THE EDUCATION OF THE BLIND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8267, 28 May 1890, Page 3

THE EDUCATION OF THE BLIND.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir,—When an appeal is made to the public to take part in any enterprise, benevolent or commercial, it is usual to present a statement of the object aimed at, the means by which it is proposed that it should be attained, and the names of the persons prepared to aocept the responsibility of the undertaking. No one with a just appreciation of the fact that the possession of money, much or little, is a talent for which as for every other, we shall have to give an account, can venture to bestow it blindly, without information as to the manner in whioh it is to be used. No one, it may be added, with proper self-respect, will, in any case, suffer himself to be bullied into giving. Auckland has afforded various not very satisfactory examples of what may befal a sum supposed to be dedicated to charitable purposes, and, as you have said, " the work of plunder soon begins." The or-pound system, moreover, allows the country to be taxed for any ill-considered philanthropic experiment for which a certain sum can be raised, so that It

is at least a question whether on this ground alone the honourable course is not to refrain from subscribing to such schemes, and still more when, as in the case of the collection " for the blind," there does not even appear to be any scheme a* all. Within the last few days it has leaked out that the Government have given a site at Mount Eden for an institution. To this there is the grave objection that, as the hearing of blind persons is often unusually acute, it would be cruel to establish them so near the rifle range. Is it after all, quite certain that an institution is desirable in the interests of those most nearly concerned. Professor Fawcett, himself a noteworthy example of what a brave man can accomplish after being suddenly deprived of sight, protested warmly against what he called walling up the aged blind in such places. In a forcible and beau« tiful manner he urged that all blind persona should be treated, as far as possible, as if they could see, his own happiest momenta being, he said, those passed in companionship with some friend who would forget that he had lost his eyesight. In the overgrown populations of the old world, institutions may be a necessity, but here another teacher or two might be engaged if needful, and classes might be formed in different localities for much less than the cost of housekeeping, while the pupils by their attendance would gain relief from the monotony which is apt to be one of the most painful effects of any physical disability. Also the simpler the machinery of any work the less likely it is to get out of order. And, after all, how many blind persons are there needing help ? That is rather an important question. If Mr. John Abbott will look again at my former letter, he will see that neither he nor anyone else is there called a hypocrite. The passages | quoted contain a warning against the folly of praising one's self, and loudly calling attention to one's own good deeds, and can have no application to anyone who has not fallen into this mistake.— am, &c, May 26, 1890. Mary Steadman Alms.