year 1780 when Hauy, a French philanthropist, established at Paris an institution for their instruction. It is said that he was moved in this direction while attending a blind concert in which the performers were arrayed in peacocks' feathers, donkeys' ears, and spectacles without glasses, designed of course as a burlesque. Hauy, whose heart was keenly alive to the sorrows of others, could hot bear to see his fellow beings thus subjected to ridicule.

Top of Page

More School History Pages