in the regular public schools. As of the school year, 1947-48, the number of partially seeing children reported indicated that there were approximately 700 classes for such children in the United States. In such a class, a child has a good many advantages which perhaps cannot be provided in any other situation. Usually, a class is staffed by a teacher qualified to understand eye conditions and diseases and the problems of children with vision defects. Ideally, such a teacher knows how a vision handicap affects the child. She knows how the classroom should be decorated and arranged to give children 2 Office of Education, Federal Security Agency, Statistics of Special Schools and Classes for Exceptional Children. Washington, U. S. Government Printing Office, 1950. 81 pp. (Biennial Survey of Education in the United States, 1946-48, ch. 5.) the best possible lighting advantages. She thinks of the entire group. She thinks also of the effect of lighting and seating on each individual child and helps make proper adjustments. She knows about instructional equipment, books, maps, recreational materials, and other things which enable children to use the vision they have. If she is resourceful, she can make many adaptations which will add to the comfort and normal growth of her pupils. THE ROOM The sight-saving classroom is a homeroom for partially seeing children and is usually located in a regular school building. The room should be of standard size and carefully selected insofar as natural and artificial lighting is concerned. It should be a model of good seeing conditions for the entire school. A standard of 50 foot-candles of light correctly diffused and distributed is recommended for sight-saving classrooms. If pupils are to make the best use of light, the ceiling should be white, the walls of light tints, the woodwork of dull finish and light in color. A light-colored, dull-finished floor will also improve the seeing conditions. To control the natural light, a pair of buff or light gray translucent shades should be attached at the center of each window, one shade pulling up, the other down. With this type of shade, only the part of the window through which the sun is shining needs to be covered. Light gray-green is a recommended color for the chalk boards. If the chalk boards are black, they absorb a large amount of light. However, if a room has been equipped with black chalk boards, which absorb a large amount of light, an ordinary window shade of light tone may be mounted at the top of the chalk-board frame and pulled down when the board is not in use. The same standards of lighting and ease of seeing conditions should be followed when selecting bulletin boards and room decorations. Bulletin boards should be light in color or covered with light paper. Pictures should be large and have little detail. To eliminate a source of glare, glass should be removed from framed pictures. Glass on cupboard doors should be removed or covered on the outside by light-colored paper or curtains. EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS Equipment and materials should be selected to help children secure their education with the least amount of eyestrain. All the furniture 3 in the sightsaving room should be light in color and have dull finish to reduce glare. Desks should be moveable in order that the child may change his position to get the best seeing conditions. The desk top should be adjustable so that a child can place his work in the position and at the angle which will permit 3 Specific information on furniture can be obtained from the National Society for the Prevention of Blindness. him to see comfortably and at the same time maintain good sitting posture. Most sight-saving classes have typewriters with large type. By using the touch method, even pupils with poor vision can prepare written materials. The typewriters thus serve as a sight-conservation measure. Some classes have other mechanical devices such as dictaphones and wire recorders. An increasing number of books are available in large print so that children can enjoy them and learn from them as other children do. A dictionary in large type is now equipment frequently found in class rooms for the partially seeing. Colored outline maps of all countries are considered necessary equipment in a sight-saving class room. The paper which the children use is of dull finish and light buff in color. Pencils with soft, thick lead make broad lines which the children can see easily. The chalk should be large and soft. Such materials as paint, clay, and brown wrapping paper should be available to use in projects. The use of these materials insures relaxation and eye rest. The National Society for the Prevention of Blindness has prepared an Outline for Checking Lighting Facilities and Equipment for Eye Work in the Classroom. A part of this outline is included here. Windows NATURAL LIGHT (Unless climatic conditions make considerations of heat and ventilation paramount, school buildings should be oriented in a direction to bring an abundance of light into the room without the necessity for use of shades over long periods of the day.) 1. Top of glass extending: (a) practically to ceiling (no wall space or broad window frames above glass area). (b) to height above floor at least equal to 2 width of room. 2. Bottom of glass starting at 3 to 4 feet above floor (may be lower in lower grades with glare and safety protection). 3. Windows extending as near rear wall as practicable. 4. Windows extending to front row of desks, or to front wall if left end of front wall is not used or is shielded from glare. 5. Glass area at least 18 percent of floor area if 3 feet from floor; 16 percent of floor area if 4 feet from floor. 6. Vertical divisions between windows very narrow and light in color. 7. Chief source of natural light provided by windows situated at left of students' desks or work tables. 8. Additional windows to give more uniform distribution of light within room: (a) All situated well above head level-e. g., clerestory windows. (b) None in wall faced by students. (c) Shielded or shaded to prevent direct sunight or skylight entering at angles within field of vision of students. 9. Daylight not obstructed by trees, shrubs, or buildings situated too close. * This outline, prepared by the National Society for the Prevention of Blindness, 1790 Broadway, New York City, is in mimeographed form and may be obtained from that organization. WINDOW GLASS 1. Clear glass in all windows or 2. Glass blocks directing light toward ceiling in panes above head level, clear in lower panes. DAYLIGHT CONTROLS (Needed to improve quality of illumination by diffusing and directing light rays and by providing protection from glare and excessive brightness.) 1. Available for all windows exposed to direct sunlight or glare from sky. 2. If provided by shades: (a) Two shades for each window, one to pull up, the other down-mounted on rollers placed at or near center of windows with shield between to prevent streaks of light or (b) One shade at middle and one at bottom of window, both operating upward. (c) Neutral, light-colored. (d) Translucent, unfilled, durable material that will not crack. (e) Wide enough to prevent streaks of light at sides. 3. May be provided by other means such as: (a) Vertical louvers, located at window panes above eye level and so placed as to shield field of vision from sun or sky brightness. by directing light toward (b) Diffusing glass screen, placed at upper portion of window and at 45° angle (NOTE: Where light from upper panes is controlled by means other than shades, shades are needed for bottom panes only.) ARTIFICIAL ILLUMINATION The choice between incandescent and fluorescent systems is usually one of economics rather than of quality. Both systems, when properly installed and utilized, will meet accepted standards if they have the characteristics listed below: 1. Artificial light available wherever light may fall below minimum requirements at any time during period room is in use. 2. Fixtures: (a) Indirect type (directing all light toward ceiling) with luminous or lightcolored opaque bowls to reduce brightness contrast with ceiling or (b) Semi-indirect type (directing more light toward ceiling than downward). 3. All bare lamps concealed from view by: (a) Diffusing glass or plastic covering or (b) Baffles, or louvers, which cut off view of lamps (i. e. no lamps visible to least favorably seated child within 45° angle from horizontal line of vision). 4. All units placed against very light background, to reduce brightness differences between luminaires and their immediate surroundings. 5. Size, spacing, and suspension of units such that there are: (a) No noticeable spots of light and shadow on the ceiling. (b) No marked variations in quantity of light on work places in various parts of room. (c) No strong shadows cast on work by hand or work equipment to interfere with clear vision. htra 6. Wiring and switch arrangements which permit separate turning on and off of lights on the darker portions of the room. QUANTITY OF ILLUMINATION 1. Minimum lighting levels at work areas (desks, tables, chalkboards, etc.) which meet standards recommended for the type of visual work performed in the room or area. 2. Levels of illumination as recommended actually maintained at all times room is in use, through: (a) Artificial illumination available when needed to supplement and equalize illumination within room, (b) Maintenance adequate to keep light levels up to standard. Children of several grade levels are usually to be found together in a sightsaving classroom. Ideally, from 10 to 16 children are enrolled, depending upon the number of grades represented and the number of children who, because of their eye difficulties, require individual instruction. In elementary schools partially seeing children usually have their instruction in reading, writing, arithmetic, spelling, and typewriting from the special sight-saving teacher. (For suggestions on teaching of reading see appendix 1, pp. 40-41.) They also prepare their written work in the sightsaving classroom. They usually spend part of the day in regular classes, |