TEACHING THE BLIND

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 171, 13 April 1908, Page 5

TEACHING THE BLIND

THE INSTITUTE AT AUCKLAND, INTERESTING DESCRIPTION. [BY TELEGRArn.—SrECIAIi' CORRESPONDENT.] Auckland, April 10. .''•ln; view of tho fact;, that, there aro inmates iii'the Auckland Jubileo Institut-e for tho Blind ;from' various parts of. tho Dominion, 'an. article on that' institution published'': in the "Herald "has far. more than a local interest. The art'iclc states that perhaps on'o of : tho last occupations on which a visitor to'tho institution would expcct to find tho, irimixtcs engaged-is Pthat of shorthand .writing and typewriting, yet such was' the;wofk, at which some - half-dozen blind boys and .girls were engaged when' the " Herald " representativcis visited the school* room. Three very young' pupils were in. front'of' small machines resembling diminutive typewriters, by means, of.'which they were transferring to a long roll of narrow paper (which .unwound itself as the work proceeded) tho words of oxtracts from a lesson■ book as ..they were ' dictated by ,n teacher'. Tho characters .which aro formed in relief on tho paper are comprised- of a combination of tlio Braille system and Pitman's phonography. This branch of instruct tio'n was introduced-last-year by Mr. Frayling, and the pupils, after fivo or six months' practice, are able to write about 80 words per minute by means of the system. With further practice it .-"is' possible to. increase the' speed ; to. about. 140 ( words ■'. per minute. The scholars are also taught the use of the ordinary typewriter by. means , of which, they transcribe into" ordinary King's English tlio passages taken down ill the Braillo characters .from" '. Muclc. ' ' ' : ' ■ .- "- " ■ / . Music forms - an'important'feature of tho education of the blind.children at tlio Institute. - At' tho present; time' thero ar6 twelve pupils receiving, pianoforte lessons, whilst,one is. learning the violin. .At.the last "examinations held", in' Auckland under the auspices of the Associated-Board R.C.M. and Pu.A.M., four pianoforte .pupils- from the. Institute wero presented, and tlioy all succeeded , in. getting honours, which is stated to : be, a for any single : teacher - in the Dominion: , One violin student, who also entered; obtained a ; 'good pass. In connection with the musical studies a special system, of Braille notation is taught., By means of this the'- students. can writo music from dictation, and their advancement ; is : thereby materially; assisted.> -, In' -this . connection . it may be mentioned -that 'a - piano-repairing and' tuning shop has - been - established in connection . with the -Institute. Young men are- receiving instruction , in'; this : shop, rind repairing and- tuning work in"'all its branches' is /undertaken. 1 "Of those/Who have already biSen'.instructed-at.- the Iristituto ono.is-now .employed -by,La leading ' .firm -in .Wellington, two are in one;has'started':bu3incs3. on- his; own : account' , 'm;.''-'W.esti>prt,' '.whilst!;-a'h6ther,;-has,-'recently'left; to iness ,:in'• Auckland. , .An','interesting, object. lcsSori.-.toi-bo'.'seen at tlio-; shop"consists-:of, two/'working.'models' illustrating• t-ho.iactiori-of tho'Awholo of the mechanism' of a piano;• this being tho. work :of ono of -, tho late students.' . '/':-. • .Tho Library.. ■- v -'; ; v-'/. ; '•Tho:> • Institute contains ;; a" 'WellTstockcd library.of. Blind '-'. literature!. This is'.the central library; of Ahe ,kind;-for New. Zealand; aiid-' addition to meeting the ! wants,' of-'the ;inni'ates' : of' the Institnt'o -and .-' other blind' people, in; the district, >it supplies books and magazines to. blind .readers, in- qlh.parts • of the Dominion. - -. --1. -\ . •-- Tho Workshops. ■ A roiind, of tho workshops , in' which' tho , adults and'elder boys-ahd; girls'are 'employed proved-. very*, interesting. • The wickerwork i department'is. a--very busirontj, and:'keep's- 1 a large'number'of hands, constantly''at.'work: ■Tho preseiit number is 1,9, a-sighted instruc-. tor being' engaged to ■.apportion' and. supervise the -work. The making of. perambulators • and' linen baskets keeps- several, 'hands: going; -and a - largo number of girls are 'now: occupied in the making of .' faiioy ' baskets . and- other . light wickerwork. , Tho,-. re-: seating- of c'aho chairs also comes within the scope, .'of-;..this'.'.department'.; ,' 'Adjoining' tho wickerwork shop is ;a large compartment, in : which the' manufacture of door mats ; is' carried on :by., tho. blind i men uyder .the. supervision of a foreman. .-The- making- of ; strawberry .boxes is '"also. carried on. on- a large scald,• ijnd -it was mentioned . by Mr'.'" Fray-, ling ! that !tho'lnstitute has already received an : orc^cr. for- 250,000 boxes for'.' use-, during the next strawberry season. When tho,new. -building- is completed it is' proposed to. in-, trpduce"'knitting /by machinery, clpth : wcav-' ing, and • shoomaking to thq industries already carried on. ■ ' : ' . ... "' "- ' Woodwork.' '.- v . " , The use of .carpenters' tools is not, as ono' might oxpect/ denied to thc blind boys;. some of them, ivith regular practice, become, wonderfully' skilled in. various' forms' of•; wood- ' Work. ' Ten. of. the - boys who have, shown a special inclination' for-: the work have been taking, a course of instruction in .woodwork at: the ,technical college.' During .the' past year,'-'tlio specimens of their-work Which" were, displayed in the schoolroom • show,' that excellent, progress has .been" made. / The boys' readily acquire a knowledge , of' the usb of' tho -.'saw, square, rule, knife,, plane, spakcsh'ayo, brace; and, bit, ; etc., and : tliey make various small articles-such: as salt-boxes and eggstands .to' any giveii 'measurement downto. a quarter of an inch-. ;' - ' " '" Fifty-four Pesplo grovle'ed For. At present a total of 54 ; , blind people, aro provided-for by the Institution, the number, consisting- of • eleven' men, six women, nineteen boys, eleven, girls, two day pupils, and. five blind, journeymen, workers, who reside in\thcir: own homes and avail themselves of tho. Institute, a's a, means of'gaining a livelihood. When.tho,new,building is-completed it'.will be..possible to. accommodate a- liiuch larger number-of inmatosw Mr. C. H. Frayling,; the, Principal, is' responsible- for the now. features referred toi.