INSTITUTION FOR THE BLIND.

[BY THOMAS H. LITTLE, M. A.]

Resident Officers of Institution.

THOMAS H. LITTLE, M. A.,
Superintendent.

Miss S. A. WATSON, MISS H. A. DAGGETT, MISS C. L. BALDWIN,

Teachers.

MAURICE D. JONES, MISS FLORA F. WINSLOW,

Teachers of Music.

JAMES STEPHEN,
Foreman of Shop.

MRS. M. H. WHITING,
Matron.

History.

This Institution was the first established by the State for the benefit of the unfortunate. A school for the blind had previously been supported during the latter part of the year 1849, at Janesville, by the citizens of that place and vicinity. Its operations having been brought to the notice of the Legislature, it was, by act approved February 9, 1850, adopted by the State, which has since entirely supported it.

It is under the charge of five Trustees, appointed by the Governor. They serve for three years. It is their duty to employ a Superintendent, teachers and other persons necessary for the conduct of the school, and to direct the management of it. They are severally responsible for the proper application of all money received. They meet monthly or oftener. No per diem is received, and no compensation made to officers of the board, except the Secretary. The object of the Institution is declared by law to be "to qualify, as far as may be," the blind" for the enjoyment of the blessings of a free government, obtaining the means of subsistence, and the discharge of those duties, social and political, devolving upon American citizens." The Institution is therefore neither a hospital nor an asylum, but a school, into which blind persons, residing in Wisconsin, "of suitable age and capacity to receive instruction," are admitted for education. For the purposes of the Institution, those persons are regarded as blind who are shut out from the benefits of the common schools by deficiency of sight. Pupils are regularly received who are between the ages of 8 and 21 years. In occasional instances others have been received. Like almost all the schools of the kind in the country, it is open free of charge. Twice in its history, the experiment has been tried of requiring the payment of tuition, or the presentation of official certificates of inability to pay. The result in each case was so disastrous to the usefulness of the school that the original policy was speedily resumed.

The funds for the support of the Institution were for the first year derived from a tax of one-fifteenth of a mill on each dollar of taxable property. It has since been supported by annual appropriation.

22-MANUAL.

The Institution was first opened for the reception of pupils on the 7th October, 1850. It occupied a rented building untii June 1, 1852, when it was removed into a new edifice, erected at a cost of about $3,000.00, on the site now occupied by it. The lot of ten acres had been donated by the owners. The new building was so arranged as to admit of its becoming a wing of a larger one, which was begun in 1854, and so far completed in 1857, as to be partially occupied. It was finished in 1859. A small wooden building was for a long time used for a shop; but in 1864-65, an excellent brick building 40 by 60 feet, was erected for a shop and for other purposes. The foundation of the wing that was built proved to be extremely defective, and that portion of the house being in danger of falling, in consequence of this defect, it was taken down in 1867, and the pupils who had rooms in it were transferred to the shop building. In 1868 work was begun on an extension, which should not only replace the demolished portion, but afford room for the growth of the school. This was completed in 1870. It constitutes the west wing of a structure, of which the old house will be the central portion whenever a corresponding wing is erected on the east. As the school has now ample room, this wing will not be built for several years. The building is of cut stone, and presents an appearance that comports well with the dignity of the State. The value of the Institution's buildings (including fixtures for heating, lighting, etc.,) and grounds, is about $160,000.00. Its personal property, including furniture, apparatus, library, provisions, fuel, live stock, etc., was, by inventory in November, 1871, about $20,000.00.

TABLE showing the number of pupils reported for each year of the exist ence of the Institution:

The table given below, from the report of the Institution for 1865, shows that upon the basis of the census of 1860, and of the most recent reports of the various Institutions for the Blind, the Wisconsin Institution reached a larger per centage of the persons for whom it is designed, than that of any other State, except Iowa, the percentage of which could not be computed, on account of its making biennial reports. In the following year the table was copied into the re