in this state, and as such, shall have the full force and effect of a first grade certificate until annulled by the Superintendent of Public Instruction."

It is also provided in section 34, that "after any State Normal School shall have commenced its first term, and at least once in each year thereafter, it shall be visited by three suitable persons, not members of the board, but to be appointed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, who shall examine thoroughly into the condition, organization and management of the school, and shall report to the Superintendent of Public Instruction their views in regard to its success and usefulness, and any other matters they may judge expedient. Such visitors shall be appointed annually, and their report shall bear date of the 31st day of August, and cover the year preceding such date." As an addition to the work of the Normal Schools, the Board of Regents are authorized to expend a sum not exceeding $5,000 annually, to sustain Teachers' Institutes, and may employ an agent for that purpose. Institutes are regarded as important auxilliaries and feeders to the Normal Schools. At present one Professor from each Normal School is employed in conducting Institutes each Spring and Fall.

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 re

ceived, 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.

The Institution was first opened for the reception of pupils on the 7th of October, 1850. It occupied a rented building until June 1, 1852, when it was removed to 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 the 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 $162,000. Its personal property, including furniture, apparatus, library, provisions, fuel, live stock, etc., is about $20,000.00.

TABLE showing the number of Pupils in each Institution for their Education in the United States, in comparison with the number of Blind in the State (or section) supporting each. It is compiled from the reports of the U. S. Census of 1870, the reports of the U. S. Commissioner of Education, the reports of the Institutions, and from data furnished in reply to special inquiry.

Excluding New Jersey pupils.

+ Excluding foreiga pupils, inmates of Home, and teachers.

Excluding foreign pupils, outmates, domestics and teachers, on an average of

three years.

Including members of industrial (or asylum) department.

In 1870.

It appears that nine Institutions have more, and seventeen have fewer pupils than the Wisconsin Institution. Those which have more are those of New York (with two Institutions), Pennsylvania, New England, Ohio, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri and Illinois, each of which has a larger population than Wisconsin. The Iowa Institution has some asylum cases. If it were practicable to exclude the number of these from the number given, the posi tion of that institution in the table would be changed, but probably not enough to bring it below that of Wisconsin.

Only three Institutions - those of Iowa, California and Kansas - have as large an attendance in proportion to the entire blind population of the State. Only five-those of New York (jointly), Iowa, Kansas, New England, and Minnesota - have as large an attendance in proportion to the number of blind under 20.

The number (59) in the table for Wisconsin, is the number actually in school on that day in October, 1872, in which the return was made to the Commissioner of Education. Had the whole number nominally connected with the school, or the number (76) in attendance during the year that had just closed, been given, the position of Wisconsin in the table would have been still higher.

TABLE showing the number of Pupils reported for each Year of the exist ence of the Institution.

The entire number of different blind persons who have been instructed in the Institution, from its opening to the present day, is 207.

TABLE showing the number of Blind Persons in the State, as reported in the Census of the United States.

Oct. 1, 1871

Oct. 1, 1872

This table shows what is otherwise well known to the officers of the Insti

tution, that many blind children still fail to receive the advantages of the school.