An address to the public at the first exhibition of the pupils of the Pennsylvania Institution for the Instruction of the Blind, November 21, 1833 / by J. R. Friedlander.

  • Friedlander, J. R. (Julius Reinhold), 1803-1839.
Date:
1833
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An address to the public at the first exhibition of the pupils of the Pennsylvania Institution for the Instruction of the Blind, November 21, 1833 / by J. R. Friedlander. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    That noble philanthropist, the late Abbe Hauy, it is well known, erected in Paris, the first institute for the education of the blind in the year 1784, and although his correct views con- cerning this interesting subject are satisfactorily apparent in the success of that institution, yet his great principle, il faut autant que possible rapprocher les aveugles aux clair-voyans has hitherto been little understood, or not at all. As far as my experience in this matter extends, I am fully convinced of its great importance. Every teacher of the blind would facilitate the system of instruction materially, and thus render the culti- vation of this class more general, did he make a proper applica- tion of this principle. The object of every institution for the education of the blind, ought to be to cultivate the minds of its pupils in such a man- ner, that on leaving the institution they may be able to conform as much as possible, to the manners of the seeing, and thus in their intercourse with them, to feel themselves less dependent and consequently more happy. Whether this be practicable, the progress hitherto made by my pupils, and what maybe expected from daily practice, must determine. But why, it may be asked, has hitherto no general system been adopted for the education of the blind ? The fact is, the institutions for their education in England differ from the greater part of those on the continent of Europe. The difficulty and novelty of the subject, may indeed excuse the difference between the several systems. The means of in- struction are yet to be perfected more or less, and the many attempts to that effect are principally the cause of the various views and numerous efforts to accomplish so favourable a re- sult ; which, however, in my opinion, can never be realized so long as we deviate from the principle of the illustrious Hauy, which directs, that when teaching the blind, we ought to ar- range for their sense of feeling every thing in such a manner, that by it, they may receive what the seeing receive through the keen sense of sight. For mental instruction in particular, it appears very difficult to point out a system that will answer our purpose; but I cannot perceive why in the existing establish- ments they should not generally use the letters of our alphabet, which the blind can easily learn, and even though they may be more difficult to acquire than other simple marks taken at ran- dom, yet we should consider that the blind person's sense of touch will thereby be more sharpened, a great object not to be kept out of view. But another great advantage will arise therefrom, namely, books printed with such letters for the use of the blind will also be understood by the seeing, and have, therefore, not the ap- pearance of hieroglyphics. For instance, you would not be