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AmericanFoundation 
ForT^eBlindinc. 


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in  2011  with  funding  from 

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The  Lantern 


THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  V.  NO.  2.  DECEMBER   15.  1935 

Greetings  to  New  Friends 

THE  LANTERN  appears  in  a  new  dress  and  in  its  new  attire 
hopes  to  make  new  friends.  This  issue  is  being  sent  to  many 
who  have  not  received  it  before  and  it  is  our  hope  that  it  will 
find  favor.  Many  names  have  come  to  us  of  people  who  are  in- 
terested in  Perkins  and  what  is  being  done  for  those  with  impaired 
vision.  To  inform  them  of  our  activities,  we  have  decided  to  send 
The  Lantern  to  all  people  on  our  lists. 

The  Lantern  is  now  in  its  fifth  year.  Originally  intended 
for  members  of  our  Staff  it  was  simply  mimeographed.  Requests 
from  former  students  for  copies  so  that  they  could  keep  abreast 
with  the  march  of  events  in  their  Alma  Mater  lead  to  its  publication 
in  braille.  Few  things  have  brought  us  greater  satisfaction  than 
the  appreciation  of  those  who  have  received  the  embossed  edition. 

A  third  step  has  now  been  taken.  Put  into  ink  print,  it  is 
our  hope  that  The  Lantern  will  reach  all  friends  of  Perkins.  Its 
mission  remains  unaltered — to  tell  of  our  activities,  to  relate  stories 
of  human  interest  that  take  place  in  this  century-old  school  and 
to  register  our  attitude  on  the  great  cause  which  Perkins  represents. 

The  lantern  on  top  of  our  lovely  Gothic  tower  is  its  most  dis- 
tinctive feature  and  from  it  we  have  taken  the  name  of  this  publi- 
cation. Architecturally  the  lantern  indicates  that  the  building 
which  it  surmounts  is  dedicated  to  education.  Likewise  the  purpose 
of  The  Lantern  is  to  educate  and  it  is  our  hope  that  through  the 
extension  of  its  rays  to  new  readers  it  will  bring  enlightenment. 


^aJhu^f 7?aAfu*£(? 


Perkins  Institution 

and  Massachusetts 

School  for  the  Blind. 

Watertown,  Massachusetts  GABRIEL  FARRELL,  Director. 


//  ]/  XT  7/ 


NOVEMBER  MEMORIALS 


The  Howe  Memorial  Exercises  and 
the  observance  of  Anagnos  Day  are  two 
memorable  events  in  the  month  of  No- 
vember. On  Thursday,  November  7, 
the  pupils  of  the  Lower  School  enacted 
scenes  from  the  life  of  Mr.  Anagnos. 
As  usual  the  Anagnos  Song  was  sung 
while  the  children  of  the  kindergarten 
placed  flowers  before  the  bust  of  its 
Founder. 

The   following    letter   poem   sent    by 
Miss  Poulsson  was  read: 
"Dear  Children, 
I've  often  been  with  you  on  Founder's 

Day 
.  And  this  year,  .altho  I  must  stay  away 
I  can  .imagine  I  hear  you  singing 
And  see  the  pretty  flowers  you're  bring- 
ing 
In  memory  of  your  friend  so  kind 
Of  heart,  so  wise  of  mind 
Who  planned  for  you  this  happy  place 
Where  you  can  romp,  and  run,  and  race 
And  learn  as  other  children  do 
To  read  and  write  and  cipher  too 
And  many  a  useful  thing 
That  books  and  work  and  music  bring. 
I  do  not  need  his  name  to  tell 
For  I  am  sure  you  know  it  well 
Michael  Anagnos — that  is  the  name 
He  chose  to  use  when  here  he  came 
For  he  used  to  say  with  his  jolly  laugh 
"O  yes—  I  had  to  cut  it  in  half 
For  busy  Americans  never  would  choose 
A  name  six  syllables  long  to  use 
So  three  syllables  shorter  my  name  is 

now 
And  that  is  long  enough  anyhow". 
No  wonder,  children  that  you  hold  him 
dear 
And  keep  his  birthday  every  year." 


On  the  afternoon  of  the  day  of  the 
Anagnos  Exercises  the  cowboy  quartet 
from  the  Rodeo  came  out  to  sing  for 
the  pupils  of  the  Lower  School.  So 
impressed  was  a  little  girl  by  one  of 
the  cowboys  that  she  asked,  "Is  he 
Mr.  Anagnos?" 


FROM  OUR  MAIL 


Akola,  India. 


Dear  Brethren: 


I  know  you  would  be  greatly  sur- 
prised to  see  me  writing  this  letter.  I 
desire  to  approach  you  with  the  peti- 
tion for  the  removal  of  my  pitiable, 
sorrowful  situation  as  stated  below. 
My  grievances  are  indescribable.  They 
worry  me  day  and  night.  Dear  blind 
friends,  I  trust  you  to  do  something 
for  me  on  reading  this  letter.  Your 
assistance  is  needed  in  supporting 
my  son  for  his  schooling.  He  would 
be  a  great  help  to  me  in  the  future.  At 
present  I  find  it  so  hard  to  pull  on,  you 
can  hardly  imagine.  I  have  no  house 
so  I  wish  to  set  up  a  small  hut.  It  is 
far  better  to  have  a  hut  than  pay  the 
rent  when  you  have  no  money.  I  have 
a  large  family  depending  on  me,  but  I 
have  no  means  of  earning  any  money. 
So  we  have  to  starve.  Therefore,  kind- 
ly help  me  out  from  being  starved.  We 
are  greatly  troubled  with  poverty  so 
request  each  of  you  to  do  your  level 
best  for  my  poor  family.  The  children 
are  in  the  minor  age  so  they  will  need 
schooling.  I  know  music,  but  have  no 
organ  whereby  I  can  take  tuitions  and 
earn  something.  Can  the  blind  help 
the  blind.  I  have  all  abilities,  but  they 
are  all  in  vain.  India  is  such  a  country 
wherein  the  blind  are  not  treated  as 
well  as  they  are  in  civilized  countries. 
Dear,  I  expect  great  and  deep  sympathy 
and  also  love  from  you  all  for  we  are 
having  a  hard  time.  Finally  I  say  speak 
to  your  friends,  relations  and  neighbors 
to  assist  me  in  these  hard  days.  God 
will  reward  you  amply  for  helping  the 
poor  and  needy  like  me.  A  couple  of 
hundred  of  dollars  are  needed  to  re- 
move these  difficulties.. 

Thanking  you  in  advance, 
Yours  ever  lovingly  helpless 

blind  friend. 


JOHN  DIX  FISHER 

Early  Advocate  for  the  Blind 
By  Anna  Gardner  Fish 

While  studying  medicine  in  Paris  Dr.  John  Dix  Fisher,  a  young1 
physician  from  Boston,  became  interested  in  the  work  being  done  for 
the  blind  in  that  city  and  he  determined  that  similar  opportunity 
should  be  given  to  the  sightless  youth  of  America — and  especially  of 
Massachusetts — for  whom  nothing  had  at  that  time  been  done. 

Dr.  Fisher  returned  home  in  1826,  fired  with  enthusiasm  for  his 
new  project.  It  was  at  just  about  that  time  that  Charles  Barbier 
was  introducing  the  dot  system  which,  improved  and  perfected  by 
Louis  Braille,  was  eventually  to  revolutionize  the  education  of  the 
blind,  although  it  was  many  years  before  that  method  of  writing 
and  printing  became  really  effective  and  was  endorsed  by  this  country. 
Indeed,  the  aids  to  teaching  in  those  early  days  must  have  been  crude 
and  elementary,  but  they  were  sufficient  to  impress  Dr.  Fisher  with 
their  value,  and  he  proceeded  to  infuse  others  with  his  zeal  and  deter- 
mination. 

Fortunately,  he  possessed  influential  friends,  and  through  them 
the  seed  was  planted  in  fertile  soil,  but  it  required  much  careful  hus- 
bandry to  establish  and  foster  its  growth.  The  records  of  the  early 
meetings  of  these  interested  gentlemen,  held  frequently,  often  at  the 
Exchange  Coffee  House  in  Boston,  paint  a  picture  of  earnest  but  per- 
plexed gropings  toward  the  embodiment  of  an  ideal;  but  Dr.  Fisher 
kept  their  interest  aglow,  and  little  by  little  definite  plans  took  shape 
and  headway  was  made.  The  act  establishing  the  school  was  passed 
by  the  Massachusetts  Legislature  March  2,  1829. 

In  all  this  Dr.  Fisher  was  the  leader,  even  though  his  lifework 
lay  elsewhere.  Medical  science  was  his  profession,  and  nowhere  is 
the  suggestion  expressed  that  he  should  give  up  his  particular  field 
of  action  to  assume  charge  of  the  work  for  the  blind.  He  is  shown 
in  a  picture  of  young  surgeons  (drawn  by  his  brother,  Alvan  Fisher) , 
observing  with  interest  the  accomplishment  of  an  operation  under 
anaesthetics;  and  everything  indicates  that  this  chief  interest  in  de- 
velopments along  medical  and  surgical  lines  was  not  to  be  diverted 
wholly  to  another  channel. 

Finding  a  leader  to  carry  on  the  actual  work  presented  great 
difficulties.    Although  Dr.  Samuel  Gridley  Howe,  another  young  physi- 

Continued  on  Page  8 
—  3  — 


p 


PATRICIA  PROGRESSES 

ATRICIA  HOMANS,  the  little  six-year- 
old  deaf -blind  child  admitted  in  Septem- 
ber, is  making  progress.  This  is  good 
news  because  Patricia  is  the  first  pupil  born 
deaf  and  blind  that  we  have  received  and 
there  has  been  considerable  speculation  as  to 
whether  she  would  be  able  to  develop  as  have 
the  other  children.  After  two  months  of  in- 
struction, Miss  Hall  now  reports  that  Patri- 
cia understands  and  executes  seven  com- 
mands. For  the  benefit  of  those  who  are  not 
familiar  with  the  work  of  the  Deaf-Blind 
Department,  it  may  be  stated  that  the  first 
effort  to  reach  the  mind  of  a  triply  handi- 
capped child  consists  of  the  repetition  of  a 
definite  command  like  bow,  walk  or  jump,  making  the  child  perform 
the  action  indicated  until  it  learns  to  associate  the  word  with  the  act. 
Patricia's  accomplishments  give  evidence  of  definite  progress. 

THE  CORPORATION  MEETING 

AT  THE  ANNUAL  MEETING  of  the  Corporation  held  in  the 
Board  Room,  Monday,  November  4,  Leonard  Dowdy  became 
the  chief  center  of  interest.  The  children  of  the  Deaf-blind 
Department  gave  a  demonstration  under  the  leadership  of  Miss  Hall 
and  her  assistants.  Leonard  immediately  took  charge  of  the  demon- 
stration and  insisted  upon  being  Miss  Hall.  To  make  the  impersona- 
tion more  realistic  he  demanded  Miss  Hall's  comb  and  earrings. 
Adorned  with  these  he  took  Carmella  and,  removing  his  coat  put  it 
upon  her  and  announced  "Miss  Hall  is  teaching  Leonard" !  A  most 
enlivening  program  of  instruction  went  out  under  Leonard's  active 
leadership.  Officers  elected  at  the  meeting  were:  President — Robert 
H.  Hallowell,  Vice-President — G.  Peabody  Gardner,  Jr.,  Treasurer — 
Roger  Amory,  Secretary — Gabriel  Farrell. 


CHRISTMAS  AT  PERKINS 

THE  OBSERVANCE  OF  CHRISTMAS  at  Perkins  begins  about 
the  middle  of  December  and  lasts  until  the  pupils  go  home  for 
the  holiday  vacation.     On  the  ten  days  before  vacation  carols 
are  sung  at  the  chapel  exercises  with  appropriate  readings  and  sea- 

—  4  — 


sonal  talks.  Wreathes  and  decorations  made  by  the  pupils  create  the 
proper  setting  for  this  festive  season.  During  the  last  week  of  school 
parties  are  held  in  the  cottages  with  programs  differing  with  the  in- 
terests and  talents  of  each  household.  Some  give  rather  elaborate 
pageants  or  plays,  others  are  more  informal,  but  everywhere  the 
Christmas  spirit  abounds.  The  annual  Boston  concert  will  be  held 
this  year  on  Sunday  afternoon,  December  15,  in  Jordan  Hall.  With 
the  repetition  of  the  program  in  Dwight  Hall  the  following  Friday 
evening  school  will  close  for  the  Christmas  holidays,  reopening  on 
Monday,  January  6. 

ANOTHER  SEMI-CENTENNIAL 

A  HALF  CENTURY  of  service  is  a  long  record  in  these  days,  but 
our  chief  engineer  has  just  attained  it.  Fifty  years  ago  this 
fall  John  Carroll  came  to  work  at  the  Institution  in  South 
Boston.  He  was  the  first  member  of  the  staff  to  come  to  Watertown, 
and  under  his  direction  all  heat,  light  and  power  have  been  provided 
here  since  the  opening  in  1912.  In  appreciation  of  his  devoted  service 
a  bronze  clock  suitably  inscribed  has  been  presented  to  Mr.  Carroll 
by  the  members  of  the  staff  and  the  Trustees. 

SHORTHAND  BY  BRAILLE 

THE  MODERN  dictating  machine  made  it  possible  for  blind 
typists  to  find  success  in  office  work.  Now  the  introduction 
of  a  new  shorthand  machine  has  widened  opportunity  in  this 
field.  Dorothy  Ingersoll  in  this  picture  is  working  on  the  new  short- 
hand machine  produced  for  blind  typists  by  the  Howe  Memorial  Press. 
Her  fingers  are  resting  upon  the  six  keys  that  control  the  points  of 
the  braille  system.  In  taking  dictation  a  much  contracted  form  of 
braille  is  used,  and  by  that  means  dictation  can  be  taken  with  a  speed 
parallel  to  a  shorthand  system.  The  dictation  is  recorded  on  a  narrow 
paper  tape.  For  transcription  the  tape  is  unrolled  across  the  front 
of  the  desk  where  the  fingers  read 
the  message  to  be  typed.  This  ma- 
chine is  an  adaptation  of  an  English 
machine  and  its  use  is  now  taught  in 
the  Commercial  Department  of  Per- 
kins. Miss  Ingersoll,  a  graduate  of 
Perkins,  is  secretary  of  the  Depart- 
ment of  Personnel  and  Research. 
—  5  — 


THE  BROOM  SELLERS 

SALESMANSHIP  is  a  course  which  is  growing  in  popularity. 
Under  the  leadership  of  Mr.  Don  Donaldson,  a  graduate  of  the 
Washington  State  School  for  the  Blind  and  the  University  of 
Washington,  a  new  venture  in  practical  sales  has  been  started.  Se- 
curing brooms  and  mops  from  the  state  workshop  for  the  blind,  mem- 
bers of  the  class  have  gone  out  on  Saturday  afternoons  canvassing 
sales.  The  selling  is  done  by  totally  blind  boys  who  are  permitted  to 
take  partially  seeing  boys  as  guides.  At  first  there  was  some  reluc- 
tance to  do  this  but  success  in  selling  and  attractive  profits  have  made 
these  trips  one  of  the  most  desired  week-end  diversions. 

In  their  approach  the  young  men  are  not  permitted  to  associate 
the  name  of  Perkins  with  the  making  of  a  sale,  nor  are  they  allowed 
to  receive  contributions.  We  are  strict  about  this  because  Perkins 
wants  it  understood  that  as  an  institution  we  have  nothing  to  sell  and 
never  solicit  funds  from  house  to  house.  It  might  be  well  to  advise 
that  at  no  time  should  money  be  given  to  solicitors  or  purchases  made 
with  the  idea  of  helping  Perkins.  Especially  beware  at  this  time 
of  men  selling  rugs  which  they  imply  are  made  here.  A  more  recent 
fraud  is  the  solicitation  of  funds  to  buy  dogs  as  guides  for  our  pupils. 
A  man  working  this  racket  was  recently  arrested  by  officers  of  the 
Watertown  police  named  Perkins  and  Farrell. 

FALL  SPORTS 

TOMPKINS  COTTAGE  was  the  host  to  the  four  cottage  football 
teams  as  it  won  the  series  of  fall  games.  Taking  advantage  of 
the  school  ball  tickets  offered  by  the  Harvard  Athletic  Associa- 
tion a  number  of  Perkins  boys  attended  two  of  the  games  in  the  sta- 
dium. The  girls  concluded  their  fall  sports  with  Fisher  Cottage 
gaining  possession  of  the  silver  cup  presented  each  year  to  the  win- 
ning house. 

FINGER  READING  THE  STARS 

A  RECENT  SPEAKER  at  Perkins  told  of  her  first  talk  at  the 
school  which  she  introduced  by  asking  what  the  pupils  would 
ask  for  if  the  fairy  god-mother  would  grant  any  wish.    Think- 
ing they  would  ask  for  sight  she  was  astonished  when  a  boy  responded, 
"I  am  interested  in  astronomy  and  I  would   wish  for  arms  long 
enough  to  touch  the  stars." 

—  6  — 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


As  required  by  recent  legislation  all 
teachers  have  taken  the  oath  of  alle- 
giance and  the  pledge  to  the  flag  is 
given  each  Saturday  morning  when  the 
school  is  assembled  for  the  chapel  exer- 
cises. 


Classes  from  Harvard,  Radcliffe. 
other  colleges  and  nearby  schools  have 
been  visiting  Perkins  this  fall.  As  each 
group  is  taken  about  the  school  our 
methods  of  education  are  explained. 


Among:  our  guests  this  fall  have  been 
Mrs.  Vita  Stein  of  the  School  for  the 
Blind  in  Vienna,  Austria;  Miss  Lillian 
Russell,  formerly  head  of  the  Connecti- 
cut Nursery,  now  with  the  Connecticut 
School  for  the  Blind  at  Hartford;  Mrs. 
Winifred  Hathaway  of  the  National  So- 
ciety for  the  Prevention  of  Blindness. 


Miss  Portia  Pittenger  and  Miss  Mar- 
guerite Manley,  teachers  of  the  deaf- 
blind  at  the  Ohio  School  for  the  Deaf 
and  the  West  Virginia  School  for  the 
Deaf  and  Blind  respectively,  complete 
their  study  of  our  methods  at  Christ- 
mas time  and  thereafter  will  take  up 
duties  at  their  own  schools.  Our  two 
exchange  teachers  have  been  carrying 
on  the  work  in  their  schools. 


A  new  braille  writer  has  been  re- 
ceived from  England.  Its  distinctive 
feature  is  that  both  sides  of  the  paper 
can  be  used  interpoint  or  interline. 
The  machine  is  compact  and  light  and 
embosses  clearly. 


Sir  Herbert  B.  Ames,  former  treas- 
urer of  the  League  of  Nations,  visited 
the  school  on  Friday,  November  22,  and 
gave  a  most  valuable  talk  on  the 
League  and  the  present  situation  in 
Ethiopia. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


At  a  recent  conference  on  Vocational 
Guidance  at  Overbrook,  Dr.  Samual  P. 
Hayes  our  Consultant  in  Psychology, 
read  a  paper  on  the  "Development  of  a 
Research  Program". 


Mrs.  Grace  C.  Hamman,  a  member 
of  the  Harvard  Class  of  1933-34  has 
been  appointed  by  the  Governor  of 
Hawaii,  Territorial  Director  of  the 
newly  created  Commission  for  the  Con- 
servation of  Sight  and  Work  with  the 
Blind. 


A  most  attractive  and  interesting  re- 
port is  that  of  the  National  Institute 
for  the  Blind  in  England.  Beautifully 
illustrated  it  tells  of  the  excellent  work 
done  in  that  country  for  those  without 
sight. 


A  new  book  of  interest  is  "The  Light 
That  Did  Not  Fail",  an  autobiographi- 
cal story  by  Clarence  Hawkes.  This  is 
the  forty-second  book  by  our  distin- 
guished graduate. 


James  E.  Hannon,  graduate  of  Per- 
kins, Boston  University  and  highest 
ranking  scholar  in  the  B.  U.  School  of 
Law,  has  opened  a  law  office  in  Lee. 
Massachusetts. 


Miss  Rose  L.  Berman  of  the  Harvard 
Class  of  1933-34  has  been  appointed 
teacher  of  the  braille  and  sight-saving 
classes  in  the  public  schools  of  Hacken- 
sack,  New  Jersey. 


Mr.  Chinniah  Doraiswamy,  who  at- 
tended the  Harvard  Class  after  com- 
pleting the  work  of  the  Normal  Course 
at  the  Clarke  School  for  the  Deaf  and 
who  was  given  the  degree  of  M.  A.  in 
Education  at  Boston  University,  has 
returned  to  India  where  he  is  to  train 
teachers  for  the  blind  and  deaf. 


—  7  — 


JOHN  DIX  FISHER 

Continued  from  Page  3 

cian  of  Boston,  who  became  the  first  director,  was  not  the  first 
approached  with  a  definite  offer,  his  choice  was  without  doubt  the 
right  one.  One  may  sense  the  relief  expressed  in  the  simple  words : 
"Here  is  Howe,  the  very  man  we  have  been  looking  for  all  this  time," 
as  this  solution  of  their  quandary  was  visualized  by  Dr.  Fisher  and 
two  companions  on  Boylston  Street,  Boston. 

In  an  account  of  Perkins  Institution  by  its  president,  Dr.  Samuel 
Eliot  (1897)  the  later  connections  of  Dr.  Fisher  with  the  school  are 
thus  summarized: 

"Dr.  Fisher  must  have  been  content.  He  was  a  trustee  .  .  .  from 
1830,  and  continued  such  for  twenty  years.  During  a  year  when  Dr. 
Howe  was  absent,  he  took  charge,  and  wrote  the  twelfth  annual  re- 
port, in  which  'its  present  condition'  is  described  to  be  'such  as  to 
carry  out  in  all  respects  the  desires  of  its  benevolent  founders.'  He 
died  in  1850;  and  though  the  nearly  half  a  century  intervening  has 
blanched  his  memory  into  a  shade,  it  is  one  which  every  member 
of  the  school  should  continue  to  cherish." 

The  portrait  of  Dr.  Fisher,  hanging  on  a  wall  of  Perkins  Institu- 
tion, shows  a  refined  face  with  sharp  features  and  alert  eyes  behind 
spectacles.  Save  for  side  whiskers,  he  is  clean-shaven,  and  his  hair 
has  a  reddish  tint.  He  belonged  to  a  well-known  Boston  family,  in- 
cluding some  distingushed  members  among  whom  he  must  be  counted. 
At  his  death,  March  3,  1850,  he  was  buried  in  Mt.  Auburn  Cemetery, 
Cambridge,  where  his  grave  may  be  found  through  the  monument, 
placed  there  by  a  number  of  his  associates,  including  Dr.  Howe,  and 
bearing  the  inscription  "The  Early  and  Efficient  Advocate  for  the 
Education  of  the  Blind." 


Notice  to  Superintendents 

STANFORD  ACHIEVEMENT 

TESTS 

IN  BRAILLE 

Forms  V, 

Tests  1-8;  W,  Tests  1-8;  X, 

Tests  1-10 

PRICES 

REDUCED  TO  FIFTY 

HOWE  MEMORIAL  PRESS 

CENTS 

The  Lantern 

THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  V.  NO.  3  MARCH  15.  1936 

Messages  from  Old  Friends 

SPEAKING  before  the  Alumnae  Association  at  the  Semi-Cen- 
tennial Meeting  last  June  I  raised  certain  questions  and  stated 
that  I  wished  I  might  have  the  advice  of  former  pupils  re- 
garding them.  In  the  half  century's  service  of  the  Alumnae  Asso- 
ciation the  mere  expression  by  Perkins  of  a  wish  has  meant  a 
response  from  the  former  students.  In  due  time  the  answers 
poured  in  so  that  I  have  before  me  advice  enough  for  another  half 
century.    I  am  grateful,  and  want  to  express  my  thanks. 

A  summary  of  the  replies  is  included  in  this  issue.  I  would 
like,  however,  to  explain  that  my  meaning  in  the  first  question 
was  misinterpreted  by  many.  When  I  referred  to  training  pupils 
in  the  wise  use  of  their  leisure  time,  I  had  in  mind  the  leisure  that 
would  come  after  graduation.  I  can  well  appreciate  the  frequent 
reply  "in  my  day  we  had  no  leisure  time  in  the  Girls'  School!" 
There  is  little  free  time  now,  but  we  are  trying  to  provide  more 
because  we  believe  that  in  addition  to  training  skills  and  developing 
interests  which  may  be  used  later  we  have  a  responsibility  to  foster 
the  habit  of  using  free  time  profitably.  Without  this  habit  and 
desire,  training  and  facilities  are  of  little  use. 

Reading  was  most  frequently  recommended  as  a  leisure  time 
activity.  All  of  our  former  pupils  know  how  to  read !  Our  library 
is  overflowing  with  books  which  will  be  mailed  free.  Why  do 
many  graduates  fail  to  avail  themselves  of  this  privilege?  Is  it 
because  the  taste  for  reading  was  not  developed  during  school  years  ? 


^ctso^f -y&uvi*££ 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown,  Massachusetts 
Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President.  GABRIEL    FARRELL,    Director. 


ALUMNAE  REPORT 


The  Committee  appointed  by  the 
Perkins  Institution  Alumnae  Associa- 
tion to  secure  answers  to  questions 
raised  by  Dr.  Farrell  at  the  semi-cen- 
tennial meeting  in  June  sent  a  letter 
to  each  member  of  the  Association 
containing  the  following  questions: 

1.  How  can  we  best  train  our  pupils 
to  use  their  leisure  time  wisely? 

2.  How  far  shall  we  go  in  the  study 
of  household  economics? 

3.  How  far  shall  we  go  in  the  study 
of  music  with  pupils  who  are  not  par- 
ticularly talented? 

Forty-four  replies  were  received  from 
twelve  different  states,  some  as  far 
away  as  California  and  Texas.  A  sum- 
mary of  replies  follows: 

Question  1.  Many  interpreted  this 
question  as  referring  to  leisure  hours 
in  school,  rather  than  training  in 
school   for   leisure    time    in   later   life. 

The  answers  which  applied  to  the 
question  as  it  was  meant  may  be  sum- 
marized as  follows:  to  enjoy  good  read- 
ing— 29;  handwork — 20;  games — 15; 
music — 11;  to  make  and  enjoy  social 
contacts— 11;  walking  out-of-doors — ■ 
10;  letter  writing — 10;  hobbies  (not 
otherwise  designated) — 7;  outdoor 
sports — 5;  unguided  activity  to  develop 
initiative — 5;  gardening — 2;  care  of  an- 
imals— 1. 

Question  2.  A  number  seemed  to  in- 
terpret this  question  as  applying  to  a 
purely  vocational  course  or  something 
theoretical  apart  from  practical  home- 
making.  In  counting  the  replies  for 
this  question  the  spirit  of  the  letter 
was  interpreted  liberally,  and  all  who 
seemed  to  favor  home-making  instruc- 
tion were  listed  as  on  the  affirmative 
side.  Only  three  expressed  no  definite 
preference.  Thirty-seven  favored  in- 
struction in  practical  domestic  science 
for  all  girls.  Four  were  definitely 
against  it,  and  three  suggested  includ- 
ing the  boys. 

Question  3.  In  answering  this  ques- 
tion, a  good  deal  of  emotional  reaction 


FROM  OUR  MAIL 


Duluth,  Minnesota 

I  want  to  thank  you  for  sending  me 
"The  Lantern"  which  I  enjoy  every 
quarter.  It  is  so  good  to  get  news  of 
dear  old  Perkins  from  which  I  gradu- 
ated in  June  1895.  I  was  delighted 
when  I  learned  last  June,  just  after  the 
Alumnae  meeting,  that  those  ugly 
stone  posts  in  the  girls'  cloister  were  to 
disappear.  You  have  made  some  fine 
improvements  in  your  short  term  of 
four  years,  and  the  desks  are  a  boon  to 
the  girls  I  think. 

Sr.  Marie  Therese,  Ord.  Carm. 


Turkey 

I  cannot  express  to  you  how  thankful 
I  am  for  having  sent  me  the  braille 
typewriter  and  slates.  I  am  writing 
this  to  you  on  it  and  am  learning  to 
write  on  the  slate.  I  shall  copy  stories 
in  Turkish  for  the  Turkish  School  for 
the  Blind.  My  brother  also  writes  on 
the  typewriter  quite  well.  God  bless 
you  for  your  kindness  to  us. 

Nesimi  Alpagut. 

was  expressed,  ranging  from  the  girl 
who  craved  music  but  was  denied  it  be- 
cause of  "supposed  lack  of  ability"  to 
those  who  wanted  only  enough  musical 
knowledge  to  enjoy  listening  to  good 
programs  but  who  had  been  subjected 
to  years  of  drudgery  at  the  piano. 
Seven  advocated  a  full  program  of  mu- 
sical training  for  all,  irrespective  of 
tastes  and  ability.  Five  said  no  music 
for  those  without  talent,  but  do  not 
explain  how  to  discover  the  lack  of  the 
necessary  talent.  Seventeen  said  to 
teach  everyone  enough  for  his  own  en- 
joyment and  that  of  his  friends  and 
family.  Six  wanted  appreciation  courses 
for  all.  Four  suggested  the  use  of 
more  informal  instruments  such  as 
harmonicas,  and  three  would  have  only 
chorus  for  the  ungifted. 


SAMUEL  GRIDLEY  HOWE 

The  First  Director 
By  Anna  Gardner  Fish 

WHAT  can  we  note  of  Dr.  Samuel  Gridley  Howe  which  has 
not  already  many  times  been  stated?    His  is  a  remark- 
able instance  of  how,  in  spite  of  Shakespeare's  assertion, 
the  good  that  a  man  does  may  live  long  after  him,  but  especially 
so  when  his  activities  have  been  so  widespread  and  many-sided  as 
to  catch  the  imagination  of  his  compeers  and  serve 


as  a  torch  on  their  on- 

his  own  gifted  wife 

have  been  able  to 

sonality  and  the 

achieveme  n  t  s      t 

inspiring 
Mr.   A  n  a  g- 

law    and    our 

tor,  who  paid 

u  t  e     to    Dr. 

did    work    for 

followed   closely  1 

was     intensely   ' 

in  connection  with 

t  e  n  a  r  y,  in  1901, 

bration    in    Tremont 
Association  of  Perkins 
Day     of     Remembrance, 


ward  march  and  when 
and  daughters 
keep  alive  his  per- 
knowledge  of  his 
through    their 
chronicles, 
nos,  his  son-in- 
second     direc- 
constant   trib- 
Howe's     splen- 
the    blind    and 
in  his  footsteps, 
gratified     when, 
Dr.    Howe's    cen- 
with  its  fine  cele- 
Temple,  the  Alumnae 
Institution  established  a 
which  has  been  annually 


observed  ever  since  at  about  the  time  of  Dr.  Howe's  anniversary, 
November  10.  Similar  action  had  long  since  been  taken  by  the 
deaf  in  memory  of  Dr.  Gallaudet,  their  leader,  and  Mr.  Anagnos 
felt  it  most  appropriate  that  such  commemoration  of  Dr.  Howe 
should  become  a  yearly  custom.  At  the  same  time  a  club  com- 
posed of  the  older  boys  of  the  school  was  re-christened  the  Howe 
Memorial  Club,  to  Mr.  Anagnos'  great  satisfaction,  and  it  has  func- 
tioned from  that  day  to  this  as  a  helpful  and  uplifting  influence  in 
the  school.  Mr.  Anagnos  himself  had  assigned  the  name  Howe 
Memorial  Press  to  the  printing  fund  which  he  created  in  1880; 
the  name  "Howe  Building"  was  bestowed  upon  the  brick  school 
building  in  the  girls'  department  at  South  Boston,  before  removal 

Continued  on  Page  8 
—  3  — 


W.  P.  A.  MAP  PROJECT 

TO  PROVIDE  EMBOSSED  MAPS  for  all  schools  for  the  blind 
in  this  country  W  P  A  was  asked  for  an  appropriation  which 
has  just  been  approved  by  the  authorities  at  Washington. 
Earlier  in  the  year  a  Boston  newspaper  proposed  that  maps  of  Bos- 
ton be  made  for  the  blind  as  a  W  PA  project.  When  our  advice 
was  asked  we  sought  the  opinions  of  blind  friends  and  found  that 
the  proposed  maps  would  be  of  little  use  and  the  expenditure  of 
the  money  involved  hardly  justified.  As  a  counter  proposal  we 
suggested  that  a  few  maps  of  Boston  be  made  but  that  the  main 
work  be  the  embossing  of  maps  of  all  states  and  countries.  For 
some  years  Perkins,  through  the  Home  Memorial  Press,  has  pro- 
vided such  maps,  but  the  present  plates  are  small  and  still  have 
the  notations  in  American  braille.  The  new  plates  will  be  22  x  28 
inches  and  will  have  notations  and  directions  in  revised  braille. 

The  plan  as  approved  at  Washington  calls  for  the  making  of 
atlases  consisting  of  ten  volumes  containing  about  three  hundred 
maps,  geographical  and  historical,  with  a  page  of  notes  for  each 
map.  Separate  sheets  of  all  maps  will  be  run  off  so  that  they  will 
be  available  for  class  use. 

While  officially  sponsored  by  the  Massachusetts  Division  of  the 
Blind,  the  entire  project  will  be  under  the  technical  direction  of  the 
Howe  Memorial  Press,  and  the  work  will  be  done  at  Perkins.  The 
project  as  it  develops  will  give  employment  to  from  fifteen  to  twenty 
men  for  several  months.  Under  the  present  appropriation  it  will  be 
possible  to  present  a  complete  set  of  maps  to  each  school  for  the 
blind.  The  maps  will  not  be  available  until  next  fall.  Schools 
wishing  more  than  one  set  of  maps  may  have  extra  copies  made  for 
the  cost  of  the  materials  if  application  is  made  at  this  time. 

CHAPEL  SPEAKERS 

SPEAKERS  for  the  chapel  exercises  on  Monday  mornings  of 
this  term  have  been  provided  by  the  Girls'  and  Boys'  Councils. 
Interesting  talks  have  been  given  on  such  varied  subjects  as : 
Edward  VIII,  A  Visit  to  a  Police  Station,  The  History  of  the  Cal- 
endar, Maple  Sugar-Making  and  Boy  Scouts.  On  the  six  Wednes- 
day mornings  preceding  the  Easter  vacation  the  heads  of  all  the 
churches  in  Watertown  come  in  turn  to  speak  to  the  pupils  at  the 
chapel  exercises.  The  readiness  of  these  busy  clergymen  to  make 
this  annual  visit  is  greatly  appreciated. 

—  4  — 


SWIMMING  AT  PERKINS 

SWIMMING  has  long  been  enjoyed  by  the  boys  and  girls  of 
Perkins  and  the  pool  in  Howe  Building  gives  opportunity  for 
this  fine  form  of  exercise  throughout  the  school  year.  Recently 
two     improvements  ^^^^^^^^  have    been    made   to 

the     pool     which  ,  v>  t^^.       make  it  more   de- 

sirable.    A  new       ^A  II      |^^      cleaning  system 

has    been    in-       JB^^AL  *MUk         ^^      stalled  where- 

b  y       e  a  c  h       £  ^^i  ji     L^^^%      morning      a 

v  a  c  u  u  m        MW  jn|  Ib^       sweep  er 

is  run  over       ^wJ/L  ^HHHtf^  *^k     ^e  D0^om 

sucking  up    Ay^H  ■     any  dirt 

which      fljifeh^  m  H     may  have 

accumu  -      m     ^^^^%       rl^^^^^^^JB  1|     lated    in 

the    pool      fl  -'^  W  T^^m^^l     JP         H     anc*    se^~ 

tied   to     m  K,    "^^Jr  ^L*JP  HI     the    bot- 

torn  dur-  w^^k  1  ^  *A^B  ^r    ^  "lg"     ^ne 

night.  A  ^^^  ^'$feT      JP$"      %^»  c^v* n  *u  ' 

boar  d,  nLi|  Ik.1  guarded 

by  brass  ^HL?  fc^""  ra^s  an(^ 

non  -  s  1  ip     %(&\^|       STil     HRMtt    yjfl  W  fabric,  has 

been  erect-      ^^WML  |  W  JK&k  r\     ^*  e<^    a^    ^ne 

deep     end.      ^M  ^▼^B      Sk  ^  *^ffll    w      ^  h  e     new 

board  has  ere-      ^H W M^  M.  W^  JfflB    ^^       a^€<^    a    ^resn 

interest    in    the      ^^M  &TJI     ^^    s^^    °^    living. 

Competitive  meets       ^^^  WL  ^^r  held     throughout 

the   year   add   zest   to  ^^^^^^^  the    sport    of    swim- 

ming. From  time  to  time  our  Boy  Scouts  invite  brother  troops  to 
meet  with  them  and  the  chance  for  a  swim  in  the  pool  is  a  great 
lure  to  bring  other  boys  to  Perkins.  The  pool  is  also  used  by  the 
physiotherapists  for  corrective  exercises  needed  by  some  of  the 
pupils.  Indeed  the  swimming  pool  is  one  of  our  greatest  assets 
and  most  appreciated. 

THE  BOYS  ANNUAL  PLAY 

(CT^HE  MUSIC  MASTER",  the  famous  play  by  Charles  Klein, 
immortalized  through  the  brilliant  acting  of  David  War- 
field,  has  been  selected  as  the  boys'  play  for  this  year. 

Three  members  of  the  Harvard  Class  will  assist  the  boys  by  taking 

—  5  — 


the  female  parts.  The  principal  male  characters  will  be  acted  by 
William  Neuwirth,  John  di  Francesco  and  Bertrand  Chombeau. 
Eleven  other  boys  will  complete  the  cast. 

Other  boys  are  engaged  in  selling  tickets  and  in  other  duties 
connected  with  so  large  a  project.  The  play  will  be  presented  in 
Dwight  Hall  on  Friday  evening,  April  3  and  Saturday  afternoon, 
April  4.  The  school  will  close  for  the  Easter  Vacation  late  Friday 
afternoon  and  it  is  hoped  that  many  parents  and  friends  will  come 
to  the  play  on  Friday  night  taking  their  boys  and  girls  home  with 
them  after  the  performance. 

THE  MAY  MEETINGS 

MEETINGS  held  in  May  last  year  for  the  members  of  the 
Corporation  and  for  the  state  officials  responsible  for  the 
blind  were  so  appreciated  that  it  is  planned  to  repeat  them 
this  year.     Instead  of  duplicating  the  program  for  the  various 
states'  officials,  however,  we  are  going  to  have  a  special  group 
whose  coming  will  be  of  unusual  importance. 

On  Wednesday,  May  27,  the  members  of  the  New  England 
Ophthalmological  Society  are  to  be  our  guests.  A  program  of  in- 
terest to  "eye  specialists"  is  being  prepared,  and  Dr.  Lewis  H. 
Carris,  Managing  Director  of  the  National  Society  for  the  Preven- 
tion of  Blindness  is  to  be  the  speaker. 

On  Thursday,  the  special  spring  meeting  of  the  Corporation 
will  be  held,  with  a  program  showing  the  activities  of  the  Boys' 
Upper  School. 

WALK  OF  FAME 

A  WALK  OF  FAME  is  one  of  the  interesting  features  of  Rol- 
lins College  in  Florida.  Each  stone  in  the  walk  comes  from 
the  home  of  a  famous  person.  Two  people  whose  names 
are  intimately  associated  with  Perkins  Institution  are  to  be  com- 
memorated in  this  walk.  A  granite  stone  taken  from  the  old 
building  in  South  Boston,  inscribed  with  the  names  of  Samuel  Grid- 
ley  Howe  and  Julia  Ward  Howe,  has  been  sent  to  Rollins  College 
to  be  placed  in  the  walk.  The  placing  of  this  stone  has  been  ar- 
ranged through  the  interest  of  Mrs.  Cora  L.  Gleason,  our  former 
school  visitor. 


—  6  — 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


The  Spring:  Concert  of  the  Chorus  is 
to  be  held  this  year  on  Sunday  after- 
noon, May  17,  in  the  Auditorium  at 
Wellesley  College,  under  the  auspices 
of  the  music  department  of  the  col- 
lege. 


Two  articles  recently  written  by  the 
Director  are  now  available  in  reprint 
form:  "The  Blind  Mentally  Retarded 
in  America"  from  the  English  paper 
The  New  Beacon;  and  "Hereditary 
Blindness"  from  The  Sight-Saving;  Re- 


The  annual  report  has  recently  been 
printed  and  copies  may  be  obtained  by 
any  who  are  interested.  A  smaller  edi- 
tion containing  the  Trustees'  and  the 
Director's  reports  and  all  the  illustra- 
tions used  in  the  Report  has  also  been 
printed. 


Joseph  Iannace,  a  deaf -blind  pupil  of 
the  School  for  the  Blind  in  Over  brook, 
Pennsylvania,  and  his  teacher  Mrs. 
Keene  are  the  guests  of  the  Deaf -Blind 
Department  until  the  Easter  Vacation. 
Joseph  has  come  to  Perkins  to  take  ad- 
vantage of  our  methods  of  speech 
training. 


A  new  deaf-blind  pupil,  five-year-old 
Patrick  Quealy  of  Lowell,  Massachu- 
setts has  been  admitted  to  the  depart- 
ment. 


Recent  visitors  at  the  school  have 
been:  Col.  Morris  Frank  of  the  Seeing 
Eye  at  Morristown,  New  Jersey;  Mr. 
H.  J.  Vallentyne,  the  new  head  of  the 
School  for  the  Blind  at  Brantford, 
Ontario;  Mr.  Frederick  Fraser,  son  of 
the  late  Sir  Frederick  Fraser,  head  of 
the  School  for  the  Blind  in  Halifax; 
Mrs.  G.  Ross  Thomas  of  the  School  for 
the  Blind  in  Bombay,  India;  and  groups 
of  teachers  from  Overbrook  and  Con- 
necticut. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Mrs.  Cora  L.  Gleason,  our  retired 
home  visitor,  broke  her  ankle  while  vis- 
iting in  Florida.  She  is  making  a  good 
recovery  and  by  warm  weather  ought 
to  be  able  to  return  home. 


A  Letter  from  Montevideo  brought 
the  sad  news  of  the  death  of  Tateos 
Mukhdjian.  Tateos  was  an  Armenian 
boy  who  came  here  from  Greece,  grad- 
uated and  then  took  the  Harvard 
Course.  Unable  to  return  to  Greece, 
he  went  to  South  America  where  his 
family  now  lives,  and  set  up  a  poultry 
farm.  On  January  6,  a  hurricane  de- 
molished a  chicken  house  burying  Ta- 
teos in  the  wreckage.  He  was  so  seri- 
ously injured  that  he  died  on  January 
16. 


Harvard  University  has  just  received 
a  collection  of  unusual  playing  cards 
consisting  of  nearly  four  thousand  dif- 
ferent decks.  They  were  collected  by 
Mr.  Albert  Thorndike,  our  late  Treas- 
urer and  bequeathed  by  him  to  the 
University. 


Mrs.  Marjorie  F.  Piatt,  leader  of 
Troop  8  of  the  Watertown  Girl  Scouts, 
which  is  the  Perkins  troop,  sails  on 
March  18  for  England  to  attend  the 
International  Training  Course  at  Bed- 
ford College,  Regents  Park,  London. 
Mrs.  Piatt  was  selected  by  the  scout 
authorities  to  represent  blind  Girl 
Scouts  of  this  country.  She  expects  to 
return  April  20. 


Miss  Alice  M.  Carpenter,  teacher  in 
the  Ming  Sum  School  for  the  Blind, 
Canton,  China,  has  joined  the  Harvard 
Class,  planning  to  continue  through 
the  first  half  of  next  year  before  re- 
turning to  her  work  in  China. 


Perkins  boys,  in  the  recent  confirma- 
tion class  at  St.  Patrick's  Church,  were 
presented  with  confirmation  medals  by 
Bishop  Spellman.  They  prize  the  beau- 
tiful silver  medals  greatly. 
7  — 


SAMUEL  GRIDLEY  HOWE 

Continued  from  Page  3 

to  Watertown  made  it  fitting  to  give  that  name  to  the  adminis- 
tration building  here;  and  the  Howe  Reading  Club  has  long  flour- 
ished in  the  girls'  department  on  a  high  plane  of  thought  and 
achievement.  A  school  in  South  Boston  bore  the  same  honored 
name,  and  a  Howe  Memorial  Committee  has  sought  to  connect  this 
designation  with  a  park  or  playground  development  in  the  same 
suburb. 

It  seems  safe  to  affirm  that  Dr.  Howe's  name  will  never  be 
lost  to  fame  or  dissociated  from  our  school.  Many  are  the  biog- 
raphies and  other  literary  works  which  add  to  our  information  in 
regard  to  this  remarkable  man,  but  we  like  best  the  intimate 
touches,  the  personal  anecdotes,  which  his  daughters  have  pre- 
served for  us  in  their  genial,  witty  books  and  in  the  talks  which 
they,  as  well  as  their  mother,  Mrs.  Julia  Ward  Howe,  and  the  doc- 
tor's staunch  friend  and  biographer,  Mr.  Frank  B.  Sanborn,  have 
given  to  us  so  delightfully  through  many  years'  observances  of 
Dr.  Howe's  birthday. 

The  way  in  which  he  flung  his  young  manhood  into  the  Gre- 
cian struggle  for  independence  and,  later,  his  mission  in  distrib- 
uting relief  to  the  Cretan  refugees ;  his  pre-eminent  labors  in  the 
education  of  the  blind,  and  his  efforts  in  behalf  of  the  deaf  and  of 
the  feeble-minded,  in  whose  betterment  he  was  a  pioneer  worker, 
and  of  public  school  advancement;  his  interest  in  the  insane,  in 
prison  reform  and  in  the  anti-slavery  cause;  his  service  on  the 
Sanitary  Commission  at  the  time  of  the  Civil  War,  to  the  Massa- 
chusetts Board  of  State  Charities,  and  as  a  trustee  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts General  Hospital, — all  these  concerns  picture  for  us  a 
vivid  character,  a  leader  possessing  both  "the  seeing  eye  and  the 
helping  hand,"  unstinting  in  his  service  to  his  fellow-beings  and 
intensely  alive  to  all  forward  movements.  His  lifework  has  been 
said  to  have  been  the  laying  of  foundations,  and  upon  them  what 
edifices  of  beneficence  have  been  built  and  are  still  building!  "Men 
had  to  follow  where  such  a  man  directed,"  said  one  of  his  eulogists. 
Indeed,  in  many  a  diversified  field  of  endeavor  must  have  arisen  the 
same  sigh  of  relief  with  which  Dr.  Fisher  hailed  the  dawning  upon 
his  inner  and  outer  vision  of  this  man  as  destined  educator  of  the 
blind, — "Here  is  Howe,  the  very  man  we  have  been  looking  for 
all  this  time." 

—  8  — 


The  Lantern 


THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  V.  NO.  4  JUNE  15.  1936 

The  Peril  of  Pensions 

THE  PRESIDENT  has  requested  $8,000,000  to  be  expended  for 
the  blind  next  year  under  the  Social  Security  Act.  This  sum 
will  be  doubled  by  contributions  from  the  states.  Accompany- 
ing the  request  was  a  statement  that  of  the  100,000  blind  persons  in 
this  country  32,000  are  now  receiving  aid  and  that  next  year  64,000 
will  receive  pensions  averaging  $20  a  month.  This  means  that  two- 
thirds  of  the  blind  will  become  beneficiaries  of  the  government. 

Some  people  hail  this  as  a  great  boon  but  others  look  upon  it  with 
grave  misgivings.  At  Perkins  we  are  deeply  concerned,  for  we  fear 
that  acceptance  of  the  principle,  that  because  a  person  is  blind  he  is 
therefore  entitled  to  governmental  aid,  undermines  the  status  of  the 
blind  which  we  have  been  building  up  for  a  century.  Based  on  the 
conviction  that  the  handicap  of  blindness  can  be  overcome  through 
education  our  constant  goal  has  been  to  prepare  our  pupils  to  take 
a  contributory  place  in  life.  This  conviction  raised  the  status  of  the 
blind  from  the  level  of  charity  to  a  position  of  economic  self-respect 
and  achievement. 

It  is  because  of  our  faith  in  blind  people  that  we  feel  impelled 
to  point  out  the  peril  which  we  foresee.  With  pensions  as  a  legal 
right  when  sight  is  gone,  is  there  not  danger  of  reverting  from  con- 
tributory citizens  to  a  class  receiving  special  privilege?  Above  all 
else,  we  fear  that  the  social  security  sought  may  demand  the  high 
price  of  economic  self-respect.    There  is  peril  in  this! 


^clJhuJ ^aA/rj^ 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown,  Massachusetts 
Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President.  GABRIEL  FARRELL,  Director. 


A  LETTER  TO  THE  PRESIDENT 


(  The  Director  received  one  of  the  letters  sent  by  the  President  to  a  group  of  clergymen.  At  the  request  of 
several  people,  parts  of  his  reply  are  printed  here.) 

Dear  Mr.  President: 

Even  though  I  fall  outside  of  the  parish  clergy  for  whom  your  letter  of  Septem- 
ber 23  was  intended,  I  feel  impelled  to  reply  to  the  letter  which  I  received  because 
I  am  in  a  position  to  speak  for  a  group  in  which  I  know  you  are  interested  and 
which  is  deeply  concerned  over  the  successful  workings  of  the  Social  Security  Legis- 
lation. As  you  know,  this  Legislation  calls  for  $3,000,000.00*  to  be  available 
annually  for  the  blind  to  augment  appropriations  made  by  the  different  states. 
This  large  provision  for  a  distinct  class  presents  problems  which  are  perplexing 
those  responsible  for  the  blind.  .  .  .  One  hundred  years  ago  this  school  was  founded 
on  a  new  principle — that  the  blind  through  education,  could  take  a  contributory 
place  in  our  social  and  economic  life.  This  principle  transformed  the  status  of 
those  without  sight  from  the  recipients  of  charity  to  that  of  self-respecting  citizens. 

Along  with  the  building  up  of  a  program  of  education  that  would  sustain  the 
blind  in  this  status  we  have  labored  to  make  the  seeing  world  accept  a  man  without 
sight  and  his  work  not  because  of  his  handicap  but  because  of  the  good  quality  of  his 
handicraft.  .  .  .  Temporary  relief  may  be  necessary  now  as  it  is  for  so  many  non- 
handicapped  people,  but  I  am  concerned  over  the  provision  for  money  payments 
for  the  blind  as  assured  by  this  legislation  as  a  permanent  right  provided  by  law.  .  .  . 
Acceptance  of  the  pension  as  a  right  established  by  law  for  all  without  sight  upsets 
the  principles  for  which  schools  like  Perkins  have  fought  for  over  a  century.  It 
may  assure  the  sightless  of  security  but  it  robs  them  of  their  self-respect. 

The  problem  affects  educators  of  the  blind  because  if  this  new  attitude  is  to 
prevail,  we  may  have  to  change  our  goal  from  equipping  for  contributory  service  to 
one  which  provides  the  mere  rudiments  of  learning  with  emphasis  on  avocations 
to  while  away  leisure  hours,  days,  and  lives.  For  such  preparation  we  are  not  justi- 
fied in  continuing  our  course  in  special  methods  and  appliances  and  a  program  of 
study  which  bears  comparison  with  the  best  school  systems.  But,  over  and  above 
equipment  and  costs  is  the  undermining  of  ambition  and  the  frustration  of  the  desire 
of  blind  people  to  make  places  for  themselves  in  the  seeing  world.  Those  of  us 
who  are  charged  with  the  responsibility  of  maintaining  the  educational  principle 
of  contribution  and  of  building  up  a  right  attitude  on  the  part  of  the  seeing  world 
toward  the  blind  will  not  lightly  suffer  this  change  which  would  bring  the  plight 
of  the  blind  back  to  where  it  was  a  century  ago.  .  .  . 

I  am  aware  that  you  can  say  that  the  first  thought  in  providing  "money  pay- 
ments to  permanently  blind  individuals"  is  to  alleviate  conditions  among  the  adult 
blind.  With  sixty-five  per  cent  of  those  without  sight  over  fifty  years-  of  age  there 
is  unquestioned  need  for  financial  aid  in  many  cases.  But  second  thought  reveals 
the  temptation  to  seek  security  without  struggle  and  the  opening  of  the  door  for 
special  privilege  to  a  group,  appealing  to  the  public,  but  who  in  accord  with  ability 
and  training  ought  to  be  enabled  to  retain  their  self-respect  by  finding  opportunity 
to  render  their  share  of  service,  which  through  education  generously  provided  they 
have  proved  able  to  do.  .  .  . 

One  more  point  I  beg  to  stress.  If  the  blind  are  driven  to  this  last  resort  it 
will  be  because  the  seeing  world  is  evading  a  responsibility.  Blindness  is  a  blot 
that  can  be  effaced  and  the  conscience  of  any  nation  because  of  its  presence  cannot 
be  salved  by  the  most  generous  pensions.  Those  now  without  sight  must  be  judged 
not  by  what  they  have  lost  but  by  what  they  can  do,  and  self-respecting  opportunity 
must  be  provided  for  them  to  take  a  contributory  place  in  our  social  and  economic 
life. 

Yours  respectfully, 

Gabriel  Farrell,  Director. 


*For  1937  this  sum  has  been  increased  to  eight  million  dollars. 

—  2  — 


THE  WHEELWRIGHT  BELLS 

By  Anna  Gardner  Fish 

ONE  of  the  delightful  and  unexpected  gifts  which  have  come  to 
Perkins  is  a  set  of  eight  English  bells,  presented  in  memory  of 
her  husband  by  Mrs.  Andrew  C.  Wheelwright,  granddaughter 
of  Col.  Thomas  Handasyd  Perkins  for  whom  our  institution  is  named. 

They  were  cast  by  the  London  firm  of  Mears  and  Stainbank  and 
are  arranged  both  for  chiming,  which  produces  the  sound  by  the 
blow  of  an  exterior  hammer  and  which  can  be  well  done  by  one  of 
our  own  pupils,  and  for  pealing,  which  involves  the  use  of  the  interior 
clappers  and  which  is  often  performed  in  some  of  the  40,320  possible 
changes  by  eight  English  bell-ringers,  who  keep  alive  through  their 
own  interested  efforts  this  special  art,  almost  unknown  in  this  country. 

The  bells  arrived  here  December  11,  1912,  and  for  a  few  days, 
before  being  hoisted  to  the  tower,  they  remained  in  the  museum, 
where  they  were  examined  in  detail  by  our  pupils,  older  and  younger, 
and  their  inscriptions,  carefully  chosen  by  Mrs.  Wheelwright  and  the 
architect  of  our  buildings,  Mr.  R.  Clipston  Sturgis,  and  embossed  in 
Roman  letters,  were  traced  by  exploring  fingers.  The  bells  vary  in 
weight  from  700  to  2200  pounds ;  they  are  in  the  pitch  of  E  and  in  the 
natural  scale.  A  friend  of  Mrs.  Wheelwright,  an  expert  and  enthu- 
siast on  the  subject  of  bells,  Dr.  Arthur  H.  Nichols  of  Boston,  gave 
personal  attention  to  all  details  connected  with  the  chimes  and  put 
us  in  touch  with  the  bell-ringers,  who  were  frequent  visitors  in  the 
first  few  years  but  are  less  so  now  that  several  other  carillons  have 
been  installed  in  different  towns  of  Massachusetts. 

Every  Sunday  morning  during  the  school  year  one  of  our  boys 
plays  hymn-tunes  for  a  half -hour  on  the  bells ;  they  are  chimed  while 
audiences  are  assembling  for  public  concerts ;  they  are  sometimes 
used  as  a  prelude  to  a  concert  number ;  and  they  herald  the  assembling 
for  morning  chapel  exercises  during  the  Christmas  season.  Once 
they  were  pealed  half-muffled,  in  a  strangely  beautiful  poignancy  of 
wind-blown  rhythm,  in  memory  of  a  pupil  who  had  died;  and  once 
in  a  summer  month  we  were  asked  to  have  them  chimed  during  the 
funeral  services  for  a  neighbor  across  the  Charles  River,  who  had 
long  enjoyed  their  musical  tones,  and  we  were  glad  to  have  this  done. 

Thus,  the  Wheelwright  bells  fill  an  important  niche  among  our 
treasured  possessions,  and  their  clear  tones  would  be  greatly  missed 
if  they  should  be  silenced. 

—  3  — 


At  this  table 

in  the 

Board  Room 

every  problem  pertaining- 

to  a  pupil, 
whether  about  admission, 

correction,  adjustment, 

placement,  or  dismissal,  is 

carefully  considered  at 

regular  meetings 

by  these  members  of  the 

Department  of  Personnel 


THE  HARVARD  CLASS 

FOR  fifteen  years  the  Harvard  Course  has  grown  under  the  leader- 
ship of  Dr.  Allen  and  Miss  Langworthy.     During  that  time  two 

hundred  and  nineteen  persons  from  seventeen  different  countries 
and  thirty-one  states  have  been  trained  for  work  with  the  blind.  This 
year  will  mark  the  close  of  the  active  service  of  Miss  Langworthy. 
She  is  to  retire  at  the  end  of  the  present  school  year  after  forty-four 
years  of  association  with  Perkins  Institution. 

Miss  Langworthy's  duties  as  tutorial  guide  for  the  Harvard  Class 
and  leader  of  the  Special  Methods  Class  will  be  assumed  by  Miss 
Genevieve  M.  Haven.  For  thirteen  years  Miss  Haven  has  been  a 
teacher  in  the  Girls'  Upper  School.  She  is  a  graduate  of  Tufts  College 
and,  starting  with  the  Harvard  Course,  has  earned  the  degree  of 
Master  of  Education  at  Harvard  University.  With  this  training  and 
experience  she  is  unusually  well-qualified  for  her  new  duties,  which 
she  will  take  up  in  September.  We  are  indeed  happy  and  fortunate 
to  have  Dr.  Allen  continue  in  charge  of  the  Harvard  Course. 


SS  LANGWORTHY 


W 


OTHER  STAFF  RETIREMENTS 

ITH  a  record  of  service  almost  as  long  as  that 
of  Miss  Langworthy,  Miss  Wilhelmina  R. 
Humbert  is  to  retire  as  the  kindergartner  in 
Bradlee  Cottage.  For  thirty-six  years  Miss  Humbert 
has  had  charge  of  the  youngest  girls.  Many  of  her 
children  are  now  grown  up.     In  the  Upper  School  are 

—  4  — 


Left  to  right  are: 

Francis  M.   Andrews,  Jr.,  Principal 

Dr.  Elizabeth  M.  Hincks,  Psychologist 

Sina  V.  Waterhouse,  Speech  Correction 

Ruth  E.  Douglass,  Home  Visitor 

Charlotte  A.  Healy,  Physiotherapist 

Ruth  Holt,  Resident  Nurse 

Elsie  H.  Simonds,  Supervisor  of  Girls 

M.  Albertina  Eastman,  Speech  Correction 

Thelma    E.   Peirce,    Physiotherapist 

Janet  H.  Cairns,  Psychometrist  and 

Secretary  of   the   Department 

and  Dr.  Gabriel  Farrell,  Director. 


five  girls  who  have  been  together  ever  since  they  were  in  the  kinder- 
garten with  Miss  Humbert,  in  1922.  At  the  end  of  this  school  year 
the  group  will  be  broken  because  one  girl  is  graduating  and  Miss  Hum- 
bert is  retiring. 

After  twelve  years  of  faithful  service  as  physiotherapist,  Miss 
Charlotte  A.  Healy  is  retiring  from  her  work.  Other  resignations  at 
the  close  of  this  year  are :  Miss  Miriam  F.  Hoard  of  the  Upper  School, 
Miss  Fleda  F.  Chamberlain  of  the  Lower  School,  Miss  Katherine  M. 
Lowe,  Matron  of  May  Cottage,  and  Miss  Mary  E.  Stevens,  House 
Mother  of  Anagnos  Cottage. 

THE  HERB  GARDEN 

A  GARDEN  of  sweet  smelling  herbs  has  been  laid  out  at  the 
upper  end  of  the  Girls'  Close  in  front  of  Bennett  Cottage.  Two 
areas  on  either  side  of  the  front  door  have  been  prettily  ar- 
ranged and  herbs  of  some  fifty  varieties  are  being  planted  there. 
This  garden  has  been  made  possible  by  a  gift  which  has  come  to  us 
through  Miss  Eleanor  H.  Lovett.  Mrs.  Herbert  G.  Low, 
who  was  widely  known  through  her  establishment  of 
the  Lowthorpe  School  of  Landscape  Architecture  for 
Women  at  Groton,  directed  in  her  will  that  her  engage- 
ment ring  be  sold  and  the  proceeds  used  to  benefit  the 
blind.  Miss  Lovett,  in  consultation  with  us,  felt  that 
this  garden  would  be  a  beautiful  form  of  memorial  for 
Mrs.  Low  and  one  which  our  pupils  would  especially 
enjoy. 

—  5  — 


MISS  HUMBERT 


O 


SPRING  SPORTS 

THE  BOYS'  TRACK  TEAM  has  had  a  most  successful  season, 
winning  every  meet.  The  intercottage  meet  on  Saturday, 
May  2,  was  won  by  Moulton  Cottage.  On  Saturday,  May  9,  the 
Baltimore  Team  went  down  to  defeat  and  on  the  following  Saturday 
the  New  York  School  Team  did  likewise.  On  Saturday,  May  30,  our 
team  went  to  Overbrook,  winning  over  Philadelphia  and  Connecticut. 
Perhaps  the  most  interesting  meet  this  year  was  with  the  Watertown 
High  School  when  our  track  team  won  a  victory  with  39 V2  points 
against  15!/2  points  for  the  seeing  boys. 

"BETTER  THAN  BOONDOGGLING" 

THIS  is  the  headline  of  an  editorial  in  the  "Philadelphia  Bulletin" 
describing  the  WPA  project  of  map  making  which  is  actively 
going  on  in  the  Howe  Building.  Between  forty  and  fifty  per- 
sons, about  twelve  of  whom  are  blind,  are  busily  employed  making 
these  embossed  maps.  As  stated  in  the  last  issue  of  "The  Lantern", 
the  project  calls  for  the  making  of  about  four  hundred  and  fifty  plates 
including  geographical,  historical,  and  economic  maps  of  the  world. 
The  maps  are  to  be  bound  in  ten  volumes,  one  set  of  which  will  be 
distributed  to  every  school  for  the  blind. 

An  exhibit  showing  the  types  of  maps  and  how  they  are  made 
was  sent  to  an  exhibition  of  WPA  projects  in  Washington  last  month. 
This  exhibit  proved  to  be  one  of  the  most  unique  of  the  large  number 
displayed  and  the  Washington  authorities  have  asked  to  hold  it  over 
to  send  it  through  the  country. 

The  Philadelphia  editorial  also  states,  "There  has  never  been 
money  enough  in  all  the  funds  devoted  to  the  welfare  of  the  blind  to 
afford  all  the  things  needed.  The  problem  of  WPA  has  been  to  find 
something  worthy  of  its  funds.  In  this  case  the  WPA  expenditure 
has  been  joined  to  a  worthy  cause  and  the  money  will  be  well  spent. 
.  .  .  The  Perkins  Institution  WPA  project  is  one  that  will  never  be 
called  'boondoggling'." 

LOWER  SCHOOL  SUPERIORITY 

A  BOY  in  the  Primary  Department  knows  that  the  Lower  School 
is  superior  to  any  other  school,  and  recently  told  why  in  these 
words:  "You  know  in  public  schools  they  don't  take  up  with 
units.    They  don't  have  Greeks,  and  Romans  and  Vitamins !" 

—  6  — 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 

At  the  National  Convention  of  the 
Teachers  of  Penmanship  held  in  Bos- 
ton in  March,  Miss  Woodworth  ar- 
ranged an  exhibit  of  squarehand  writ- 
ing by  our  pupils.  This  exhibit  at- 
tracted wide  attention. 


Miss  Alice  Stewart,  a  graduate  of 
Perkins  who  is  now  in  charge  of  the 
library  in  the  Lower  School  has  many 
engagements  for  story-telling.  Recent- 
ly she  gave  a  puppet  show  at  the  Boys' 
and  Girls'  Bookshop  in  Boston. 


A   Western   Electric    Audiometer   has 

been  purchased  and  set  up  in  the  Eye 
Clinic  Room.  It  is  to  be  used  in  test- 
ing the  hearing  of  all  pupils,  and  to 
check  progress  being  made  with  hard- 
of-hearing  children  through  stimula- 
tion by  methods  used  in  the  Deaf- 
Blind  Department. 


Helen  Siefert,  the  little  deaf-blind 
girl  who  came  to  Perkins  from  Nebras- 
ka two  years  ago,  returned  home  in 
May  with  her  teacher,  Miss  Margaret 
Hosher.  During  her  stay  here  Helen 
was  taught  through  vibration  to  under- 
stand speech  and  to  speak.  She  will 
enter  the  Nebraska  School  for  the  Blind 
next  year. 


Among-  recent  visitors  have  been: 
The  Reverend  Brother  Theodose  of 
Ghent,  Belgium;  Dr.  S.  P.  Chang  of 
the  Peiping  Union  Medical  College;  Dr. 
C.  C.  Yen  of  the  National  Medical  Col- 
lege of  Peiping,  China;  Dr.  J.  Mizuno 
of  the  Japanese  Mission  at  Steveston, 
B.C.;  Mr.  Wilson,  Head  of  the  Train- 
ing School  for  Leaders  of  the  Boy 
Scouts  in  England;  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Ernest 
Whitfield,  Hon.  Treasurer  of  the  Na- 
tional Institute  in  London;  Mr.  Nissan 
Mekler  of  The  Lighthouse  in  Palestine; 
Dr.  Lewis  B.  Carris  of  the  National 
Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Blindness, 
and  Miss  Josephine  B.  Timberlake  of 
the  American  Association  to  Promote 
the  Teaching  of  Speech  to  the  Deaf. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 

"Current  History",  a  magazine  which 
has  been  published  by  the  New  York 
Times  has  been  purchased  by  Merle  C. 
Tracy  who  will  publish  it  hereafter. 
Mr.  Tracy  was  graduated  from  Perkins 
in  1896. 


The  Boston  Nursery  for  Blind  Babies 
has  published  an  attractive  and  com- 
prehensive booklet  entitled  "The  Pre- 
school Blind  Child".  This  is  a  guide 
to  the  care  and  training  of  little  blind 
children.  It  is  admirably  compiled  and 
beautifully  illustrated. 


The  Arthur  Sunshine  Home  and  Nur- 
sery at  Summit,  New  Jersey  has  an- 
nounced its  intention  to  raise  $125,000.00 
to  carry  on  its  program  of  research  in 
the  field  of  the  pre-school  blind  child. 


"The  Teacher  of  the  Blind",  a  maga- 
zine published  in  England,  has  a  long 
review  of  the  recent  Annual  Report  of 
Perkins  which  states:  "This  Annual 
Report  contains  some  very  interesting 
reading,  as  one  would  expect  from  this 
famous  institution.  The  distinguishing 
feature  throughout  is  the  spirit  of  in- 
quiry, new  ideas,  and  the  record  of 
progress.  .  .  .  Perkins  has  a  great  tradi- 
tion and  is  living  up  to  it." 


Education  of  the  Handicapped  is  the 

title  of  an  attractive  booklet  which 
bears  the  imprint  of  Teachers'  College, 
Columbia  University.  The  booklet  lists 
courses  for  the  training  of  teachers  for 
special  fields  including  the  blind,  the 
partially  sighted,  the  deaf,  the  hard  of 
hearing,  the  crippled,  the  mentally 
handicapped,  the  handicapped  in 
speech,  and  the  socially  handicapped. 
These  courses  constitute  a  new  depart- 
ment which  has  been  established  by 
Columbia  and  is  under  the  direction  of 
Dr.  Merle  E.  Frampton,  Principal  of 
the  New  York  Institute  for  the  Educa- 
tion of  the  Blind. 


—  7  — 


GRADUATION,  JUNE  16 

GRADUATION  takes  place  on  Tuesday,  June  16.  The  Lower 
School  promotion  exercises  will  be  held  at  11.00  o'clock.  The 
Upper  School  graduation  exercises  will  be  at  2.00  o'clock.  At 
the  graduation  exercises  the  diplomas  and  certificates  will  be  awarded 
by  Mr.  Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President  of  the  Corporation.  The  com- 
mencement address  will  be  given  by  The  Rev'd.  George  P.  O'Conor, 
Pastor  of  St.  Mary's  Church,  West  Dedham,  and  a  Trustee  of  Perkins. 
The  invocation  will  be  offered  by  The  Rev'd.  F.  King  Singiser,  Minis- 
ter of  the  Baptist  Church  in  Watertown. 

Eight  boys  and  eleven  girls  will  receive  certificates  marking  the 
completion  of  their  work  in  the  Lower  School  and  transfer  to  the 
Upper  School.  Seven  young  women  and  nine  young  men  who  have 
completed  the  requirements  in  the  Upper  School  will  receive  diplomas. 
Certificates  will  also  be  given  to  four  young  men;  two  who  have 
finished  the  Normal  Course  in  the  Music  Department  and  two  who 
have  completed  the  work  in  the  Tuning  Department.  Three  girls 
will  receive  manual  training  certificates. 


Martha  Wolfson,  who  has  been  attending  the  Watertown  High 
School  while  living  at  Perkins,  has  been  accepted  for  admission  to 
Radcliffe  College  in  September.  Helen  Reese,  who  is  graduating  this 
year,  has  been  admitted  to  the  four-year  course  of  the  New  England 
Conservatory  of  Music.  Norman  Case  of  the  graduating  class  plans 
to  enter  Amherst  College,  while  William  Johnson  will  go  to  Gettysburg 
College. 


The  New  England  Conservatory  of  Music  on  June  23  will  grant 
diplomas  to  three  of  our  former  pupils:  Bertrand  Chombeau,  Alfred 
Cormier  and  Hervey  Rainville.  Peter  F.  Campbell,  a  graduate  of  four 
years  ago,  will  receive  his  diploma  from  the  Boston  University  School 
of  Business  Administration.  John  Despres  will  be  graduated  from 
Brown  University. 


Members  of  the  staff  remaining  for  the  summer  and  boys  taking 
the  farming  course  will  live  in  Fisher  Cottage.  Teachers  are  to  return 
Tuesday,  September  15,  and  pupils  the  following  day.  School  will 
reopen  with  chapel  on  Thursday  morning,  September  17. 


The  motto  of  the  graduates  is  "Wie  die  Arbeit,  so  der  Lohn." 

—  8  — 


The  Lantern 


THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  VI.  NO.  1  SEPTEMBER  15.  1936 


Handicap       School  or  Life? 

AN  ENGLISH  educator  of  the  blind  with  whom  I  was  talking 
this  summer  expressed  in  a  striking  way  the  difference  be- 
tween the  English  attitude  toward  those  without  sight  and 
our  own  and  at  the  same  time  implied  a  criticism  of  our  system  which 
must  be  weighed  with  searching  care.  He  said:  "The  trouble  with 
your  program  for  the  blind  is  that  you  look  upon  blindness  as  a 
school  handicap  and  not  as  a  life  handicap.  You  feel  that  if  you  help 
sightless  youth  overcome  this  handicap  in  acquiring  an  adequate 
education  that  he  can  then  find  himself  in  the  economic  world  which 
is  designed  for  seeing  people.  In  England  we  know  that  this  cannot 
be  done  and  our  program  spans  the  life  of  a  person  without  sight." 

It  was  an  interesting  and  valuable  experience  to  be  able  to  ob- 
serve the  English  program  for  the  blind  this  summer,  and  one  cannot 
fail  to  be  impressed  by  the  thoroughness  of  the  care  provided  and 
by  the  high  type  of  men  and  women  engaged  in  this  field.  While 
the  English  leaders  would  be  the  first  to  admit  that  our  schools  are 
superior  both  in  equipment  and  in  educational  standards  the  question 
must  arise  as  to  whether  or  not  the  blind  would  not  be  better  off  in 
the  long  run  if  the  concentration  on  the  school  age  could  be  extended 
so  as  to  provide  a  well  co-ordinated  program  from  birth  or  time  of 
loss  of  sight  through  life.  Hasn't  the  blind  person  as  much  right 
to  demand  from  society  the  same  assurance  of  life  work  as  he  now 
has  of  a  good  education? 


^O^i^f  ^OA/XJ^ 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown,  Massachusetts 
Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President.  GABRIEL  FARRELL,  Director. 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Francis  M.  Andrews,  Principal  of 
Perkins,  has  been  elected  a  member  of 
the  Executive  Committee  of  the  Amer- 
ican Association  of  Instructors  of  the 
Blind. 


Maurine  Nilsson,  a  member  of  last 
year's  Harvard  Class,  has  entered  the 
training  class  at  the  Clarke  School  for 
the  Deaf  to  prepare  for  future  work 
with  the  deaf-blind. 

The  Harvard  Class  for  this  year  will 
consist  of  eight  young  women  and  five 
men.  Two  of  the  men  are  from  Turk- 
ey. Miss  Haven,  who  will  assist  Dr. 
Allen  this  year,  has  been  a  teacher  at 
Perkins  twenty-four  years  and  not 
thirteen  as  stated  in  the  last  issue  of 
The  Lantern. 


Foreign  travellers  this  summer  were 
Dr.  and  Mrs.  Parrell  to  the  British 
Isles;  Miss  Ruth  Holt  to  England, 
Donald  Morgan  to  England  and 
France  and  Miss  Ruth  Douglass  to  the 
West  Indies. 


Congratulations  to  Miriam  F.  Hoard 
on  her  marriage  to  Mr.  Arthur  R. 
Knox,  Jr.;  to  Charlotte  A.  Healy  who 
became  Mrs.  William  C.  Rendall,  and 
to  Esther  G.  Herfurth  who  married 
Bertrand  Chombeau,  Perkins  '33. 


With  deep  regret  we  record  the 
death  during  the  summer  of  Miss  Hel- 
en M.  Abbott,  a  retired  music  teacher; 
Mrs.  Minnie  E.  White,  nutritionist  at 
the  Lower  School;  Miss  Nettie  Caro- 
line Gray,  Perkins  '15,  teacher  of  mu- 
sic at  the  colored  departmet  of  the 
Arkansas  School  for  the  Blind;  Harry 
B.  Hodsdon,  Perkins  '92,  a  successful 
piano  tuner  in  Yarmouth,  Maine, 
Dr.  Francis  I.  Proctor,  ophthalmologist 
from  1893  to  1910  and  a  friend  of  Mr. 
Anagnos  and  John  Small,  who  for 
thirty-eight  years  served  the  school 
faithfully. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President  of  the 
Perkins  Corporation,  has  been  elected 
an  Overseer  of  Harvard  University. 


Dr.  Edward  E.  Allen,  Director  Emer- 
itus, is  to  address  the  New  Hampshire 
Association  for  the  Blind  in  Manches- 
ter on  September  22,  1936. 


Camp  Allen  girls  won  first  prize 
($100)  for  their  "stunt"  at  the  Inter- 
national Lions  Convocation  in  Provi- 
dence, Rhode  Island,  and  were  enter- 
tained at  the  Hotel  Touraine,  Boston, 
by  its  manager  on  their  trips  to  and 
from  Providence. 


William  E.  Powers,  Perkins  '32,  Bos- 
ton University  Law  School  '35,  is  run- 
ning for  the  office  of  senator  in  his 
home  state,  Rhode  Island. 


James  E.  Hannon,  Perkins  '29,  Bos- 
ton University  Law  School  '35,  has  just 
won  a  notable  case  in  the  Massachu- 
setts Superior  Court. 


Roger  Walker,  Perkins  '19,  has  been 
honored  by  being  invited  to  attend  and 
take  part  in  the  Second  North  Ameri- 
can Congress  of  Carillonneurs  to  be 
held  at  The  Peace  Tower,  Houses  of 
Parliament.  Ottawa,  Canada.  Caril- 
lonneurs from  all  over  the  world  will 
be  present.  Mr.  Walker  is,  in  so  far 
as  we  know,  the  only  blind  man  qual- 
ified to  play  a  carillon. 


Mrs.  Winifred  Holt  Mather,  founder 
of  Lighthouses  all  over  the  world,  has 
written  that  she  has  shown  the  film 
depicting  school  life  at  Perkins  in 
Tokyo,  Yokohama,  Osaka,  Kobe  and 
Kyoto,  Japan,  and  has  interested  the 
leaders  of  The  New  Life  Movement  of 
China  in  prevention. 


An  exhibit  of  books  and  appliances 
has  been  requested  for  the  conference 
of  the  Library  Association  of  China  to 
be  held  at  the  National  Library  of  Pei- 
ping. 


—  2  — 


THOMAS  H.  PERKINS 

Whose  Name  We  Bear 

By  Anna  Gardner  Fish 


c 


L0L.  THOMAS  HANDASYD  PERKINS'  inter- 
est in  the  institution  which  was  later  to  bear 
his  name  was  undoubtedly  quickened,  if  not 
initiated,  by  the  overwhelming-  tide  of  public  en- 
thusiasm which  had  inundated  Boston  and  its  en- 
virons about  1833.  In  that  year  the  women  of 
Salem,  Marblehead  and  Newburyport  managed  a 
fair  which  netted  $3000  and,  not  to  be  outdone,  Boston  women  fol- 
lowed with  a  fair  in  Faneuil  Hall  which  produced  $11,000.  These 
were  large  amounts  for  that  day  and  for  such  an  infant  enterprise 
as  a  school  for  the  blind,  lusty  though  it  was  to  prove  itself. 

It  was  just  previous  to  the  latter  fair  that  Col.  Perkins  made  his 
magnificent  offer  of  his  mansion  on  Pearl  Street,  Boston,  to  house 
the  growing  school,  more  than  doubling  his  gift  by  the  proviso  that 
it  must  be  accompanied  by  the  sum  of  $50,000,  to  be  raised  by  sub- 
scription before  the  end  of  May.  This  condition  was  promptly  met, 
and  the  school  was  soon  able  to  establish  itself  anew  and  expand  its 
work  and  service. 

Up  to  this  time,  or  since  August,  1832,  the  few  pupils  had  been 
gathered  in  the  home  of  Dr.  Howe's  parents  on  Pleasant  Street, 
Boston,  but  the  move  to  the  commodious  dwelling,  given  by  Col. 
Perkins,  gave  it  an  assured  position  among  educational  institutions. 
Undoubtedy  it  was  Col.  Perkins'  plan  that  this  should  be  a  permanent 
location  for  the  school,  but  within  the  next  few  years  it  seemed  al- 
ready outgrown.  It  did  not  lend  itself  to  the  separation  and  classifi- 
cation of  the  pupils,  and  a  temporary  stay  in  Cohasset,  while  repairs 
were  made  in  the  Pearl  Street  house,  showed  the  desirability  of  an 
out-of-town  site,  if  possible  near  the  sea. 

Attention  was  drawn  to  the  large  and  substantial  Mount  Wash- 
ington Hotel  which  then  came  into  the  market.  This  commanding 
edifice  stood  high  on  Washington  Heights,  South  Boston,  isolated 
from  any  near  neighbors  and  enjoying  to  the  full  the  salt  breezes 
that  swept  over  the  peninsula;  but  it  had  failed  as  a  hotel.  The 
opportunity  thus  afforded  to  provide  ample  quarters  for  the  expansion 
was  indeed  a  godsend,  and  it  is  to  Col.  Perkins'  everlasting  credit 

Continued  on  Page  8 
—  3  — 


ENGLAND'S  BLIND 

LEAVING  the  day  after  graduation  the  Director  spent  nearly  two 
months  in  England  with  short  visits  to  Scotland  and  Ireland 
observing  work  for  the  blind.  Three  kindergartens,  ten  ele- 
mentary schools,  three  secondary  schools,  six  training  schools,  eleven 
shops  and  nine  special  groups  were  visited  in  eighteen  different  cities. 
In  every  place  he  was  received  with  the  utmost  courtesy  and  each 
activity  had  some  special  interest  which  made  the  visit  quite  worth 
while. 

The  day  after  his  arrival  in  London  (June  25)  the  Director  was 
invited  to  lunch  and  attend  the  afternoon  session  of  a  meeting  of 
the  National  Committee  on  Prevention  of  Blindness  at  which  a  final 
report  on  this  problem  was  presented.  He  spoke  briefly  at  the 
luncheon.  On  the  following  day  he  attended  the  semi-annual  meeting 
of  a  national  committee  on  work  with  the  deaf -blind  and  was  asked 
to  outline  our  work  for  doubly-handicapped  children.  On  July  2 
he  had  lunch  and  a  conference  with  the  government  official  in  charge 
of  special  schools  and  on  July  6  he  attended  an  all-day  conference  on 
massage  as  a  profession  for  the  blind  attended  by  the  officers  of  the 
National  Institute  for  the  Blind  of  London  and  the  leaders  of  the 
Association  Valentin  Hauy,  who  came  from  Paris  for  this  conference. 
In  between,  Dr.  Farrell  visited  schools  for  the  blind  in  and  near  Lon- 
don, and  on  July  7  started  on  a  three-week  motor  trip  which  covered 
the  leading  schools  and  shops  in  England.  Later  he  visited  leaders  of 
the  work  in  Edinburgh,  Glasgow,  Dublin  and  Liverpool. 

England  has  an  extensive  program  for  the  blind  which  extends 
from  birth  to  death.  After  elementary  school  education  which  ends 
at  sixteen  practically  all  pupils  pass  directly  to  training  schools  for 
four  years  of  trade  instruction.  A  few  selected  pupils  go  to  the 
secondary  schools  and  thence  to  the  university.  Upon  completing 
the  training  school  course  most  of  the  trainees  enter  sheltered  work- 
shops while  a  few  take  up  work  at  home  under  the  direction  of  the 
shops.  Under  this  system  every  employable  blind  person  is  assured 
of  work,  the  amount  earned  by  piece  work  being  supplemented  by  a 
governmental  grant  to  the  shop  for  each  blind  person  employed.  At 
the  age  of  fifty  a  blind  person  becomes  eligible  for  an  old  age  pension 
which  begins  for  seeing  people  at  sixty-five.  England  realizes  that 
the  blind  cannot  support  themselves  in  the  economic  world  and 
through  long  experience  has  built  up  this  system  for  the  care  of 
those  without  sight. 

—  4  — 


THE  GARDENING  COURSE 

j^OUR  boys,  one  totally  blind,  remained  at  the  school  all  summer 
to  carry  out  the  practical  part  of  the  course  on  Gardening.  Of 
their  work  Mr.  Coon,  the  instructor,  writes: 

"As  soon  as  possible  the  boys  were  given  their  garden  plots  where  they 
were  to  attain  their  practical  experience.  The  boys  planned  their  own 
gardens  and  the  crops  as  they  now  stand  are  the  result  of  their  planning 
and  work.  During  the  summer  each  boy  helped  as  much  as  possible  in  the 
main  school  garden  and  considerable  assistance  was  given.  The  one  totally 
blind  boy  had  some  difficulty  at  first  in  getting  about  in  his  garden  but 
his  work  improved  considerably  as  he  learned  to  identify  the  various  vege- 
tables and  his  garden  will  stand  comparison  with  the  others,  although  of 
course  it  required  more  than  double  the  time  for  the  achievement  of  this 
result." 


71 


The  Four 

Summer 

Farmers 


SUMMER  BETTERMENTS 

OUTSTANDING  in  the  summer  program  of  betterments  is  the 
installation  of  air  conditioning  in  the  two  main  blocks  of  class- 
rooms in  Howe  Building.  For  some  time  the  ventilation  of 
these  sixteen  rooms  has  been  troublesome  and  after  careful  study  a 
system  which  washes,  heats  and  circulates  the  air  under  thermostatic 
control  has  been  installed.  In  this  building  a  new  room  for  typewrit- 
ing has  been  equipped  with  acoustical  ceiling  and  special  wiring  for 
ediphones.  In  the  Lower  School  new  desks  have  been  built  after 
extensive  research  and  their  installation  completes  the  program  of 
entirely  new  class-room  equipment  throughout  the  Upper  and  Lower 
Schools. 

Outdoors  there  is  a  broad  new  walk  paralleling  the  main  drive 
from  the  Stickney  Gate  to  the  approach  to  the  girls'  close.    This  has 

—  5  — 


been  built  to  eliminate  the  hazards  of  walking  on  the  driveway.  An- 
other new  walk  leads  from  the  boys'  close  to  Beechwood  Avenue.  A 
new  macadam  sidewalk  has  been  laid  the  entire  length  of  the  North 
Beacon  Street  front  as  a  W  P  A  project.  Considerable  work  has  been 
done  repointing  walls  and  repairing  roofs.  Some  new  playground 
equipment  including  a  lage  set  of  swings  for  Anagnos  Cottage  has 
been  set  up.  The  herb  garden  mentioned  in  the  last  issue  is  now 
complete  and  all  of  the  gardens  will  bespeak  a  colorful  and  fragrant 
welcome  to  the  returning  pupils. 

NEW  STAFF  MEMBERS 

SEVEN  PERSONS  will  be  welcomed  as  teachers  and  two  as  ma- 
trons when  our  large  family  of  workers  assemble  on  Tuesday 
evening,  September  15,  at  7.30  o'clock  for  the  opening  meeting 
of  another  year.    This  is  an  unusually  small  number  and  is  in  itself, 
perhaps,  the  best  commentary  upon  the  stability  which  our  school 
enjoys. 

Edward  J.  Waterhouse,  a  graduate  of  the  University  of  Cambridge  and 
a  former  teacher,  returns  to  the  Upper  School  after  an  absence  of  two 
years.  Mrs.  Waterhouse,  who  resumed  her  work  of  speech  correction  on  a 
part-time  basis  last  year,  will  give  full  time  this  year.  Armand  J.  Michaud, 
graduate  of  Perkins  and  Boston  University  and  of  last  year's  Harvard  Class, 
will  teach  in  the  Upper  School;  while  Marguerite  L.  Manley,  graduate  of 
the  Wheelock  School  and  for  some  time  with  the  Boston  Nursery  for  Blind 
Babies,  will  take  up  duties  as  kindergartner.  Josephine  L.  Taylor,  graduate 
of  Western  College  for  Women,  and  formerly  with  the  Arthur  Sunshine 
Home  and  Nursery  School,  has  been  engaged  to  do  remedial  work  in  the 
Lower  School.  Marion  L.  Damren,  trained  at  the  Boston  School  of  Occupa- 
tional Therapy  and  of  last  year's  Harvard  Class,  will  serve  in  the  Girls' 
Manual  Training  Department,  and  Miriam  A.  Phipps,  graduate  of  the 
Massachusetts  School  of  Art,  will  assist  in  the  same  department  on  the  boys' 
side.  Albert  R.  Raymond  is  to  serve  as  vocal  teacher  on  part  time.  Mrs. 
Jane  G.  Hancock  will  be  the  new  matron  in  Anagnos  Cottage  and  Miss  F. 
Ethel  Elliott  will  fill  the  same  position  in  May  Cottage. 

The  transfer  of  Don  Donaldson  from  the  Lower  School  to  be 
master  of  Tompkins  Cottage  frees  Mr.  Di  Martino  to  give  his  whole 
time  to  the  promotion  of  outdoor  sports  and  recreation.  Of  the 
thirty-eight  teachers  now  on  the  Upper  School  staff  sixteen  are  men, 
of  whom  ten  live  at  the  school. 

The  staff  of  Perkins  is  to  be  augmented  this  year  by  the  pres- 
ence of  three  Seeing  Eye  Dogs.  "Peppy"  is  to  guide  Mrs.  Edward 
J.  Waterhouse.  "Jigs"  is  to  be  the  companion  of  Donald  Morgan. 
"Pal"  will  lead  Miss  Alice  L.  Stewart  as  she  comes  each  day  from  her 

—  6  — 


home  to  her  work  in  the  Lower  School  Library.  "Peppy"  and  "Jigs" 
will  live  in  the  school.  All  attended  the  training  school  at  Morristown, 
New  Jersey  this  summer. 

HARVARD  CELEBRATES 

AS  OUR  NEIGHBOR,  Harvard  University,  is  observing  its  Ter- 
centenary it  may  be  of  interest  to  know  that  the  first  college 
degree  ever  awarded  to  a  blind  man  in  this  country  was 
granted  by  Harvard  in  1844  to  Joseph  Brown  Smith.  Smith  entered 
Perkins  in  1832  remaining  until  June,  1840.  In  September  of  that 
year  he  was  admitted  to  Harvard  and  earned  his  degree  in  the  regular 
four  years.  Until  his  death  in  1855  he  was  professor  of  music  at 
the  Kentucky  School  for  the  Blind.  Recently  his  granddaughter 
sent  to  our  historical  museum  a  lustre  ware  cup  and  saucer  used  by 
Mr.  Smith  and  a  daguerreotype  which  shows  him  as  a  pleasant, 
serious-faced  gentleman  with  an  Irish  necktie  beard. 


Primary   boys 
have  gardens,  too 


S^*^  i 


*^*$*:.<&['H: 


PAGE  CHARLIE  CHAN! 

WHEN  DONALD  MORGAN,  a  blind  teacher  at  Perkins,  re- 
turned after  a  visit  in  England  he  was  minus  the  braille 
maps  of  London  and  England  which  had  been  carefully 
made  for  him  by  the  map  makers  at  Perkins  and  which  had  been  of 
great  help  to  him  while  in  England.  He  left  them  one  day  by  mis- 
take in  a  taxi  and  arousing  suspicion  they  were  sent  to  Scotland 
Yard.  Morgan  called  there,  identified  the  maps  but  was  refused 
them  because,  the  officials  said,  "these  maps  may  be  a  new  code  for 
spies  and  they  are  going  to  remain  in  our  files!" 

—  7  — 


THOMAS  H.  PERKINS 

Continued  from  Page  3 

that  he  allowed  a  transfer  to  be  made,  the  exchange  of  his  fine  resi- 
dence for  this  suburban  property.  It  was  then,  in  1839,  that,  in  grati- 
tude for  Col.  Perkins'  generosity,  the  trustees  introduced  his  name 
into  the  title  of  the  well-established  institution.  It  seemed  to  them 
then,  and  perhaps  justifiably,  that  no  greater  gift  could  ever  be  ex- 
pected to  come  to  the  school,  and  this  may  be  conceded  in  the  light 
of  its  timeliness,  quite  aside  from  consideration  of  the  large  amounts 
which  have  since  come  to  the  school  through  gift  or  legacy. 

Col.  Thomas  Handasyd  Perkins  was  a  merchant  prince,  an  emi- 
nent man  of  affairs  whose  business  interests  encircled  the  globe. 
Born  in  Boston,  December  15,  1764,  he  lost  his  father  at  the  age  of 
six  years,  and  thereafter  his  education,  pursuits  and  position  in  life 
reflected  the  poise  and  character  of  his  very  remarkable  and  sagacious 
mother.  Although  prepared  for  college,  he  chose  a  mercantile  career 
in  preference  and  administered  the  business  of  his  importing  firm 
so  successfully  as  to  amass  a  fortune  during  fifty  years  of  participa- 
tion. His  connections  with  other  lands  led  him  to  travel  extensively 
in  England,  France,  Holland,  Germany,  China  and  Java,  and  every- 
where he  was  an  apt  and  shrewd  observer,  his  letters  and  diaries  re- 
vealing a  full  comprehension  of  the  manners  and  customs  he  encoun- 
tered and  appreciation  of  their  merits  and  demerits. 

In  addition  to  his  own  business  interests  he  shared  in  all  the 
public  movements  of  his  day,  which  extended  all  the  way  from  raising 
funds  for  completing  the  Washington  monument  to  building  the  first 
real  railroad  in  this  country,  a  track  two  miles  long  for  transporting 
granite  from  the  Quincy  quarries  to  the  water's  edge.  They  included 
the  presidency  of  the  Boston  Atheneum  (to  which  he  gave  generously 
and  repeatedly),  the  establishment  of  the  Massachusetts  General 
Hospital,  and  many  governmental  activities.  His  title  of  Colonel,  by 
which  he  was  known  throughout  his  later  years,  was  due  to  his  posi- 
tion as  commander  of  a  battalion  which  acted  as  guard  and  escort  to 
the  governor  of  Massachusetts  on  public  occasions;  his  right  to  the 
title  of  Honorable  rested  upon  his  election  to  the  Senate  of  this  Com- 
monwealth. He  might  have  gone  to  Congress  but  did  not  care  to 
accept  the  nomination. 

His  services  in  public  affairs  won  him  recognition  from  President 
Washington  who  invited  him  to  Mount  Vernon  and  entertained  him 
with  real  cordiality. 

Continued  on  Page  10 


Presented  by  Former  Students 
At  the  Centennial  Exercises — 1932 


Attached  to  Organ  Console 


The  Edwin  L.  Gardiner 

Music  Library 

Director  of  Music 

1895-1933 


In  the  Music  Library 


In  Grateful  Appreciation  of 
wllhelmina  r.  humbert 

KlNDERGARTNER,    1901-1936 


This  Room  is  Dedicated  To 

Jessica  L.  Langworthy 

In  Grateful  Recognition  of 

Forty-Four  Years  of  Service 

1892-1936 


In  Girls'  Kindergarten  Room 


In  Harvard  Class  Room 


BRONZE  TABLETS  PLACED  IN  JUNE,  1936 

Each  Tells  Its  Own  Story 


RECENT  PUBLICATIONS 

Gardening  Instruction  at  Perkins  by 
Nelson  Coon,  OUTLOOK  FOR  THE 
BLIND,  April,  1936. 

Massage  as  a  Profession  for  the 
Blind  by  Thelma  Peirce,  PHYSIO- 
THERAPY  REVIEW,  May-June,   1936. 

Luetic  Treatment  at  Perkins  Insti- 
tution by  Janet  H.  Cairns,  OUTLOOK 
FOR  THE  BLIND,  June,  1936. 

How  The  Blind  See — What  is  this 
"sixth  sense"?  by  Gabriel  Farrell,  THE 
FORUM,  August,  1936. 

Pensions  for  the  Blind  by  Gabriel 
Farrell,  CURRENT  HISTORY,  Oc- 
tober, 1936. 


FROM  OUR  MAIL 


From  head  of  a  school — Yokohama, 
Japan 

"Our  little  school  is  doing  good  work 
and  the  two  girls  (at  Perkins  for  three 
years)  are  working  hard  at  the  teach- 
ing. They  always  seem  to  enjoy  their 
work.  Our  graduation  comes  in  March 
and  this  year  we  had  one  boy  go  on 
to  college  in  Kobe." 

From  a  Harvard  Class  student — 
Egypt 

"I  feel  very  proud  of  the  advance- 
ment of  work  for  the  blind  in  Egypt. 
We  have  now  about  twelve  centers  at- 
tached to  the  elementary  schools  .  .  . 
I  am  hoping  to  establish  a  medical  so- 
cial work  center  in  one  of  the  eye 
clinics  this  summer." 


9  — 


THOMAS  H.  PERKINS 

Continued  from  Page  8 

Col.  Perkins  had  great  personal  strength  and  entire  self-reliance, 
and  he  was  quick  and  far-sighted  in  his  decisions.  His  advice  could 
be  accepted  with  confidence,  and  he  was  regarded  by  all  his  business 
associates  and  by  the  young  men  who  grew  up  around  him  as  a  tower 
of  dependability  and  a  guiding  star.  It  was  said  that  the  foundations 
of  wealth  and  position  might  be  traced  by  many  a  young  aspirant  to 
civic  honors  to  Col.  Perkins'  first  voyage  to  China,  in  1789. 

Upon  his  retirement  from  business  in  1838,  with  a  large  fortune, 
he  devoted  himself  to  the  cultivation  of  his  estate  in  Brookline,  the 
introduction  of  rare  and  beautiful  trees  and  shrubs,  and  the  assem- 
bling in  his  residence  of  art  treasures,  brought  back  from  the  many 
voyages  overseas,  which  he  continued  to  make.  Of  all  things  of 
beauty  he  was  a  true  connoisseur. 

"One  of  the  noblest  specimens  of  humanity  to  which  our  city 
has  ever  given  birth"  was  said  of  him  by  the  Hon.  Robert  C.  Win- 
throp  in  a  eulogy  after  his  death,  January  11,  1854.  He  was  a  sincere 
friend  of  the  school  throughout  his  life,  and  at  his  funeral  the  par- 
ticipation of  our  choir  in  the  services  indicated  the  esteem  and  appre- 
ciation in  which  he  was  held  at  Perkins  Institution. 

NETTIE  CAROLINE  GRAY 

THE  DEATH  of  Nettie  C.  Gray  (August  2,  1936)  deserves  more 
than  passing  attention  or  the  tribute  of  a  sigh,  for  she  exempli- 
fied in  her  personality  the  sound  principles,  the  regard  for  law 
and  order,  the  steadfast  purpose,  the  ability  to  achieve  through  hard 
work,  which  we  would  fain  inculcate  in  all  our  boys  and  girls. 

Nettie  was  born  March  15,  1893,  in  Cambridge,  Mass.,  which  ever 
remained  her  home  town.  Having  been  totally  blind  from  birth,  she 
entered  the  kindergarten  April  6,  1898,  a  chubby,  happy  little  girl, 
quite  ready  to  share  in  all  the  activities  of  the  school. 

After  receiving  her  academic  diploma  in  1915  and  a  certificate 
from  the  Pianoforte  Normal  Department  in  1918,  she  taught  music 
successfully  one  year  in  the  school  for  colored  deaf,  blind  and  orphan 
children  in  Taft,  Okla.,  and  seventeen  years  in  the  colored  department 
of  the  Arkansas  School  for  the  Blind,  where  she  had  been  reappointed. 
She  has  left  a  lasting  impression  of  worth,  progress  and  stead- 
fast purpose  upon  her  pupils,  fellow  workers  and  associates  at  her 
home,  at  her  school  and  at  Perkins. 

Anna  G.  Fish 

—  10  — 


The  Lantern 


THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  VI.  NO.  2  DECEMBER  15.  1  936 

1937 . — ■  A  Year  of  Anniversaries 

THE  COMING  year  gives  promise  of  being  one  of  the  most  mem- 
orable in  the  history  of  Perkins.    An  unusual  number  of  anni- 
versaries, all  worthy  of  observance,  fall  in  1937.    Already  plans 
are  being  made  for  their  celebration,  but  as  the  year  approaches  we 
want  to  bring  to  the  attention  of  our  readers  the  events  that  are  to 
be  commemorated. 

The  twenty- fifth  anniversary  of  the  opening  of  the  present  school  build- 
ings in  Watertown,  the  most  complete  and  beautiful  plant  ever  erected  lor 
the  use  of  the  blind. 

The  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  founding  of  the  Kindergarten.  On  May 
2,  1887,  seven  boys  and  three  girls  formed  the  first  school  for  little  blind  chil- 
dren in  the  world. 

The  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  admission  of  Edith  M.  Thomas  to  the 
Kindergarten.  Entering  in  October,  1887,  she  was  the  first  deaf-blind  pupil 
at  that  school  and  the  first  doubly-handicapped  child  to  master  speech. 

The  one  hundredth  anniversary  of  the  coming  of  Laura  D.  Bridgman  to 
Perkins.  Admitted  in  October,  1837,  she  was  the  first  deaf -blind  mute  ever 
to  be  educated. 

The  one  hundredth  anniversary  of  the  birth  of  Michael  Anagnos,  second 
director  of  the  Institution  and  the  founder  of  the  Kindergarten.  He  was  born 
in  Papingo,  Greece,  November  7,  1837. 

The  one  hundredth  anniversary  of  the  large  relief  globe  now  standing 
in  the  lobby  of  Howe  Building.  Made  during  the  year  of  1837  by  S.  P.  Rug- 
gles  through  funds  given  by  John  Preston,  it  was  the  first  globe  for  the  blind 
ever  devised. 

These  are  notable  events  and  their  passing  must  be  a  means  of 
marking  our  progress  and  occasion  for  initiating  new  works  which 
will  be  the  contribution  of  our  day  and  generation  to  the  onward 
march  of  Perkins.  Let  us,  therefore,  welcome  1937  as  a  year  replete 
with  opportunities.    In  the  meantime,  we  heartily  wish  to  all 

A  Mnrg  (Elinatmaa  nnb  a  Happy  Npui  f  par 

Perkins  Institution  and  Massa-  ^^s  ff^/rl*4jLS\     *~~/^t  A  A  m^fl 

chusetts  School  for  the  Blind.  * CC*T/                    /«/*'t*^ 

Watertown,  Massachusetts 

Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President.  GABRIEL  FARRELL,  Director. 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Eliot  Cottage,  as  winner  of  the  Fall 
Football  Series,  entertained  the  mem- 
bers of  the  cottage  teams  at  a  banquet 
on  Monday  evening,  November  16. 


The  Girls'  Victory  Supper,  celebrating 
the  various  achievements  of  the  past 
year  in  the  Girls'  Upper  School  was 
held  at  Fisher  Cottage  Wednesday  eve- 
ning, October  7. 


An  herb  dinner  composed  largely  of 
the  herbs  grown  in  the  garden  outside 
of  Bennett  Cottage  was  held  in  that 
cottage  on  Wednesday  evening,  October 
14.  Evelyn  Crossman,  a  senior,  gave  an 
interesting  account  of  the  dinner  and 
the  garden  at  Chapel  on  the  following 
Monday. 


Founders'     Day     Exercises,     at     the 

Lower  School,  were  held  on  Novem- 
ber 6,  and  were  marked  by  an  interest- 
ing play  given  by  the  pupils.  The  Howe 
Memorial  Exercises  were  held  on  No- 
vember 12,  with  Mr.  H.  H.  Richards, 
grandson  of  Dr.  Howe,  as  the  speaker. 


Mrs.  Helen  Smith  Brown,  formerly  a 
teacher  of  the  Lower  School,  has  re- 
turned to  take  up  the  duties  of  Miss 
Beatrice  M.  Green  who  was  obliged  to 
return  home  because  of  illness. 


Mr.  Donald  B.  MacMillan,  famous 
Arctic  explorer,  came  to  the  School  on 
Monday  afternoon,  November  23,  and 
thrilled  the  pupils  with  his  accounts  of 
the  far  North. 


The  Director  broadcast  over  Station 
WPRO  at  Providence  on  Saturday. 
October  10,  telling  of  the  maps  being 
made  at  Perkins.  On  Thursday,  Octo- 
ber 8,  he  was  interviewed  in  a  broad- 
cast over  Station  WORL. 


The  Boston  Committee  for  the  Blind 
have  given  sociables  for  the  Lower 
School  and  for  the  Boys'  Upper  School 
and  soon  will  have  one  for  the  Girls' 
Upper  School.  All  at  Perkins  are  grate- 
ful for  the  many  courtesies  and  kind- 
nesses rendered  by  the  Boston  Com- 
mittee. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Hervey  Rainville,  a  Perkins  graduate 
who  in  June  received  his  diploma  from 
the  New  England  Conservatory  of 
Music,  is  to  be  the  guest  piano  soloist 
at  the  concert  of  the  Apollo  Club  in 
Boston  on  the  evening  of  December  8. 
He  is,  also,  to  be  the  soloist  at  the  con- 
cert to  be  given  by  the  Watertown 
Civic  Orchestra  on  the  evening  of  De- 
cember 18. 


The  Hellenic  Association  of  Boston 
held  commemorative  exercises  on  the 
thirtieth  anniversary  of  the  death  of 
Michael  Anagnos  on  October  23,  at 
their  Temple  in  Boston.  Miss  Anna  G. 
Fish  of  Perkins,  spoke  at  the  evening 
meeting. 


Over  fifty  pupils  had  the  opportunity 
to  see  "Midsummer  Night's  Dream"  at 
the  motion  picture  theatre  in  Arlington 
through  the  kindness  of  Miss  Harriet 
A.  Ellis. 


The  Girls'  Glee  Club  have  given  con- 
certs for  the  Stitch  and  Story  Club, 
Natick,  the  Junior  Woman's  Club,  Wo- 
burn,  and  the  Daughters  of  Colonial 
Wars  Society,  Boston. 


"The  Master  of  Millshaven",  a  novel 
by  Clarence  Hawkes,  and  the  forty- 
second  book  by  this  graduate  of  Per- 
kins, will  soon  be  available  in  braille. 


"Smith  Women  at  Perkins  Institu- 
tion", by  Eleanor  W.  Thayer  of  the 
Lower  School  appeared  in  the  Smith 
Alumnae  Quarterly,  November,  1936. 


"The  City  of  Unending  Night",  is  a 

year  book  of  unusual  attractiveness 
issued  by  the  Industrial  Home  for  the 
Blind,  of  which  Peter  J.  Salmon,  a  Per- 
kins graduate,  is  secretary  and  assistant 
director. 


Cardinal  O'Connell,  in  an  interview 
on  his  twenty-fifth  anniversary  as  Car- 
dinal, told  of  the  Formation  of  the 
Catholic  Guild  for  the  Blind.  Perkins 
welcomes  the  Guild  and  looks  forward 
to  co-operation  with  its  members. 


STEPHEN  PRESTON  RUGGLES 

An  Early  Co-worker 

By  Anna  Gardner  Fish 

IT  WAS  a  new  field  of  endeavor  into  which  Dr.  Howe  ventured  when 
he  opened  his  school  for  the  blind  in  1832 ;  for  a  hasty  tour  of  in- 
spection of  institutions  of  the  kind  in  Europe,  previously  made,  had 
yielded  more  points  of  departure  than  features  to  be  incorporated  in 
his  new  undertaking.  Untried  methods  and  knotty  problems  must 
have  confronted  him  at  every  turn,  and  his  own  ingenuity  must  have 
been  sorely  taxed  in  meeting  them. 

How  fortunate  indeed  was  he  to  find  at  his  right  hand  a  helper 
of  understanding  mind,  or  inventive  skill  and  of  mechanical  knowledge 
and  precision.  This  man  was  Stephen  Preston  Ruggles,  whose  labors 
for  Dr.  Howe  and  in  behalf  of  the  blind  were  of  inestimable  value, 
giving  the  needed  start  in  appliances  for  that  day  and  paving  the 
way  for  modern  devices  of  the  present  time. 

He,  it  was,  who  built  the  first  printing  press  for  this  school,  in 
1835,  from  his  own  design,  and  two  years  later  he  manufactured  a 
similar  one  for  the  school  for  the  blind  in  Philadelphia.  In  this  latter 
year  (1837)  he  made  the  big  globe  which  is  one  of  our  unique  and 
priceless  possessions  and  which,  in  its 
prominent  position  in  the  lobby,'  meets 
the  eye  of  every  one  who  steps  within  the 
portals  of  the  Howe  Building. 

This  globe,  so  far  as  can  be  ascertained 
the  only  one  of  its  kind  in  the  world,  was 
made  by  Mr.  Ruggles  with  an  exactitude 
which  calls  forth  admiration.  It  is  thir- 
teen feet  in  circumference  and  is  com- 
posed of  700  cross  pieces  of  wood,  so  ar- 
ranged that  the  only  effect  of  contraction 
would  be  to  flatten  the  poles.  Its  wooden 
horizon  bears  the  signs  of  the  Zodiac,  and 
there  are  movable  meridian  lines  which 
may  be  used  in  connection  with  astronom- 
ical facts.  Its  proportions  are  true  and 
accurate,  and  its  general  outlines,  in  spite 
of  a  shifting  world,  are  still  dependable. 

Mr.  Ruggles'  work  in  furtherance  of 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 

—  3  — 


"■*& 


•  INTRODUCING  JIMMY 

TIMMY  is  a  new  boy.  Sixteen  other 
il  boys  and  fifteen  girls  also  began  their 
schooling  at  Perkins  this  year.  In 
the  early  days  of  the  year  each  new  pupil 
is  photographed  front  and  side-view,  like 
these  pictures  of  Jimmy.  When  Jimmy 
leaves,  similar  pictures  will  be  taken. 
These  record  his  development,  and  provide 
a  means  of  recalling  Jimmy  when  future 
inquiries  are  made  regarding  him.  Be- 
tween these  two  sets  of  pictures,  many 
others  are  taken,  snapshots  at  work  and 
play,  silhouettes  for  guidance  in  posture, 
to  say  nothing  of  x-ray  pictures  of  lungs 
suspected  or  bones  broken  and,  of  course, 
at  the  long  last  a  graduation  picture. 
A  composite  picture  of  our  new  pupils 
would  be  difficult  to  make  because  of  the  wide  age  range  during  which 
pupils  are  admitted.  In  this  year's  group  our  youngest  pupil  was  five 
and  our  oldest  twenty-three.  Three  have  never  been  to  school  before, 
while  the  others  have  attended  schools  elsewhere,  several  being  mem- 
bers of  sight-saving  classes.  All  the  New  England  states  except 
Connecticut  are  represented. 

HELEN  KELLER'S  TEACHER 

THE  death  of  Anne  Sullivan  Macy  on  October  20,  takes  from  our 
special  field  of  education  one  of  its  most  notable  characters,  and 
removes  from  the  Perkins  roll  one  of  its  outstanding  graduates. 
While  the  greatness  of  Mrs.  Macy  has  always  been  obscured  by  the 
brilliance  of  her  pupil,  she  will  long  be  remembered  because  of  the 
ingenuity  of  her  methods  of  teaching  and  her  integrity  of  purpose. 
What  Michael  Anagnos  said  of  Anne  Sullivan  two  years  after  he  had 
appointed  her  as  Helen  Keller's  teacher  remained  true  until  the  end : 
"What  the  little  pupil  has  thus  far  accomplished  is  widely  known  and 
her  wonderful  attainments  command  general  admiration;  but  only  those, 
who  are  familiar  with  the  particulars  of  the  grand  achievement,  know 
that  the  credit  for  it  is  largely  due  to  the  intelligence,  wisdom,  sagacity, 
unremitting  perseverance,  and  unbending  will  of  the  instructress  who 
rescued  the  child  from  the  depths  of  ever-enduring  night  and  stillness 
and  watched  over  the  different  phases  of  her  mental  and  moral  develop- 
ment with  maternal  solicitude  and  enthusiastic  devotion." 

—  4  — 


DEAF-BLIND  IN  THIS  COUNTRY 

MANY  who  have  been  attracted  by  the  unique  work  which 
Perkins  is  doing  for  deaf -blind  children  have  raised  the  ques- 
tion as  to  how  many  doubly-handicapped  people  there  are 
in  this  country.  Miss  Rebecca  Mack,  who  with  Miss  Corinne  Roche- 
leau  wrote  in  1930  the  book  entitled,  "Those  in  the  Dark  Silence",  has 
compiled  case  histories  of  over  a  thousand  deaf-blind  people  in  this 
country  and  has  estimated  the  total  number  as  over  two  thousand. 
Miss  Mack  has  recently  sent  us  histories  of  fifty  doubly-handicapped 
children  who  need  opportunity  for  release  from  the  dark  silence.  The 
American  Foundation  for  the  Blind  has  records  of  eighty-three  deaf- 
blind  under  the  age  of  twenty  and  we  have  in  our  files  several  other 
cases  not  included  on  either  list.  From  these  facts  it  would  seem 
safe  to  assume  that  there  are  at  the  present  time  nearly  one  hundred 
doubly-handicapped  children  for  whom  more  adequate  educational 
opportunity  ought  to  be  created. 

FROM  MAPS  TO  MODELS 

THE  fifty  men  and  women  who  have  been  engaged  for  nearly  a 
year  here  at  Perkins  on  the  W  P  A  project,  making  embossed 
maps  for  the  blind,  have  now  shifted  their  activities  to  the 
creation  and  production  of  models  for  use  in  schools  for  the  blind. 
The  three  hundred  and  fifty  maps  which  have  been  punched  out  on 
brass  plates  are  now  being  run  through  the  press.  They  are  being 
assembled  in  ten  folders,  each  containing  thirty-five  maps,  and  early 


Model  of  an  ocean  liner  made  by  John  Sargent  of  Littleton,  Mass.,  and 
his  two  sons,  and  recently  exhibited  at  the  school. 

?»     '■■■•      'M<        In 


LITTHTMUW 


in  the  new  year  a  complete  set  of  these  maps  will  be  sent  to  each 
school  for  the  blind  in  this  country. 

The  Model  Project  is  expected  to  be  as  interesting  and  valuable 
as  the  Map  Project.  Already  plans  are  being  drawn  for  a  group  of 
architectural  models  which  will  show  in  proper  scale  the  various 
types  of  dwellings.  Designs  are  being  made  for  types  of  bridges, 
locks  for  canals,  and  a  number  of  other  models  which  will  have  educa- 
tional value.  The  aim  before  the  designers  is  to  produce  models  of 
things  which  are  too  large  to  be  fully  comprehended  by  blind  persons 
and,  therefore,  must  be  brought  within  finger  range. 

NOW  HE'S  A  JUDGE 

EARLY  in  his  administration  the  present  director  had  a  conference 
with  one  of  the  pupils.  He  came  to  ask  for  permission  to  enter 
law  school  and,  as  the  Director  was  new,  the  young  man  told 
his  story.  He  had  always  wanted  to  study  law  but  at  fourteen  his 
father  died  and,  as  the  eldest,  he  had  to  go  to  work  to  support  the 
family.  Later,  he  was  able  to  enter  high  school  but,  while  working 
on  a  radio,  a  wire  pentrated  his  eye,  and  he  lost  his  sight.  This 
brought  him  to  Perkins  from  which  he  was  graduated  in  1932.  Per- 
mission was  given  to  enter  law  school  and  he  received  his  diploma 
and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  the  spring  of  1935.  Returning  to 
Rhode  Island,  he  immediately  entered  private  practice  and  now  he's 
a  judge! 

This  is  the  story  of  William  E.  Powers  who  has  just  been  elected 
probate  judge  of  Cumberland  County,  Rhode  Island.  All  Perkins 
friends  will  want  to  congratulate  Judge  Powers  and  while  we  know 
that  he  is  deserving  of  this  honor,  we  cannot  help  adding  a  word  of 
commendation  for  Mrs.  Powers.  During  law  school  days,  she  read 
over  three  thousand  cases  to  her  husband. 

WINTER  SUNDAY  EVENINGS 

BEGINNING  Sunday  evening,  January  17,  the  Director  and  Mrs. 
Farrell  plan  to  entertain  each  cottage  in  turn  at  the  Director's 
house.  This  has  been  one  of  the  interesting  features  of  the 
winter  term  during  the  past  five  years  but  was  omitted  last  year.  A 
schedule  of  the  dates  for  the  various  cottages  will  be  posted  on  the 
bulletin  board.  Instead  of  outside  speakers  for  each  meeting,  Dr. 
and  Mrs.  Farrell  plan  to  talk  to  the  various  groups  on  their  experi- 
ences in  England  this  summer. 

—  6  — 


THANKS  FOR  THANKSGIVING 

WE  WANT  to  thank  many  friends  for  making-  Thanksgiving 
a  home  festival  for  practically  all  of  our  children.  While 
many  of  our  boys  and  girls  were  able  to  go  to  their  own 
homes,  there  were  quite  a  number  who  live  too  far  away.  Miss 
Douglass,  our  untiring  home  visitor,  in  co-operation  with  Miss  Thorn- 
dike  of  the  Trustees,  asked  friends  of  the  School  if  they  would  be 
willing  to  entertain  a  boy  or  a  girl  for  Thanksgiving  dinner.  Because 
of  this  all  but  twenty-three  of  our  two  hundred  and  seventy  sat  at  a 
family  table  on  Thanksgiving  Day.  We  want  to  express  our  thanks 
to  the  friends  who  were  willing  to  entertain  our  children  in  this  way 
and  to  assure  them  of  our  appreciation.  We  might  also  venture  the 
hope  that  some  may  be  willing  to  have  children  for  Christmas  Day. 

CHRISTMAS  CAROLS 

CHRISTMAS  comes  early  at  Perkins  because  for  ten  days  before 
the  holiday  recess  the  chapel  exercises  center  around  the  Christ- 
mas Story.  Even  before  this  the  chorus  has  been  busily  en- 
gaged preparing  the  annual  concerts  of  Christmas  carols.  The 
concerts  this  year  are  to  be  given  in  Jordan  Hall,  Boston,  on  the 
afternoon  of  Sunday,  December  20 ;  in  Dwight  Hall,  at  the  School,  on 
Monday  afternoon,  December  21,  for  the  Watertown  Woman's  Club; 
and  on  Tuesday  evening,  December  22,  in  Dwight  Hall,  primarily  for 
the  parents  and  other  friends  who  wish  to  come  to  the  school.  School 
closes  after  the  concert  on  this  evening,  reopening  with  chapel  on 
Tuesday  morning,  January  5,  1937. 

An  interesting  program  of  traditional  and  modern  carols  is  being 
prepared.  A  new  feature  will  be  the  appearance  for  the  first  time  in 
Boston  of  the  chorus  wearing  the  new  deep  red  gowns.  Tickets  for 
these  concerts  may  be  obtained  by  applying  to  the  School. 

LETTERS  TO  SANTA  CLAUS 

WRITING  letters  to  Santa  Claus  is  taken  for  granted  by  all 
boys  and  girls  regardless  of  what  language  they  speak  or 
write.  But  one  of  our  Kindergarten  boys  had  some  mis- 
givings regarding  the  omniscience  of  the  Christmas  Saint.  With  tears 
in  his  eyes  he  came  to  his  teacher  and  asked  "Can  Santa  Claus  read 
Braille?"  The  teacher  was  wise  enough  to  assure  him  that  he  had 
interpreters  for  all  languages,  including  Braille. 

—  7  — 


STEPHEN  PRESTON  RUGGLES 

(Continued  from  Page  3) 

the  education  of  the  blind  was  not  limited  to  these  major  achievements 
but  covered  a  wide  field  of  lesser  accessories  which  have  none  the 
less  helped  to  make  smooth  the  paths  of  both  the  teachers  and  the 
taught.  Dr.  Howe,  in  his  seventh  report  of  the  school  (1838)  gave 
credit  to  Mr.  Ruggles  for  his  zeal,  interest  and  ability. 

An  excellent  oil  portrait  of  Mr.  Ruggles  hangs  in  the  historic 
museum,  the  gift  of  his  grandniece,  Mrs.  A.  F.  Batchelder  of  Lancas- 
ter, New  Hampshire,  in  1929.  It  portrays  a  genial  countenance,  with 
fine  features,  keen  eyes  and  intent  gaze.  It  is  well  that  the  memory 
of  this  valuable  assistant  to  Perkins  Institution  should  be  preserved 
for  us  in  so  vivid  and  pleasing  a  manner. 


A  MOTHER'S  DAY  OFFERING,  1932 

To  Miss  Nettie  B.  Vose 
By  Vinnie  F.  Forbush 

For  forty-six  years  Miss  Vose  was  associated  with  the 
Boys'  Kindergarten.  On  November  17th,  1936,  she  quietly 
passed  away. 

So  quietly  she  wends  unnumbered  ways; 
Through  years  unnumbered  to  her  loving  thought, 
Through  countless  anxious  nights  and  care-filled  days, 
Her  sweet  compassion,  joy  and  solace  brought. 

Year  after  year,  a  barbarous  young  brood 
Would  storm  the  fort  and  set  the  world  on  fire; 
And  she  who  mothers  us  is  understood 
Best,  when  we  are  of  age  and  sane  desire. 

Through  years  unnumbered,  to  our  destinies, 

Some  walk  through  gardens;  some  through  deserts  go; 

The  memory  of  her  loving  ministries 

Refreshes  us,  and  sets  our  hearts  aglow. 

—  8  — 


The  Lantern 


THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  VI.  NO.  3  MARCH  15.  1937 


Placement  Prospects 


TWENTY  PUPILS  will  leave  Perkins  in  June  because  they  will 
have  completed  their  schooling.  Two  will  graduate  from  Bos- 
ton University,  one  from  the  Law  School  and  one  from  the 
College  of  Education,  and  another  from  the  New  England  Conserva- 
tory of  Music.  The  remainder  will  receive  diplomas  from  Perkins. 
Of  these,  three  or  four  will  proceed  to  higher  education,  but  the  others 
must  leave  our  sheltered  cloisters  and  enter  a  skeptical  world.  What 
will  they  find  to  do? 

All  of  these  graduates  have  received  a  well-rounded  and  thorough 
education,  and  those  with  outstanding  aptitudes  have  been  given 
opportunity  to  develop  along  their  special  lines.  One  girl  is  a  well- 
qualified  Ediphone  operator,  a  boy  is  a  good  salesman,  and  others 
are  equally  competent  in  their  own  fields.  At  this  time  of  year  mem- 
bers of  the  personnel  department  are  meeting  with  the  officers  of 
the  school  to  consider  reports  on  each  pupil  leaving.  Careful  records 
have  been  made  of  their  achievements  and  interests.  All  have  been 
individually  interviewed.  Consultation  has  been  held  with  the  state 
workers  in  charge  of  placement.  But  the  question  still  stands :  What 
will  they  find  to  do? 

The  answer  depends  not  on  the  pupils,  nor  on  the  school,  but 
upon  the  public.  Will  you,  Mr.  Seeing  Man,  or  you,  Mrs.  Lady  with 
Vision,  employ  our  well-trained  and  eager  young  men  and  women, 
or  will  your  own  apprehension  of  blindness  make  you  shrink  from 
giving  them  a  chance?  In  the  last  analysis  the  success  of  our  edu- 
cational program  rises  and  falls  with  your  readiness  to  employ  per- 
sons with  impaired  sight. 


^Ct^cc-/  J&AA**£? 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown,  Massachusetts 
Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President.  GABRIEL  FARRELL,  Director. 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Two  new  teachers  have  joined  the 
staff:  Miss  Marjorie  E.  Beal  has  taken 
the  place  of  Miss  Jean  M.  Parks  as 
teacher  of  grade  six,  and  Miss  Frances 
Roots  has  succeeded  Miss  Martha  P. 
Adams  as  recreational  leader  in  the 
Lower  School. 


The  Student  Councils  have  again  as- 
signed pupils  to  speak  at  the  chapel 
exercises  on  Monday  mornings  and 
some  interesting  talks  have  been  heard. 


Choral  Speaking  has  been  introduced 
into  the  school  and  a  group  under  the 
direction  of  Miss  Potter  gave  a  demon- 
stration at  chapel  recently. 


The  Girls'  Senior  Class  has  given  two 
plays,  "Peggy"  and  "Suppressed  De- 
sires", before  interested  audiences  in 
Dwight  Hall. 


The  cottage  families  are  visiting  the 
Director's  house  in  turn  on  Sunday  eve- 
nings. Instead  of  outside  speakers,  Dr. 
and  Mrs.  Farrell  are  telling  of  their 
experiences  in  England. 


Wednesday  teas  for  the  members  of 
the  staff  and  Harvard  Class  are  being 
held  at  the  Director's  house  from 
Christmas  until  Easter. 


With  deep  regret  we  announce  the 
death  of  Miss  Alice  L.  Stewart  on  Feb- 
ruary 21.  Miss  Stewart  was  a  graduate 
of  Perkins  and  for  several  years  had 
served  as  Librarian  in  the  Lower 
School.  In  this  position  she  made  a 
place  for  herself  which  will  be  difficult. 
if  not  impossible,  to  fill.  Through  her 
gift  of  story-telling  she  inspired  the 
children  to  read.  Recently  she  gained 
considerable  skill  and  fame  through 
puppet  shows  and  frequently  was  in- 
vited to  speak  in  the  interest  of  Perkins 
and  of  the  blind.  All  at  Perkins  feel 
her  loss  deeply. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Dr.  Edward  E.  Allen,  Director  Emeri- 
tus, and  Mrs.  Allen  sailed  March  2  on 
a  steamer  of  the  American  Export  Line 
for  Italy.  After  visiting  in  Italy,  they 
will  proceed  to  their  summer  home  in 
England. 


The  Catholic  Guild  for  the  Blind  re- 
cently presented  Father  Hubbard,  the 
Glacier  Priest,  in  Symphony  Hall  and 
our  chorus  had  a  part  in  the  program. 


Mr.  A.  G.  Cowgill,  for  several  years 
head  teacher  at  the  Pennylsvania  In- 
stitution for  the  Instruction  of  the 
Blind,  has  been  elected  Principal.  We 
extend  our  congratulations  to  Mr.  Cow- 
gill  and,  also,  to  the  school. 


Mrs.  Winifred  Holt  Mather,  founder 
of  the  Lighthouses  for  the  Blind,  starts 
again  in  April  on  another  world-wide 
journey.  She  has  shown  the  movies  of 
Perkins  in  thirty-four  countries  and 
will  take  with  her  this  year  a  new  film 
which  is  being  prepared  by  the  Photog- 
raphy Department  of  the  Massachu- 
setts Institute  of  Technology. 


The  Clergy  of  Watertown  have  once 
again  come  to  Perkins  on  Wednesday 
mornings  during  Lent  to  give  chapel 
talks  which  have  been  an  inspiration  to 
the  pupils. 


The  Girls'  Glee  Club  has  sung  at  the 
Boston  Seamen's  Friend  Society,  at 
Dana  Hall  in  Wellesley  and  also,  before 
a  large  group  in  Milford. 


Recent  Visitors  have  been:  Mr.  Alex- 
ander Woollcott  of  New  York;  Miss  J. 
M.  Wetlesen  of  Norway;  Miss  Matie 
M.  Carter  and  Miss  Olga  Lommen  of 
the  New  York  State  Department  of 
Education;  Dr.  Luther  Fowle  of  Istan- 
bul, Turkey;  and  The  Rev'd.  Merrill 
Isely  of  Aintab,  Turkey,  who  is  staying 
for  two  weeks. 


WHAT  I  HAVE  GAINED  FROM  SELLING 
Lewis  Brothers,  '37 

As  the  school  year  closes  and  as  I  look 
back  on  what  I  have  done  in  Salesmanship, 
I  realize  that  I  have  gained  much  practical 
experience  along  two  lines:  house-to-house 
selling  and  store  management.  I  shall  point 
out  in  this  paper  just  what  benefits  I  have 
gained  from  these  activities. 

First,  of  all,  I  have  overcome  an  intense 
nervousness  which  I  always  used  to  ex- 
perience whenever  I  met  a  stranger  or  en- 
countered a  new  situation.  Because  of  this 
nervousness,  I  at  first  found  it  difficult  in  my 
selling  to  approach  even  a  house,  to  say  noth- 
ing of  how  my  knees  shook  when  I  spoke  to 
a  prospect.  But  as  time  passed  I  became 
more  and  more  confident  in  myself,  until  now 
I  feel  that  I  have  almost  entirely  mastered 
fear,  not  only  in  speaking  to  a  prospective 
customer  or  a  stranger,  but  even  before  an 
audience. 

By  keeping  myself  neatly  dressed — my 
hair  combed,  shoes  shined,  clothes  clean  and 
pressed — I  am  able  to  make  a  pleasing  presentation  to  the  prospective 
buyer.  Prospects  undoubtedly  check  the  appearance  of  the  salesman, 
and  often  use  this  as  a  basis  for  estimating  the  worth  of  his  goods ; 
if  the  salesman  is  neat,  then  the  prospect  is  likely  to  give  him  an 
audience,  which  may  result  finally  in  a  sale.  That  is  why  I  make  it 
a  point  to  look  well-groomed  whenever  I  go  out  to  sell. 

In  addition  to  being  neat,  the  salesman  must  have  personality, 
tact,  a  pleasant  word  of  greeting,  alertness,  an  understanding  of 
human  nature,  and  a  complete  knowledge  of  his  goods.  I  have  reason 
to  believe  that  I  have  achieved  most  of  these  qualifications,  for  I 
have  had  marked  success  in  my  selling.  I  have  also  found  it  worth 
while  to  keep  the  prospect  in  an  affirmative  frame  of  mind,  always 
shaping  my  questions  in  such  a  way  as  to  bring  a  "yes"  reply.  This 
is  called  the  "yes"  attitude,  and  is  very  useful  to  the  salesman. 

As  a  result  of  my  house-to-house  selling,  I  have  become  familiar 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 
—  3  — 


LEGISLATION  AND  THE  BLIND 

LEGISLATION  pertaining  to  the  blind  is  occupying  the  attention 
of  leaders  in  this  field  more  intensely  than  in  many  years.  Four 
different  bills  are  now  before  the  Congress.  Two  affect  schools 
and  two  are  for  the  benefit  of  the  adult  blind.  A  fifth  bill,  making 
provision  for  blind  persons  to  operate  stands  in  Federal  buildings,  has 
already  been  enacted.  A  bill  has  been  introduced  in  the  Massachu- 
setts legislature  asking  that  special  consideration  be  given  to  blind 
dictaphone  operators  in  filling  state  positions  of  that  type. 

Of  the  two  bills  before  the  Congress  which  affect  schools  for  the 
blind,  one  calls  for  an  increase  of  the  appropriation  for  embossed 
books  for  schools  from  $75,000  a  year  to  $125,000,  and  the  other 
allocates  over  $11,000,000  of  Federal  funds  annually  to  reimburse 
states  for  the  additional  expense  of  educating  physically  handicapped 
children  over  the  cost  of  normal  schooling.  One  of  the  bills  con- 
cerned with  the  adult  blind  provides  for  an  additional  $100,000  a  year 
for  talking  book  records,  making  the  annual  appropriation  $175,000, 
and  retaining  the  present  sum  of  $100,000  for  embossed  books  for 
the  regional  libraries.  The  other  bill  seeks  to  amend  the  Social 
Security  Act  which  now  provides  pensions  only  for  the  needy  blind  so 
that  Federal  funds  will  be  available  for  the  fully  rounded  programs  of 
state  commissions  and  allocates  nearly  $2,000,000  a  year  for  that 
purpose. 

MORE  ANNIVERSARIES 

ALEXANDER  WOOLLCOTT,  the  familiar  "Town  Crier"  of  the 
radio,  recently  visited  Perkins  and  brought  to  our  attention  an 
anniversary  which  we  overlooked  when  presenting  our  list  in 
the  last  issue  of  THE  LANTERN.  Fifty  years  ago  March  3,  Anne 
Sullivan  met  Helen  Keller  for  the  first  time.  Mr.  Woollcott  in  his 
broadcast  the  night  before  told  feelingly  the  story  which  began  on 
that  day.  He  made  appreciative  references  to  Perkins,  speaking  of 
his  visit  here,  and  pointing  out  that  we  are  keeping  alight  the  torch 
started  by  Dr.  Howe. 

A  second  anniversary  overlooked  was  brought  to  our  attention  by 
representatives  of  the  Perkins  Alumni  Association.  This  association 
warrants  a  half  century  celebration  and  it  will  be  held  in  June. 

The  exercises  marking  the  one  hundredth  anniversary  of  the 
birth  of  Michael  Anagnos  and  the  fiftieth  birthday  of  the  Kinder- 
garten will  be  held  on  the  afternoon  of  Thursday,  May  27. 

—  4  — 


"ALL  ABOARD" 

THIS  CALL  took  on  new  meaning  for  the  boys  and  girls  of  the 
fourth,  fifth  and  sixth  grades  who  on  Thursday,  February 
25th,  were  the  guests  of  the  officers  of  the  New  Haven  Rail- 
road. Busses  took  the  children  to  the  South  Station  in  Boston  where 
they  were  shown  how  the  constant  flow  of  messages  over  the  teletype 
tells  of  the  arrival  and  departure  of  trains.  They  visited  the  ancient 
coach  and  explored  "The  Senator",  crack  New  Haven  train. 

Plans  had  been  made  to  travel  on  the  "Comet"  the  streamlined 
train,  but  that  modern  vehicle  was  indisposed,  so  an  ordinary  coach 
carried  them  to  Readville  where  the  New  Haven  shops  were  visited 
and  a  locomotive  was  "finger  seen"  from  stem  to  stern. 


SUCCESS  NOTES 

RUTH  COX  of  the  Upper  School  entered  "The  News  Come  to  Life" 
contest  sponsored  by  Remington  Rand,  Inc.  and  her  ninety-nine 
word  letter  won  the  prize — a  noiseless,  portable  typewriter.  .  .  . 
Paul  Giuliano,  a  senior  at  the  New  England  Conservatory,  had  the 
distinction  of  conducting  the  Conservatory  Orchestra  at  a  recent  con- 
cert. .  .  .  The  Grade  8  girls  entered  a  dental  contest  and  for  their 
summary  of  a  broadcast  won  a  beautiful  radio.  .  .  .  The  Special  Class 
in  the  Primary  and  the  girls  of  the  sixth  grade  entered  a  similar 
contest  and  also  received  radios. 

—  5  — 


BOY  SCOUT  BRAILLERS 

OUR  Boy  Scout  Troop  has  recently  enjoyed  the  experience  of 
carrying  on  a  correspondence  in  braille  with  Troop  11  at  Erie, 
Pennsylvania.  Begun  through  the  interest  aroused  in  the 
scout  master,  Rev.  William  E.  Heilman,  when  he  undertook  to  learn 
braille  so  that  he  might  write  to  a  blind  parishioner  it  has  now 
reached  a  point  where  his  troop  is  trying  to  have  braille  writing  ac- 
cepted as  a  scout  project  for  merit  badges.  After  corresponding 
with  our  boys,  members  of  the  Erie  Troop  feel  that  this  is  a  skill  which 
brings  compensations,  and  they  have  resolved  "to  be  the  first  seeing 
troop  to  write  to  every  English-speaking  blind  troop  under  the  shin- 
ing sun." 

THE  BELL  RINGERS 

GROUPS  of  pupils  have  become  interested  in  the  ringing  of  hand 
bells.  They  are  now  using  a  set  of  bells  which  has  been  loaned 
to  the  School,  but  we  have  under  consideration  the  purchase  of 
twenty-seven  bells  for  this  purpose.  Tune  playing  upon  hand  bells 
has  become  a  popular  form  of  entertainment,  especially  in  England, 
and  it  has  been  thought  that  it  would  become  especially  popular  with 
our  boys  and  girls.  Instruction  is  being  given  by  Roger  Walker  who 
is  the  only  blind  carillonneur  in  this  country. 

THE  HARVARD  CLASS 

THIRTEEN  young  men  and  women  make  up  the  Harvard  Class 
for  this  year  and  are  following  the  usual  course  of  instruction 
under  the  leadership  of  Director  Emeritus  Edward  E.  Allen 
with  the  assistance  of  Miss  Genevieve  Haven.  The  class  has  its  usual 
wide  representation  with  members  from  the  state  of  Washington  to 
Massachusetts,  while  one  member  is  an  American  worker  in  China 
and  another  is  a  native  of  Turkey. 

"OUR  DAILY  BRAILLE" 

THE  DAUGHTER  of  a  member  of  the  staff  has  recently  learned 
the  Lord's  Prayer  and,  while  listening  to  her  prayers  one  night 
recently,  the  parent  thought  that  a  clause  sounded  a  little 
strange.     Asking  her  to  repeat  it,  the  child  said  clearly:    "Give  us 
this  day  our  daily  braille!" 

—  6  — 


.  RECENT  PUBLICATIONS 


"A  Radio  Interview",  is  a  leaflet  con- 
taining questions  asked  the  Director 
over  Station  WORL  on  October  8,  and 
the  answers  which  he  gave. 


"The  Flowering  of  New  England"  by 

Van  Wyck  Brooks  containing  refer- 
ences to  Perkins  and  Dr.  Howe  has 
been  embossed  in  braille  by  Howe  Me- 
morial Press. 


"Twenty  Years   of  Research"   is   the 

title  of  a  new  leaflet  available  to  all 
interested  in  psychological  work  for  the 
blind.  This  is  a  reprint  from  the  paper 
which  Dr.  Samuel  P.  Hayes  read  at  the 
last  meeting  of  the  A.  A.  I.  B.  and  con- 
tains an  account  of  the  aims  and 
achievements  in  this  special  field.  A 
full  bibliography  of  all  articles  by  Dr. 
Hayes  is  included. 


From  England  comes  a  volume  en- 
titled "The  Education  of  the  Blind" 
which  is  one  of  the  best  surveys  of  this 
special  field  that  has  yet  been  printed. 
It  is  the  report  of  a  joint  committee 
of  The  College  of  Teachers  of  the  Blind 
and  The  National  Institute  for  the 
Blind.  The  report  covers  in  a  compre- 
hensive way  the  pattern  of  education 
for  the  blind  in  England,  and  sets  forth 
standards  and  ideals  which  schools  in 
America  might  well  study  and  emulate. 


"Six  Dots"  is  the  name  of  an  inter- 
esting one-act  play  written  by  Ruth  M. 
Rosenthal  of  the  Wisconsin  School  and 
presented  there  last  month.  The  play 
depicts  the  beginning  of  the  instruc- 
tion of  the  blind  in  this  country  and 
Perkins  figures  rather  prominently 
through  the  interesting  place  which  Dr. 
Howe  holds  in  the  play.  It  is  a  com- 
mendable piece  of  work  and  other 
schools  might  do  well  to  secure  copies 
to  understand  the  origin  of  our  work. 


FROM  OUR  MAIL 


From  Eklutna,  Alaska: 

"Many,  many  times  do  I  think  of  you 
and  the  household  members  of  May 
Cottage.  How  I  did  enjoy  my  two 
years  with  you.  .  .  .  For  the  last  two 
and  a  half  years  I  have  been  where 
the  natives  do  not  have  any  special 
trade.  It  has  been  within  a  year  that 
the  big,  older  boys  rather,  have  been 
carving  ivory.  .  .  .  The  ivory  is  a  native 
product.  ...  As  a  token  of  friendship 
and  gratitude  I  send  these  knives." 
(carved  from  ivory) 

From  Faure,  South  Africa: 

"I  have  always  known  that  sooner  or 
later  we  would  have  the  challenge  of 
educating  a  deaf -blind  child.  We  have 
now  been  asked  to  admit  a  totally 
blind,  deaf-and-dumb  Zulu  of  11  years. 
.  .  .  Will  you  ask  the  head  of  your 
special  department  for  the  deaf-blind 
to  let  me  have  a  letter  about  teaching 
speech-reading  and  articulation  by  tac- 
tual methods?" 

From  a  hospital  in  Vermont,  acknoiv- 
ledging  a  book  made  by  Lower  School 
pupils  : 

"I  am  writing  to  thank  you  and  your 
clever  pupils  for  the  delightful  result 
of  their  work,  and  enthusiasm,  that 
you  sent  this  hospital.  The  book  is  very, 
very  interesting  .  .  .  The  information 
about  automobiles,  ships  and  airplanes 
is  splendid. 

From  an  English  Firm: 

"We  are  much  obliged  for  your  inter- 
esting letter  .  .  .  The  extraordinary  fea- 
ture about  your  letter,— Transcribed  by 
a  blind  Ediphone  operator — ,  is  that 
there  is  not  a  single  mistake." 
From  an  Educational  Publisher: 

"Permit  us  also  to  make  an  appreci- 
ative comment  on  the  perfection  of  the 
transcription  of  your  letter  by  a  blind 
operator." 
From    Mrs.    Winnifred    Holt    Mather, 

Founder  of  the  Lighthouse: 

I  am  interested  that  your  letter  was 
transcribed  by  a  blind  Ediphone  oper- 
ator." 


7  — 


WHAT  I  HAVE  GAINED  FROM  SELLING 

(Continued  from  Page  3) 

with  the  various  sections  of  Watertown  and  surrounding  cities.  Be- 
fore becoming  a  salesman,  I  knew  very  little  of  the  geography  of 
Watertown  or  other  neighboring  communities;  but  now  when  con- 
versation arises  concerning  any  one  of  these  localities,  I  am  able  to 
contribute  my  part. 

A  great  asset  to  both  blind  and  seeing  salesmen  is  the  ability  to 
make  change  rapidly  and  accurately.  At  first  finding  it  difficult  to 
make  change,  I  finally  developed  a  satisfactory  method,  which  I  now 
use.  By  keeping  nickels  and  dimes  in  one  pocket,  quarters  and  half 
dollars  in  another  pocket,  and  bills  in  my  wallet,  I  am  able  to  change 
money  quickly  without  trouble. 

Besides  being  helped  in  the  ways  already  mentioned,  I  have  bene- 
fited financially  from  my  house-to-house  selling.  In  the  fifteen 
times  that  I  have  gone  out  canvassing,  I  have  made  a  total  profit  of 
$63.22,  one  third  of  which  was  shared  with  my  guide  in  payment 
for  his  services.  By  earning  this  money,  I  have  not  had  to  send 
home  in  times  of  need,  and  it  has  given  me  added  confidence  in  myself. 
I  know  now  that  I  can  stand  on  my  own  feet,  that  I  can  earn  money 
if  necessary. 

A  minor  activity  of  our  Salesmanship  course  this  year  was  the 
managing  of  the  Perkins  school  store.  Here  during  recess  periods 
we  sold  candy  and  student  supplies.  I  was  in  charge  of  this  store 
for  two  months,  during  which  time  I  had  ample  practice  in  keeping 
cash  accounts  and  in  making  the  credit  and  debit  sides  of  our  books 
balance. 

I  wish  to  say  in  conclusion  that  I  have  gained  much  this  year 
from  my  selling.  My  experience  in  the  work  has  inspired  me  to  such 
an  extent  that  I  am  now  planning  to  sell  brooms  throughout  the 
summer  vacation,  rather  than  to  stay  home  and  do  nothing. 


TheP 

evkins  Players 

present 

"THE  FOOL 

by  Channing  Pollock 

Friday, 

March  19, 

8.15  P.  M.      Saturday,  March  20,  2.30  P.  M. 

DWIQHT 

HALL, 

PERKINS  INSTITUTION 

—  8  — 


The  Lantern 


THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  VI.  NO.  4  JUNE  15,  1937 

The  Discipline  of  Learning 

THE  many  anniversaries  observed  this  year  by  the  educational 
world  have  focused  attention  upon  the  processes  of  learning. 
We  have  been  especially  interested  in  the  celebration  of  Fred- 
erick Froebel's  founding  of  the  kindergarten  because  that  centennial 
coincided  with  the  semi-centennial  of  our  kindergarten.  Froebel's 
great  contribution  was  to  center  the  interest  of  education  upon  the  in- 
dividual and  to  emphasize  guidance  of  growth. 

If,  as  Miss  Lucy  Wheelock  has  said,  in  celebrating  the  founding 
of  the  kindergarten  we  are  honoring  the  beginning  of  progressive 
education,  it  would  seem  as  if  the  pendulum  has  completed  the  full 
swing.  With  the  inevitable  swing  back  there  must  come  an  increasing 
stress  upon  group  interests  and  upon  fundamental  skills.  There  are 
many  today  who  feel  that  in  emphasizing  individuality  we  have  sacri- 
ficed social  responsibility.  And  there  is  dire  need  for  this  quality  in 
life  today.  The  time  has  come  when  the  many  strands  of  opportunity 
for  individual  learning  must  be  pulled  together  if  education  is  to  pro- 
vide a  rope  strong  enough  to  hold  the  weight  of  present  civilization. 

The  world's  greatest  need  is  not  more  learning  but  better  learn- 
ing, and  perhaps  above  all  else  what  the  founder  of  Phillips  Andover 
stressed  as  the  most  important,  the  "discipline  of  learning."  We  feel 
that  youth  is  eager  for  discipline  and  stands  ready  to  respond  to  a 
strong  call.  This  is  not  without  its  implications  of  danger  because 
it  offers  a  fruitful  field  for  regimentation  under  dictatorship.  Democ- 
racy can  be  saved  only  through  a  sense  of  social  responsibility  which 
overrides  individual  self-expression.  This  means  discipline,  and  edu- 
cation must  make  that  adjustment  the  primary  function  of  learning. 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown,  Massachusetts 
Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President.  GABRIEL  FARRELL,  Director. 


^a^ti/ -y&AAj*^ 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


The  Girls'  Glee  Club  has  sung  dur- 
ing the  past  month  at:  Auburn, 
Maine;  Belmont;  Sherborn  Reforma- 
tory; West  Newton;  and  before  the 
Boston  Lions'  Club. 


Miss  Florence  Chapin,  of  the  Bos- 
ton Center  for  Adult  Education,  gave 
a  most  interesting  talk  on  etiquette  be- 
fore members  of  the  Girls'  School  on 
the  evening  of  April  29. 


A  style  show  was  conducted  on  the 
evening  of  May  4,  in  Dwight  Hall,  by 
Miss  Beatrice  Bowry,  Stylist  at  Fi- 
lene's,  Boston.  Moderate  priced  gowns 
for  girls  of  high  school  age  were  mod- 
eled. 


Fisher  Cottage  was  judged  winner  of 
the  girls'  annual  Stunt  Night  on  May 
17.  This  event  concluded  inter-cot- 
tage competition  for  the  year,  and 
Fisher  Cottage  was  awarded  the  cup 
for  the  third  successive  time  thus  be- 
coming its  permanent  possessor. 


Boys  of  the  Upper  School  have  en- 
joyed two  week-end  Retreats  at  Vallar- 
mine  House,  Cohasset,  May  22-23,  and 
May  29-30.  The  Retreats  were  con- 
ducted by  the  Rev'd  Patrick  J.  Nolan, 
F.  J.,  Dean  of  Men  at  Boston  College. 


A  Stop- Go  signal  light  has  been  in- 
stalled just  outside  of  the  main  gate  at 
the  corner  of  Beechwood  Avenue  and 
North  Beacon  Street.  It  has  a  button 
attachment  which  when  pressed  stops 
traffic  long  enough  for  a  person  to 
cross  the  street.  As  a  special  arrange- 
ment for  our  pupils  a  bell  will  sound 
while  the  lights  are  set  for  crossing. 
Perkins  is  grateful  to  the  town  of  Wa- 
tertown  for  this  provision  for  the  safe- 
ty of  our  pupils. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


The  Director  spoke  recently  at  the 
Groton  School,  where  Mr.  Henry  H. 
Richards,  grandson  of  Dr.  Howe,  is  a 
teacher.  A  group  of  boys  is  planning 
to  visit  Perkins. 


Miss    Alice    M.    Carpenter,    who    has 

been  attending  the  Harvard  Class  and 
who  is  associated  with  work  for  the 
blind  in  China,  has  remained  for  the 
second  half-year  to  do  special  work  in 
the  Deaf-Blind  Department. 


Richard  Hull,  who  went  from  Per- 
kins in  1933  to  enter  the  Rockport 
High  School,  is  graduating  from  that 
school  in  June  with  honors  and  has 
been  accepted  for  admission  to  Clark 
University. 


Helen  J.  Goodwin,  who  attended 
Perkins  from  1921  to  1931,  was  gradu- 
ated from  Northfield  Seminary  in  1934, 
and  has  just  completed  her  junior  year 
at  Radcliffe  College,  was  married  June 
12,  to  Carl  Hopkins,  a  Dartmouth 
graduate  now  teaching  at  Tufts  Col- 
lege. 


Mr.  and  Mrs.  Edward  J.  Waterhouse 

of  the  Perkins  staff  have  adopted  a 
baby  girl,  Mary  Ingaborg,  who  is  at  the 
Boston  Nursery  for  Blind  Babies  but 
will  spend  the  summer  with  the  Wa- 
terhouses  at  their  home  in  Hollis,  N.  H. 


Among  recent  visitors  to  Perkins 
have  been:  Mr.  Subodh  Chandra  Roy 
of  India  who  is  studying  at  Columbia 
and  the  New  York  Institute  for  the 
Education  of  the  Blind;  Mrs.  Shiori 
Maeno  from  the  Kinkwa  School  for  the 
Deaf  and  Blind  in  Japan;  and  Mrs. 
Mary  Grace  Knap  Burtt  a  graduate  of 
Perkins  and  Wellesley  College  who  has 
for  many  years  been  at  the  Sun  Laap 
School  for  the  Blind  in  Shiu  Hing, 
South  China. 


—  2 


MICHAEL  ANAGNOS 
The  Second  Director 
By  Anna  Gardner  Fish 

COME  of  those  who  have  builded  their  lives  into 

I    ['H    ^  the  school,  giving  unstinted  and  valuable  service 

^ t8  anc*  ^elpin^  to  establish  its  pre-eminence,  yet  remain 

/icS  shadowy  figures  of  the  past,  whose  claims  upon  our 

*wl  remembrance  are  recognized  only  in  a  general  way 

A       ll^fej     in   the  achievements  of   the   school   towards   which 

jA  they  contributed. 

Not  so  is  that  commanding  personality  Michael 
^^^M^^^^H  Anagnos,  who  is  felt  as  a  living  force  in  our  midst. 
His  founding  of  the  Kindergarten  is  celebrated  annually  on  his  birth- 
day, when  his  early  struggles  for  an  education  and,  later,  for  a  univer- 
sity course  are  recounted,  and  the  subsequent  steps  which  led  him  to 
our  shores  through  the  philanthropy  of  Dr.  Howe  and  to  the  work  of 
Perkins  Institution  to  which  all  his  mature  manhood  was  given. 

In  addition  to  his  incessant  efforts  to  raise  the  standard  of  Per- 
kins and  to  keep  abreast  of  the  forward  movements  in  education,  the 
outstanding  fruits  of  his  energies  are  to  be  found  in  the  Kinder- 
garten for  the  Blind,  already  mentioned,  the  Howe  Memorial  Press 
fund,  and  the  special  collection  of  Blindiana. 

Mr.  Anagnos  was  the  embodiment  of  integrity.  To  him  a  law 
was  a  law,  to  be  obeyed  unquestioningly.  He  had  the  utmost  regard 
for  human  rights,  but  he  believed  that  the  will  of  the  individual 
should  yield  to  what  had  been  accepted  as  the  greatest  good  to  the 
greatest  number.  His  respect  for  law  and  order  led  him  to  prompt 
but  well-founded  decisions,  which  were  fair  and  final.  To  him  yes 
was  yes,  no  was  no;  white  was  white  and  black,  black. 

Because  of  his  absolute  honesty  and  strict  adherence  to  promises, 
contributions  to  the  Kindergarten  and  to  Thomas  Stringer,  our  deaf- 
blind  ward,  and  subscriptions  in  furtherance  of  whatever  was  set  forth 
by  Mr.  Anagnos  as  the  existing  need,  came  freely  to  the  aid  of  his 
projects,  with  the  full  conviction  that  every  cent  would  be  expended 
as  designated  and  that  the  work  to  which  he  had  devoted  heart  and 
hand  was  indeed  well  worth  while. 

The  central  court  of  the  Lower  School  group  is  honored  by  bear- 
ing the  name  of  Michael  Anagnos. 

—  3  — 


"I 


THE  KINDERGARTEN  CELEBRATION 

WAS  never  so  proud  of  Perkins  in  all  my  life!",  was  the 
exclamation  of  one  of  our  oldest  graduates,  as  she  left  the  exer- 
cises marking  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  founding  of  the 
kindergarten  and  the  one  hundredth  anniversary  of  the  birth  of 
Michael  Anagnos,  held  on  Thursday,  May  20. 

Despite  the  inclement  weather  which  made  it  necessary  to  hold 
the  afternoon  program  in  Dwight  Hall,  rather  than  in  the  close  of 
the  Lower  School,  the  occasion  was  considered  a  great  success  by 
the  several  hundred  people  present.  Eighty  guests  had  luncheon  in 
the  Lower  School  hall,  and  the  afternoon  program  presented  in  a  vivid 
way  the  many  activities  of  the  children  of  the  Lower  School.  The 
occasion  was  honored  by  the  presence  of  Mrs.  Charles  W.  Hurley,  the 
wife  of  the  Governor,  Mr.  P.  G.  Dascalopoulo,  the  Greek  Consul  in 
Boston,  and  several  members  of  the  Howe  family. 


A  MAGAZINE  AGENCY 

ANEW  form  of  employment  for  blind  persons  who  are  qualified 
in  salesmanship  is  provided  in  the  establishment  of  the  New 
England  Magazine  Agency  of  the  Blind.     This  project  is  the 
outcome  of  an  extensive  study  made  by  the  sales  class  of  the  Boys' 
School  and  has  the  endorsement  of  publishers  and  editors  throughout 

—  4  — 


the  country.  The  plan  is  to  train  students  who  will  continue  after 
graduation  to  solicit  magazine  subscriptions.  Practically  all  of  the 
standard  magazines  will  be  carried  and  sold  at  established  prices,  and 
the  solicitors  will  be  paid  on  a  commission  basis. 

Under  the  auspices  of  the  Pennsylvania  School  for  the  Blind  in 
Philadelphia  a  similar  agency  has  operated  successfully  for  twenty- 
four  years,  and  we  have  every  reason  to  believe  that  we  can  secure 
the  cooperation  which  will  bring  this  remunerative  opportunity  to 
blind  people  throughout  the  New  England  States.  Already  publishers 
have  sent  us  lists  of  expirations  and  the  subscribers  have  been  quite 
ready  to  renew  their  subscriptions  through  the  solicitors  of  our 
agency. 

PERKINS  BOY  SCOUTS 

UNDER  the  leadership  of  Mr.  Ben  Smith,  a  member  of  the  Har- 
vard Class,  the  Perkins  Boy  Scout  Troop  has  had  an  unusually 
active  year.  Every  Friday  evening  a  local  Boy  Scout  Troop 
has  been  invited  to  meet  with  our  troop.  The  activity  has  been  based 
on  reciprocation.  The  seeing  Scouts  have  given  individual  assistance 
to  our  boys  in  various  fields  of  Scout  endeavor  and  have  discussed  the 
varied  activities  of  Scout  troops,  and  our  boys  have  demonstrated 
some  of  the  special  methods  they  have  mastered  showing  how  the 
braille  system  is  used  in  reading  and  writing.  These  joint  meetings 
have  been  attended  with  enthusiasm  and  from  the  point  of  view  of 
socialization  have  been  of  inestimable  value. 


13 "    ->^_- 


SPRING  SPORTS 

AS  SOON  AS  warm  weather  made  it  possible,  the  boys'  track 
team  was  out  on  the  field.  Fifty  students  participated  in  the 
inter-cottage  meet  held  on  Friday,  May  21,  and  won  by  Tomp- 
kins Cottage.  On  Saturday,  May  29,  the  Perkins  team  journeyed  to 
Hartford  to  participate  in  the  annual  triangular  meet  at  Hartford, 
with  the  Overbrook  School  as  the  third  team.  This  meet  closed  with 
the  following  scores:  Perkins  28,  Hartford  20,  and  Overbrook  15. 
On  Saturday,  June  5,  our  boys  went  to  New  York  to  compete  with 
the  New  York  School  in  a  series  of  events  which  closed  with  Perkins 
winning  over  New  York,  the  score  being  43  for  Perkins  and  20  for 
New  York. 

ANOTHER  ANNIVERSARY 

ON  FRIDAY  and  Saturday,  June  4  and  5,  the  Ohio  State  School 
for  the  Blind  observed  its  one  hundredth  anniversary.  The 
Director  of  Perkins  was  one  of  the  speakers  at  this  notable 
occasion.  Perkins  feels  a  special  interest  in  this,  the  first  state  school 
for  the  blind  in  the  country,  because  at  the  time  of  its  founding  Samuel 
Gridley  Howe  and  a  group  of  Perkins  pupils  appeared  before  the  legis- 
lature of  Ohio  to  help  secure  the  appropriation  which  made  possible 
its  establishment. 

NEW  DIPLOMAS 

FOR  the  first  time  since  the  Senior  High  School  has  been  organized 
in  five  departments,  pupils  are  to  graduate  from  departments 
other  than  the  literary.  This  has  necessitated  a  change  in  the 
old  style  of  diplomas  and,  after  careful  consideration,  it  has  been  de- 
cided to  have  an  entirely  new  diploma.  The  new  diploma  is  an  em- 
bossed sheet  6x8  inches,  which  fits  into  a  beautifully  marked 
blue  leather  case.  This  change  in  size  and  style  conforms  to  the  pre- 
vailing practise  in  most  modern  high  schools. 

TALKING  BOOK  COMPLAINT 

ONE  of  our  pupils  recently  failed  in  a  competitive  examination 
and  blamed  his  failure  on  the  talking  book.    Said  he,  "It's  just 
too  bad  that  the  talking  book  does  not  spell  for  us.    If  it  had, 
I  probably  would  not  have  failed  this  examination." 

—  6  — 


RECENT  PUBLICATIONS 


"Children  of  the  Silent  Night"  is  an 

interesting  booklet,  published  to  tell  of 
the  work  being  done  for  deaf-blind 
children  at  Perkins.  It  sets  forth  a 
program  for  a  national  center  which 
could  offer  wide  opportunity  for  triply - 
handicapped  children. 


"Michael  Anagnos"  is  the  story  of 
the  life  of  the  Second  Director  of  Per- 
kins and  has  been  published  in  con- 
nection with  the  recent  exercises.  It 
has  been  prepared  by  Miss  Anna  Gard- 
ner Fish,  Registrar  of  the  School. 


A  ten-year  review  of  American  in- 
vestigations pertaining  to  blind  chil- 
dren has  been  compiled  by  Kathryn  E. 
Maxfield,  Director  of  the  Arthur  Sun- 
shine Home,  Summit,  New  Jersey.  It 
is  an  excellent  survey  of  studies  which 
have  constructive  classroom  value. 


In  the  annual  Lighthouse  competi- 
tion for  the  best  essay,  James  Delaney. 
of  the  Sophomore  Class,  received  first 
honorable  mention  and  Mary  Jane 
Youngblood's  paper  was  included 
among  the  seven  highest  to  be  consid- 
ered for  the  final  honors. 


A  complete  set  of  the  embossed  maps 
made  under  the  W  P  A  project  has 
been  sent  to  the  Library  of  Congress, 
Department  of  Maps,  to  add  to  their 
collection  of  maps  of  every  possible 
kind. 


CUTTING  THE  TREES 

There's  something  very  sad  to  me 
About  the  cutting  of  a  tree. 

A  tree  that  stands  so  straight  and  tall. 
With  boughs  to  swing  on,  shade  for  all. 

And  when  men  came  on  yesterday 
To  cut  two  trees  across  the  way, 

I  had  to  hide  myself  and  cry. 
It  hurt  me  so  to  see  them  die. 


Alice  L.  Stewart. 


BROADCASTS 


John  DiFrancesco,  of  the  Music  De- 
partment, participated  in  a  broadcast 
over  Station  WNAC,  on  April  3. 


The  Lower  School  pupils  sang  folk 
songs  as  a  feature  of  Aunt  Harriet's 
Broadcast,  over  Station  WEEI,  April 
10. 


A  part  of  the  Upper  School  Chorus 
gave  a  brief  program  and  the  Director 
spoke  on  the  importance  of  the  semi- 
centennial exercises  of  the  Kindergar- 
ten, over  Station  WEEI,  May  18. 


The  full  Upper  School  Chorus  gave 
a  half-hour  program  over  Station 
WBZ,  May  23. 


Septimus  Fraser,  one  of  the  early 
pupils  of  Perkins  Institution,  died  in 
Montreal  on  May  21,  at  the  age  of 
eighty-one  years.  Not  many  who  have 
attended  Perkins  in  recent  years  will 
remember  Mr.  Fraser,  who  was  a  suc- 
cessful music  teacher,  but  all  will  re- 
call the  frequent  singing  of  the  hymn 
which  bore  his  name,  at  our  chapel  ex- 
ercises. 


With  deep  regret  we  learned  of  the 
death  on  Friday,  May  21,  of  Dr.  Ed- 
ward M.  Van  Cleve,  for  twenty-one 
years,  until  1935,  Principal  of  the  New 
York  Institute  for  the  Education  of 
the  Blind.  Dr.  Van  Cleve  was  a  de- 
voted friend  of  all  blind  people  and 
was  well-known  here  at  Perkins 
through  his  frequent  visits.  Dr.  Van 
Cleve  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the 
National  Society  for  the  Prevention  of 
Blindness  and  his  death  is  a  great  loss 
to  the  cause. 


—  7  — 


GRADUATION  JUNE  18 

GRADUATION  takes  place  on  Friday,  June  18.  The  Lower  School 
promotion  exercises  will  be  held  at  11:00  o'clock  and  two  of 
the  events  on  the  program  of  the  semi-centennial  celebration 
will  be  repeated.  The  Upper  School  graduation  will  be  at  2:00  o'clock. 
At  the  graduation  exercises  the  diplomas  and  certificates  will  be 
awarded  by  Mr.  Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President  of  the  Corporation. 
The  commencement  address  will  be  given  by  the  Hon.  Leverett  Salton- 
stall,  a  trustee  of  Perkins  Institution.  The  invocation  will  be  offered 
by  the  Rev'd.  Marshall  S.  Jenkins,  Minister  of  the  Union  Church 
of  Watertown. 

Seven  boys  and  girls  will  receive  certificates  marking  the  com- 
pletion of  their  work  in  the  Lower  School  and  transfer  to  the  Upper 
School.  Seventeen  young  men  and  women  who  have  completed  the 
requirements  in  the  Upper  School  will  receive  diplomas,  and  three 
girls  will  receive  manual  training  certificates. 


Perkins  graduates  who  are  to  complete  studies  which  they  have 
pursued  elsewhere  include:  Charles  Eaton  and  Neal  Pike  who  will 
graduate  from  Boston  University  School  of  Law,  Lester  Stott  who 
will  graduate  from  Boston  University  School  of  Liberal  Arts,  Guido 
Marchisio  who  will  graduate  from  Boston  University  School  of  Educa- 
tion, Paul  Giuliano  who  will  receive  his  degree  from  the  New  England 
Conservatory  of  Music,  Virginia  Dean  who  finishes  her  work  at  the 
Nursery  Training  School  of  Boston,  and  Fannie  Libbey  who  completes 
her  course  at  the  Swedish  Institute  of  Physiotherapy  in  New  York. 


Fifty  years  of  service  are  to  be  commemorated  by  the  Perkins 
Alumni  Association  at  its  annual  meeting  to  be  held  at  the  school  on 
Saturday,  June  19.  For  half  a  century  graduates  of  our  school  have 
been  strengthened  through  association  one  with  another  in  this  or- 
ganization. Many  of  our  graduates  have  been  helped  along  their  way 
by  the  Association  and  each  year  a  goodly  number  of  members  has 
returned  for  the  reunion. 


Members  of  the  staff  remaining  for  the  summer  and  boys  taking 
the  farming  course  will  live  in  Fisher  Cottage.  Teachers  are  to 
return  Monday,  September  13,  and  pupils  the  following  day.  School 
will  reopen  with  chapel  on  Wednesday  morning,  September  15. 


The  Lantern 


THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  VII.  NO.  2  DECEMBER  15.  1937 


GUjrtHtmaa  at  fferktna 


CHRISTMAS  begins  early  at  Perkins  because  we  must  have  our 
festivities  before  we  disperse  for  the  holiday  recess.  When 
Christmas  Day  arrives  there  will  be  but  a  handful  here  at  the 
school,  only  those  who  live  too  far  away  to  return  home,  but  a  happy 
Christmas  will  be  provided  for  them.  All  others  will  be  in  their 
homes  where  Christmas  really  ought  to  be  spent,  as  it  is  primarily  a 
family  festival. 

We  have  our  families  here  for  each  cottage,  as  its  members  live 
and  grow  together,  achieves  the  spirit  of  a  home.  To  strengthen  that 
homelike  atmosphere  we  center  our  Christmas  observance  in  the  cot- 
tages which  are  gaily  decorated  with  greens  and  garlands.  Parties, 
with  trees  and  gifts,  are  held  and  the  mere  mention  of  them  will 
arouse  nostalgic  yearnings  among  former  students  reading  this  page. 

Our  festivities,  however,  are  not  all  self-centered.  Through  our 
public  concerts  we  give  Yuletide  joy  to  many.  The  Boston  concert 
has  become  one  of  the  traditions  of  the  season.  At  the  concert  at  the 
school  pupils  share  with  their  parents  the  atmosphere  of  joy  and 
forthgiving  which  in  a  mysterious  way  makes  itself  very  real  at 
Christmas  time. 

Ten  days  before  school  closes  we  start  our  Christmas  observance. 
(The  choirs,  of  course,  begin  with  rehearsals  weeks  before).  At 
morning  assemblies  on  these  days  staff  and  students  gather  to  sing 
the  old  familiar  carols  which  bind  together  all  hearts  and  creeds  and 
races.  Perhaps  it  is  this  losing  of  ourselves  in  self-giving  which 
makes  the  Christmas  spirit  so  real. 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown,  Massachusetts 
Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President.  GABRIEL  FARRELL,  Director. 


^cu&^i^ '  7&uVi*££ 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Founder's  Day  was  observed  at  the 
Lower  School  on  November  8,  and  the 
Howe  Memorial  Exercises  at  the  Upper 
School  on  November  12.  Mr.  H.  H. 
Richards,  grandson  of  Dr.  Howe,  and 
Dr.  J.  Thayer  Addison  spoke  at  the 
latter  exercises. 


Eliot  Cottage  had  the  honor  of  hold- 
ing the  victory  supper  as  the  winner 
of  the  fall  football  series  of  inter- 
cottage  games.  This  was  held  on  No- 
vember 15. 


White  Magic  was  the  name  of  a  fas- 
cinating play  presented  at  the  Lower 
School  by  members  of  the  Junior 
League  of  Boston  on  November  9,  1937. 


George  Hossfield,  the  champion  speed 
typist  of  the  world,  gave  a  demonstra- 
tion of  skill  and  speed  at  the  Upper 
School  on  the  afternoon  of  November 
17,  1937. 


Mr.  and  Mrs.  Walter  R.  Dry,  of  the 

Oregon  School  for  the  Blind,  spent  two 
or  three  days  at  Perkins  in  November. 
In  a  chapel  talk  Mr.  Dry  left  this  help- 
ful message,  "Get  thy  spindle  and  thy 
distaff  ready  and  God  will  send  the 
flax." 


The  boys  of  the  Primary  Department 
have  acquired  two  goats  and  are  adding 
the  task  of  producing  goat's  milk  to 
their  egg-raising  business. 


The  Perkins  Troop's  exhibit  at  the 
Scoutorama  held  in  Concord  by  the 
Boy  Scouts  on  Friday  and  Saturday, 
November  26  and  27,  attracted  wide 
attention. 


Canon  Bridgeman  of  St.  George's 
Cathedral,  Jerusalem,  made  the  Holy 
Land  and  especially  Bethlehem  very 
real  in  a  chapel  talk.  December  3. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Van  Cleve  Hall  is  to  be  the  name  of 
the  beautiful  building  which  houses  the 
lower  school  at  the  New  York  Institute 
for  the  Blind.  It  is  a  fitting  tribute  tG 
the  late  Edward  M.  Van  Cleve  under 
whose  direction  the  building  was 
erected  and  who  for  a  quarter  of  a 
century  was  principal  of  the  Institute. 


Miss  Elizabeth  Caulfield,  who  began 
her  schooling  at  Perkins,  completed  it 
at  Overbrook  and  later  went  to  the 
Orient,  spoke  Tuesday  evening,  Novem- 
ber 16,  at  the  Copley  Plaza  for  the 
benefit  of  the  Catholic  Guild  for  the 
Blind.  On  the  following  Friday  Miss 
Caulfield  visited  Perkins  and  gave  an 
inspiring  talk  to  the  Upper  School. 


Congratulations  to  Charles  Eaton. 
Perkins  '30,  and  Neal  Pike,  Perkins  '34, 
both  graduates  of  Boston  University 
and  Boston  University  School  of  Law. 
who  successfully  passed  the  Massachu- 
setts Bar  Examination  and  are  now 
ready  to  practise  law. 


The  Vocational  Guidance  Committee 

of  the  A.  A.  W.  B.  held  a  meeting  at 
Perkins  on  Wednesday,  December  1. 
under  the  chairmanship  of  Mr.  Benja- 
min Berinstein.  Mr.  Cowgill,  of  the 
Overbrook  School,  and  Mr.  Ryan,  of 
the  Connecticut  Committee  for  the 
Blind,  were  present.  Representatives 
of  the  Massachusetts  Division  for  the 
Blind  attended  the  afternoon  meeting. 


The  wire  sculptures  of  Berthold  Ord- 
ner,  of  Vienna,  were  on  exhibition  dur- 
ing October  at  the  Newhouse  Galleries, 
New  York  City.  A  specimen  of  this 
unique  medium  of  artistic  expression  is 
in  the  Perkins  Museum. 


A  Committee  made  up  of  representa- 
tives of  the  A.  A.  I.  B.  and  the  A.  A 
W.  B.  has  been  appointed  to  make  a 
national  survey  of  work  for  the  blind. 


2  — 


RECOLLECTIONS  OF  LAURA  BRIDGMAN 

Related  at  Chapel,  October  4,  1037 
By  Mrs.  Cora  L.  Gleason 

MY  memories  of  Laura  Bridgman  extend  back  more  than 
fifty  years.  During  the  greater  part  of  the  years  between 
1882  and  1888,  I  knew  her  not  only  as  a  neighbor,  when  she 
lived  in  Fisher  Cottage,  her  room  adjoining  mine,  but  in  the  school, 
where  we  spent  much  time  together  in  the  work  school.  We  accepted 
Laura  as  a  pleasant  member  of  the  family.  She  lived  in  each  one  of 
the  four  cottages  in  the  Girls'  Department  in  rotation.  Laura  occu- 
pied the  corresponding  room  in  each  house,  and  her  own  furniture 
was  moved  from  house  to  house. 

She  was  gentle,  kind,  helpful,  always  ready  to  do  little  kind- 
nesses for  people,  and,  indeed,  had  her  share  in  the  household  duties. 
I  remember  her  feeling  of  great  responsibility  that  I  should  not  be 
late  for  breakfast.  She  was  an  early  riser,  and  I  never  was.  Some- 
times she  would  come  into  my  room  and  bring  her  music  box,  which 
would  play  perhaps  one  or  two  tunes.  She  would  wind  the  music  box, 
place  it  on  my  pillow,  and,  then,  put  her  hand  gently  on  my  face  to 
see  if  I  was  waking.  If  so,  she  would  smile  and  look  very  happy.  She 
used  to  rise  early  mornings  and  go  downstairs  and  do  a  certain  amount 
of  dusting.  The  dusting  was  not,  perhaps,  low  down  on  the  rungs 
of  the  chairs,  but  was  applied,  particularly,  to  the  bric-a-brac.  She  was 
very  careful  and  never  broke  anything. 

She  loved  fun  and  social  life,  enjoyed  a  party,  and  very  often 
she  would  have  a  party  Sunday  night,  if  the  family  was  not  too  large. 
She  would  get  her  choice  dishes  and  put  them  around  for  special 
visitors  and  then,  afterwards,  would  wash  the  dishes  and  put  them 
away.  She  never  left  them  for  others  to  do.  The  party  would  some- 
times consist  of  peeling  an  apple.  These  apples  would  generally  come 
from  a  barrel  behind  the  door  in  the  dining-room  and  were  given  by 
some  generous  friend  who  sent  them  for  the  pleasure  of  the  family. 
Laura  would  go  and  take  an  apple  and  peel  it  for  her  companion. 
Then,  she  would  slip  away  and  get  a  bowl  of  water,  sometimes  a  little 
warm  water,  and  she  always  had  a  nice  towel  or  napkin  and  she  would 
say:  "We  are  going  to  be  stylish.  We  are  going  to  have  a  finger 
bowl."  This  was  merely  for  the  benefit  of  her  work  to  keep  it  from 
becoming  soiled.  Laura  was  immaculate  with  her  work.  She  would 
not  think  of  handling  it  unless  her  hands  were  very,  very  clean. 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 
—  3  — 


•**«. 


^  vt<Jil.'tfiLt 


ittiti  ft!  I  *-t  *  1 1 1 1  *  Oi  4 

fc  lit  *.&*  t4|{|M  J  II  *  *  i 


•  .-* 


t  si  -  i> 


#  *•   ^U   •    4 


THE  CHRISTMAS  CONCERTS 

THE  Christmas  concerts  are  to  be  held  this  year  in  Jordan  Hall 
on  Sunday  afternoon,  December  19,  and  in  Dwight  Hall  at  the 
School,  on  Tuesday  evening,  December  21.  These  concerts  will 
be  dedicated  to  the  "Children  of  the  Silent  Night",  as  part  of  our 
observance  of  the  one  hundredth  anniversary  of  the  admission  to 
Perkins  of  Laura  Bridgman,  the  first  blind  deaf-mute  to  be  taught 
the  use  of  language  whose  birthday  is  December  21.  At  both  concerts 
Miss  Hall  and  Leonard  will  demonstrate  our  work  with  the  deaf -blind, 
and  Winthrop  Chapman,  our  oldest  deaf-blind  pupil,  will  play  the 
piano.  The  choirs  of  the  Upper  and  Lower  Schools  will  render  the 
usual  Christmas  Carols,  which  have  become  one  of  the  traditions  of 
the  season  in  Boston.  Tickets  for  the  concerts  may  be  obtained  by 
writing  to  the  school. 

BELLS  AND  BELL-RINGING 

THE  ringing  of  hand  bells,  introduced  into  the  school  about  a  year 
ago,  under  the  leadership  of  Roger  Walker,  a  Perkins  graduate 
and  the  only  blind  carillonneur  in  the  world,  has  been  found 
so  valuable  that  a  permanent  set  of  bells  was  desired.  Through  the 
generosity  of  the  Boston  Committee  for  the  Blind  a  set  of  twenty- 
seven  bells  is  to  be  presented  to  the  school  as  a  memorial  in  honor  of 
Mrs.  Louis  Rosenbaum,  its  founder.  The  bells  are  being  cast  in 
England  and  should  arrive  before  the  Christmas  holidays. 

The  eight  large  bells  in  our  tower,  presented  in  memory  of 
her  husband,  by  Mrs.  Andrew  C.  Wheelwright,  granddaughter  of 
Colonel  Perkins,  were  installed  twenty-five  years  ago.  To  mark  this 
anniversary  they  will  be  played  for  half  an  hour  preceding  the  concert 

—  4  — 


on   December   21.      During   the    Christmas    season   these    bells    play- 
Christmas  Carols  as  the  pupils  assemble  for  morning  chapel. 


THE  BRIDGMAN  TABLET 

THE  bronze  tablet  placed  on  a  boulder  in  front  of  the  home  of 
Laura  Bridgman  in  Etna,  New  Hampshire,  was  dedicated  on 
Wednesday  afternoon,  October  20.  A  large  delegation  from  Per- 
kins was  met  by  an  assemblage  of  people  from  Etna  and  neighboring 
communities.  Despite  the  heavy  rain,  the  exercises  were  carried  out 
with  dignity.  After  the  unveiling  the  exercises  were  continued  in  the 
nearby  church.  Greetings  were  presented  by  members  of  the  Bridg- 
man family  and  representatives  of  Dartmouth  College,  and  messages 
were  read  from  Mrs.  Laura  E.  Richards  and  Miss  Helen  Keller.  A 
delightful  feature  of  the  program  was  the  singing  of  The  Battle 
Hymn  of  the  Republic  by  the  school  children  of  Etna  and  Hanover 
Center. 

On  the  same  afternoon,  at  Dartmouth  College,  under  the  auspices 
of  the  Department  of  Education,  the  Director  gave  an  address  on 
the  education  of  the  deaf-blind  with  a  demonstration  by  Leonard 
Dowdy.  Our  plan  of  observing  this  centenary  by  retelling  the  story 
of  Laura  Bridgman  has  succeeded  beyond  our  expectations.  A  full 
report  of  the  celebration  and  of  the  funds  received  in  response  to  the 
appeal  will  be  made  in  the  March  15  issue  of  THE  LANTERN. 

(Hhriatmaa  ICraaona 

By  Emilie  Poulsson 

Again  the  loved  old  stories 

We  read  at  Christmas  tide, 
Oh,  may  their  blessed  teachings 

Within  our  hearts  abide! 

Be  ours  the  choice  to  follow, 

Some  heaven-enkindled  star, 
Even  though  its  rays  point  forward 

Through  lonely  ways  and  far. 

And  like  the  simple  shepherds, 

As  swift  and  glad  as  they, 
May  we  our  heavenly  visions 

In  joyful  awe  obey. 

The  inn  no  room  afforded; 

Oh!  may  our  hearts  ne'er  be 
So  crowded  that  they  have  no  place 

Sacred,  dear  God,  to  Thee. 


"THROUGH  WORK" 

AN  ATTRACTIVE   brochure  bearing  the  title  HANDS   THAT 
SEE,  published  by  the  Maryland  Workshop  for  the  Blind,  tells 
what  is  being  done  to  fulfill  its  motto  "Help  the  Blind  to  Help 
Themselves  THROUGH  WORK".     A  statement  made  therein  bears 
repeating  at  this  time. 

"The  greatest  menace  to  the  blind  and  the  work  for  them  is  the  flaunting  of 
the  handicap  by  sensational  appeals,  house  to  house  canvassing,  telephone  solicita- 
tion and  the  like,  all  of  which  leave  the  public  unprotected  and  seldom  benefit  the 
blind  at  all,  after  the  cost  of  such  operations  has  been  deducted.  Reputable  agen- 
cies engaged  in  the  work  for  them  do  not  resort  to  these  methods,  but  choose  as 
their  main  objective  the  broadening  of  the  scope  of  work  the  blind  can  be 
taught  to  do." 

THE  "ISMS" 

ON  NOVEMBER  15  the  "Isms"  held  a  luncheon  meeting  at  the 
Director's  House  where  five  of  the  eight  living  members 
assembled  with  three  teachers  of  the  early  days.  The  "Isms" 
is  a  club  organized  in  the  girls'  department  of  Perkins  fifty-five  years 
ago.  The  secret  name,  indicated  by  the  letters  I.  S.  M.  will  be  revealed, 
it  was  said,  at  a  meeting  fifty  years  hence.  Leader  in  founding  the 
club  was  Miss  Emilie  Poulsson,  who  had  to  be  carried  to  this  meeting 
in  a  chair.  She  is  widely  known  for  her  writings,  particularly  the 
Finger  Plays  which  have  given  joy  to  several  generations  of  children. 
One  of  her  poems  is  published  in  this  issue  with  her  permission. 

MAP  OF  THE  MONTH 

A  "MAP  OF  THE  MONTH"  is  to  be  produced  by  the  WPA 
Project  which  for  two  years  has  carried  on  its  work  at  Perkins 
and  has  moved  lately  to  quarters  outside  of  the  school.  These 
maps  are  designed  to  bring  the  geographical  location  of  historic  events 
to  schools  for  the  blind,  braille  classes,  and  adult  individuals.  The 
maps  will  be  similar  to  those  in  the  WPA  atlas  recently  compiled. 
The  first  map  deals  with  the  Sino-Japanese  conflict  and  the  second 
will  probably  be  the  Civil  War  in  Spain. 

DEFINITIONS 

The  need  for  tangible  instruction  when  sight  is  gone  is  often 
revealed  by  the  definitions  given  by  pupils.  The  other  day  one  of 
the  boys  in  the  Lower  School  defined  an  island  as  "a  place  with 
cottages  all  around  it". 

—  6  — 


PUBLICATIONS 


A  series  of  small  leaflets,  three  and 
one-half  by  six  and  one-quarter  inches, 
have  been  printed  in  uniform  style  for 
general  distribution.  They  are  all  radio 
talks,  or  reprints  of  articles,  by  the 
Director.     The  titles  follow: 

1.  EDUCATION     OF    THE     BLIND 

CHILD— A  radio  talk. 

2.  "WHEN  EYES  TAKE  HOLIDAY" 

— Illustrated.  Reprinted  from 
the  New  York  Herald-Tribune. 

3.  THE  DEAF-BLIND  AT  PERKINS 

— A  radio  talk. 

4.  PERKINS        INSTITUTION— 

A  radio  interview  made  up  of 
questions  and  answers  about 
Perkins. 

5.  KNOTS     AND     NOTCHES— The 

story  of  mattress-making.  Re- 
printed from  The  Town  Crier, 
Newton,   Massachusetts. 


6. 


THE  STATE  AND  THE  BLIND— 
One  of  a  series  of  radio  talks 
under  the  auspices  of  the  Mas- 
sachusetts League  of  Women 
Voters. 


THE  MAGIC  OF  GOOD  SPEECH,  a 
play  by  Miss  Albertena  Eastman, 
speech  correction  teacher  in  the  Lower 
School,  was  published  in  the  September 
issue  of  The  Grade  Teacher. 


IT  IS  FUN  FOR  THESE  BOYS  is 
the  appealing  title  of  an  article  by 
Francis  M.  Andrews,  appearing  in  the 
TEACHER'S  FORUM  for  September, 
1937,  and  describing  the  projects  of  the 
special  class  of  the  Lower  School. 


THE  GOAT,  the  braille  monthly 
magazine  published  by  the  pupils  of 
Perkins,  is  to  issue  an  ink-print  edition 
three  times  a  year  for  non-finger 
readers  who  may  be  interested. 


FROM  OUR  MAIL 


Miss  Alice  M.  Carpenter,  who  spent 
last  year  at  Perkins  and  has  returned 
to  her  work  at  the  Ming  Sum  School 
for  the  Blind  in  Canton,  China,  writes: 

"Yesterday  was  strange  as  we  lis- 
tened to  bombs  and  machine  guns  near 
Shanghai,  and  watched  the  refugees 
come  aboard  after  the  horrible  experi- 
ences in  Shanghai.  War  is  so  pitifully 
useless,  and  this  one  involves  far  more 
than  China  and  Japan.  .  .  . 

"I  arrived  in  Canton  August  22  and 
have  not  been  away  since  then.  .  .  .  Dr. 
Wong,  the  woman  who  has  been  in 
charge  during  my  absence,  has  done  a 
marvelous  work. 

"Canton  suffered  three  days  of  severe 
bombing.  We  have  had  twenty  air-raid 
signals  in  less  than  a  week.  Between 
air-raids,  work  and  life  go  on;  and 
then  another  signal  and  we  all  come  to 
the  bomb  shelter  to  wait  for  the  all- 
clear  signal.  China  is  standing  up  to  it 
all  in  a  most  courageous  way.  Our 
teachers  and  children  stay  calm 
through  all  this  strain."  .  .  . 

"Our  children,  over  seventy  of  them, 
are  here  and  cannot  go  home.  We 
carry  on  classes  between  air-raids,  and 
try  to  live  as  normally  as  possible.  I 
am  impressed  as  never  before  with 
what  the  Christian  enterprise  means 
here.  .  .  .  Since  I  have  returned,  I 
have  been  astounded  at  China's  prog- 
ress. She  has  developed  schools,  hospi- 
tals and  colleges;  she  has  built  miles  of 
railroad  and  developed  rural  programs 
that  have  been  far-reaching.  .  .  . 

"During  these  days  of  stress,  I  find 
myself  back  at  Perkins  so  often.  I 
truly  loved  it  there!" 


Perkins  pupils  are  collecting  money 
among  themselves  to  send  to  Miss  Car- 
penter for  her  blind  pupils. 


—  7 


RECOLLECTIONS  OF  LAURA  BRIDGMAN 

(Continued  from  Page  i) 

Laura  made  a  good  deal  of  work  that  was  sold.  She  crocheted 
articles,  especially  pansy  mats.  These  were  made  of  bright  pansy 
colors  of  wool.  Laura  also  made  money  selling  her  photographs.  I 
was  asked  to  take  her  in  town  to  have  a  new  sitting,  and  Laura  per- 
sisted in  having  a  picture  taken  showing  her  in  the  act  of  threading 
a  needle.  She  twisted  the  thread  and  put  it  on  the  point  of  her  tongue, 
put  the  eye  of  the  needle  to  the  point  of  the  thread,  and  by  drawing  in 
her  breath  slightly,  would  help  to  pull  it  through  the  eye  of  the  needle, 
which  she  would  then  draw  through  with  her  teeth.  Laura  was  very 
helpful  with  sewing  and  looked  over  the  girls'  work.  The  girls  were 
all  fond  of  her,  but  they  would  rather  have  their  teacher  inspect  their 
work  because  if  the  sewing  was  not  quite  right,  Laura  would  ques- 
tion it  and  if  anything  was  not  just  as  she  thought  it  ought  to  be, 
out  it  must  come. 

There  were  many,  many  occasions  when  it  seemed  to  be  my  duty 
to  interpret  because  I  understood  the  manual  alphabet  which  she 
used.  Once  a  gentleman  from  England  came  and  I  introduced 
him  to  Laura.  I  do  not  know  just  what  it  was  about  him  that  Laura 
did  not  like,  but  she  drew  her  hand  away  and  said :  "He  is  not  a 
gentleman."  This  was  very  embarrassing  to  me.  Another  embar- 
rassing situation  that  I  recall  to  mind  happened  when  Laura  and  I 
were  invited  to  dinner  at  the  fashionable  Gilman  School  for  young 
ladies.  While  being  served  to  strawberries,  Laura  said,  most  em- 
phatically: "These  strawberries  have  not  been  properly  sieved." 
Whereupon  Miss  Hannah  Gilman  asked:  "And  what  is  Laura  saying?" 
Then,  what  could  I  say  but  to  explain  that  she  was  fond  of  straw- 
berries and  was  commenting  upon  them. 

I  suppose  you  all  know  this  story,  but  I  should  like  to  speak  of  it. 
On  occasions  people  used  to  come  to  the  school  to  see  Laura  and 
among  them  was  the  attractive  Julia  Ward,  from  New  York,  in  com- 
pany with  Charles  Sumner  and  Longfellow.  She  came  because  she 
had  read  and  heard  of  Laura's  remarkable  achievements.  After  that 
she  came  several  times  and  it  was  through  these  visits  that  the 
romance  between  Julia  Ward  and  Dr.  Howe  started. 

It  seems  to  me  that  it  is  most  suitable  and,  indeed,  most  proper 
for  Perkins  to  carry  on  work  for  the  deaf-blind  because  it  was  founded 
here  on  such  a  splendid  foundation  a  century  ago  by  Dr.  Howe  and 
his  faithful  helpers,  setting  such  a  fine  example  in  opening  the  door 
of  Laura's  mind. 


#  ■■ 


The  Lantern 


n 

in  Vzls  Ltd  L 


MAR  2  1  1938 
Library 

THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  VII.  NO.  3  MARCH  15.  1938 

Our  Appeal  for  the  Deaf- Blind 

THIS  ISSUE  of  THE  LANTERN  is  being  sent  to  all  who  received 
"Children  of  the  Silent  Night"  as  well  as  to  our  regular 
readers.  To  those  who  contributed  to  our  fund  for  the  deaf- 
blind,  we  want  to  express  again  our  thanks  for  their  help.  To  those 
who  have  not  responded  we  might  say  that  it  is  not  too  late,  and  con- 
tributions sent  now  will  be  received  gladly.  The  general  purpose  of 
this  issue,  however,  is  to  make  a  report  of  the  response  which  came  to 
our  appeal  for  funds  for  our  program  for  the  doubly  handicapped. 

In  our  booklet  we  told  of  the  needs  of  these  children  and  of  our 
plan  to  extend  this  work.  In  our  appeal  we  did  not  state  the  full 
sum  needed  to  implement  our  full  program.  We  were  confident  that 
when  the  story  was  told  its  appeal  would  not  go  unheeded.  We  felt, 
also,  that  the  cause  was  so  direct  that  its  simple  statement  need  not 
be  supplemented  by  professional  money-raising  methods  with  quotas, 
goals  and  high  pressure.  In  addition,  it  meant  that  every  cent  re- 
ceived would  be  used  for  deaf-blind  children  and  not  for  campaign 
expenses. 

Our  appeal  was  planned  to  coincide  with  the  period  set  for  the 
observance  of  the  one  hundredth  anniversary  of  the  admission  to 
Perkins  of  Laura  Bridgman.  This  began  October  4,  the  anniversary 
date  and  closed  December  21,  Laura  Bridgman's  birthday.  At  the 
close  of  this  period  we  had  received  for  our  deaf-blind  work  approxi- 
mately $100,000.  We  are  deeply  grateful  to  all  who  have  shared  in 
this  achievement,  and  this  issue  of  THE  LANTERN  is  planned  pri- 
marily to  make  a  report  and  to  say  "thank  you". 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown,  Massachusetts 
Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President.  GABRIEL  FARRELL,  Director. 


^a^ti/  7&aa*4%> 


To  The  Sunshine  o£  Human 
Intercourse 


IT  is  a  bright  note  in  my  rather  wearisome  hospital  exper- 
ience— the  news  that  the  100th  anniversary  of  Laura 
Bridgman's  introduction  to  language  is  soon  to  be  cele- 
brated in  her  home  town,  Hanover,  New  Hampshire.  Nothing 
would  give  me  greater  pleasure  than  to  be  present  on  that 
appealing  occasion,  but  since  I  cannot,  I  send  this  word  of 
greeting. 

With  ever  new  gratitude  I  bless  Dr.  Samuel  G.  Howe  who 
believed,  and  therefore  was  able  to  raise  that  child  soul  from 
a  death-in-life  existence  to  knowledge  and  joy.  The  remem- 
brance thrills  me  afresh  of  the  first  deaf-blind  person  in 
the  world  to  be  taught  whom  I  met  in  the  first  glad  days  of 
my  own  awakening.  Again  I  feel  the  dainty  lace  lengthen 
as  her  lovely  hands  ply  the  needles.  I  dwell  on  her  deliver- 
ance so  radiant  with  Christ's  Teaching  that  faith  is  might 
to  save  and  to  bless.  Sadly  I  wonder  why  since  that  inspir- 
ing event  so  few  doubly  handicapped  children  have  been 
sought  out  and  led  back  to  the  sunshine  of  human  inter- 
course. 

It  is  well  for  us  to  rejoice  together  in  Laura  Bridgman's 
triumph  over  a  cruel  fate,  but  in  a  true  sense  her  anniver- 
sary cannot  be  celebrated  until  the  hundreds  of  beseeching, 
broken  lives  of  which  hers  was  one  are  healed  with  renew- 
ing love  and  power  of  the  mind.  Each  one  rescued  is  a 
witness  to  truth,  justice  and  fair  dealing.  Each  one  neglected 
is  a  denial  of  the  right  of  every  human  being  to  education 
and  opportunity. 

But  a  work  with  the  shining  resources  of  God  and  the 
wealth  of  a  great  country  behind  it  will  surely  grow.  Laura 
Bridgman's  100th  anniversary  will  stir  others  to  labor,  to 
counsel,  to  gather  means  of  reaching  all  the  teachable  deaf- 
blind  and  making  their  dark  silence  blossom  with  friendship 
and  content. 

Full  of  an  unceasing  prayer  for  those  whose  limitations  I 
bear,  I  lay  my  hand  in  spirit  upon  this  memorial  tablet,  and 
await  a  yet  greater  miracle. 

Sincerely  yours. 

HELEN  KELLER. 


ANNE  SULLIVAN  MACY 

Helen  Keller's  Teacher 
by  Anna  Gardner  Fish 


AMONG  Perkins  graduates  who  have  attained  world-wide  recog- 
nition is  one  whose  career  stands  out  in  bold  relief,  in  un- 
rivalled distinction.     This  was  Anne  Sullivan  Macy,  lifelong 
companion  of  Helen  Keller  and  affectionately  known  to  the  latter 
as  "Teacher." 

To  appreciate  her  accomplishment  it  is  necessary  to  go  far  back 
of  the  span  of  her  service.  It  began  with  the  widespread  wonderment 
over  Dr.  Howe's  success  in  teaching  the  use  of  language  to  Laura 
Bridgman,  the  first  deaf-blind  person  to  gain  that  knowledge.  As 
the  news  of  this  victory  spread  throughout  this  country  and  Europe, 
the  Perkins  Institution  in  South  Boston  became  a  Mecca  for  the  intel- 
ligentsia of  the  civilized  world  among  them  Charles  Dickens  who, 
visiting  the  school  in  1843,  "did  not  deign  to  notice  anything  or  any- 
body except  Laura,"  according  to  a  diarist  of  that  day.  Later  he 
gave  expression  to  his  admiration  for  the  achievement  in  his  "Ameri- 
can Notes,"  and  eventually  his  account  caught  the  attention  of  the 
mother  of  another  doubly-handicapped  child,  Helen  Adams  Keller 
of  Tuscumbia,  Ala. 

Acting  at  once  on  the  suggestion  it  conveyed,  Mrs.  Keller  wrote 
to  Dr.  Alexander  Graham  Bell  in  Washington,  known  advocate  of  the 
interests  of  the  deaf,  and  he  led  them  to  enlist  the  attention  of  Mr. 
Michael  Anagnos,  director  of  Perkins  Institution,  who  sought  at  once 
to  find  the  right  person  to  undertake  the  important  work  of  Helen's 
instruction.  This  was  in  1886;  Annie  Mansfield  Sullivan  was  a 
graduate  of  that 
year;  and  Mr.  An- 
agnos chose  her  as 
the  one  best  fitted 
by  resourcefulness, 
adaptability  and 
will-power  to  cope 
with  the  arduous 
task  proposed.  Her 
unhappy  childhood, 
from  which  she  had 
emerged       through 


. 


(Continued  on  Page  8) 


THE  FIRST  FIFTY  THOUSAND 

WHEN  the  needs  of  deaf-blind  children  in  this  country  began 
to  press  upon  us  it  seemed  necessary  for  Perkins  to  make 
every  effort  to  meet  them.  All  work  for  the  doubly-handi- 
capped originated  here  with  Laura  Bridgman.  Continuous  service 
to  such  children  through  the  century  and  constant  improvement  in 
methods  make  us  the  logical  school  to  carry  on  such  a  program.  Plans 
were,  therefore,  made  for  a  national  center  and  set  forth  in  the 
booklet  "Children  of  the  Silent  Night." 

To  establish  this  new  branch  of  work  called  for  new  funds. 
Present  funds  were  given  for  blind  children  of  New  England  and  our 
present  program  taxes  our  income.  After  consideration  the  Trustees 
felt  justified  in  making  an  appeal  for  contributions  to  establish  a 
separate  fund  for  the  deaf-blind.  A  fund  of  a  half  million  dollars 
was  felt  to  be  needed  for  this  purpose.  Various  methods  of  raising 
this  sum  were  considered.  Some  thought  that  a  "drive"  should  be 
put  on  to  raise  it  all  at  once.  Others  hesitated  to  do  this  partly 
because  it  was  contrary  to  our  tradition,  but  chiefly  because  it  was 
felt  that  the  cause  was  so  compelling  that  with  the  story  told  help 
would  come. 

Acting  on  this  principle  we  sent  to  several  thousand  people  the 
story  of  this  need  and  our  program  to  meet  it.  Returns  have  proved 
that  our  confidence  in  this  respect  was  well  founded.  From  thirty- 
eight  states  and  from  eleven  foreign  countries  nearly  a  thousand 
contributions  rolled  up  a  total  of  over  $50,000. 

While  a  personal  letter  was  sent  to  each  contributor  we  want  to 
take  this  occasion  to  say  "thank  you"  collectively  and  to  let  all  know 
how  grateful  we  are  for  what  has  been  received  and  for  what  we 
know  will  come  later  as  we  approach  the  attainment  of  our  goal. 

THE  HENRY  CLAY  JACKSON  FUND 

THE  contributions  received  through  the  appeal  were  considerably 
augmented,  in  fact,  practically  doubled,  when  late  in  December 
we  received  close  to  $50,000  from  a  trust  established  in  1922  by 
Paul  Wilde  Jackson.  Under  the  deed  of  gift  this  contribution  is  to  be  a 
permanent  fund  to  be  known  as  the  Henry  Clay  Jackson  Fund.  The 
income  is  to  be  used  for  deaf -blind  children  at  Perkins  as  long  as  our 
Trustees  feel  that  it  can  be  wisely  so  applied.  For  this  generous  gift 
Perkins  is  deeply  grateful  to  the  trustees  who  have  displayed  this 
interest  and  confidence  in  our  deaf-blind  program. 

—  4  — 


THE  HELEN  KELLER  TRIBUTE 

TO  HONOR  Helen  Keller  and  her  teacher,  the  late  Anne  Sullivan 
Macy,  the  American  Foundation  for  the  Blind  organized  a 
tribute  in  the  form  of  a  nation-wide  celebration.  Inaugurated 
by  a  concert  by  the  Philadelphia  Orchestra  in  New  York  City,  on  the 
evening  of  November  23,  it  culminated  on  March  3,  which  Miss  Keller 
calls  "the  most  important  day  I  remember  in  all  my  life."  This  was 
the  fifty-first  anniversary  of  the  meeting  of  Helen  Keller  and  Anne 
Sullivan.  As  the  school,  which  made  this  meeting  possible,  Perkins 
is  glad  to  add  its  tribute  to  the  acclaim  of  others. 

When  the  appeal  came  from  Alabama  for  someone  to  care  for 
the  doubly-handicapped  child  of  Captain  and  Mrs.  Keller,  Anne  Sulli- 
van, who  had  just  graduated  from  Perkins,  as  the  valedictorian  of 
her  class,  was  sent  by  Mr.  Anagnos  to  Alabama.  Two  years  later, 
Miss  Sullivan  brought  Helen  Keller  to  Perkins  Institution  where  "her 
ambitions  were  intensified  and  her  progress  was  rapid  and  assured." 
In  recognition  of  their  achievements,  we  are,  in  this  issue,  telling  the 
story  of  Mrs.  Macy  and  are,  also,  printing  the  tribute  to  Laura  Bridg- 
man,  which  Miss  Keller  wrote  for  the  recent  anniversary  exercises. 


A  CALL  FROM  SOUTH  AFRICA 

ALL  at  Perkins  are  tremendously  interested  in  the  possibility  of 
"Tad"  Chapman's  sailing  for  South  Africa  immediately  after 
his  graduation  in  June.  The  invitation  for  this  trip  has  come 
from  The  Reverend  A.  W.  Blaxall,  head  of  the  Transvaal  Society  for 
the  Care  of  Non-European  Blind  at  Johannesburg,  South  Africa.  Mr. 
Blaxall  visited  Per- 
kins in  1931  and  be-  "  "*  '  *  m  fe  ~ 
came  acquainted 
with  "Tad"  at  that 
time  and  they  have 
carried  on  a  corre- 
spondence  ever 
since.  This  invita- 
tion is  but  another 
indication  of  the 
far-reaching  influ- 
ence of  Perkins. 

Mr.  Blaxall  feels 
that  "Tad's"  pres- 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 


Notes  from  Th 


Ralph,  four  years  old,  our  youngest  and  newest  pupil,  is  making 
good  progress  in  taking  commands,  the  first  steps  in  instruction,  but 
the  lure  of  riding  an  aeroplane-tricycle,  which  the  Department  has, 
makes  it  difficult  for  him  to  keep  at  his  lessons.  .  .  .  Margaret,  one  of 
the  seven-year  old  twins,  is  beginning  to  experience  the  hardship  of 
having  a  brother,  because  James  takes  great  delight  in  teasing  her. 
The  twins  are  developing  physically  and  have  learned  to  speak  a  few 
words.  .  .  .  Carmela  has  taken  upon  herself  the  mothering  of  Ralph. 
With  quiet  patience  she  puts  away  his  toys,  when  he  is  finished  with 
them  and,  sometimes,  indulges  him  to  the  point  of  making  his  bed.  .  .  . 
Gloria,  nine  years  old,  one  of  the  new  pupils  this  year,  has  made 
remarkable  progress  in  speaking.  She  is  already  able  to  form  sen- 
tences. She  has  a  strong  domestic  sense  and  helps  in  the  cottage  by 
setting  the  table.  .  .  .  Dovie,  fifteen  years  old,  finds  her  greatest  inter- 
est in  handwork.  She  has  knitted  scarves  to  send  home  and  weaves 
small  mats  and  rugs.  Dovie  retained  her  speech  when  she  lost  her 
sight  and  hearing  at  eleven.  She  is  now  beginning  to  hear  speech 
through  vibration.  .  .  .  Patricia,  ten  years  old,  is,  at  the  present  time, 
at  St.  Mary's  School  for  the  Deaf,  in  Buffalo,  New  York,  where  she 
has  gone  to  be  the  companion  of  Margaret,  a  deaf -blind  child  at  that 
school.  Margaret  and  her  teacher  spent  a  month  at  Perkins,  studying 
our  methods  and  Patricia  is  now  returning  the  visit.  .  .  .  John,  eigh- 
teen years  old,  who  has  been  at  Perkins  only  a  year,  is  a  wonderful 

—  6  — 


!nd  Department 


example  of  the  progress  that  can  be  made  under  our  special  training, 
even  at  his  age.  His  family  are  delighted  with  the  letters,  which  he 
writes  to  them  on  the  typewriter.  .  .  .  Leonard,  now  grown  to  be  ten, 
is  still  the  delight  of  the  Department.  As  all  who  know  him  realize 
he  has  a  wonderful  disposition.  At  the  present  time  he  is  disconso- 
late over  the  death  of  the  Institution  horse,  "Mickey  Mouse,"  who,  ac- 
cording to  Leonard,  has  gone  to  the  "Horse  Heaven. ''  Leonard  is  de- 
veloping a  strong  interest  in  religious  matters  and  is  rather  fervent  in 
his  prayers,  which  he  closes  with  "Okay  God,  good  night!"  .  .  .  Tad, 
twenty-two  years  old,  is,  perhaps,  best  remembered  by  readers  of 
"Children  of  the  Silent  Night"  because  of  his  beautiful  essay  on 
"What  God  Means  to  Me."  Tad  graduates  from  Perkins  this  year  and 
returns  to  his  home  in  South  Dakota  in  June.  He  has  been  invited  by 
authorities  in  South  Africa  to  visit  that  country  and  it  is  hoped  that 
this  plan  will  materialize  so  that  he  will  have  the  rich  experience  of 
travel  to  add  to  the  memories  which  will  be  his  greatest  resource  in 
the  years  to  come.  .  .  .  Other  pupils  in  the  Department  are  not  com- 
pletely deaf,  but  because  of  their  defective  hearing  are  benefiting 
by  the  special  methods.  .  .  .  All  in  all,  the  Department  is  a  very  active 
and  a  very  happy  place  these  days.  Visitors  come  and  go  and  all  are 
inspired  by  the  work  that  is  being  done  and  the  fine  spirit  that  can 
prevail,  when  senses  considered  essential  to  happiness  and  success  are 
absent. 

—  7  — 


A  CALL  FROM  SOUTH  AFRICA 

(Continued  from  Page  5) 

ence  in  South  Africa  will  do  a  great  deal  to  stimulate  work  for  the 
blind,  and  also  will  help  him  with  some  deaf-blind  children  that  he  has. 
For  about  a  year  Perkins  has  been  advising"  him  regarding  the  educa- 
tion of  an  eleven-year-old  deaf  and  blind  Zulu  boy.  Miss  Hall  will 
accompany  "Tad"  and  will  be  of  immeasurable  help  in  establishing 
work  for  the  deaf  blind  in  South  Africa.  Mr.  Blaxall  is  anxious  to 
organize  a  tour  for  them  and  promises  them  trips  into  Zululand, 
Pondoland  and  the  Great  Game  Reserve. 

ANNE  SULLIVAN  MACY 

(Continued  from  Page  3) 
her  own  efforts,  has  been  described  in  detail  by  Miss  Nella  Braddy  in 
her  absorbing  biography,  "Anne  Sullivan  Macy :  the  story  behind  Helen 
Keller."    Finding  at  Perkins  Institution  the  chance  for  expansion  and 
the  needed  impetus,  she  gained  that  coveted  prize,  a  Perkins  diploma. 

But  that  precious  document  did  not  entitle  her  to  embark  with- 
out special  preparation  on  such  an  enterprise  as  that  which  Mr.  Anag- 
nos  urged  upon  her,  the  instruction  of  a  little  deaf-blind  girl,  and  her 
post-graduate  work  at  the  school  consisted  of  familiarizing  herself 
with  all  that  Dr.  Howe  had  attained  with  Laura  Bridgman  and  all 
subsequent  work  of  the  kind. 

When  in  March,  1887,  she  was  considered  by  Mr.  Anagnos  to 
be  ready  for  her  work,  she  set  out  on  her  new  and  untried  mission  in 
Alabama.  She  found  there  a  six-year-old,  deaf-blind  child,  wholly 
untaught,  self-willed  and  rebellious  against  the  limitations  which  she 
sensed.  But  with  the  first  word  that  awakened  her  to  that  all-impor- 
tant realization  that  objects  have  names,  "water,"  spelled  into  her 
hand  as  it  gushed  from  the  pump,  progress  was  assured.  She  became 
avid  for  new  words  and  never  forgot  one  that  she  had  once  acquired. 

Helen's  mind  was  an  open  receptacle  for  information,  and  Miss 
Sullivan  fed  her  thirsty  spirit  untiringly.  She  devised  ways  and 
means  of  her  own,  finding  real  satisfaction  in  her  pupil's  advance  and 
in  the  joy  that  the  child  gained  through  knowledge.  She  attributed 
her  success  in  no  small  degree  to  her  own  plan  of  presenting  whole 
sentences  to  Helen  instead  of  disjointed  words, — that  is,  talking  to 
her  in  the  manual  alphabet  as  she  would  converse  with  a  normal 
person.  Helen's  remarkably  rich  vocabulary  may  be  the  result  of  this 
method  of  acquainting  her  with  language  as  the  expression  of 
abstract  thought  as  well  as  concrete  subject. 


In  the  succeeding  years  of  study  Miss  Sullivan  was  at  Helen's 
right  hand, — four  years  spent  at  Perkins  Institution,  a  course  of 
oral  instruction  at  the  Wright-Humason  school  for  the  deaf  in  New- 
York,  private  tutoring,  the  Cambridge  School,  and  Radcliffe  College, 
from  which  Helen  was  graduated  in  1904  with  "Teacher"  still  her 
inseparable  companion.  Then  came  some  happy  years  of  wedded 
life  for  Miss  Sullivan,  spent  in  their  home  in  Wrentham,  Mass.,  she 
having  married  Mr.  John  Macy,  writer  and  lecturer.  But  this  union 
of  two  ambitious  beings  was  destined  not  to  be  lasting;  the  home  in 
Wrentham  was  broken  up,  and  thereafter  the  two  women  were  all  in 
all  to  each  other  until  they  were  joined  by  a  valued  friend  and  secre- 
tary, Miss  Polly  Thomson. 

Their  united  activities  were  endless,  including  the  lecture  plat- 
form, appearance  on  the  theatre  stage,  speeches  before  many  organi- 
zations, the  writing  of  many  books,  a  share  in  the  efforts  of  many 
committees  in  behalf  of  the  blind,  in  all  of  which  Mrs.  Macy  was  the 
helpful  and  tireless  coadjutor  of  Helen  Keller,  whose  name  was  one 
to  conjure  with.  Many  honors  were  showered  upon  them  both,  cul- 
minating in  the  bestowal  of  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Humane  Letters 
upon  each  in  separate  recognition  of  their  attainments. 

The  last  years  of  this  devoted  woman's  life,  which  ended  October 
20,  1936,  were  spent  in  a  constant  struggle  against  increasing  weak- 
ness, suffering  and  oncoming  blindness ;  for  in  all  her  long  ministra- 
tion in  Helen's  public  life  she  had  not  spared  her  health  or  her  pre- 
carious eyesight,  always  so  deficient  as  to  be  included  within  the  defi- 
nition of  blindness.  Helen's  brave  acceptance  of  her  desolating  loss 
found  expression  in  a  beautiful  tribute,  from  which  the  following 
quotation  is  taken:  "I  pray  for  strength  that  I  may  endure  the  silent 
dark  until  she  shall  smile  on  me  again.'' 


In  his  eighty-sixth 
year  Frederick  A.  Flan- 
ders passed  away  on 
January  13,  1938.  Forty 
years  associated  with 
Perkins,  he  was  always 
helpful  and  eager  to 
serve.  Steward  until 
1922.  he  became  Super- 
intendent of  Buildings 
until  his  retirement  in 
1932.  All  who  knew  him 
mourn  his  loss. 


THE   DEAF-BLIND 
CHRISTMAS  PARTY 


SCHOOL  NOTES 

The  Trustees  have  created  the  new  office  of  bursar.  Mr.  J. 
Stephenson  Hemphill  has  been  selected  to  fill  the  position  and  took 
office  March  1.  The  bursar  will  represent  the  Treasurer  in  all  finan- 
cial disbursements  and  will  relieve  the  Director  of  many  details  in 
connection  with  the  business  management  of  the  School.  He  is,  also, 
to  give  time  to  the  development  of  a  sales  program  in  connection  with 
the  Workshop  in  South  Boston.  A  graduate  of  the  School  of  Business 
Administration  of  Harvard  University,  Mr.  Hemphill  brings  a  broad 
training  and  wide  business  experience  to  his  new  duties. 


After  presenting  modern  plays  for  a  number  of  years,  the  Boys' 
Dramatic  Club  has  returned  to  Shakespeare,  in  which  field  Perkins 
had  notable  successes  nearly  a  generation  ago.  On  Wednesday  and 
Friday  evenings,  April  6  and  8,  The  Merchant  of  Venice  will  be 
produced,  under  the  direction  of  Miss  Claudia  Potter,  teacher  of 
dramatics. 


After  spending  half  a  year  working  in  the  laboratory  the  boys' 
cooking  class  is  now  putting  its  instruction  to  the  test.  On  Thurs- 
day nights,  the  cook's  night  off,  the  cooking  class  is  preparing  the 
supper  in  the  boys'  cottages  in  turn.  This  plan  seems  to  be  working 
satisfactorily  for  all  concerned,  including  the  boys  who  eat  the  meals. 
Up  to  the  present,  however,  no  cooks  have  been  permanently  dis- 
placed. 


Mary  Munn,  distinguished  blind  pianist  of  Montreal,  gave  a 
recital  at  the  School  Monday,  February  28,  prior  to  sailing  to  Europe 
on  a  concert  tour.  Her  brother  is  a  graduate  of  Perkins.  At  chapel 
on  Thursday  Miss  Munn  told  of  the  Royal  Normal  College  in  London 
and  Miss  Mann,  her  companion,  sang. 


The  Fourth  Grade  boys  and  girls,  who  were  working  on  a  Norse 
project,  took  advantage  of  the  snow  to  make  a  great  Viking  ship, 
which  they  equipped  and  manned. 


Jules  Charbneau,  possessor  of  the  world's  largest  collection  of 
smallest  curiosities,  brought  many  of  his  interesting  objects  to  the 
School  and  gave  a  talk,  which  the  pupils  enjoyed  greatly. 


The  faculty  held  a  "Big  Apple"  Dance  on  Thursday,  January  27. 

—  10  — 


FROM      OUR      MAIL 


"On  behalf  of  the  staff  of  the  "Stu- 
dent" <a  newspaper  published  outside 
of  school  by  eighth-graders),  I  am  en- 
closing a  check  for  twenty -two  dollars 
which  we  would  like  to  give  to  bring 
happiness  to  the  children  of  the  Per- 
kins Institute." 


"Enclosed  please  find  a  small  con- 
tribution, and  may  God  bless  and  pros- 
per you  in  your  wonderful  work." 


"The  work  of  the  Perkins  Institution 
certainly  deserves  adequate  support 
and  I  very  much  regret  that  I  am  not 
able  to  make  such  a  contribution  as 
you  desire.  .  .  .  The  best  that  I  can  do 
is  to  enclose  this  very  modest  check. 


"I   certainly   do   think   your   work   is 
splendid  but  I  cannot  give." 


"The  twins  do  certainly  reach  my 
heart  as  I  am  a  twin;  .  .  .  The  only 
way  that  I  can  do  even  a  little  is  due 
to  the  fact  that  we  have  decided  not 
to  give  each  other  gifts." 


"I  am  enclosing  a  check  to  help  with 
your  work  for  the  deaf  and  blind.  My 
own  little  boy  is  partially  deafened". 


"I  am  enclosing  a  check  for  ten  dol- 
lars to  help  in  your  marvelous  work 
with  the  hope  that  at  some  future  date 
I  may  be  able  to  do  more." 


"We  are  sending  this  dollar  for  the 

twins  we  saw  in  the  picture.     We  are 

interested    in    them    because    we  are 

twins  ourselves". 


"If  I  were  able  to  contribute  accord- 
ing to  my  wishes  to  the  beautiful  char- 
ity of  which  you  have  written  to  me, 
it  would  be  a  large  sum.  As  it  is  I  am 
forced  to  send  a  very  small  sum  in- 
stead." 


"I  think  your  Children  of  the  Silent 
Night  is  one  of  the  finest  pieces  of 
charitable  publicity  I've  ever  seen.  The 
cover  alone  is  a  masterpiece — in  color 
and  restrained  design:  and  the  title 
is  a  phrase  from  Heaven." 


"This  hastily  written  note  is  to  tell 
you  of  the  deep  interest  I  have  had  in 
going  through  your  booklet,  Children 
of  the  Silent  Night.  It  is  admirably 
designed  to  arouse  interest  in  your 
work  and  I  hope  that  it  proves  effective 
in  major  degree". 


"I  think  this  Children  of  the  Silent 
Night  is  a  wonderfully  affecting  piece 
of  publicity.  I  am  sure  that  it  will  do 
Perkins  a  lot  of  good." 


"I  want  to  congratulate  you  on  the 
beautiful  brochure  which  you  have 
issued  relating  to  your  present  and 
proposed  work  for  the  deaf  blind. 
Every  one  I  have  shown  it  to  has  re- 
marked on  what  a  beautifully  gotten 
up  pamphlet  it  is." 


"We  should  be  only  too  pleased  to 
distribute  copies  of  Children  of  the 
Silent  Night  among  the  principal 
British  Institutions  for  the  Deaf,  if 
you  would  care  for  us  to  do  so." 


"May  we  extend  congratulations  upon 
the  vision,  and  foresight,  which  prompts 
your  plan  for  a  national  center.  .  .  .  We 
wish,  for  you,  a  most  generous  sup- 
port." 


"This  council's  vice-chairman  sent 
me  a  copy  of  Children  of  the  Silent 
Night  ...  I  was  very  much  pleased  to 
have  it,  as  it  is  a  beautiful  and  inter- 
esting booklet.  Mr.  Moore  spoke  also 
of  entering  Children  of  the  Silent 
Night  for  consideration  of  our  awards 
committee  for  1937-38." 


—  11 


— Courtesy  of  Acme  Newspicti 

CHILDREN  OF  THE  SILENT  NIGHT 

are  now  taught  to  speak  and  to  understand  speech  without  the  use 
of  sign  language  or  the  manual  alphabet.  Sensitive  fingers  placed 
on  the  face  muscles  "hear"  the  vibrations  of  words  spoken.  Steps  in 
the  progress  of  learning  are  illustrated  here. 

CARMELA  HOLDING  LEFT  HAND  ON  MISS  HALL'S  FACE  (Upper  left) 
Miss  Hall,  head  teacher  of  the  deaf -blind  commands  Carmela  to  bow.    At  first 
Carmela  is  pushed  over  until  she  associates  the  muscular  action  with  the  vibrations 
felt  by  the  fingers.     Endless  repetition  is  required  to  make  a  child  understand  the 
first  command. 

CARMELA  BOWING  TO  MISS  HALL   (Upper  right) 
It  took  nearly  three  months  for  Carmela  to  respond  to  the  first  command. 
Now  she  can  understand  all  commands  readily  and  carries  on  regular  school  work. 
She  has  also  learned  to  speak.     Speech  is  taught  by  drill  in  the  elements  such  as 
"o",  "ar",  etc.,  and  then  by  constant  word  building. 

CARMELA  HOLDING  RIGHT  HAND  ON  MISS  HALL'S  FACE  (Lower  left) 
When  single  commands  have  been  mastered,  more  complicated  commands  in- 
volving sentence  structure  and  selection  of  objects  are  given.    Here  Miss  Hall  says, 
"Give  me  a  dog." 

CARMELA  HOLDING  A  DOG  AND  SMILING  (Lower  right) 
From  the  group  of  toys  Carmela  has  selected  the  dog  and  seems  pleased  at  her 
success.    Unexpected  to  many  is  the  happiness  of  these  Children  of  the  Silent  Night. 

— Courtesy  of  Acme  Newspictu 


/    : 


\.r/jdh 


:. 


The  sLantern 


THE  PERKINS 


VOLUME  VII.  NO.  4 


_  fit 


ELMcK. 

INSTITUTION 


JUNE  15.  1938 


The  Importance  of  Good  Teaching 

A  SCHOOL  is  as  strong  as  its  teachers.  If  teaching  is  the  pur- 
pose of  a  school  then  the  fulfillment  of  that  purpose  is  meas- 
ured by  the  teachers.  In  no  field  of  education  is  this  more 
true  than  in  that  of  the  blind.  Here  the  normal  avenues  of  instruc- 
tion are  closed;  pictures,  with  all  of  their  vividness,  blackboards,  so 
typical  of  the  classroom,  pen  and  pencil,  the  first  tools  of  learning, 
are  all  eliminated  when  sight  is  gone.  Other  mediums  and  other 
methods  must  be  called  into  service. 

Over  and  above  mediums  and  methods  we  must  have  teachers  pos- 
sessing a  mingling  of  patience  and  persistence.  Perkins  is  interested 
not  only  in  securing  such  teachers  but  in  providing  teachers  for  other 
schools.  The  Harvard  Course  offered  by  the  Graduate  School  of  Edu- 
cation of  Harvard  University,  is  our  way  of  training  teachers  for  our 
special  field. 

From  the  present  class  we  are  taking  only  one  member.  This 
represents  a  change  in  policy  that  seems  advisable  for  two  reasons: 
it  means  that  other  schools  will  have  first  choice  of  the  whole  class; 
and  we  hope  it  will  make  the  members  of  the  class  more  ready  to 
accept  positions  in  smaller  schools  and  in  more  distant  places.  This 
will  become  more  effective  if  the  larger  schools  will  then  call  to  their 
staffs  persons  who  have  worked  hard  in  smaller  places  and  have, 
thereby,  earned  promotion.  We  invite  consideration  and  discussion 
of  this  policy  to  the  end  that  all  schools  may  be  strengthened  by  a 
stronger  teaching  body. 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown,  Massachusetts 
Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President. 


Gabriel  Farrell,  Director. 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


The  Director  has  talked  to  classes  in 
education  at  Mount  Holyoke,  Smith, 
and  Wellesley. 


Nelson  Coon,  Superintendent  of 
Buildings  and  Grounds,  spent  the 
month  of  May  abroad,  travelling  chief- 
ly in  Germany  and  England. 


Miss  Virginia  Cole,  of  the  Upper 
School,  is  the  District  Leader  of  the 
Massachusetts  Association  for  Occupa- 
tional Therapy. 


The  entire  training  class  of  the 
Clarke  School  for  the  Deaf  at  North- 
ampton spent  a  day  at  Perkins  recent- 
ly, observing  our  work. 


Plans  are  now  complete  for  Win- 
throp  Chapman,  his  mother,  and  Miss 
Hall  to  visit  South  Africa.  They  sail 
from  New  York  on  June  22  as  the 
guests  of  The  Transvaal  Association 
for  the  Blind. 


New  England  District  of  the  Ameri- 
can Association  of  Medical  Social 
Workers  met  at  the  school  on  Wed- 
nesday, June  1,  1938.  After  visiting 
the  school  they  were  addressed  by  the 
Social  Worker  and  the  Director.  A 
picnic  supper  was  enjoyed  on  the 
grounds. 

The  Girls'  Field  Meet  on  May  26  was 

won  by  Brooks  with  27  points.  The 
other  scores  were:  Oliver  21%;  May 
17%;  Fisher  14.  The  girls'  inter-cot- 
tage swimming  meet  on  March  31  re- 
sulted in  the  following  scores:  May 
100;  Brooks  99;  Oliver  45;  and  Fisher  39. 

Recent  visitors  at  the  School  have 
been:  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Gilbert  Bowes. 
Quaker  missionaries  to  Tokyo;  Com- 
mander and  Mrs.  R.  Gunderson,  of 
Oslo,  Norway,  where  Mr.  Gunderson 
is  head  of  the  work  for  the  Salvation 
Army;  Miss  Lois  Armentrout  and  Miss 
Lillian  C.  Manahan.  of  Canton.  China. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


The  Alumni  Club  of  Massachusetts 
State  College  each  year  selects  two  or 
three  graduates  who  have  distinguished 
themselves  to  receive  honorary  medals. 
Included  in  the  group  this  year  was 
Francis  M.  Andrews,  principal  of  Per- 
kins, who  received  this  distinction  on 
June  12  at  the  annual  breakfast. 


Nursery  School  for  Visually  Defective 
Children  is  the  new  name  appearing 
on  the  literature  of  the  Boston  Nurs-    j 
ery  for  Blind  Babies. 


Summer  Courses  for  teachers  of  the 
blind  are  to  be  given  at  Wayne 
University,  Detroit,  by  Miss  Margaret 
M.  Soares,  Harvard  Class  '29  now  with 
the  Detroit  Public  Schools. 


The  New  York  Institute  for  the  Ed- 
ucation of  the  Blind  has  opened  its 
new  building  for  the  instruction  of 
deaf -blind  children.  It  has  many  mod- 
ern facilities,  including  a  "floating 
floor." 

The  American    Printing     House    for 

the  Blind,  in  Louisville,  Kentucky,  has 
made  an  appeal  for  money  to  erect  a 
new  building.  Besides  textbooks  for  all 
schools  for  the  blind  in  the  country, 
the  braille  edition  of  The  Readers'  Di- 
gest, is  embossed  by  the  Printing 
House. 

The  Governor  of  Massachusetts  has 
signed  a  bill,  which  requires  all  persons 
selling  articles  made  by  the  blind,  or 
tickets  for  performances  by  blind  per- 
sons to  secure  a  license  from  the  Di- 
rector of  the  Division  for  the  Blind  be- 
fore solicitation  is  made.  This  law 
was  planned  to  eliminate  the  "rackets" 
which  have  been  carried  on  in  Boston 
and  which  have  resulted,  according  to 
the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  in  collec- 
tions of  about  $250,000.00  a  year  in  this 
state  with  a  very  small  part  of  the 
money  going  to  the  blind. 


JESSICA  L.  LANGWORTHY 

By  Anna  G.  Fish 

PERKINS  Institution  is  proud  to  have  retained  through  many 
years  the  loyal  assistance  and  co-operation  of  skilled  workers  on 
its  staff,  and  it  will  not  permit  such  faithful  helpers  to  pass  away 
without  special  recognition  of  services  rendered  and  heartfelt  grati- 
tude. Such  was  Miss  Jessica  L.  Langworthy,  whose  death  in  Florida 
occurred  March  28,  1938.  For  forty-four  years  she  filled  an  important 
place  in  this  school  with  distinction  and  efficiency. 

Coming  to  the  work  of  teaching  blind  boys  in  1892,  with  a  Smith 
College  diploma  recently  bestowed  upon  her,  and  imbued  with  the 
spirit  of  keeping  bright  the  light  of  learning,  she  took  up  her  labors 
with  unquenchable  zeal  and  indomitable  will.  She  proved  herself  an 
excellent  teacher,  with  English  as  her  special  field,  and  she  won  the 
respect  and  devotion  of  her  pupils. 

In  1918,  when  the  boys'  principal  was  called  to  war  work,  Miss 
Langworthy  became  principal  in  his  stead  and  governed  her  charges 
with  impartial  wisdom  and  justice  and  clarity  of  understanding. 
Every  boy  had  his  definite  assignments  of  work  in  the  lines  best  suited 
to  him,  and  every  boy  was  in  his  allotted  place  at  a  designated  time. 
The  school  was  run  smoothly  and  competently.  "When  she  speaks, 
we  step,"  was  the  complimentary  declaration  of  their  attitude. 

In  the  fall  of  1925  Miss  Langworthy,  released  from  the  onerous 
position  of  principal,  took  up  the  work  of  assisting  Dr.  Allen  in  his 
Harvard  course  on  the  Education  of  the  Blind,  and  from  that  date  to 
June,  1936,  she  was  his  able  and  devoted  assistant,  planning  all  the 
multitudinous  details  with  such  admirable  system  that,  like  a  well- 
oiled  machine,  all  friction  was  eliminated.  Beginning  in  February, 
1926,  she  developed  her  own  course  in  "special  methods"  of  teaching 
the  blind,  supplementing  the  Harvard  course  and  supplying  the  prac- 
tice to  match  its  theory  and  background.  It  has  been  a  marvelously 
successful  course,  brimful  of  interest  and  inducive  of  enthusiasm  in 
all  of  the  233  students  who  have  followed  it. 

Miss  Langworthy's  influence  for  the  betterment  of  the  blind  is 
far-reaching  and  of  lasting  value.  To  it  may  be  traced  pioneer  or 
revivified  efforts  in  all  parts  of  the  world.  And,  like  the  steady  beam 
from  a  distant  star,  even  though  extinguished  it  will  long  continue  to 
illumine  the  lives  of  innumerable  little  ones  of  many  races  and  in 
many  climes,  who  are  yet  to  share  in  its  beneficence. 

—  3  — 


SUMMER  SCHOOL  FOR  TUNERS 

PIANO  tuners  who  are  graduates  of  Perkins,  or  of  other  schools 
for  the  blind,  are  to  be  offered  an  opportunity  to  improve  their 

skill  and  to  become  acquainted  with  new  factors  in  their  pro- 
fession through  a  series  of  twelve  sessions  to  be  offered  at  Perkins 
on  Monday,  Wednesday  and  Friday  afternoons  from  July  18  through 
August  12.  The  course  will  be  under  the  general  direction  of  Mr. 
Elwyn  H.  Fowler,  for  many  years  head  of  our  Tuning  Department. 

The  recent  legislation,  regarding  the  tuning  of  publicly  owned 
pianos,  opens  up  a  large  amount  of  new  business,  which  the  tuners 
must  be  prepared  to  meet  adequately.  The  new  small  pianos,  which 
are  becoming  so  popular,  offer  many  difficulties  to  the  blind  tuner  and 
special  attention  will  be  given  to  them  in  this  course.  A  minipiano 
will  be  available  for  demonstration  purposes  and  an  expert  in  this 
field  will  be  prepared  to  give  instruction. 

THE  LANGWORTHY  THEATRE  FUND 

(CT^HE  MERCHANT  OF  VENICE"  was  presented  this  winter  by 
the  boys  in  the  Upper  School.  A  sum  of  money  which  re- 
mained after  expenses  were  paid  was  presented  to  the  Cor- 
rective Speech  Department  to  be  used  in  taking  pupils  to  worthwhile 
theatrical  productions.  Recalling  the  series  of  Shakespeare  plays 
which  Miss  Jessica  L.  Langworthy  had  directed,  when  she  was  head 
of  the  Boys'  School,  it  was  decided  to  add  this  sum  to  others  which 
had  been  received  for  this  purpose  and  to  establish  a  fund  in  her  name. 
The  first  use  of  the  money  was  to  take  twenty-eight  pupils  to  see 
the  film  version  of  "Romeo  and  Juliet." 

THE  SPRING  CIRCUS 

ALTHOUGH  the  real  circus  was  in  Boston  during  the  first  week 
in  May,  THE  CIRCUS,  from  our  point  of  view,  was  the  one 
held  on  our  grounds  on  Wednesday  afternoon  of  that  week. 
Planned  by  Miss  Thelma  E.  Peirce  as  the  culminating  feature  of 
Posture  Week,  it  proved  one  of  the  most  entertaining  events  of  many 
years.  Words  are  not  adequate  to  describe  the  circus,  but  the  pic- 
tures on  the  opposite  page  tell  the  story.  (Apologies  to  our  braille 
readers,  but  we  are  confident  that  they  can  glimpse  the  happy  occa- 
sion through  imagination.) 

—  4  — 


ACHIEVEMENT 

John  Morrison,  a  Junior,  won  a  five-dollar  prize  in  a  National  Life 
Insurance  Essay  Contest  with  a  paper  entitled  "Life  Insurance  Con- 
quers the  Fear  That  You  Will  Live  Too  Long  or  Die  Too  Soon".  The 
award  was  given  at  a  luncheon  of  the  Boston  Underwriters'  Asso- 
ciation, held  on  May  26.  .  .  .  Norman  S.  Case,  Jr.,  Perkins  '36,  was 
one  of  the  eight  sophomores  elected  to  the  Sphinx  Club  at  Brown 
University,  a  student-faculty  discussion  group.  .  .  .  Fannie  Libbey, 
Perkins  '36,  has  been  awarded  the  Captain  Brown  Medal,  given  each 
year  by  Mr.  M.  C.  Migel,  President  of  the  American  Foundation  for 
the  Blind,  to  the  holder  of  a  Foundation  scholarship  who  has  made 
the  most  outstanding  academic  record.  .  .  .  Edward  W.  Jenkins, 
Perkins  '22,  now  a  teacher  in  the  Music  Department,  has  received  the 
degree,  L.  T.  C.  L.  from  Trinity  College,  London.  In  the  final  examina- 
tion for  this  degree  he  received  an  honor  grade  and  gave  a  recital  in 
Boston  before  the  College  Examiner,  Sir  Granville  Bantock.  .  .  . 
Maurice  I.  Tynan,  Perkins  '14,  for  many  years  active  in  work  for 
the  blind,  has  been  appointed  Field  Agent  for  the  Blind  in  the  Voca- 
tional Rehabilitation  Division,  United  States  Office  of  Education.  .  .  . 
Clarence  Hawkes,  Perkins  '90,  author  of  forty-eight  books,  received 
the  high  distinction  of  being  awarded  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Letters 
by  the  American  International  College  on  June  7. 

SPRING  SPORTS 

FOR  the  first  time  in  six  years  the  boys'  track  team  met  defeat  in 
a  dual  meet  with  the  New  York  Institute  on  Saturday,  May  14, 
with  a  closing  score  of  32-31.  More  decisive  was  the  defeat  on 
Saturday,  May  28  when  the  final  score  was  Overbrook,  33^2  5  Con- 
necticut, 20;  and  Perkins  9i/2  points.  Somewhat  compensating  for 
these  defeats  was  the  victory  over  the  Baltimore  School  on  Saturday, 
May  21,  when  the  score  was  Maryland  8;  and  Perkins,  55.  This 
meet  was  held  at  the  Baltimore  School,  while  the  other  two  were  at 
Perkins. 

LEONARD'S  PROGRESS 

THE  PROGRESS  of  Leonard  Dowdy,  one  of  our  deaf-blind  boys, 
is  now  reaching  out  into  social  niceties.    Recently,  when  intro- 
duced to  a  young  woman,  he  turned  to  his  teacher  and  ex- 
claimed, "A  tall  lady!"    Then,  in  an  inquiring  tone  asked,  "It  would 
not  be  nice  to  ask  'how  old  are  you,'  would  it?" 

—  6  — 


PUBLICATIONS 


Notes  From  Italy  is  the  title  of  an 
article  by  Dr.  E.  E.  Allen,  Director 
Emeritus  of  Perkins,  appearing  in  the 
April  number  of  the  OUTLOOK  FOR 
THE  BLIND. 


How  The  Newly  Blind  May  Be  Helped 

is  an  interesting  bulletin  recently  pub- 
lished by  the  National  Institute  for 
the  Blind  in  London. 


Helen  Keller's  Journal,  a  daily  record 
of  her  life  after  the  death  of  her 
teacher,  Anne  Sullivan  Macy,  Perkins 
'86,  has  been  published  by  Doubleday, 
Doran  and  Company. 


Geographical  and  Historical  Maps  of 
the  World,  published  by  the  Howe  Me- 
morial Press,  is  a  numerical  and  alpha- 
betical index  of  the  many  maps  now 
available  for  the  use  of  the  blind. 


Our  Country,  Our  People,  and  Theirs. 

by  Merle  E.  Tracy,  a  Perkins  graduate 
has  just  been  published  by  MacMillan 
&  Company.  This  book  is  a  compara- 
tive study  of  Italy,  Germany,  Russia, 
and  the  United  States. 


Odors  of  an  Afternoon  is  the  title  of 
an  article  by  Nelson  Coon  in  the  De- 
cember issue  of  the  OUTLOOK  FOR 
THE  BLIND,  which  tells  how  the  sense 
of  smell  may  be  used  to  apprehend 
beauty. 


The  Torch  is  the  name  of  a  new 
paper  to  be  started  by  the  Ming  Sum 
School  for  the  Blind  in  Canton,  China, 
taking  its  name  from  the  only  means 
of  light  that  the  founder  of  that  school 
had  fifty  years  ago,  as  she  went  out  on 
her  night  calls  to  find  the  blind  girls 
singing  in  the  dark  lanes. 


FROM  OUR  MAIL 


"I  was  most  interested  in  the  whole 
School  for  I  had  never  visited  there 
before,  although  I  have  known  some- 
thing of  the  work  all  my  life.  To  a 
teacher  of  the  deaf  the  work  you  are 
doing  in  your  department  is  deeply 
interesting.  I  marvel  at  the  splendid 
voices  and  the  speech  of  your  chil- 
dren." (From  a  teacher  of  the  deaf 
after  visiting  the  Deaf-Blind  Depart- 
ment.) 


"I  wish  you  could  see  what  the  stu- 
dents are  doing.  From  all  over  China 
they  have  gone  out  into  the  interior, 
where  the  bombs  cannot  reach.  Great 
universities  have  been  transplanted  .  .  . 
Even  though  we  are  here  in  the  midst 
of  a  strange  period,  we  do  not  want 
anyone  to  think  that  all  of  our 
thoughts  center  on  China.  The  teach- 
ers have  asked  that  I  write  and  thank 
you  for  giving  us  the  set  of  maps.  They 
have  proved  most  stimulating  and 
helpful."  From  a  worker  for  the  blind 
in  China. 


"As  I  have  appreciated  the  garden 
odors  and  all  the  smells  of  the  country 
ever  since  I  was  a  child,  I  certainly 
think  that  more  should  be  done  to  cul- 
tivate the  noses  of  the  blind.  .  .  With 
a  keen  nose  one  can  often  make  deci- 
sions which  would  not  otherwise  be 
made  without  assistance. 

"Your  contention  that  everything 
possible  should  be  done  to  make  the 
blind,  and  especially  the  deaf-blind, 
odor -conscious  is,  of  course,  in  the 
right  direction.  This  does  not  mean 
that  the  blind  should  be  left  unaware 
of  what  visually  apprehended  beauty 
means  to  the  sighted.  Though  shut 
out  from  the  first-hand  contacts  with 
visual  beauty,  the  blind  may  still  be 
made  keenly  to  enjoy  what  their 
sighted  friends  find  in  the  fair  vistas 
of  the  outdoor  world."  (From  letters 
in  regard  to  Mr.  Coon's  article.} 


—  7 


GRADUATION  JUNE  17 

DIPLOMAS  will  be  awarded  on  Friday,  June  17,  to  fourteen  boys 
and  seven  girls.  This  is  the  largest  graduating  class  in  the 
history  of  the  school.  Two  special  certificates  will  be  awarded, 
one  to  a  young  man  who  has  completed  the  course  in  pianoforte  tuning 
and  the  other  to  a  young  woman  who  has  met  the  requirements  of 
the  Manual  Training  Department  in  the  Girls'  Upper  School. 

The  graduation  exercises  will  be  held  in  Dwight  Hall  at  2:00 
o'clock.  Mr.  Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President  of  the  Corporation,  will 
preside  and  present  the  diplomas.  The  Commencement  address  will 
be  given  by  Dr.  Frederick  M.  Eliot,  President  of  the  American  Uni- 
tarian Association  and  a  former  member  of  the  Perkins  Corporation. 
The  invocation  will  be  offered  by  Rev'd.  Father  Connolly,  of  the 
Catholic  Guild  for  the  Blind. 

At  exercises  to  be  held  at  11:00  o'clock  on  June  17,  four  boys 
and  two  girl  will  receive  certificates  marking  completion  of  their 
work  in  the  Lower  School  and  transfer  to  the  Upper  School. 


Perkins  graduates  who  will  receive  distinction  this  June  in  the 
field  of  higher  education  are:  Eileen  McNamara.  who  completes  her 
work  at  the  Boston  School  of  Occupational  Therapy ;  Annie  Rose 
Moses,  who  will  be  graduated  from  Hampton  Institute,  Hampton, 
Virginia ;  and  Lawrence  Thompson,  who  will  receive  an  A.  B.  degree 
from  Harvard  University.  Lawrence  Thompson  is  one  of  the  few 
graduates  of  Perkins  to  receive  a  degree  from  Harvard  University. 
The  first  was  Joseph  Brown  Smith,  who  received  his  degree  in  1844, 
the  first  college  degree  ever  awarded  to  a  blind  man  in  this  country. 

Two  events  closely  associated  with  graduation  are  the  annual 
meetings  of  the  Alumnae  and  Alumni  Associations.  The  former 
graduates  of  the  Girls'  School  held  an  all-day  meeting  at  the  School 
on  Saturday,  June  4 ;  while  the  graduates  of  the  Boys'  School  will 
hold  their  annual  exercises  on  Saturday,  June  18. 


Fisher  Cottage  will  be  open  for  the  members  of  the  staff  who 
are  remaining  through  the  summer.  School  reopens  in  the  fall  with 
chapel  exercises  on  Wednesday  morning,  September  14.  Members 
of  the  staff  return  Monday,  September  12,  and  the  pupils  on  the 
following  day. 

The  motto  adopted  by  the  graduating  class  this  year  is:  IT 
SHALL  BE  DONE. 


. 


The  lantern  ® 

|  I  LIU  338  [ 

THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTIQN^c  j 


VOLUME  VIII.  NO.   1  SEPTEMBER  15.  1938 


Home  Teachers 

BEYOND  the  teaching-  provided  for  the  blind  in  special  schools  is 
home  teaching.  Most  of  this  is  with  people  who  have  lost  their 
sight  after  school  age,  and  much  of  it  involves  adjustment  to 
newly  acquired  blindness.  Because  of  the  psychological  effect  blind 
persons  are  generally  chosen  for  this  important  work.  To  hear  the 
sure  tread  of  the  home  teacher's  approach,  to  share  his  confidence  in 
a  darkened  world,  and  to  acquire  from  him  skills  which  conquer 
sightlessness,  all  are  factors  in  a  successful  adjustment  when  sight  is 
gone.  Home  teachers  play  an  important  role  in  the  struggle  to  over- 
come the  results  of  blindness. 

Perkins,  which  provides  education  for  those  of  school  age,  gladly 
pays  its  tribute  to  those  who  bring  the  potent  force  of  teaching  into 
the  homes  of  blind  adults.  Although  our  people  differ  in  age,  our 
objectives  are  the  same,  and  we  share  in  common  many  methods. 
Indeed  one  is  the  outgrowth  of  the  other.  The  impetus  for  home 
teaching  in  New  England  began  at  Perkins.  Two  Perkins  graduates 
started  the  work  under  the  leadership  of  Mr.  Anagnos,  director  of 
Perkins  Institution,  in  furtherance  of  the  request  of  the  State  Board 
of  Education  of  Massachusetts. 

Perkins  welcomes  this  month  the  convention  of  the  Eastern  Con- 
ference of  Home  Teachers.  We  are  glad  to  tell  in  this  issue  of  The 
Lantern  something  of  their  work,  so  that  friends  of  the  school  may 
know  of  this  effective  teaching  beyond  its  borders. 


^Ospl+if  ^oA/lmJ^ 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown,  Massachusetts 
Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President.  GABRIEL  FARRELL,  Director. 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


The  Director,  after  attending  the 
convention  of  the  American  Association 
of  Instructors  of  the  Blind  at  Lansing. 
Michigan,  went  tto  Louisville,  Ken- 
tucky, for  the  annual  meeting  of  the 
trustees  of  the  American  Printing 
House  for  the  Blind  on  Saturday,  July 
3.  Later  he  visited  the  Virginia  and 
Maryland  schools  for  the  blind. 


In  a  questionnaire  broadcast  on  the 
first  of  July  last,  over  Station  WAAB. 
Miss  Douglass  gave  some  interesting 
facts  about  Perkins  and  its  work.  Miss 
Douglass  spent  most  of  July  visiting 
pupils'  homes  throughout  northern  New 
England. 


-/  Five  boys  enjoyed  camping  this  sum- 
mer as  the  guests  of  the  Boston  Com- 
mittee for  the  Blind.  Three  went  to 
the  Boy  Scout  camp  at  Antrim,  N.  H.. 
and  two  went  to  Camp  Massapoag  at 
Dunstable,  Mass.  Several  girls  attend- 
ed Camp  Allen  at  Reeds  Ferry,  N.  H. 


A  Talking  Book  room  has  been 
equipped  with  records  and  reproducer 
to  facilitate  the  use  of  this  new  medi- 
um in  our  educational  program. 


Our  foreign  traveler  this  summer 
has  been  Miss  Mary  H.  Ferguson  who 
went  to  England  and  the  continent. 


Helen  Reese,  Perkins  '36,  special  stu- 
dent in  the  music  department,  has  been 
awarded  by  the  Longy  School  of  Music 
in  Cambridge  a  scholarship  to  study 
under  Mile.  Nadia  Boulanger,  noted 
French  musician  visiting  in  this  coun- 
try. In  June  last  Miss  Reese  was  one 
of  two  persons  to  be  awarded  prizes  by 
the  New  England  Conservatory  of  Mu- 
sic for  compositions,  hers  taking  the 
form  of  a  chorus. 


University  Extension  courses  may  now, 
through  a  special  act  of  the  Massachu- 
setts legislature,  be  taken  by  blind  per- 
sons without  payment  of  the  usual  fees. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


The  Pennsylvania  Institution  for  the 
Education  of  the  Blind  is  offering  this 
year  a  course  for  the  training  of  home 
teachers  in  cooperation  with  the  Penn- 
sylvania School  of  Social  Work.  Only 
two  years  of  college  training  are  re- 
quired for  admission. 


Dog  Accessories  have  been  selected 
by  the  American  Foundation  for  the 
Blind  as  a  suitable  field  for  blind  pro- 
duction and  advertising.  Beginning 
with  the  making  of  leashes  they  plan 
to  expand  to  other  essentials  of  dog- 
dom  and  through  national  advertising 
hope  to  open  a  new  market  for  blind 
industry. 


Sixteen  from  Perkins  attended  the 
convention  of  the  American  Associa- 
tion of  the  Instructors  of  the  Blind, 
held  at  the  State  School  in  Lansing, 
Michigan.  The  program  showed  that 
eleven  papers  were  prepared  by  mem- 
bers of  the  Perkins  staff. 


President  Roosevelt  in  his  recent 
Fireside  Chat  said  that  through  the 
Social  Security  Act  "about  40,000  blind 
people  are  assured  of  peace  and  secur- 
ity among  familiar  voices."  A  report 
of  the  first  three  years  of  the  Social 
Security  Act  reveals  that  over  $11,000,- 
000  were  allotted  for  the  blind  under 
Section  10.  Under  the  provisions  of  the 
Act  this  sum  had  to  be  doubled  by  the 
states  receiving  allotments. 


Several  Perkins  ex-pupils  have  taken 
advantage  of  the  Government  permis- 
sion to  conduct  stands  in  public  build- 
ings and  have  met  with  success. 


Miss  Marion  Lerner,  one  of  our  girls, 
is  giving  good  service  in  the  Children's 
Centre  of  the  New  Haven  Hospital. 


2  — 


HOME  TEACHING:  ITS  BEGINNING  IN 
MASSACHUSETTS 
By  Anna  Gardner  Fish 

THE  initial  impulse  towards  Home  Teaching  in  Massachusetts 
came  through  the  suggestion  of  Mr.  Anagnos,  second  director 
of  Perkins  Institution,  in  1898,  to  the  Alumnae  Association,  an 
organization  of  fine  young  women  who  stood  ever  ready  to  cooperate 
with  him  and  to  carry  out  his  wishes.  He  advised  these  graduates  to 
seek  out  those  who  had  not  shared  their  opportunities  of  instruction 
and  who  would  be  glad  to  have  help  in  learning  to  read  and  to  engage 
in  handicrafts  at  their  homes. 

The  movement  for  a  State  sponsorship  in  such  a  field  of  labor, 
fostered  by  a  blind  man,  J.  Newton  Breed,  followed  in  1900,  and  the 
task  of  ascertaining  how  welcome  such  an  enterprise  might  prove  to 
be  was  relegated  to  Mr.  Frank  A.  Hill,  secretary  of  the  State  Board  of 
Education.  As  a  result  of  this  investigation  through  questionnaire 
and  personal  contact,  the  work  was  established  by  Act  of  Legislature 
and  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  educational  board,  which  in  turn  passed 
it  over  to  Perkins  Institution,  the  only  agency  for  the  blind  then  in 
existence  in  Massachusetts. 

The  first  teachers,  Miss  Lillian  R.  Garside  and  Miss  Lydia  Y. 
Hayes,  were  appointed  by  Mr.  Anagnos  in  November,  1900,  and  plans 
were  immediately  formulated  for  carrying  out  the  purpose  of  the  Act. 
As  a  beginning  a  list  was  made  up  of  those  adults  who  had  applied  to 
Perkins  for  assistance  in  learning  to  read,  and  a  printed  leaflet,  which 
set  forth  the  aims  of  the  new  movement,  was  disseminated  widely 
through  schools  and  churches,  newspapers,  clubs  and  physicians,  and 
by  word  of  mouth.  Mr.  Anagnos  had  declared  the  object  of  the  under- 
taking to  be  the  bringing  of  "comfort 
and  solace"  to  their  pupils,  and  to  his 
two  appointees  he  said:  "You  know 
what  is  expected  of  you.  Now  go  out 
and  find  your  pupils." 

Mr.  John  Vars,  who  joined  the  group 
of  teachers  January  1,  1901,  and  became 
the  leader  of  the  work  under  Mr.  Anag- 
nos, has  told  us  that  in  all  his  experi- 
ence only  one  person,  an  editor,  ever 
refused  to  give  publicity  to  the  cause. 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 
—  3  — 


THE  FIRST  ANNOUNCEMENT 
e  beg  to  announce  that,  through  the  ac- 
of  the  legislature  of  the  State  of  Mas- 
lusetts,  a  plan  has  been  perfected  by 
:h  the  adult  blind  may  receive  instruction 
heir  homes  in  reading,  writing  and  such 
mal  occupation  as  they  may  be  capable  of 
ertaking,  and  which  may  prove  a  solace 
hem  for  many  weary  hours  which  must 
Twise  pass  in  idleness.  Competent  teach- 
have  been  selected  to  furnish  all  the  as- 
ince  in  their  power  for  the  successful  per- 
lance   of   this   work. 

nee  it  is  very  desirable  to  reach  as  many 
possible  of  those  who  may  be  waiting  in 
cness  for  the  intellectual  light  to  shine 
a  them  through  this  means,  it  is  earnestly 
ed  that  all  those  to  whom  this  notice 
'  come  will  co-operate  in  the  work  by 
iing  the  name  and  address  of  any  such 
d  person  to  the  Perkins  Institution  for 
Blind,   South  Boston,  Massachusetts. 

M.    ANAGNOS. 
ember  1,   1900. 


HOME  TEACHERS  CONFERENCE 

THE  eighth  convention  of  the  Eastern  Conference  of  Home  Teach- 
ers was  held  at  Perkins  Institution  from  Wednesday,  September 
7,  through  Saturday,  September  10.  Nearly  one  hundred  teach- 
ers, their  guides  and  interested  friends  came  from  all  the  New  England 
states  (except  Maine  and  Vermont),  New  York,  New  Jersey,  Penn- 
sylvania, Ohio,  Delaware,  Maryland,  Virginia  and  South  Carolina.  All 
were  housed  in  the  cottages  surrounding  the  Girls'  Close.  Meetings 
were  held  in  Dwight  Hall,  Howe  Building.  Appearing  on  the  well- 
arranged  program  were  the  following  from  Perkins :  Paper  on  poultry 
raising  for  the  blind,  by  Chester  A.  Gibson ;  one  on  gardening,  by  Nel- 
son Coon;  a  talk  on  "Standards  of  Workmanship,"  by  Mrs.  Cora  L. 
Gleason,  former  home  visitor ;  and  a  word  of  welcome,  by  the  Director. 
It  was  appropriate  to  have  this  conference  again  at  Perkins  be- 
cause the  association  was  formed  at  a  gathering  of  home  teachers 
held  here  in  1926.  Many  of  the  members  are  former  Perkins  pupils, 
and  all  the  presidents  have  been  graduates  of  this  school.  The  presi- 
dent for  the  past  year  was  Miss  Mary  E.  French  of  Providence,  R.  I. 
The  secretary  of  the  conference  is  Stetson  K.  Ryan  of  the  State  Board 
of  Education  of  the  Blind  in  Connecticut.  Effective  exhibits  were 
displayed  in  the  museum.  On  Thursday  afternoon  visits  were  made 
to  several  institutions  for  the  blind  about  Boston. 


SUMMER  SCHOOL  FOR  TUNERS 

THIRTEEN  men,  who  earn  their  livelihood  by  pianoforte  tuning, 
took  advantage  of  the  summer  course  for  tuners,  offered  on  Mon- 
day, Wednesday  and  Friday  afternoons,  July  18-August  12.  The 
course  was  planned  to  give  tuners  an  opportunity  to  brush  up  on  the 

technique  of  their  pro- 
fession and  especially 
to  acquaint  them  also 
with  the  tuning  and 
servicing  of  the  new 
small  pianos.  To  help 
in  this  latter  purpose  a 
small  piano  was  lent 
by  the  M.  Steinert  and 
Sons  Company,  and 
Mr.  Walter  Sandberg 
of  their  staff  came  out 
—  4  — 


on  July  27  and  29  and  gave  effective 
demonstrations.  Other  official  talks 
were  by  Mr.  George  Schwendeman,  for- 
mer president  of  the  Piano  Tuners'  As- 
sociation, and  Mr.  Oscar  Melin. 

Two  men,  both  trained  at  Perkins, 
contributed  largely  to  the  success  of  the 
summer  school.  When  the  plan  was  an- 
nounced Sir  Charles  W.  Lindsay,  until 
his  retirement  head  of  the  largest  piano 
business  in  Canada,  who  began  as  a 
tuner  after  studying  at  Perkins,  sent  a 
check  for  $50  to  help  the  project.  This 
gift  was  used  to  defray  the  traveling  ex- 
penses of  men  who  came  from  a  distance 
and  who  would  otherwise  have  found  it 
difficult  to  attend.  The  other  person 
to  whom  credit  is  due  is  Mr.  Elwyn  H. 
Fowler,  veteran  tuner  and  for  twenty- 
seven  years  head  of  the  department  at 
Perkins.  Through  his  careful  planning 
and  his  own  instruction  the  men  who 
highly  beneficial. 


attended  found  the  sessions 


SUMMER  IMPROVEMENTS 

THE  program  of  summer  improvements  was  not  very  large  this 
year  because  of  the  financial  situation.  The  largest  item  was 
the  resetting  of  the  boilers  in  the  power  plant,  required  after 
twenty-five  years  of  service.  Within  the  buildings  there  has  been 
the  usual  painting,  papering  and  other  necessary  rehabilitation  to 
keep  up  the  plant  and  to  make  school  and  living  quarters  clean  and 
attractive.  Outdoors  the  most  apparent  changes  are  on  the  play- 
grounds. The  area  between  Anagnos  and  Potter  cottages,  a  large 
area  adjoining  Potter  Cottage  and  a  smaller  area  adjacent  to  Glover 
Cottage  have  been  paved  with  cork  asphalt.  Resilient  and  especially 
designed  for  playgrounds,  it  provides  space  for  playing  when  snow 
and  spring  thawing  render  the  ground  too  damp  for  the  children. 
The  giant  swing  replaced  on  a  concrete  foundation,  a  new  jungle  gym 
and  more  swings  will  help  in  the  program  of  outdoor  activities.  The 
main  drive  from  the  North  Beacon  Street  gate  to  Howe  Building  has 
been  resurfaced. 


THE  REGIONAL  BRAILLE  LIBRARY 

ONE  of  the  most  effective  aids  of  home  teachers  is  the  reading 
matter  for  the  blind,  now  available  in  large  measure  without 
cost  to  the  readers.  Increasingly  generous  grants  by  Congress 
have  made  possible  the  embossing  of  many  books  for  distribution  in 
the  homes  of  those  without  sight.  Embossed  books  come  in  the  stan- 
dard braille  and  in  the  Moon  type  which  older  people  find  easier  to 
master.  Talking  books  may  also  be  obtained,  and  a  large  assortment 
of  book  records  is  available  for  distribution  by  mail.  Perkins  serves 
as  the  regional  library  for  most  of  New  England,  and  over  2000  vol- 
umes a  month  pass  between  our  library  and  nearly  1500  homes. 

THE  MODEL-MAKING  PROJECT 

THE  W.  P.  A.  project  which,  since  the  completion  of  map-making, 
has  been  engaged  in  making  models  for  school  use  as  well  as 
producing  the  Map-of-the-Month,  has  had  another  allotment  of 
funds  and  will  carry  on  through  the  coming  winter.  In  order  to  meet 
the  more  stringent  requirements  for  the  receiving  of  Federal  funds, 
Perkins,  as  acting  sponsor,  has  had  to  increase  its  contribution  to  the 
project.  This  contribution  takes  the  form  of  money  for  materials,  the 
designation  of  one  of  our  machinists  at  the  workshop  for  project  work 
and  the  assignment  of  Mr.  Edward  J.  Waterhouse  for  increased  super- 
vision. Mr.  Waterhouse  has  been  relieved  of  half  of  his  teaching, 
so  that  he  may  give  half  time  to  the  work  of  the  project. 

THE  HARVARD  CLASS 

FOURTEEN  young  men  and  women  will  make  up  the  Harvard 
Class  for  the  coming  year.  It  is  interesting  to  observe  the 
widening  college  representation.  Radcliffe,  Wellesley,  Smith, 
Mount  Holyoke,  Harvard,  and  Princeton  and  several  state  universities 
are  among  the  colleges  listed  as  educational  backgrounds  of  this  year's 
students.  Four  men  make  a  somewhat  larger  proportion  than  usual, 
but  there  is  only  one  foreigner,  a  young  blind  man  from  Japan  who  is 
a  teacher  in  the  government  school  for  the  blind  in  Tokyo.  Dr.  Allen 
is  expected  back  early  in  October  to  give  his  eighteenth  successive 
year  of  leadership  to  the  class. 

A  NEW  CARPET 

The  June  graduates  in  the  Class  Will  bequeathed  to  the  Director 
a  new,  green  carpet  for  his  office.  Reason:  so  many  were  "put  on  the 
carpet"  last  year  it  was  surmised  that  a  new  one  was  needed. 

—  6  — 


NEW  STAFF  MEMBERS 


FLORENCE  E.  MARSHALL,  after 
several  years  of  work  in  hospitals,  en- 
tered Simmons  School  of  Social  Work, 
graduating  in  June,  to  become  home 
visitor. 


DOROTHY  L.  MISBACH,  graduate 
of  an  Iowa  State  Teachers  College  and 
of  last  year's  Harvard  Class,  to  be 
teacher  in  the  Lower  School. 


JANE  MURDOCK,  Wellesley  '37, 
Hickox  Commercial  School  '38,  secre- 
tary of  the  Cambridge  Girl  Scout 
Camp,  to  be  teacher  in  the  commercial 
department  of  the  Upper  School. 


JEAN  H.  DODDS,  graduate  of 
Goucher  College  and  of  the  Harvard 
Class  of  1934-5,  to  teach  English  in  the 
Upper  School. 


DOROTHY  HUSET,  formerly 
teacher  in  the  Idaho  School  for  the 
Deaf,  to  teach  in  the  deaf-blind  de- 
partment. 


DOUGLAS  COOKE,  graduate  of  the 
Wentworth  Institute,  to  be  teacher  in 
the  manual  training  department  of 
the  Upper  School. 


BRADFORD  J.  REED,  Davidson  Col- 
lege and  Harvard  University,  to  act  as 
master  of  Eliot  Cottage  while  taking 
the  Harvard  Course. 


NEVART  NAJARIAN,  Perkins  '23 
and  graduate  of  Boston  University,  on 
one  year's  appointment  to  take  work 
in  the  Upper  School  relinquished  by 
Mr.  Waterhouse. 


Mrs.  PEARL  GOSLING  of  Holyoke, 
Mass.,  to  be  matron  of  Bridgman  Cot- 
tage, succeeding  Mrs.  Chester  A.  Gib- 
son. 


PROFESSIONAL  NOTES 


Two  men,  leaders  in  the  field  of 
ophthalmology,  died  on  the  same  day 
(August  22,  1938).  Each  was  awarded 
the  Leslie  Dana  medal  for  '"outstand- 
ing achievements  in  the  prevention  of 
blindness  and  the  conservation  of  vi- 
sion,"— Dr.  George  Edmund  de  Schwei- 
nitz  of  Philadelphia  in  1930  and  Dr. 
John  Martin  Wheeler  of  New  York  in 
1936. 


Both  men,  highly  skilled  in  technical 
aspects  of  visual  impairment,  possessed 
an  unusual  understanding  of  and  faith 
in  the  blind.  Their  attitude  toward 
the  blind  and  their  advice  to  them  are 
illustrated  by  the  following  extracts 
from  their  obituaries  in  the  New  York 
Herald-Tribune : 


In  1930,  in  recognition  of  the  "most 
outstanding  work  in  behalf  of  pre- 
vention of  blindness,"  Dr.  de  Schwei- 
nitz  received  the  Leslie  Dana  medal  of 
the  National  Society  for  the  Prevention 
of  Blindness.  In  his  opinion,  blind- 
ness was  not  an  affliction  but  "a  handi- 
cap that  can  be  diminished." 


In  an  address  at  the  fall  meeting  of 
the  School  of  Medicine  at  the  Colum- 
bia-Presbyterian Medical  Center  in 
1934,  Dr.  Wheeler  remarked  that  many 
of  the  blind  find  a  deep  spiritual  con- 
tentment in  their  physical  darkness. 
He  cautioned  his  listeners  against 
pampering  the  blind  too  much. 


"The  blind  man  should  be  allowed  to 
do  everything  possible  for  himself," 
Dr.  Wheeler  said,  at  that  time,  "and 
he  should  not  be  waited  on  in  any  un- 
necessary particular.  With  physical 
and  mental  activity  and  with  practice 
and  training  he  will  become  self-reliant 
and  skillful  beyond  ordinary  belief.  In 
fact,  blindness  sometimes  leads  one  to 
draw  from  a  great  bank  of  potential 
mental  possibility  riches  not  dreamed 
of  in  sight. 


—  7  — 


HOME  TEACHING:  ITS  BEGINNING  IN 
MASSACHUSETTS 

(Continued  from  Page  3) 

Mr.  Vars  not  only  maintained  a  general  oversight  of  the  work  but  kept 
full  records  and  expense  accounts,  the  latter  being  met  by  Perkins 
which  was  reimbursed  at  the  end  of  the  year  through  the  State  Board 
of  Education.  He  rendered  a  yearly  report  to  Mr.  Anagnos  who  in 
turn  sent  a  detailed  account  of  the  work  annually  to  the  educational 
board.  "I  am  not  a  man  of  deficits,"  was  Mr.  Anagnos'  proud  asser- 
tion, and  he  kept  expenditures  strictly  within  the  prescribed  limits  of 
$1000  during  the  first  year,  $3600  for  the  second,  and  $5000  for  each 
succeeding  year. 

Returns  in  the  way  of  letters  of  appreciation  and  expressions  of 
gratitude  were  swift  in  coming  in.  Tidings  of  this  new  form  of  help 
for  the  adult  blind  in  their  homes  spread  rapidly,  and  soon  it  was  nec- 
essary to  employ  another  teacher,  and  Mr.  Edward  Schuerer  began 
the  work  in  the  fall  of  1902.  Later  additions  to  the  staff,  after  the 
resignation  of  Miss  Hayes,  were  Mrs.  Mary  E.  Roberts  and  Miss  Mary 
F.  Grieve,  each  on  half  time.  The  state  was  mapped  out,  and  the  sev- 
eral sections  allotted  to  the  respective  teachers.  The  work  was  sys- 
tematic and  effective,  and  when  earning  capacity  was  attained  by 
some  of  the  pupils  through  the  instruction  thus  received  Mr.  Anagnos 
as  well  as  the  home  teachers  felt  real  satisfaction. 

In  1907  the  Massachusetts  Commission  (now  Division)  for  the 
Blind  began  to  function,  and  as  it  was  particularly  fitted  to  help  solve 
the  problems  of  the  adult  blind  it  became  apparent,  in  the  course  of 
its  expansion,  that  it  was  the  proper  agency  for  carrying  on  Home 
Teaching.  Thus  in  1916  the  work  was  turned  over  to  that  Board,  in 
whose  hands  it  has  made  steady  and  gratifying  progress,  now  utiliz- 
ing the  services  of  seven  teachers  and  meeting  all  demands  upon  it  in 
an  effectual  manner. 

Throughout  the  history  of  the  Home  Teaching  movement  the 
Perkins  officials  and  the  Perkins  Library  have  stood  by,  giving  all 
possible  aid  and  advice  and  continuing  the  beneficence  of  its  constant 
supply  of  reading  matter  when  the  teachers'  instructions  have  ceased. 
The  library  circulates  books  embossed  in  braille  and  Moon  type,  as 
well  as  Talking  Book  records,  while  the  Howe  Memorial  Press  meets 
many  individual  needs  through  the  appliances  which  it  produces  and 
sells  at  cost  or  less. 

—  8  — 


The  Lantern 


THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  VIII.  NO.  2  DECEMBER  15.  1938 


dining  Mmxu 


AT  Christmas  time  all  of  our  pupils  go  home.  By  Wednesday  of 
next  week  Perkins  will  be  an  empty  shell  because  practically 
all  pupils  and  staff  members  will  have  departed  for  their  various 
homes.  Many  people  may  be  surprised  at  this  because  the  old  idea 
that  Perkins  is  an  asylum,  affording  continuous  shelter  when  sight  is 
gone,  still  lingers.  Perkins  is  a  residential  school  both  in  content  of 
instruction  and  in  calendar.  As  in  other  schools,  our  pupils  go  home 
at  Christmas  time. 

We  believe  in  this  because  it  helps  keep  alive  home  ties.  All 
children  need  the  security  which  only  home  can  give,  and  for  blind 
boys  and  girls  this  is  even  more  imperative.  Parents  of  handicapped 
children  owe  them  the  protection  of  home  as  well  as  the  facilities 
of  a  special  school.  And  on  their  return  home  at  Christmas  time  the 
children  should  find  a  happy  welcome  and  a  large  place  in  the  family 
festivities. 

Going  home  during  vacations  has  the  additional  value  of  strength- 
ening community  contacts.  It  is  our  conviction  that  the  best  possi- 
bility of  placement  upon  graduation  is  in  the  home  community,  and  our 
boys  and  girls  ought  to  begin  early  to  make  friends  among  those  from 
whom  they  expect  and  hope  to  find  work.  Educating  a  community  to 
receive  blind  workers  is  as  important  as  training  the  workers.  Going 
home,  therefore,  has  vocational  as  well  as  vacational  possibilities. 

To  the  pupils  and  staff  going  home,  as  well  as  to  our  readers,  we 
wish 

A  Urmj  (Elirtatmas  mb  A  Bappjj  N?ut  frar 

Perkins  Institution  and  Massa-  ^7*+  Jv\  **  J  ---5»L  A  A*     ^0 

chusetts  School  for  the  Blind.  *"V^ C€S\s»'***/\      /aSl/\A*Z-i£ 

Watertown,  Massachusetts 

Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President.  GABRIEL  FARRELL,  Director. 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Founder's  Day  exercises  were  held  at 
the  Lower  School  on  the  afternoon  of 
November  7,  following  the  annual  meet- 
ing of  the  Corporation,  and  many  who 
attended  that  meeting  came  to  the 
exercises.  Incidents  in  the  life  of 
Michael  Anagnos  were  portrayed  under 
the  title.  Turning  Pages  of  an  Old 
Family  Album. 


The  Howe  Memorial  Club  held  its 
annual  memorial  exercises  in  honor  of 
Samuel  Gridley-Howe,  on  the  afternoon 
of  November  10.  Clifton  Sears,  presi- 
dent of  the  Club  and  a  member  of  the 
Deaf-Blind  Department,  introduced  Mr. 
Henry  H.  Richards,  grandson  of  Dr. 
Howe,  and  Mr.  S.  Warren  Sturgis,  who 
gave  an  interesting  talk  on  bell-ringing 
with  a  demonstration  by  a  group  of 
bell-ringers. 


The  Boy  Scouts  gave  a  demonstra- 
tion of  basketry,  caning,  and  leather 
work  at  the  Scoutorama  held  in  West 
Watertown  on  Friday  and  Saturday. 
November  25  and  26.  The  boys  say 
they  drew  the  largest  crowd.  The  Girl 
Scouts  gave  a  dance  in  Dwight  Hall  on 
November  19  which  was  largely  at- 
tended by  other  scout  troops. 


Roller-skates,  rubber-tired  for  in- 
door use,  have  been  added  to  the  ath- 
letic equipment  and  will  be  used  by 
both  boys  and  girls  in  the  gymnasium 
during  the  winter  months.  Roller- 
skating  outdoors  on  the  large  concrete 
rinks  has  long  been  a  favorite  form  of 
exercise. 


A  shuffle-board  design  has  been 
painted  on  the  floor  of  the  gymnasium 
for  the  use  of  pupils  who  need  a  less 
active  form  of  exercise  than  the  regu- 
lar gymnasium  classes  provide.  An  out- 
door concrete  board  to  be  marked  with 
grooved  rulings  is  being  built  for  use 
in  the  spring. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


The    Hon,    Leverett    Saltonstall,    for 

many  years  a  Trustee  of  Perkins  and 
actively  interested  in  its  welfare,  has 
been  elected  Governor  of  Massachu- 
setts. 


Some  of  the  girls  in  the  Glee  Club 
took  part  in  an  Historical  Survey  of 
Boston  presented  by  WPA  in  a  broad- 
cast on  November  15.  The  girls  sang 
The  Battle  Hymn  of  the  Republic" 
while  the  story  of  its  connection  with 
Boston  was  related. 


Upper  School  girls,  led  by  Roger 
Walker,  Perkins  1919,  played  the  Rosen- 
baum  Memorial  Hand  Bells  on  Tuesday 
afternoon,  December  13,  at  the  sale  of 
articles  made  by  the  blind  held  at  Jay's 
store,  Boston. 


The  Braille  Service  Department  of 
the  Boston  Chapter  of  the  American 
Red  Cross  has  enlarged  quarters  in  the 
new  building  recently  opened.  Braille 
is  now  being  taught  to  groups,  rather 
than  to  individuals,  and  one  of  the  two 
classes  is  under  the  leadership  of  Miss 
Edith  De  Dominicis,  Perkins  1932.  An- 
other Perkins  graduate,  Charles  Casella, 
1935.  who  is  also  deaf,  has  been  engaged 
to  assist  with  proof-reading. 


Recent  speaking  engagements  of  the 

Director  have  been:  A  paper  on  the 
education  of  the  deaf-blind  at  the 
Annual  Conference  of  the  Western 
Pennsylvania  Educational  Association  in 
Pittsburgh.  October  15;  an  address  at 
the  annual  meeting  of  the  Worcester 
Association  for  the  Blind,  November  3; 
moving  pictures  and  talk.  Salem  Nurses' 
Club,  November  8;  a  talk  before  the 
Zonta  Club,  Auburn,  Maine,  December 
9;  and  a  lecture  before  the  Department 
of  Education  at  Bates  College  on  De- 
cember 10. 


_2  — 


EDWIN   L.   GARDINER 

Music  Lover  and  Exponent 
By  Anna  Gardner  Fish 

AS  the  Christmas  Carols  are  heard  at  this  Yuletide,  our  thoughts 
go  back  to  Edwin  L.  Gardiner,  under  whose  direction  the  Christ- 
mas concerts  began.  Music  lover  and  exponent,  Mr.  Gardiner 
had  given  the  span  of  two  generations  to  the  musical  education  of  the 
pupils  of  Perkins  Institution,  when  his  death,  resulting  from  an  auto- 
mobile accident,  occurred  March  8,  1933.  After  graduating  from  the 
New  England  Conservatory  of  Music  in  Boston,  Massachusetts,  he 
gained  some  teaching  experience  in  the  south  before  accepting  the 
position  in  Perkins  which  was  to  round  out  his  career  of  devotion  and 
enthusiasm  in  the  promotion  of  his  beloved  art.  He  was  himself  an 
all-around  musician,  a  lover  of  the  best  and  highest  type  of  musical 
expression  and  anxious  to  impart  to  his  pupils  his  own  appreciation. 

Although  musical  training  at  Perkins  Institution  had  long  been 
well  established  at  the  school,  the  coming  of  Mr.  Gardiner  to  the 
work  brought  a  fresh  and  uplifting  impulse  to  the  training  of  the 
pupils.    He  found  there  an  excellent  military  band, 
but  this  was  soon  replaced  by  a  full  orchestra,  and 
this  in  turn  gave  way  to  a  fine  chorus  of  melodious 
young  voices,  still  a  valued  feature  of  the  school.  m 

The  military  band  had  served  well  on  public 
occasions  of  all  kinds,  from  graduation  exercises  in 
Boston  Theatre  to  flag-raisings  in  the  open;  the  or- 
chestra gave  delightful  concerts  of  classical  music, 
even  including  movements  from  Schubert's  Un- 
finished Symphony;  the  chorus  has  been  able  to  give 
great  pleasure  through  its  rendition  of  Christmas 
carols,  its  participation  in  Boston  Music  Weeks,  its 
annual  spring  concerts  and  its  radio  presentations. 

In  all  of  this  Mr.  Gardiner  was  the  actuating 
power.  The  growth  and  success  of  the  music  depart- 
ment may  well  be  attributed  to  his  plans  and  in- 
fluence, and  his  zeal  and  untiring  efforts  are  reflected 
in  the  achievements  of  his  pupils.  The  tablet  dedi- 
cating the  Music  Library  to  his  memory,  is  a  con- 
stant and  pleasing  reminder  of  his  value  to  the 
school  and  of  the  determination  of  his  associates  to 
"carry  on." 

—  3  — 


.*- 


p 


'HE  FIRST  SCHOOL 

lERKINS  has  received  an  un- 
expected but  pleasing  piece 
of  publicity  through  its  in- 
clusion in  a  series  of  "firsts", 
being  publicized  by  the  First  Na- 
tional Bank  of  Boston.  Each 
month  the  bank  issues  a  beauti- 
ful colored  blotter  with  a  picture 
of  some  "first"  in  Boston.  The 
blotter  for  December  has  a  pic- 
ture of  the  home  of  Col.  Perkins, 
where  the  first  classes  of  what  is 
now  Perkins  Institution  were 
held.  Underneath  the  picture  is 
the  caption: 

"The  first  school  for  the  blind  in  Amer- 
ica was  incorporated  in  Boston  in  1829 
by  the  Legislature.  Two  years  later  it 
opened  with  six  pupils.  Col.  Thomas 
H.  Perkins  then  gave  his  Boston  resi- 
dence on  Pearl  Street  for  a  school 
building.  The  institution  was  renamed 
in  his  honor." 


THE  CHRISTMAS  CONCERTS 

THE  Christmas  concerts  to  which  the  public  is  invited  are  to  be 
held  at  the  school  on  Thursday  evening,  December  15,  at  8:00 
o'clock,  and  in  Jordan  Hall,  Boston,  Sunday  afternoon,  Decem- 
ber 18,  at  3:30  o'clock.  Invitations  to  these  concerts  have  been  sent 
out,  and  tickets  have  been  issued  for  admission.  Because  so  many 
parents  would  like  to  hear  their  children  sing,  a  third  concert  is  to  be 
held  this  year  on  Tuesday  evening,  December  20,  especially  for  them. 
Immediately  after  the  program  pupils  may  meet  their  families  and 
friends  and  leave  with  them  for  the  Christmas  holidays. 

Traditional  and  modern  carols,  including  some  familiar  to  those 
who  attend  the  concert  each  year,  will  be  heard.  Some  of  the  numbers 
will  be  sung  antiphonally  by  the  choir  of  the  Lower  School  made  up  of 
seventy  children  and  the  Upper  School  chorus  of  eighty  voices.  Two 
new  features  will  be  a  group  of  hand  bell  ringers  playing  the  Rosen- 
baum  Memorial  Bells,  and  the  rendition  of  a  selection,  THE  CHRIST- 
MAS CfHORUS,  by  the  Verse  Speaking  Choir. 

—  4  — 


THE  BLIND  ARTISANS 

A  PLAN  to  relieve  the  blind  of  idleness,  which  Helen  Keller  says 
is  their  heaviest  burden,  and  to  give  wider  opportunity  for  the 
former  students  of  Perkins  to  use  the  skills  acquired  while  at 
school  is  being  prepared  by  Perkins  Institution  with  the  guidance 
and  the  counsel  of  prominent  Boston  business  men.  Lack  of  oppor- 
tunity to  use  their  training  and  ability  through  creative  and  con- 
structive work  is  the  greatest  problem  before  the  blind  today.  Al- 
though a  school,  Perkins  is  vitally  interested  in  this  problem  because 
we  believe  that  the  value  of  our  training  is  proportionate  to  the  extent 
of  its  use  and  that  the  time  has  come  when  we  must  come  to  grips  with 
this  problem  if  we  are  to  justify  our  program  of  advanced  education. 
The  plan  proposed  is  to  build  up  a  list  of  competent  blind  people 
throughout  New  England  who  are  prepared  to  make  articles  which 
are  salable,  or  to  render  services  for  which  there  is  a  demand.  This 
list  will  be  cross-indexed  according  to  the  residence  of  the  workers, 
and  the  articles  that  they  are  prepared  to  make.  An  office  has  been 
established  at  the  Perkins  Salesroom,  133  Newbury  Street,  with  an 
executive  secretary  in  charge.  An  active  promotional  program  will 
be  instituted,  using  modern  methods,  especially  the  radio.  The  first 
broadcast  announcing  the  plan  was  given  over  Station  WBZ  on  Tues- 
day evening,  December  6,  from  eight  to  eight-thirty. 

HA  GLEN  AH  BAH 

MADELINE  BEYAL  is  the  name  which  ap- 
pears on  the  list  of  new  pupils  who  entered 
in  September,  but  in  her  native  Navajo  lan- 
guage the  name  is  the  caption  above.  Madeline  is 
an  Indian  who  has  come  from  Arizona  to  do  graduate 
work  to  prepare  herself  as  an  Ediphone  operator 
which  will  make  her  eligible  for  a  government  posi- 
tion on  the  reservation.  Madeline  lost  her  sight 
through  trachoma,  which,  until  mission  and  govern- 
ment hospitals  began  the  present  campaign  against 
it,  was  the  scourge  of  the  Navajo  Indians.  In  the 
schoolroom  she  is  proving  a  diligent  pupil,  and  it  is 
hoped  that  at  the  end  of  her  year's  stay  Madeline 
will  have  become  proficient  in  her  special  field.  She 
is  one  of  five  Indian  children  adopted  by  Miss  Anne 
Cady  of  the  Mission  of  the  Good  Shepherd,  Fort 
Defiance,   Arizona. 

—  5  — 


MORE  MODELS 

MORE  and  more  models  are  coming  to  Perkins  from  the  WPA 
Project  and  each  one  adds  to  the  effectiveness  of  our 
teaching.  Mr.  Waterhouse,  who  represents  Perkins  in  the 
making  of  the  models,  writes:  "There  can  be  no  doubt  that  instruc- 
tion in  certain  subjects  is  being  definitely  improved  and  the  general 
background  of  our  pupils  widened  as  a  result  of  the  models.  .  .  .  Their 
value  will  be  greatly  enhanced  when  suitable  space  is  provided  for 
handling  and  storage."  This  pressure  for  space,  added  to  the  growing 
need  for  more  room  for  braille  books,  indicates  that  the  only  solution 
will  be  the  construction  of  a  building  to  be  used  as  a  library  and  center 
for  models.  What  an  opportunity  for  a  beautiful  and  serviceable 
memorial ! 

THE  GIRLS'  PLAY  DAY 

FIVE  Upper  School  girls  and  two  teachers,  Miss  Nass  and  Miss 
Cole,  received  a  glorious  send-off,  Thursday  morning,  October  27, 
as  they  headed  for  Baltimore  in  the  Perkins  beach-wagon.  In 
Baltimore  they  joined  representatives  from  four  other  schools  and 
had  a  glorious  week-end  as  guests  of  the  Maryland  School  for  the 
Blind.  Our  girls  extended  the  trip  to  take  in  Washington,  including 
Mt.  Vernon  and  all  the  "sights",  returning  to  Perkins  on  Tuesday 
night,  November  1.  It  was  a  broadening  and  enjoyable  expedition 
and  all  are  indebted  to  Mr.  John  F.  Bledsoe,  of  the  Maryland  School, 
for  his  gracious  hospitality. 

SPECIAL  ORDER  MUSIC 

ANEW  catalog  of  braille  music  announces  the  establishment  of  a 
Special  Order  Music  Department  under  the  joint  supervision  of 
the  Music  Department  and  the  Howe  Memorial  Press.  This 
department  stands  ready  to  braille  music  on  order.  Prices  for  brailled 
music  will  be  the  same  as  the  cost  of  ink  print  copies.  Blind  musicians 
are  frequently  hampered  by  difficulty  in  securing  music  in  braille. 
Perkins  is  extending  this  service  to  help  meet  this  need. 

"KEEN-EYED  FACULTY" 

TOMPKINS  Cottage  won  the  autumn  series  of  football  games  and 
served  the  defeated  teams  a  sumptuous  banquet  on  the  evening 
of  November  16.  The  most  exciting  game  of  this  season  was  the 
one  between  a  student  team  and  a  faculty  team.  According  to  a  news- 
paper, "the  pupils  beat  the  keen-eyed  faculty  6-0."  As  a  matter  of 
fact  three  of  the  teachers  on  the  team  are  graduates  of  schools  for 
the  blind! 

—  6  — 


PUBLICATIONS 


Dr.  Clarence  Hawkes,  Perkins  1890, 
has  published  a  book  of  poems  entitled 
CHRISTMAS  ALL  THE  YEAR.  This 
is  Dr.  Hawkes'  fiftieth  book.  It  is  dedi- 
cated to  the  Lions  Clubs  of  America. 


The  Music  Department  has  published 
a  new  catalog  of  all  music  now  in 
braille.  It  contains  titles  of  about  1,300 
pieces,  which  are  available  for  sale  or 
for  loan. 


A    Survey    of   Pupils   at    Perkins,    by 

Janet  H.  Cairns,  Secertary  of  the  De- 
partment of  Personnel,  appeared  in 
THE  TEACHERS  FORUM,  September, 
1938. 


The  Deaf-Blind  of  Nebraska  and 
Helen  Siefert  is  the  title  of  an  article 
by  N.C.  Abbott,  of  the  Nebraska  School 
for  the  Blind,  appearing  in — AND 
THERE  WAS  LIGHT,  September,  1938. 


Educational    Models    at    Perkins,    by 

Edward  J.  Waterhouse,  of  the  WPA 
Project  and  the  Howe  Memorial  Press, 
appeared  in  THE  OUTLOOK  FOR  THE 
BLIND,  October,  1938. 


The  Home  Teacher  is  a  new  publica- 
tion in  braille,  written  especially  for 
home  teachers.  Edited  by  Charles  W. 
Holmes,  Perkins  1890,  this  new  maga- 
zine is  published  by  the  National  Braille 
Press. 


The  Howe  Memorial  Press  is  issuing 
two  new  catalogs:  1.  Geographical  and 
Historical  Maps  of  the  World.  2. 
Models-Maps-Diagrams.  The  first  lists 
the  maps  made  on  the  WPA  Project 
and  the  second  the  models,  diagrams 
and  additional  maps  made  by  the  con- 
tinuing project,  which  is  still  actively 
at  work. 


PROFESSIONAL  NOTES 


Lord  Tweedsmuir,  Governor-General 
of  Canada,  paid  tribute  to  one  of  Per- 
kins' distinguished  former  students  at 
the  recent  dedication  of  the  new  wing 
of  the  Montreal  Convalescent  Hospital 
saying,  "Much  has  been  due  to  Sir 
Charles  Lindsay  whose  work  for  hospi- 
tals is  famous  throughout  Canada." 


The  National  Conference  of  Social 
Work  has  given  a  place  in  its  annual 
program  to  consideration  of  prevention 
and  social  treatment  of  blindness.  This 
is  in  charge  of  a  committee  of  which 
Mr.  William  A.  Bartram,  of  the  Ohio 
Commission  for  the  Blind,  is  chairman 
and  the  Director  of  Perkins  is  a  mem- 
ber. 


Chapter  News,  the  house  organ  of 
the  Boston  Chapter  of  the  American 
Red  Cross,  contains  an  interesting  story 
of  the  life  and  activities  of  Mr.  Ralph 
Lowell  who  served  as  chairman  of  the 
Boston  Chapter's  1938  Roll  Call.  It  is 
hard  for  people  at  Perkins  to  believe 
that  Mr.  Lowell  has  the  many  outside 
activities  which  the  article  relates  be- 
cause of  the  unstinted  amount  of  time 
that  he  gives  to  Perkins  as  a  Trustee 
and  member  of  the  Executive  Com- 
mittee. 


George  Hagopian,  Perkins  1909,  was 
recently  described  as  follows  in  a  Bos- 
ton paper:  "From  the  little  flock  of 
forty-eight  hens  he  bought  back  in  1910, 
after  his  graduation  from  the  Perkins 
Institution  for  the  Blind,  he  has  risen 
to  the  position  of  being  the  largest 
breeder  of  chickens  in  the  world.  At 
his  Redbird  Farm  he  has  hatched  more 
than  18,000,000  baby  chicks.  He  now 
produces  them  at  the  rate  of  better 
than  1,500,000  a  year.  He  has  65,000 
breeding  hens  and  gets  about  40,000 
eggs  a  day." 


—  7  — 


Olhil&nm  of  tltr  ^tbttt  Night 

ANEW  booklet,  bearing  the  same  title  as  the  booklet  of  last  year, 
CHILDREN  OF  THE  SILENT  NIGHT,  has  been  printed  to 
tell  of  the  activities  of  the  Deaf-Blind  Department  this  year. 
Over  four  thousand  copies  have  been  mailed  to  friends  of  the  school, 
soliciting  contributions  to  extend  the  work.  .  .  .  Pupils  in  the  depart- 
ment with  some  residual  hearing  are  now  able  to  hear  the  chapel 
exercises.  A  system  of  earphones  has  been  installed,  which  is  proving 
most  effective.  It  is  planned  to  have  the  service  transferable  to 
Dwight  Hall  so  that  plays  and  concerts  may  also  be  heard.  .  .  .  The 
new  pupil  this  year,  Harley  Chatterton,  from  Vermont,  is  proving  to 
be  a  promising  boy  and  is  already  making  good  progress.  .  .  . 

Perhaps  the  most  interesting  incidents  of  the  department  this 
fall  were  the  return  of  "Tad"  Chapman  from  a  summer  spent  in  South 
Africa,  and  the  excellent  talk,  describing  his  trip,  which  he  gave  in 
chapel  on  Monday  morning,  November  7.  To  hear  him  speak  so 
effectively  was  an  inspiration  to  carry  on  in  this  most  difficult  area 
in  the  field  of  education. 


A  (£i?U&  of  %  Stlntt  Ntgltt 

(So  (Cannula) 


She  walks  in  paths  of  silence 

Where  Darkness  reigns  supreme. 

She  has  never  heard  a  bird's  sweet  song 
Nor  a  beauteous  sunset  seen. 

She  runs  and  plays  like  the  others 

And  I've  seen  her  face  shining  bright; 

I  wonder  what  gay  dreams  she's  dreaming, 
This  Child  Of  The  Silent  Night. 

Perhaps  her  world  is  a  lovely  one; 

With  the  eyes  of  her  Soul  she  may  see 
Myriads  of  stars  in  her  Heaven, 

Or  the  moon's  golden  strands  on  her  sea. 


Perhaps  she  hears  wondrous  music 

In  the  depths  of  her  sweet  little  heart. 

Who  knows  what  sweet  flow'r-like  thoughts 
God  to  this  dear  child  imparts? 

The  soft  wind  kisses  her  hair; 

The  warm  sun  caresses  her  cheeks. 
The  lips  of  her  teachers  and  friends 

Her  small  hand  questingly  seeks. 

To  all  she's  a  shining  example 

Of  patience  and  cheerfulness,  bright. 

Oh,  what  joy  to  bring  the  world 

To  A  Child  Of  The  Silent  Night. 


Hariri} 


Written  by  Barbara  E.  Farnham, 
a  former  student  at  Perkins 
and  present  assistant  at  the 
cottage     where     Carmela     lives. 


UJarutrla 


The  Lantern 


THE  PERKINS 


VOLUME  VIII.  NO.  3 


INSTITUTION 


MARCH  15.  1939 


BLINDNESS 

PROVISION  for  financial  aid  to  the  needy  blind  under  Article  X  of  the 
Social  Security  Act  has  fixed  attention  on  what  constitutes  blindness, 
how  many  people  are  blind,  and  who  are  the  needy.  The  United  Pub- 
lic Health  Service  has  recently  published  a  study  entitled  "Blindness — 
Amount,  Causes  and  Relation  to  Certain  Social  Factors".  The  problem  of 
"caring  for  the  blind,"  the  report  states,  "is  not  one  purely  of  compassion 
— it  is  increasingly  one  of  state  and  national  importance". 

The  study  attributes  72%  of  blindness  to  disease,  21%  to  accidents 
and  7%  to  congenital  or  early  infancy  causes.  The  average  age  of  the 
blind  is  twice  that  of  the  general  population.  ThreeTfifths  are  over  fifty- 
five  years  of  age.  Sixty-eight  per  cent  are  in  families  reporting  incomes 
less  than  $1000.  Only  11%  are  employed.  Blindness  thrives  among  the 
poor.  Is  it  cause  or  effect?  Blindness  abounds  among  the  aged  and  the 
report  states  "that  the  magnitude  of  this  problem  will  increase  is  inher- 
2nt  in  the  fact  of  the  increasing  proportion  of  persons  in  the  higher  age 
groups." 

The  exact  extent  of  blindness  is  hard  to  determine.  The  1930  census 
gives  a  ratio  of  52  to  100,000  of  the  general  population.  Best,  leading  au- 
thority on  the  blind,  estimates  80  to  100,000.  This  survey  sets  90  to  100,000 
as  the  ratio  and  117,000  as  the  total  number.  State  ratios  range  from  146 
per  100,000  in  Maine  to  12  in  Michigan.  The  only  certain  fact  is  that  the 
number  grows  as  pensions  increase. 

But  whatever  the  extent  there  is  too  much  blindness!  Nearly  75% 
is  preventable.  Solution  of  the  problem  is  not  to  be  found  in  more  pen- 
sions but  in  more  prevention! 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown,  Massachusetts 
Robert  H.  Hallo  well,  President. 


Gabriel  Farrell,  Director. 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Governor  Saltonstall  visited  the 
school  on  Tuesday,  February  7,  and 
spoke  to  the  assembled  Upper  and 
Lower   Schools   at   chapel  exercises. 


An  English  castle  and  a  typical  dock 
with  ships  floating  in  water  alongside 
are  two  new  models  which  have  come 
from  the  WPA  Project. 


A  model  of  a  Massachusetts  jail, 
finely  executed  in  cardboard  by  an  in- 
mate, has  been  presented  to  the  school 
by  the  State  Commissioner  of  Correc- 
tion. 


Open  House,  held  annually  on 
Washington's  Birthday,  again  brought 
over  a  thousand  people  to  see  the  dem- 
onstrations of  the  work  of  the  school. 


Three  hundred  Boy  Scouts,  repre- 
senting all  of  the  troops  in  Watertown, 
met  at  Perkins  on  February  3,  for  a 
district  get-together  and  show  with 
our  Scout  Troop  acting  as  host. 


Four  pupils  in  the  Commercial  De- 
partment have  received  certificates  of 
proficiency  in  Ediphone  work.  To 
qualify  they  had  to  write  twenty -five 
words  a  minute  for  fifteen  minutes. 


The  Governor  has  appointed  as 
Trustees  representing  the  Common- 
wealth Dr.  Henry  H.  Faxon,  of  Brook- 
line,  and  Miss  Ellen  H.  Gleason,  of 
Jamaica  Plain.  He  reappointed  Mr. 
Daniel  J.  Lyne  and  Rev.  George  P. 
O'Conor. 


The  Perkins  Chorus  has  been  invited 
to  sing  on  Thursday  afternoon,  March 
16,  at  the  Hotel  Statler  before  the 
members  of  the  Eastern  Music  Educa- 
tors' Conference.  Leading  college 
groups  have  been  invited  to  participate, 
and  Perkins  feels  honored  by  this  op- 
portunity to  demonstrate  its  artistic 
achievement  in  music. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Norman  S.  Case,  Jr.,  '36,  has  been 
placed  on  the  Dean's  list  for  high  aca- 
demic standing  at  Brown  University. 


Leroy  B.  MacLaughlin,  '36,  is  Super- 
visor of  the  WPA  Braille  Project  in 
Providence,  Rhode  Island. 


Charles  P.  Eaton,  '30,  graduate  of 
the  Boston  University  School  of  Law, 
was  elected  to  the  Town  Planning 
Board  of  Watertown. 


Francis  Soutier,  '37,  has  qualified  for 
a  Seeing  Eye  dog.  Friends  in  his  home 
city,  Pittsfield,  Massachusetts,  are  rais- 
ing money  to  set  up  a  stand  for  him 
in  the  local  Post  Office. 


William  E.  Powers,  '32,  of  Valley 
Falls,  graduate  of  the  Boston  Univer- 
sity School  of  Law,  has  been  elected  to 
the  House  of  Representatives  in  Rhode 
Island. 


Betty  Nye,  who  took  special  work  at 
Perkins  last  year  and  is  now  attending 
the  Wheelock  Kindergarten  Training 
School,  shares  with  another  girl  high- 
est honor  in  academic  achievement. 


Lewis  Brothers,  '37,  has,  through  the 
generous  help  of  Miss  Mabel  C.  Gage, 
acquired  a  stand  in  the  Worcester  City 
Hall.  He  writes:  "Things  at  the  stand 
concession  are  running  along  very 
nicely.  There  is  a  gradual  increase  in 
business  at  the  close  of  each  week." 


Clyde  Richardson,  '37,  has  opened  a 
stand  in  the  Concord,  New  Hampshire. 
Post  Office.  This  has  been  financed  by 
the  New  Hampshire  Association  for 
the  Blind,  and  Clyde  reports  increas- 
ing business.  He  is  also  an  agent  for 
the  New  England  Magazine  Agency  of 
the  Blind  and  has  recently  secured  the 
contract  to  supply  all  the  magazines 
at  the  Concord  State  Hospital. 


—  2 


PETER  C.  and  EDWARD  BROOKS 

Early  Benefactors  of  Perkins 
By  Anna  Gardner  Fish 

THE  NAME  assigned  to  Brooks  Cottage  commemorates  two  mem- 
bers of  that  family  who  espoused  the  cause  of  the  blind  and  of  this 
school  in  its  early  days.  The  name  itself  may  be  traced  back  to 
Watertown,  Mass.,  where  Captain  Thomas  Brooks  was  admitted  as  a  free- 
man in  1636.  A  son  married  a  daughter  of  another  first  settler  of  this 
town,  Thomas  Boylston,  and  Phillips  Brooks  is  mentioned  as  a  descendant. 
This  branch  took  up  its  residence  in  Medford,  and  it  is  with  that  place  that 
Peter  Chardon  Brooks  is  principally  associated,  with  his  fine  estate  there 
and  the  mansion  house  which  was  greatly  admired. 

Born  in  North  Yarmouth,  Maine,  January  11,  1767,  son  of  the  Rev. 
Edward  Brooks,  noted  minister  of  the  First  Parish  Church  of  Boston, 
Peter  saw  many  evidences  of  the  fickleness  of  fortune.  The  family  was 
left  destitute  by  the  father's  death  in  1789;  yet  the  son  Peter  retired 
with  a  competence  in  1803,  and  at  his  death,  January  1,  1849,  he  was  re- 
puted to  be  the  wealthiest  man  in  New  England.  He  served  as  President 
of  our  Corporation  from  1840  to  1847. 

His  business  was  that  of  importer  in  the  East  Indian  trade,  and  he 
acted  also  as  an  underwriter  of  vessels  and  insurance  broker,  with  offices  at 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 


GIRLS'  CLOSE— BROOKS  COTTAGE  ON  THE  LEFT 
—  3  — 


AID  TO  THE  BLIND 

A  CAREFUL  SURVEY  of  the  incidence  of  aid  to  the  blind  in  four 
New  England  States,  Maine,  Massachusetts,  New  Hampshire,  and 
Vermont  has  been  made  by  the  Social  Security  Board  and  its  find- 
ings have  been  published  in  the  Social  Security  Bulletin.  As  Perkins 
educates  the  children  of  these  states  and  its  former  students  repre- 
sent many  of  the  blind  in  this  area,  the  study  is  of  direct  interest.  All 
four  states  receive  Federal  aid  for  the  blind  and  in  administering  this 
type  of  public  assistance  the  Social  Security  Board  finds  that  "even  within 
the  New  England  area  variation  is  great." 

After  eliminating  variable  factors,  such  as  the  transfer  of  blind  over 
65  years  of  age  to  old  age  assistance,  which  is  the  practice  in  Massachu- 
setts ;  extent  of  medical  tests ;  and  differing  interpretations  of  need,  there 
is  still  a  wide  difference  in  the  number  receiving  blind  aid.  "In  the  group 
under  65  years  of  age  the  rate  in  Maine  is  93  per  100,000  population,  16- 
64  years  of  age.  This  is  more  than  twice  the  corresponding  New  Hamp- 
shire rate  (44)  and  nearly  three  times  the  comparable  Vermont  rate 
(35)."  The  rate  in  Massachusetts  is  27.  It  must  be  understood  that  the 
aim  of  well-directed  work  for  the  blind  is  to  keep  financial  aid  to  the 
minimum.  On  this  basis  Massachusetts  has  the  best  record,  which  should 
be  so  because  this  State  has  had  the  longest  fully  organized  program  for 
the  blind;  whereas  Maine  is  only  now  considering  in  its  Legislature  the 
establishment  of  a  division  of  services  for  the  blind. 

THE  SPRING  MEETINGS 

IN  ADDITION  to  the  public  agencies  there  are  over  one  hundred  volun- 
teer private  organizations  serving  the  blind  in  New  England.  These 
private  organizations,  many  of  which  antedate  the  public  groups, 
range  from  the  Massachusetts  Association  for  the  Adult  Blind,  which  was 
instrumental  in  starting  the  State  Division  of  the  Blind,  to  informal  groups 
which  hold  meetings  for  friendly  intercourse  and  encouragement.  Many 
active  workers  in  these  various  groups  are  unaware  of  the  programs  of 
the  other  organizations.  In  order  to  gain  the  strength  which  comes 
through  mutual  understanding,  Perkins  Institution  has  called  an  all-day 
conference  of  representatives  of  all  volunteer  organizations  of  New  Eng- 
land interested  in  the  blind  to  be  held  at  the  school  on  Thursday,  May  25. 
On  Wednesday,  the  preceding  day,  the  Corporation  will  hold  its  spring 
meeting.  Demonstrations  of  school  work  will  be  the  main  feature  of 
this  meeting  and  will  provide  opportunity  to  see  the  varied  activities  of 
the  school.  After  the  demonstrations  members  of  the  Corporation  will 
be  served  tea  and  refreshments. 

—  4  — 


THE  MAGAZINE  AGENCY 

CHECKS  TOTALING  fifty  dollars  will  be  distributed  this  spring  among 
all  active  agents  of  the  New  England  Magazine  Agency  of  the  Blind. 
This  good  news  was  announced  recently  by  letter  to  twenty-three 
men  and  women,  mostly  graduates  of  Perkins,  who  are  engaged  in  the 
new  and  growing  enterprise  of  magazine  subscription  work.  The  money, 
constituting  a  surplus  beyond  operating  costs  of  the  agency,  will  be  dis- 
tributed to  the  producing  agents  in  the  form  of  a  bonus  above  and  beyond 
the  regular  commissions  received  from  subscription  sales. 

The  New  England  Magazine  Agency  of  the  Blind  was  established  in 
the  fall  of  1937  by  Perkins  to  aid  former  students  who  wish  to  enter 
magazine  subscription  work.  On  its  publication  list  are  hundreds  of 
periodicals,  ranging  from  all  the  popular  magazines  to  newspapers  and 
technical  journals.  And  on  its  growing  list  of  subscribers  are  the  names 
of  men  and  women  from  all  walks  in  life,  as  well  as  the  names  of  hospitals, 
schools  and  colleges  which  are  buying  their  magazines  either  directly 
from  the  Agency  or  through  its  representatives. 

THE  BLIND  ARTISANS 

THE  BLIND  ARTISANS  of  New  England  are  still  wrestling  with  the 
problem  of  securing  for  our  well-trained  workers  the  opportunity  to 
use  their  skills.    Further  study  has  revealed  the  necessity  of  concen- 
trating on  fewer  services  or  articles,  than  was  at  first  proposed.     This 
decision  was  based  upon  the  advice  of  the  following  men  who  are  serving 

—  5  — 


as  an  advisory  council : — Robert  Amory,  President,  Nashua  Manufacturing 
Company;  Paul  E.  Fitzpatrick,  President,  Brown,  Durrell  Company  and 
Trustee  of  Perkins ;  Dr.  Edmund  P.  Learned,  Professor  of  Marketing,  Har- 
vard Graduate  School  of  Business  Administration ;  James  A.  Nelson,  Vice- 
President  and  Merchandise  Manager,  R.  H.  Stearns  Company;  Arthur  F. 
Sullivan,  Attorney,  a  graduate  of  Perkins,  and  a  member  of  the  Board  of 
the  Massachusetts  Division  for  the  Blind;  Mr.  Edmund  S.  Whitten,  Presi- 
dent, Edmund  S.  Whitten,  Inc.,  advertising. 

At  the  present  time  effort  is  being  carried  on  in  three  lines : 

1.  Piano  tuning  and  servicing  will  be  stressed.  At  a  meeting  of  tuners  a 
plan  of  co-operative  effort  was  planned.  An  attractive  booklet  advertising 
tuning  has  been  prepared  for  distribution  by  the  tuners  to  their  clients  and 
prospects.     Radio  broadcasts  are  being   arranged. 

2.  Approaches  have  been  made  to  the  chain  stores  to  see  what  articles 
they  will  purchase.  Orders  for  brooms  in  large  quantity  seem  to  be  a  pos- 
sibility. Shops  now  making  brooms  are  arranging  to  meet  the  specifications 
required. 

3.  Studies  are  being  made  of  new  articles  that  can  be  made  by  the  blind. 

THE  BOYS'  PLAY 

FOR  THEIR  ANNUAL  presentation  the  Perkins  Players,  made  up  of 
boys  of  the  Upper  School,  are  to  present  on  Thursday  and  Friday 
evenings,  March  30  and  31,  CAESAR  AND  CLEOPATRA  by  Bernard 
Shaw.  Twenty-eight  boys,  assisted  by  two  or  three  women  of  the  staff, 
will  make  up  the  cast.  Other  boys  will  have  a  part  in  the  production  and 
in  the  management  of  the  play.  The  proceeds  are  divided  between  the 
Howe  Memorial  Club,  which  assists  graduates  in  getting  a  footing  in  busi- 
ness, and  the  Perkins  Athletic  Association,  which  finances  trips  to  other 
schools  for  track  meets.  School  closes  for  the  Easter  Vacation  after  the 
second  presentation  and  resumes  for  the  spring  term  on  Tuesday,  April  11. 


THE  107th  ANNUAL  REPORT,  which  will  soon  be  off  the  press,  is 
being  printed  this  year  at  the  Industrial  School  for  Crippled  and 
Deformed  Children,  in  Boston.  For  many  years  the  Industrial  School 
has  printed  the  programs  and  invitations  to  our  various  concerts.  Last 
year  it  printed  the  several  small  booklets  which  Perkins  has  for  general 
distribution.  The  school  has  been  selected  for  printing  the  report,  not 
only  because  of  the  quality  of  its  work,  but  because  we  think  it  is  inter- 
esting and  helpful  to  have  handicapped  groups  help  one  another. 


A 


BLIND  TUNER,  while  tuning  the  piano  in  a  home  for  old  people, 
was  greeted  by  one  of  the  ladies  in  this  way :  "You  are  doing  a  great 
work — bringing  harmony  into  the  world." 

—  6  — 


PUBLICATIONS 


EDUCATION  OF  THE  HANDI- 
CAPPED, the  first  of  two  volumes  on 
this  subject  has  been  published  by  The 
World  Book  Company,  edited  by  Dr. 
Merle  E.  Frampton,  Principal  of  the 
New  York  Institute  for  the  Education 
of  the  Blind,  and  Dr.  Hugh  G.  Rowell, 
his  associate  in  the  Department  of  the 
Education  of  the  Handicapped,  Teach- 
ers' College,  Columbia  University.  This 
book  covers  in  a  comprehensive  and 
interesting  way  the  educational  pro- 
grams of  the  several  areas  of  the 
physically  handicapped. 


"INTRYKK  FRA  MIN  Forste  Dag 
Ved  Perkins"  is  the  title  of  an  article 
appearing  in  the  January,  1939,  number 
of  BLINDESAKEN,  of  Norway.  It  is 
an  account  by  Mildred  H.  Store,  a  for- 
mer member  of  the  Harvard  Class, 
telling  of  life  at  Perkins  and  giving  a 
full  outline  of  a  day's  work  in  the 
school.  It  also  speaks  of  Mr.  Karterud, 
of  Trondheim,  a  member  of  the  Har- 
vard Class  six  years  ago. 


"ALTERNATIVE"  AND  SQUARE- 
HAND  WRITING,  written  by  Miss 
Marion  A.  Woodworth,  teacher  of 
squarehand  at  Perkins,  appears  in  the 
New  Beacon  published  in  London  for 
February.  The  writer  concludes  that 
the  suggested  alternative  to  square- 
hand  offers  no  improvements  over  the 
latter  older  system. 


FROM  OUR  MAIL 


THE  DEAF-BLIND  AT  PERKINS, 
an  article  by  the  Director  of  Perkins, 
has  been  translated  into  Spanish  and 
appears  in  the  February,  1939,  number 
of  Desde  Las  Sombras,  published  in 
Mexico. 


ALEXANDER  WOOLLCOTT  pays 
an  appreciative  tribute  to  Anne  Sulli- 
van Macy  in  the  February  Atlantic 
Monthly  in  an  article  entitled  "In 
Memoriam". 


"MY  MOST  INTERESTING  adven- 
ture in  Siam  is  not  a  cause  for  tears, 
nor  have  I  the  slightest  inclination  in 
that  direction,  but  when  I  opened  the 
box  of  equipment  so  thoughtfully  and 
carefully  prepared  for  me  at  Perkins, 
my  heart  was  simply  too  full  to  re- 
strain the  tears  of  real  appreciation. 
Thank  you  more  than  I  can  tell  you 
for  this  and  for  the  future  help  that 
I  know  you  and  Perkins  will  give  to 
our  infant  work  in  Siam". — Genevieve 
Caulfield,  Bangkok,  Siam. 

"MAY  I  CONGRATULATE  you  on 
the  program  you  put  on  tonight  in 
connection  with  the  Blind  Artisans  of 
New  England  ....  The  subject  was 
treated  with  dignity  and  the  plea 
made  with  restraint.  I  thought  it 
beautifully  presented  and  feel  you 
have  given  this  extremely  worth  while 
venture  a  real  start  by  your  friendly 
helping  hand." — From  a  Trustee  of 
Perkins. 


"I  WAS  GOING  UPSTAIRS  with 
THE  READERS  DIGEST  under  my 
arm  when  a  neighbor  called  up  and 
told  me  to  watch  for  WBZ  and  you 
can  bet  I  did.  The  program  came  in 
splendidly,  fine  and  clear,  and  I  got 
every  word  of  the  singing  and  speak- 
ing."— From  "one  of  the  very  old  ladies 
who  once  graduated  from  Perkins,  I 
don't  dare  tell  you  how  long  ago." 

"MY  SECRETARY  was  so  impressed 
with  your  letter  that  she  has  shown 
it  to  the  girls  throughout  the  office  as 
a  model  of  perfection  with  the  hope 
that  we  may  be  able  to  raise  our  own 
standards  thereby." — Arthur  P.  Lyman, 
Commissioner  of  Correction,  State 
House,  Boston. 

"I  AM  ONE  of  the  old  pupils  of  Per- 
kins and  am  totally  blind  from  birth. 
I  always  enjoy  reading  the  Perkins' 
LANTERN,  so  please  continue  to  send 
it  to  me  as  its  pages  are  always  very 
interesting." — From  a  former  student. 


—  7  — 


PETER  C.  and  EDWARD  BROOKS 

(Continued  from  Page  3) 

the  Bunch  of  Grapes  Tavern  in  Boston.  Having  the  title  of  Honorable,  it 
may  be  supposed  that  he  served  in  positions  of  honor.  His  stalwart  princi- 
ples are  portrayed  in  his  response  to  a  friend,  seeking  a  watchword  for  a 
young  man  on  the  threshold  of  life:    "Let  him  mind  his  own  business." 

He  married  Nancy  Gorham,  and  of  their  thirteen  children  it  is  re- 
corded that  one  of  the  four  sons  became  a  prosperous  merchant  in  New 
York  and  that  three  daughters  married  prominent  Boston  men, — Dr. 
Frothingham,  pastor  of  the  Chauncey  Street  Church,  Edward  Everett, 
and  Charles  Francis  Adams,  only  son  of  John  Quincy  Adams. 

Mrs.  Peter  C.  Brooks'  name  appears  in  Perkins  records  as  the  source 
of  many  beneficient  acts  and  as  the  one  who  had  the  bust  of  Laura  Bridg- 
man,  the  work  of  Sophia  Peabody  (later  the  wife  of  Nathaniel  Haw- 
thorne), reproduced  and  given  to  leading  schools  for  the  deaf  and  the 
blind  throughout  the  country. 

Without  direct  evidence  of  the  fact,  it  seems  safe  to  assume  that  the 
Edward  Brooks  also  linked  to  Brooks  Cottage  was  the  oldest  son  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Peter  C.  Brooks,  the  span  of  his  life  extending  from  1793  to 
1878 ;  but  any  account  of  him  must  be  a  thing  of  shreds  and  patches,  made 
up  of  different  items  concerning  him  which  crop  up  in  divers  places. 

We  know  that  he  was  one  of  the  founders  of  this  school,  his  name 
appearing  among  others  in  the  Act  of  Incorporation  in  1829,  and  he  was 
a  member  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  from  1830  until  1847  when  he  became 
our  Vice-President,  serving  in  that  capacity  until  1850  and  as  President 
of  the  Corporation  from  1855  to  1862.  During  all  these  years  his  name 
is  connected  with  many  activities;  he  acted  on  committees  and  lent  him- 
self and  his  prestige  in  innumerable  helpful  ways.  His  value  to  the  insti- 
tution bore  attestation  from  Dr.  Howe  in  a  tribute  published  in  the  fif- 
teenth report  (1846)  upon  Mr.  Brooks'  withdrawal  from  the  Board  of 
Trustees. 

We  hear  of  him  as  traveling  with  Mr.  George  Ticknor  in  Italy.  We 
picture  him  as  an  outstanding  man  of  affairs  and  of  unimpeachable  in- 
tegrity. He  was  a  lawyer  and  acted  as  agent  for  his  father's  estate  in 
Boston.  He  is  recorded  as  a  donor  to  the  Boston  Athenaeum.  He  served 
for  a  time  as  a  member  of  the  State  Legislature,  but  it  is  said  that  he  was 
too  honest  and  plain  spoken  to  have  much  success  as  a  politician. 

All  honor  to  these  men  who  were  not  so  engrossed  in  their  own  im- 
portant affairs  as  to  ignore  the  claims  upon  their  humanitarian  impulses 
to  share  in  the  forward  movements  of  their  day  and  generation. 

—  8  — 


M 


|  LTUJUN 

The  |  Lantern       ^  Mc  K 


"1 


THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  VIII.  NO.  4  JUNE  15,  1939 

A  Contributory  Place 


EVER  SINCE  the  earliest  days  of  Dr.  Howe  the  goal  of  Perkins 
has  been  to  prepare  its  pupils  to  take  a  contributory  place  in  the 
economic  and  social  life  of  their  day  and  communities.  Our 
record  in  that  endeavor  is  notable,  although  the  situation  today  is 
far  from  satisfying.  Indeed,  so  acute  is  the  problem  of  placement  for 
blind  people  that  the  very  principle  of  contribution  is  being  questioned 
in  some  quarters.  Is  our  objective  a  relic  of  the  horse  and  buggy  era, 
and  has  it  become  outmoded  in  this  mechanized  age? 

That  question  is  giving  grave  concern  to  educators  of  the  blind, 
and  those  who  work  for  and  with  adults  are  not  encouraging  in  their 
prognosis.  Outside  of  our  special  field  we  find  a  definite  reluctance 
to  accept  the  principle  of  contribution  by  the  handicapped.  This  atti- 
tude is  hard  to  refute  when  the  figures  show  that  only  eleven  per  cent 
of  the  blind  are  employed.  We  must  admit  that  there  are  many  who 
cannot  find  gainful  employment  in  modern  industry. 

These  facts  are  forcing  the  issue  of  a  realistic  consideration  of 
the  employability  of  those  without  sight.  What  percentage  of  the 
blind  is  unemployable,  whatever  the  cause  may  be,  is  hard  to  deter- 
mine. Estimates  range  from  ten  to  twenty-five  per  cent.  To  ascer- 
tain our  situation  studies  are  being  made  of  the  economic  status  of 
those  who  have  left  Perkins  in  the  last  ten  years.  The  record  of 
employment  with  us  is  higher  than  averages  stated  for  the  country, 
but  even  our  record  is  low  enough  to  give  us  pause.  We  prefer,  how- 
ever, to  accept  the  stigma  of  having  done  a  poor  job  in  placement 
rather  than  to  rate  the  employability  of  the  blind  so  low.  We  still 
uphold  a  contributory  place  as  our  goal. 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown,  Massachusetts 
Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President.  GABRIEL  FARRELL,  Director. 


^O^d/  7&AA*>£p 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


The  fifth  grade  has  sent  a  portfolio 
of  its  work  to  a  class  of  seeing  children 
in  Stockholm,  Sweden. 


During  the  first  week  of  May,  Perkins 
had  among  its  visitors  people  from  Eng- 
land, Poland,  South  Africa,  Switzer- 
land, and  Syria. 


Wilma  True,  '39,  was  included  among 
the  winners  in  the  scholastic  awards 
for  high  school  sponsored  by  Scholastic, 
the  American  high  school  magazine. 


A  new  bronze  tablet  of  Dr.  Allen  has 
been  placed  on  the  wall  in  the  corridor 
outside  of  the  offices  in  Howe  Building 
replacing  the  one  which  formerly  hung 
by  the  door  leading  into  the  museum. 


One  of  the  cases  in  the  museum  has 
been  wired  for  electric  lights  and  con- 
tains samples  of  all  of  the  braille  appli- 
ances, games,  etc.  which  are  made  by 
the  Howe  Memorial  Press. 


Dean  Ernst  Hermann  of  Sargent  Col- 
lege of  Physical  Education  spoke  at 
chapel  exercises  in  the  Upper  School 
and  in  the  Lower  School  at  the  begin- 
ning of  Posture  Week,  May  1. 


Nine  members  of  the  Teacher  Educa- 
tion Class  of  the  Clarke  School  for  the 
Deaf  in  Northampton,  Massachusetts, 
spent  a  day  visiting  classes  at  Perkins 
on  May  26. 


Dr.  Viktor  Lowenfeld,  whose  recently 
published  book,  The  Nature  of  Creative 
Activity,  has  received  much  favorable 
comment,  is  carrying  on  his  research 
at  Perkins  as  a  guest  of  the  school.  On 
May  22  he  lectured  at  Harvard  on  the 
CREATIVE  ABILITY  OF  THE  BLIND 
AND  PARTIALLY   SEEING. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Michael  Joseph  Butler,  Perkins  '34, 
will  graduate  this  month  from  Boston 
College. 


Richard  Hull,  a  former  Perkins  stu- 
dent, stands  sixth  in  his  class  at  Clark 
University  where  he  is  completing  his 
sophomore  year. 


Tad  Chapman  is  making  a  tour 
through  the  state  of  Indiana  speaking 
before  schools  and  other  groups  with 
Dr.  O.  M.  Pittenger,  former  superin- 
tendent of  the  Indiana  State  School  for 
the  Deaf. 


At  the  invitation  of  Peter  J.  Salmon, 
Perkins  14,  President  of  the  Greater 
New  York  Council  of  Agencies  for  the 
Blind,  The  Director  of  Perkins  spoke  at 
the  annual  meeting  of  that  organiza- 
tion in  New  York  on  May  18  on  Obser- 
vations from  a  Tower  of  Ivory. 


Perkins  was  shocked  to  hear  of  the 
sudden  death  of  Harold  William 
Wright,  Assistant  Principal  of  the  New 
York  Institute  for  the  Education  of 
the  Blind,  on  May  10th.  Mr.  Wright 
came  into  this  field  of  education  when 
he  first  went  to  the  Institute  in  1930 
and  his  loss  will  be  felt  by  all  who  have 
enjoyed  contact  with  him. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  American 
Association  of  Workers  for  the  Blind  to 
be  held  at  Los  Angeles,  July  10-24,  the 
following  Perkins  graduates  will  pre- 
sent papers:  Francis  B.  Ierardi,  '08, 
Field  Worker,  Massachusetts  Division 
of  the  Blind;  William  H.  McCarthy, 
'97,  Director,  Massachusetts  Division  of 
the  Blind;  Peter  J.  Salmon,  '14,  Secre- 
tary and  Assistant  Director,  Industrial 
Home  for  the  Blind,  Brooklyn,  New 
York;  Maurice  I.  Tynan.  '14,  Field 
Agent,  U.  S.  Office  of  Education,  Voca- 
tional Rehabilitation  Division,  Service 
for  the  Blind,  Washington.  D.  C. 


—  2  — 


ANNE  EMILIE  POULSSON 

A  Friend  to  Little  Children 

By  Anna  Gardner  Fish 

AS  YOU  KNOW,  I  like  to  bring  before  our  Perkins  people  from 
time  to  time  accounts  of  individuals  who  have  builded  their 
lives  into  this  institution  and  helped  to  make  it  what  it  is,  but 
who  can  no  longer  become  known  to  you  personally;  for  I  feel  very 
strongly  that  each  contributes  an  important  chapter  to  our  history, 
that  should  not  be  lost  to  memory. 

Such  an  one  was  Miss  Anne  Emilie  Poulsson,  whose  death  oc- 
curred on  the  18th  of  March,  1939.  Her  connection  with  Perkins  dates 
back  to  September,  1879,  when,  her  eyesight  having  failed,  she  came 
to  Perkins  as  a  pupil-teacher,  for,  being  older  than  most  of  the  pupils, 
she  was  able  to  give  as  well  as  to  receive.  Her  whole  interest  then 
and  at  all  times  was  in  children,  and  this  interest  was  fostered 
through  her  study  at  the  Garland- Weston  Kindergarten  Normal  Train- 
ing Class  in  Boston  while  still  a  member  of  the  Perkins  family. 

It  was  just  at  that  time  that  Mr.  Anagnos'  attention  became 
focussed  upon  the  kindergarten  and  its  possibilities  for  blind  children 
through  providing  hand-training  as  an  important  adjunct  to  mental 
development.  He  began  tentatively  by  introducing  in  1881  Froebel's 
kindergarten  methods  into  a  class  of  girls  who  were  far  beyond  kinder- 
garten age  but  gladly  lent  themselves  to  the  experiment  which  proved 
its  worth. 

Miss  Poulsson  helped  Mr.  Anagnos  in  this  initial  study  and,  in- 
deed, shared  gladly  in  all  the  activities  of  the  school,  aiding  as  well 
as  aided,  for  she  has  said  that  her  education  at  Perkins  meant  more 
to  her  than  any  other  training  she  had  ever  received.  She  attributed 
to  this  school  her  zest  for  study,  her  ability  to  use  her  fingers  and  her 
love  of  nature  which  served  her  in  writing  her  book,  "In  the  Child's 
World." 

She  is  the  author  of  many  books  for  children  and  for  kindergar- 
tens in  general,  such  as  'Through  the  Farmyard  Gate,"  and  has  trans- 
lated books  from  the  Norwegian  into  our  language,  one  of  the  last 
being  "Little  Kari,"  and  she  has  continued  her  literary  work,  even 
during  her  invalidism  of  the  last  four  years.  She  edited  The  Kinder- 
garten Review  from  1897  to  1904.    Mr.  Anagnos  claimed  for  her  that 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 
—  3  — 


EMPLOYMENT  STUDIES 

STUDIES  of  the  extent  of  employment  among  those  who  have  left 
Perkins  in  the  years  from  1925  to  1935  have  been  undertaken  by 
two  students  in  the  Harvard  Class,  assisted  by  staff  members. 
Through  letters  and  interviews  the  employment  of  about  200  per- 
sons has  been  tabulated  and  evaluated.  One  study  pertains  to  those 
who  were  graduated  and  the  other  to  those  who  left  without  com- 
pleting requirements  for  graduation.  Reducing  the  many  factors  and 
differences  to  the  minimum,  these  results  have  been  recorded: 

Fully  Partly  Not 

Employed  Employed  Employed 

Graduates  60'.'  25  %  15% 

Non-graduates  43%  15%  42% 

Reading  these  results,  one  is  tempted  to  feel  that  our  situation  is 
better  than  that  of  the  rest  of  the  country.  There  may  be  a  morsel 
of  truth  in  this,  but  not  enough  to  enable  us  to  make  such  a  claim. 
These  results  are  open  to  question.  Too  many  of  those  rated  as  em- 
ployed are  on  W  P  A,  which  we  hesitate  to  consider  as  good  and  per- 
manent placement.  A  number  of  those  listed  as  unemployed  do  not 
want  work  and  have  a  good  reason  to  remain  at  home,  or  are  studying. 
In  addition,  the  total  number  involved  is  not  large  enough  to  make 
the  facts  significant.  Nevertheless,  the  studies  are  revealing  and  can 
serve  as  guides  in  meeting  the  great  problem  of  the  employability  of 
those  without  sight. 

SAN  FRANCISCO  CALLING 

ANSWERING  the  telephone  late  one  afternoon  in 
May,  the  Director  was  startled  to  have  the  op- 
erator announce:  "San  Francisco  calling.  Go 
ahead,  please."  Immediately  a  boyish  voice  an- 
nounced that  he  was  at  the  San  Francisco  Exposition 
with  a  lot  of  other  boys  and  was  having  a  swell  time. 
The  conversation  revealed  that  this  boy,  Otto  Roark, 
a  thirteen-year-old  pupil  at  the  California  School  for 
the  Blind,  drew  the  lucky  number,  which  permitted  a 
long  distance  telephone  call  to  any  place  in  this  coun- 
try. With  this  opportunity  at  hand,  Otto  decided  that 
of  all  places  in  the  country  the  one  he  wanted  most  to 
talk  with  was  Perkins  Institution.  Perkins  has  never 
enjoyed  a  more  flattering  compliment  than  that  and 
in  print  we  send  our  greetings  across  the  country  to 
the  California  School. 

—  4  — 

Fay    Bresnahan.    '40,    be- 

^      came  a  Golden  Eaglet  on 

SK      June   1.     She   is  the  first 

\     girl    in    the    Perkins   Girl 

!Sl      Remit    Trnrm    tn    win    this 


Scenes  from  the  Country  Pair  presented  by  the  girls  of  the  Upper  School  for  the  Corporation  on  May  24 
and  for  the  all-day  conference  of  volunteer  workers  for  the  blind  on  May  25. 

PANEL  ON  DEMOCRACY 

PAPERS  on  various  forms  of  government  were  presented  by  Senior 
High  School  boys  in  a  panel  discussion  on  democracy,  presented 
at  the  morning  chapel  exercises  during  the  week  of  May  8. 
During  the  following  week  Dr.  Viktor  Lowenfeld,  formerly  associated 
with  the  School  for  the  Blind  in  Vienna,  now  spending  the  spring  term 
at  Perkins,  talked  in  chapel  on  democracy  as  he  sees  it  and  told  what 
life  would  be  like  for  youth  in  a  European  country  today.  On  the  fol- 
lowing Saturday  questions  were  presented  by  the  pupils  and  answered 
by  the  boys  who  presented  papers. 


SPRING  SPORTS 

SPRING  sports  were  delayed  this  year  by  the  weather  but  on  both 
boys'  and  girls'  sides  many  activities  have  kept  the  pupils  busy. 
Due  to  a  quarantine  the  annual  triangular  meet,  scheduled  for 
Overbrook,  had  to  be  given  up.  The  Hartford  Team  came  to  Perkins  on 
Saturday,  May  27,  and  won  a  dual  meet. 

On  June  3,  the  Perkins  Track  Team  was  defeated  by  the  New 
York  Institute  at  New  York.  The  Perkins  boys  made  this  trip  an 
opportunity  to  visit  the  World's  Fair  on  Sunday  and  Monday,  and 
returned  enthusiastic  about  the  World  of  Tomorrow. 

—  5  — 


GRADUATION  — JUNE  16 

THE  graduation  exercises  will  be  held  in  Dwight  Hall  at  2:00 
o'clock  on  Friday,  June  16.  Diplomas  will  be  awarded  to  ten 
girls  and  nine  boys  by  Mr.  Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President  of 
the  Corporation.  The  invocation  will  be  offered  by  Rev'd.  E.  W. 
Anderson,  Rector  of  the  Church  of  the  Good  Shepherd  in  Watertown, 
and  the  commencement  address  will  be  given  by  Miss  Margaret  Slat- 
tery  of  Boston.  Special  certificates  will  be  awarded  to  one  girl  who 
has  completed  the  requirements  of  the  manual  training  department 
of  the  Girls'  Upper  School,  to  one  boy  who  has  completed  the  piano- 
forte normal  course,  and  to  three  boys  who  have  finished  the  work  of 
the  pianoforte  tuning  course. 

The  closing  assembly  in  the  Lower  School  will  be  held  at  2:30 
o'clock  on  Thursday,  June  15. 


ONE  hundred  years  ago, — to  be  exact,  on  the  1st  of  May,  1839, — 
"the  inmates"  of  this  institution  were  moved  from  Pearl  Street, 
Boston,  to  the  Mount  Washington  Hotel,  South  Boston.  The 
quoted  words  are  Dr.  Howe's  and  do  but  reflect  the  usual  designation 
of  the  day,  no  slur  being  in  the  least  intended.  The  new  residence, 
which  had  been  adapted  to  the  purposes  of  the  school  at  a  cost  of 
$7500,  was  described  as  being  a  suitable  and  permanent  location,  and 
so  it  proved  to  be  through  73  years,  surely  long  enough  to  claim  per- 
manency. An  even  exchange  of  the  Pearl  Street  estate  for  the  derelict 
hotel  had  been  effected  with  Col.  Perkins'  consent,  and  it  was  in  grati- 
tude for  that  generous  act  on  his  part  that  his  name  was  attached 
to  the  institution  at  that  time. 


FISHER  COTTAGE  will  be  open  for  the  members  of  the  staff  who 
are  remaining  through  the  summer.     School  reopens  in  the  fall 
with  chapel  exercises  on  Wednesday  morning,   September   13. 
Members  of  the  staff  return  on  Monday,  September  11,  and  the  pupils 
on  the  following  day. 


{{T    A    THEN  are  these  eyes  of  mine  going  to  see?"  asked  a  small 

Vy      boy  at  his  knitting.     "Oh,  think  how  well  your  fingers 

see!"  said  his  teacher.     "Don't  all  fingers  see  as  well  as 

mine?"  was  his  wondering  query.     "No,  indeed!"  came  the  emphatic 

response.     "Well,  then — that's  all  right." 

—  6  — 


PUBLICATIONS 


As  a  part  of  its  promotional  program 
Blind  Artisans  of  New  England  has 
printed  an  unusual  pamphlet  for  dis- 
tribution to  the  owners  of  pianos. 


Residential   Schools  for  the  Blind   is 

the  self-explanatory  title  of  Dr.  Elise 
H.  Martens'  article  in  the  April  1939 
number  of  SCHOOL  LIFE. 


Ken,  a  pictorial  magazine,  includes 
mention  of  Perkins  in  the  several  pages 
devoted  to  pictures  and  notes  on  schools 
for  the  blind  in  an  early  May  number. 


Facts  about  the  Education  of  Blind 
Children  is  a  very  attractive  booklet, 
outstanding  because  of  its  colored  illus- 
trations, published  by  the  New  York 
Institute  for  the  Education  of  the  Blind 
as  a  New  York  World's  Fair  Edition. 


Mental  Hygiene  for  the  Blind,  a  paper 
read  by  the  Director  of  Perkins  for  the 
Massachusetts  Society  of  Mental  Hy- 
giene, appears  in  the  April  1939  num- 
ber of  MENTAL  HYGIENE.  Reprints 
may  be  obtained  from  Perkins. 


In  Guidance  for  Physically  Handi- 
capped Children,  a  paper  read  at  the 
February  1939  meeting  of  the  National 
Vocational  Guidance  Association  in 
Cleveland,  Dr.  Elise  H.  Martens  quotes 
in  full  the  expression  of  what  God 
meant  to  him  which  was  written  by 
deaf-blind  Tad  Chapman,  Perkins  '38. 


The  Office  of  Education  of  the  De- 
partment of  Interior,  Washington,  has 
listed  a  selected  reference  list  on  edu- 
cation of  exceptional  children  with  a 
section  headed  "Visually  Handicapped 
Children".  This  is  an  annotated  bibli- 
ography dating  from  December  1936 
through  December  1939.  Thirty-four 
writers  are  listed,  and  it  is  interesting 
to  observe  that  seven  of  them  are  or 
have  been  associated  with  Perkins. 


FROM  OUR  MAIL 


Mr.  E.  C.  Miller,  Executive  Secretary 
of  the  Near  East  Foundation  writes,  "I 
made  an  inspection  of  the  blind  work 
that  is  being  conducted  by  Miss  Kyri- 
ake  Nicolaou,  one  of  your  recent  grad- 
uates. Miss  Nicolaou  is  doing  excellent 
work  under  rather  difficult  conditions 
and  there  isn't  any  doubt  but  that  the 
training  she  received  at  Perkins  Insti- 
tution makes  her  the  outstanding 
leader  in  this  field." 


Dr.  French  writes  of  the  trans-conti- 
nental telephone  call,  "It  was  gratify- 
ing to  receive  your  kind  letter  regard- 
ing your  telephone  conversation  with 
our  Otto  Roark.  It  must,  indeed,  have 
been  a  very  great  surprise  to  you  to 
receive  the  call  and  it  was  surely  very 
valuable  to  our  boys  and  girls  to  know 
of  the  conversation  with  you.  From 
many  points  of  view,  a  very  deep  im- 
pression was  made,  notably  in  the  mat- 
ter of  the  differences  in  time  and  place; 
almost  equally  the  impression  of  the 
wonders  of  invention  was  deepened  by 
this  conversation." 


The  State  Teachers  College  at  Fram- 
ingham  observed  its  centennial  cele- 
bration on  June  5.  Dr.  Martin  F. 
O'Connor,  President,  wrote:  "Many 
of  our  early  graduates  were  pioneer 
teachers  at  Perkins  Institution.  Dr. 
Howe  was  instrumental  in  saving  the 
Normal  School  in  Lexington,  when  in 
1840  an  attempt  was  made  to  close  it 
when  it  had  been  in  operation  only 
eight  months.  Miss  Lydia  Drew,  of  the 
first  class,  Mary  Swift  Lamson,  and 
Miss  Rogers  went  to  South  Boston 
shortly  after  the  completion  of  their 
courses.  Since  that  time  Perkins  In- 
stitution has  rarely  been  without  some 
Framingham  teacher.  Miss  Oliver,  of 
your  present  staff,  is  one  of  our  gradu- 
ates." 


ANNE  EMILY  POULSSON 

(Continued  from  Page  3) 

she  was  the  only  person  who  had  ever  added  anything  to  Froebel's 
original  kindergarten  methods.  This  was  Miss  Poulsson's  invention 
of  finger  plays  which  must  be  known  to  all  of  our  pupils  who  have 
come  up  through  the  kindergarten,  and  enjoyed  them  along  with  the 
gifts  and  occupations,  all  so  dear  to  the  childish  heart. 

She  wrote  the  words  of  the  "Founder's  Day  Song"  which,  set  to 
music  by  Miss  Juliet  Perrella,  a  Perkins  graduate,  serves  as  the  chil- 
dren's processional  on  Anagnos  Day.  This  will  now  become  a  memo- 
rial to  Miss  Poulsson  no  less  than  to  Mr.  Anagnos. 

Miss  Poulsson  has  always  kept  in  close  touch  with  this  school, 
sharing  in  the  responsibilities  of  its  public  affairs,  of  the  Alumnae 
Association  and  of  that  mysterious  club,  the  ISM's,  of  which  Miss 
Swinerton  told  us  a  year  ago.  She  has  always  possessed  a  gracious 
personality,  a  brilliant  mind  and  a  delightful  gift  for  conversation 
as  well  as  for  writing.  An  excellent  biographical  account  of  her 
appeared  in  1934  in  the  "Junior  Book  of  Authors." 

And  now,  by  way  of  a  happy  ending,  I  am  going  to  quote  one  of 
the  many  charming  poems  from  Miss  Poulsson's  versatile  pen : 

JOY  AND  I  TALK  TOGETHER 

Joy,  are  you  coming  to  me  today? 
If  so,  I  wonder  in  what  sweet  way. 

Will  you  come  in  a  visit  from  some  good  friend, 
Who  to  my  abode  her  way  will  wend? 

Or  in  a  letter  from  friends  afar 

To  bridge  the  miles  that  between  us  are? 

No  matter,  joy,  how  you  come  to  me, 
If  only  you  come,  my  heart's  guest  to  be. 

JOY  REPLIES 

If  you  love  me,  as  I  know  you  do, 
Remember  that  other  folks  love  me,  too. 
So  whenever  I  come  to  your  craving  heart 
Be  sure  YOU  hasten  some  joy  to  impart 
To  those  you  meet  or  otherwise  reach. 
For  yes, — I  have  a  short  sermon  to  preach. 
If  Joy  comes  to  you,  it  will  only  stay 
In  your  heart  if  you  always  give  it  away. 

—  8  — 


The  Lantern 


THE  PERKINS 


INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  IX.  NO.  1 


SEPTEMBER  15.  1939 


A  Challenge  to  Education 

ECONOMISTS  in  their  struggle  with  unemployment  have  thrown 
a  challenge  to  schoolmasters.  In  effect  they  have  said:  "We 
cannot  place  youth  in  industry,  therefore  you  must  provide  for 
them."  That  there  is  a  gap  between  the  average  completion  of 
schooling  and  the  point  where  industry  can  absorb  youth  is  apparent. 
During  this  time,  also,  crime  finds  its  recruits.  Little  has  been  done 
because  many  have  held  that  when  the  depression  lifts  the  situation 
will  right  itself.  Now  no  less  an  authority  than  the  New  York  Re- 
gents' Inquiry  states  that  this  gap  "is  probably  a  permanent  new 
factor  in  American  life  and  must  be  reckoned  with  from  now  on  in 
American  education." 

In  our  special  field  this  problem  has  been  accentuated  by  addi- 
tional factors, — so  much  so  that  we  have  been  giving  thought  to  its 
solution  during  the  past  year;  and  with  the  opening  of  school  we  are 
taking  the  first  steps.  In  place  of  the  6-3-3  plan,  which  calls  for  six 
years  of  elementary  schooling,  and  three  years  each  of  junior  and 
senior  high,  we  are  introducing  a  6-4-4  plan.  This  will  provide  in  the 
Upper  School  two  additional  years,  enough,  we  hope,  to  fill  the  gap. 

In  adopting  this  plan  we  have  another  primary  motive.  For 
long  we  have  felt  that  pupils  in  schools  for  the  blind  work  on  too 
heavy  a  schedule.  Almost  every  hour  is  prescribed.  Not  only  is  this 
too  taxing  of  energy  but  it  eliminates  exercise  of  choice  and  training 
in  use  of  free  time — two  vital  processes  of  learning.  This  problem 
we  hope  to  overcome  as  well  as  meet  the  challenge  to  education  to 
fill  the  gap  between  school  and  work. 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown,  Massachusetts 
Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President. 


Gabriel  Farrell,  Director. 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Visiting  in  Mexico  this  summer  Mrs. 
Nelson  Coon  and  Miss  Frances  L.  Mc- 
Gaw  met  Miss  Eugenia  Cortes,  a  for- 
mer member  of  the  Harvard  class. 


England  was  the  vacation  destination 
of  Miss  Frances  E.  Marshall  and  Miss 
Jean  H.  Dodds.  Both  were  on  Youth 
Hostel  Tours. 


The  Director  read  a  paper,  "Integra- 
tion and/or  Segregation,"  at  the  Na- 
tional Conference  of  Social  Work  held 
in  Buffalo  late  in  June. 


Mr.  J.  Stephenson  Hemphill,  the  Bur- 
sar and  also  Manager  of  the  Blind 
Artisans  of  New  England,  visited  the 
offices  and  shops  of  the  Canadian  In- 
stitute for  the  Blind  in  Toronto  in  Au- 
gust. . 

Miss  Alexandra  Hague,  who  worked 
on  part  time  last  year  with  the  Blind 
Artisans,  will  give  full  time  to  the  work 
this  year  exploring  especially  new  out- 
lets for  products  made  by  the  blind. 


Congratulations  to  summer  brides: 
Mrs.  Dorothy  S.  Murphy,  nutritionist, 
who  married  Mr.  Calvin  S.  Glover, 
head  of  the  Cincinnati  Association  for 
the  Blind;  Miss  Ruth  Frankel  of  the 
Deaf-Blind  Department,  who  resigned 
to  become  the  wife  of  Mr.  Louis  Smul- 
lin;  Miss  Janet  H.  Cairns  of  the  Per- 
sonnel Department,  who  will  continue 
her  work  another  year,  while  her  hus- 
band, Mr.  James  H.  Thompson,  is  a 
student  at  the  Harvard  Medical 
School;  Miss  Margaret  Horton  of  the 
Harvard  Class  who  became  Mrs.  George 
W.  Scott,  Jr.,  and  will  live  in  Cam- 
bridge; a  young  woman  from  New 
York,  who  married  Mr.  Joseph  Kohn 
of  the  Upper  School  staff;  and  Miss 
Rachel  Page  Webster,  the  bride  of  Dr. 
Mark  D.  Elliott,  the  Upper  School  den- 
tist. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Wilma  True,  who  was  graduated  in 
June,  has  been  admitted  to  the  Gor- 
ham  (Maine)  Normal  School. 


Ruth  Potter  of  last  year's  graduating 
class  has  entered  the  Nylin  School  of 
Swedish  Massage  in  Brookline. 


Barbara  Getchell  and  Sabra  Oulton, 
who  completed  the  Domestic  Science 
course  with  a  year's  residence  in  Ben- 
nett Cottage,  have  found  positions  in 
that  field. 


James  Delaney  and  John  Di  Frances- 
co, who  have  another  year  at  school 
were  heard  over  the  radio  several  times 
this  summer. 

The  generosity  of  the  Boston  Com- 
mittee for  the  Blind  enabled  two  boys 
to  attend  Camp  Sherman,  the  Boy 
Scout  camp  at  Brimfield,  and  four  to  go 
to  Camp  Sachem,  the  Scout  camp  at 
Antrim,  N.  H.  The  latter  four  boys 
climbed  Mt.  Monadnock. 


War  clouds  over  England  caused  the 
abandonment  of  the  customary  sum- 
mer visit  there  of  Dr.  and  Mrs.  E.  E. 
Allen  and  as  a  next  best  choice  they 
turned  to  Nantucket.  This  island,  far 
out  to  sea  and  neighbored  by  the  modi- 
fying Gulf  Stream  has  many  of  the 
qualities  of  England.  President  and 
Mrs.  Hallowell  have  also  sought  the 
pleasures  to  be  found  in  Nantucket 
during  a  vacation  period. 


The  class  formed  for  the  study  of 
background  and  methods  of  teaching 
blind  children,  offered  by  Harvard  Uni- 
versity and  Perkins  Institution,  now 
registers  fifteen  members,  gathered 
from  all  over  the  United  States.  Most 
of  these  are  recent  graduates  from  col- 
leges and  universities,  eager  to  add 
some  specialized  training  to  the  gen- 
eral groundwork  of  college  courses. 


2  — 


A  MEMORIAL  ORGAN 

IN  the  days  of  the  World  War,  1914-1918,  all  America  was  racked 
with  the  pity  and  horror  of  the  mutilations  it  involved.  With 
some  this  took  a  practical  form  of  helpfulness,  and  sympathy  for 
the  war-blinded  claimed  the  attention  of  many  on  this  side  of  the 
Atlantic  Ocean.  Perkins  Institution  was  ready  to  do  its  share.  It 
sent  out  supplies  freely ;  it  gave  counsel  and  advice  to  all  who  sought 
it ;  it  served  every  alleviating  agency  that  turned  to  it  for  inspiration ; 
it  counted  no  cost  in  the  utilization  of  its  resources. 

A  number  of  young  women,  affected  by  the  plight  of  so  many 
young  soldiers,  plunged  into  sudden  darkness,  came  to  Perkins  to  en- 
gage in  a  brief,  intensive  course  which  would  fit  them  to  offer  some 
tangible  aid  to  those  needing  it.  These  remained  for  a  longer  or 
shorter  period,  as  their  forward-looking  plans  dictated;  but  one  of 
those  who  gave  fullest  attention  and  longest  preparation  to  the  task 
was  Miss  Clara  Babbitt  Hyde  of  New  York,  a  young  society  woman  of 
wealth  but  also  of  purpose,  determination  and  philanthropic  zeal. 

Miss  Hyde  lived  for  several  months  in  Brooks  Cottage  and  proved 
to  be  a  most  acceptable  member  of  the  cottage  family  and  of  the 
school  body  in  general.  Then,  sailing  for  France,  she  was  able  to 
put  to  excellent  use  the  training  she  had  here  acquired  and  to  accom- 
plish much  real  good  for  those  she  had  gone  to  help.  Her  return  to 
the  normal  conditions  of  her  homeland  was  signalized  by  her  brilliant 
wedding  in  a  New  York  church  to  Colonel  George  Montgomery.  The 
latter,  in  the  tradition  of  the  good  soldier,  always  ready  to  go  wher- 
ever he  might  be  sent,  took  over  his  duties  as  commanding  officer 
at  the  Arsenal  in  Atlanta,  Georgia.  The  bride's  mother,  sensing  the 
frailty  of  her  daughter's  health,  sought  to  keep  her  in  the  north,  in 
the  bracing  air  of  the  Berkshires,  but  quite  naturally  Mrs.  Mont- 
gomery, no  less  a  good  soldier  than  her  husband,  felt  that  her  place 
was  at  his  side. 

And  there  death  found  her ;  and  her  all-too-brief  connection  with 
Perkins  Institution  and  with  the  friends  she  had  made  here  would 
seem  to  have  ended.  But  a  surprising  resurgence,  proof  of  her  lasting 
affection  for  this  school,  appeared  in  a  clause  in  the  will  of  her  hus- 
band, Colonel  Montgomery,  recently  deceased,  wherein  a  legacy  of 
$5000  was  left  to  Perkins  with  the  stipulation  that  whatever  form  of 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 
—  3  — 


THE  ONE  HUNDRED  AND  NINTH  YEAR 

PERKINS  reopened  for  its  one  hundred  and  ninth  year  on  Wednes- 
day (September  13).  There  were  few  staff  changes  this  year. 
Mrs.  Rhoda  B.  Pill  of  the  Lower  School,  Miss  Ruth  Frankel  of 
the  Deaf-Blind  Department,  Mrs.  Dorothy  S.  Murphy,  nutritionist, 
and  Mrs.  Blanche  D.  Emerson  of  Eliot  Cottage  resigned.  Miss  Gret- 
chen  B.  Machner,  graduate  of  Pembroke  College,  the  Normal  Course 
at  the  Clarke  School  for  the  Deaf  and  recipient  of  a  master's  degree 
at  Smith  College  in  June,  and  Miss  Molly  Cambridge,  Boston  Univer- 
sity, joined  the  Deaf-Blind  Department.  Two  members  of  the  Har- 
vard Class  were  engaged,  Miss  Martha  J.  Fox,  graduate  of  Smith 
College,  to  take  the  vacant  place  in  the  Lower  School,  and  Miss  Gret- 
chen  Heald,  graduate  of  Wellesley,  to  become  secretary  to  the  director. 
Several  shifts  of  matrons  of  cottages  were  made:  Mrs.  Mildred  T. 
Darte  of  Potter  Cottage  replaced  Mrs.  Blanche  D.  Emerson  at  Eliot 
Cottage;  Mrs.  Daisy  C.  Howard  of  Fisher  was  transferred  to  Potter; 
and  Mrs.  Ruth  E.  Geer  of  Oliver  went  to  Fisher.  Mrs.  Grace  Work, 
a  new  person,  became  matron  of  Oliver. 

THE  SIX  -  FOUR  -  FOUR  PLAN 

CLASSES  in  the  Junior  High  School  this  year  have  been  arranged 
on  a  new  plan.  The  weekly  schedule  of  thirty-nine  periods  has 
been  reduced  to  thirty-four  and  no  pupil  will  have  more  than 
thirty  hours  of  class  assignments.  This  is  the  first  step  in  changing 
from  the  6-3-3  plan  established  several  years  ago  to  the  6-4-4  plan  now 
recommended  by  advanced  educational  studies.  (The  reasons  for  this 
change  are  stated  in  the  editorial  on  page  1.)  The  details  of  the 
change  are  the  result  of  intensive  studies  made  by  faculty  committees 
during  the  past  year.  These  studies  will  be  continued  until  the  whole 
Upper  School  meets  the  full  requirements  of  the  new  plan. 

While  under  the  new  plan  there  will  be  fewer  hours  of  class 
work  for  each  pupil  the  period  of  schooling  will  be  extended  by  two 
years.  This  will  provide  more  time  for  extra-curricular  activities  but 
will  not  permit  any  great  increase  in  the  content  of  instruction.  It 
is  hoped,  however,  that  much  of  the  intensive  training  now  given  as 
post-graduate  work  can  be  brought  in  before  graduation.  This  will 
mean  that  the  award  of  a  diploma  will  signify  full  completion  of  all 

—  4  — 


instruction  that  Perkins  can  give  with  the  exception  of  highly  spe- 
cialized training  in  tuning  and  music. 

A  very  important  part  of  the  studies  being  made  is  consideration 
of  objectives  and  the  set-up  of  a  program  to  realize  them.  Because 
of  the  problem  of  placement  and  the  provision  for  pensions  many  are 
asking  what  the  present-day  objectives  in  a  school  for  the  blind  should 
be.  The  increasing  number  of  pupils  with  useful  vision  makes 
methods  devised  for  non-seeing  pupils  obsolete.  These  must  be  recon- 
sidered and  new  ways  discovered.  Small  committees  are  working  on 
departmental  courses  especially  the  social  sciences,  mathematics  and 
English  in  order  to  bring  these  studies  within  the  probable  experience 
of  the  pupils  in  after  life.  Less  extensive  spread  of  subjects  and  more 
intensive  mastering  of  fundamentals  are  being  sought.  These  are 
some  of  the  problems  being  considered  and  more  free  time  for  pupils 
and  a  longer  time  for  instruction  are  first  steps  in  realizing  objectives. 


FOUR  MORE  DEAF-BLIND 

FOUR  new  pupils — Betty  Rinsen,  twelve  years  old,  and  Virgil 
Warren,  nine,  of  Minnesota;  Robert  Baker,  eleven,  of  Colorado 

and  James  Lukas,  eight,  of  Massachusetts — have  been  admitted 
to  the  Deaf-Blind  Department  this  year.  Only  one  of  last  year's  group 
has  left — Clifton  Sears  of  Cummington,  Mass.,  who  was  graduated 
and  returned  home  to  put  into  practice  what  he  has  learned  in  the 
poultry-raising  department.  The  new  additions,  plus  Richard  Coiley, 
who  is  being  transferred  to  the  department  because  of  defective  hear- 
ing, will  make  a  total  of  eighteen  doubly-handicapped  children. 

Each  season  sees  new  methods  devised  to  better  this  pioneer 
work,  and  beginning  with  this  school  year  all  of  the  younger  children 

—  5  — 


are  to  live  in  Bradlee  Cottage.  A  special  attendant  is  to  be  on  duty  all 
night  in  order  to  relieve  the  regular  attendants  of  night  duty  and  to 
assure  supervision  of  these  children  at  all  times.  Two  new  teachers 
have  been  added  to  the  staff.  The  older  children  will  live  in  the 
Upper  School  cottages  in  order  to  benefit  by  normal  association  with 
children  of  their  age. 

THE  WORLD'S  FAIR 

MONDAY,  August  7,  was  designated  Perkins  Institution  for  the 
Blind  Day  by  the  Fair  authorities  Because  of  participation  in 
the  furnishing  of  The  Small  Brick  House  in  the  Town  of 
Tomorrow.  Fifteen  agencies  employing  handicapped  labor  made  all 
of  the  furnishings  for  the  house — Perkins'  part  being  the  mattresses 
for  beds  and  cribs.  The  Director  and  the  Manager  of  the  Workshop 
received  friends  of  the  Institution  on  that  day  and  told  how  mat- 
tresses were  made  by  the  blind. 

Many  finger  readers  have  become  acquainted  with  the  Fair 
Grounds  through  an  embossed  map  made  by  the  Howe  Memorial  Press 
and  distributed  without  charge  through  the  American  Foundation 
for  the  Blind  and  the  New  York  Association  for  the  Blind. 

A  NEW  GAME 

THE  Howe  Memorial  Press  can  now  supply  the  pieces  for  the 
game  of  Chinese  Checkers.  There  are  six  sets  of  ten  men,  sixty 
in  all.  The  tops  of  the  six  sets  have  different  shapes  for  the 
fingers,  and  each  set  has  a  different  color  so  that  seeing  people  may 
play  the  game.  The  pieces  fit  any  standard  board,  and  the  rules  of 
the  game  will  be  found  printed  on  all  boards.  The  pieces,  without  the 
board,  will  be  sent  postpaid  for  forty  cents  a  set. 

THE  SEA  GOAT 

THE  pride  of  the  boys'  school  is  the  motor  boat  made  last  year  as 
a  joint  project  of  the  woodworking  and  automobile  mechanics 
classes.  Many  hours  of  hard  labor  during  class  time  and  after 
schools  were  spent  on  this  work.  The  boat,  powered  with  a  new  Ford 
motor,  is  having  the  finishing  touches  and  will  soon  be  launched.  It  is 
twenty-six  feet  long  and  gives  evidence  of  the  skilled  craftsmanship 
required  by  Mr.  Mabey  and  Mr.  Abraham.  Sea  Goat,  the  name 
selected,  has  a  significance  that  the  blind  will  appreciate. 

-6  — 


HONORS 


Charles  W.  Holmes,  Perkins  '90,  of 
Hingham,  was  awarded  the  distin- 
guished service  medal  at  the  conven- 
tion of  the  American  Association  of 
Workers  for  the  Blind  held  in  Los  An- 
geles in  July.  At  each  biennial  meeting 
a  committee  of  the  association  selects 
the  blind  person  who  has  done  most  for 
his  own  people,  and  a  special  session  of 
the  convention  is  given  over  to  his 
honor.  The  choice  this  year  fell  upon 
Mr.  Holmes,  but  unfortunately  his 
health  did  not  permit  his  attendance 
at  the  convention.  The  medal  was 
presented  at  Mr.  Holmes'  home  on  July 
27  by  Francis  B.  Ierardi,  Perkins  '08. 

Mr.  Holmes  was  for  many  years  head 
of  the  work  for  the  blind  in  Canada  and 
has  also  been  associated  with  the  work 
in  Massachusetts.  He  was  the  founder 
of  the  South  Shore  School  of  Music 
which  is  still  conducted  by  his  daugh- 
ter. Previous  to  his  present  illness  Mr. 
Holmes  was  head  of  the  blind  section 
of  the  Perkins  map-  and  model-making 
project  and  much  of  the  effectiveness 
of  that  work  is  due  to  his  skill. 

Mr.  Ierardi,  chairman  of  the  commit- 
tee of  award,  is  also  treasurer  of  the 
Workers'  Association  and  founder  and 
manager  of  the  National  Braille  Press 
which  publishes  the  Weekly  News  and 
Our  Special  magazine  for  women. 
These  duties  are  carried  on  in  addition 
to  his  regular  work  with  the  Massachu- 
setts State  Division  for  the  Blind. 


"Dr.  Clarence  Hawkes,  Poet-Natural- 
ist-Lecturer. Born  in  Goshen,  Mass., 
December  16,  1869.  Author  of  50  pub- 
lished books.  He  loves  nature  and  little 
children."  This  is  the  wording  on  a 
bronze  tablet  placed  in  the  Community 
Building  in  Goshen  in  August  in  honor 
of  one  of  Perkins'  most  distinguished 
graduates.  Dr.  Hawkes  was  present  at 
the  unveiling,  and  exercises  in  his 
honor  were  held  in  the  village  church. 


OLD  AGE 


Helen  Keller's  reply  to  a  letter  ask- 
ing her  attitude  on  age  reflects  her 
unique  vision.  To  Eileen  Scott  of  Jop- 
lin,  Missouri,  she  wrote: 

"You  are  the  first  person  who  has 
asked  me  pointblank  how  I  intend  to 
approach  old  age.  I  cannot  help  smil- 
ing— I  who  have  these  many  years  de- 
clared that  there  is  no  age  in  the 
spirit!  Age  seems  to  me  only  another 
physical  handicap,  and  it  excites  no 
dread  in  me,  I  have  lived  so  long  and 
triumphantly  with  limitations. 

"Once  I  had  a  dear  friend  of  80  who 
impressed  upon  me  the  fact  that  he 
enjoyed  life  more  than  he  had  done  at 
the  age  of  25.  'Never  count  how  many 
years  you  have  as  the  French  say,'  he 
would  insist,  'but  how  many  interests 
you  have.  Do  not  stale  your  days  by 
taking  for  granted  the  people  about  you 
or  the  things  which  make  up  your  en- 
vironment, and  you  will  abide  in  a 
realm  of  fadeless  beauty.' 

"Then  and  there  I  resolved,  vestallike, 
to  cherish  an  inextinguishable  flame  of 
youth.  I  have  tried  to  avoid  ruts — 
doing  things  just  because  my  ancestors 
did  them  before  me — leaning  on  the 
crutches  of  vicarious  opinion — losing 
my  childhood  sense  of  wonderment.  I 
am  glad  to  say  I  still  have  a  vivid 
curiosity  about  the  world  I  live  in. 

"Age,  I  suppose,  like  blindness,  is  an 
individual  experience.  Everybody  dis- 
covers its  roseate  mountain  peaks  or  its 
gloomy  depths  according  to  his  or  her 
temperament.  It  is  as  natural  for  me, 
certainly,  to  believe  that  the  richest 
harvest  of  happiness  comes  with  age 
as  that  true  sight  and  hearing  are 
within,  not  without.  Confidently  I 
climb  the  broad  stairway  that  love  and 
faith  have  built  to  heights  where  I 
shall  'attain  to  a  boundless  reach  of 
sky.' " 


—  7  — 


A  MEMORIAL  ORGAN 

(Continued  from  Page  3) 
memorial  this  amount  should  provide,  it  should  include  a  tablet  to  the 
memory  of  his  beloved  wife,  Clara  Babbitt  Hyde  Montgomery. 

It  seemed  eminently  fitting  to  the  Perkins  officials  and  found 
favor  with  the  executors  of  the  will  to  use  this  generous  gift  for  the 
installation  of  an  organ  in  the  chapel  of  Howe  Building,  suitably  in- 
scribed in  perpetual  remembrance  of  the  donor  and  of  his  lovely  wife ; 
and  thus  have  the  wishes  of  the  testator  been  carried  out. 

The  organ  meets  a  long-felt  need  and  desire,  serving  at  all  times 
for  chapel  exercises  and  musical  events  and  also  as  an  echo  organ 
for  the  principal  one  in  Dwight  Hall,  the  gift  of  former  students  of 
the  school.  The  whole  incident  from  its  inception  to  its  close  marks 
anew  the  far-reaching  and  many-sided  interests  in  which  Perkins  In- 
stitution has  at  all  times  participated. 

A.  G.  F. 


The  contract  for  the  new  organ  was  given  to  the  Frazee  Organ 
Company  of  Everett,  and  the  installation  should  be  completed  during 
September.  The  carving  of  the  console  was  executed  by  Irving  and 
Casson  to  conform  to  the  decoration  of  the  woodwork  of  the  chapel. 
A  panel  across  the  front  of  the  console  bears  the  inscription : — 

Jn  HUmortam 

(Elara  Utabhttt  Hy&e  fcntgnmfry 

Hifp  of  (Enlnnrl  (grnnjr  fEnntgoutmj,  E.  &.  Army 

A  iffrmtb  of  (Bl]e  llittb 

The  organ  will  be  located  in  the  tower  with  the  console  directly 
in  front  of  the  reading  desk.  It  is  so  arranged  that  its  tone  may  be 
projected  into  the  balcony  of  Dwight  Hall,  and  it  is,  moreover,  play- 
able from  the  Dwght  Hall  console.  It  may  be  used  for  "echo"  effects 
in  Dwight  Hall,  and  should  be  of  great  assistance  in  accompanying 
any  choir  in  the  balcony. 

The  organ  has  two  manuals,  with  stop  "keys"  over  the  top  one 
instead  of  "draw  knobs"  at  the  sides,  as  in  the  Dwight  Hall  console. 
It  contains  28  stops,  961  pipes,  and  the  most  modern  facilities  for 
control.  The  chimes  which  were  originally  installed  in  the  Dwight 
Hall  organ,  are  being  incorporated  in  the  new  organ  so  that  they  may 
be  played  from  either  console  and  their  tones  projected  into  either 
the  chapel  or  Dwight  Hall.  J.  F.  H. 


Christmas  Concert  fi.  Broadcast 

Sunday,  Dec.  17  Station  WAAB 

Jordan  Hall  rT*1  a  3:30-4:00  p.m. 


The  Lantern 


THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


, 


VOLUME  IX.  NO.  2  DECEMBER  15.  1939 


Utyr  |lrtnrr  nf  fkar? 


AT  Christmas  time  our  thoughts  turn  to  Him  who  came  into  the 
world  to  bring  peace.  It  is  not  so  easy  this  year  to  think  of 
the  Prince  of  Peace  when  across  the  oceans  on  our  east  and 
west  shores  there  is  so  much  of  strife  and  warfare.  Perhaps  this 
very  fact  should  make  us  the  more  feel  the  impulsion  to  keep  alive 
the  ideal  of  peace.  Ears  should  be  attuned  to  hear  "the  tidings  of 
great  joy"  foretold  by  the  Christmas  angel  and  voices  should  join  the 
chorus  of  the  Heavenly  Host,  "praising  God  and  saying  Glory  to  God 
in  the  Highest!" 

Fewer  people  have  a  clearer  right  to  assert  the  ideal  of  peace 
than  the  blind.  In  any  war  darkness  closes  over  the  world  for  a  time 
but  in  a  more  direct  way  war  destines  many  individuals  to  live  in 
unending  darkness.  For  them  there  is  no  armistice  or  retrieve. 
Blindness  was  a  heavy  casualty  in  the  last  world  war.  While  loss  of 
sight  was  not  so  great  among  our  soldiers  as  in  other  armies  its 
extent  may  be  gauged  by  the  fact  that  now  nearly  two  thousand 
veterans  are  drawing  pensions  for  disability  through  blindness. 

These  facts  give  significance  to  the  request  made  by  some  of  our 
pupils  shortly  after  the  present  war  broke  out  to  hold  a  chapel  service 
dedicated  to  peace.  Few  services  in  our  chapel  have  been  more  real 
or  significant.    Those  without  sight  know  the  toll  of  blindness. 

Certainly  at  Christmas  time  the  seeing  and  the  blind  should  join 
together  and  with  one  voice  and  with  one  accord  call  for  the  fulfill- 
ment of  the  angel  Chorus — 

$  Far?  rnt  iEartlj,  (imtiuiUl  ©muard  Mxw. 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown,  Massachusetts 
Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President.  GABRIEL  FARRELL,  Director. 


^Ci^Uyf  ^xAAj^ 


Sir  Charles  W.  Lindsay,  K.  B.  E. 


SIR  CHARLES  W.  LINDSAY  died  at  his  home,  in  Montreal,  on 
Tuesday,  November  7,  in  his  84th  year.  Losing  his  sight  when 
eighteen  years  of  age,  Sir  Charles  came  to  Boston  and  entered 
Perkins  Institution,  where  he  learned  piano  tuning.  After  completing 
his  work  at  the  school,  he  returned  to  Montreal,  where  he  soon  added 
to  tuning  the  repairing  and  sale  of  pianos.  Through  his  keen  busi- 
ness ability  and  by  concentrating  all  his  energies  toward  establishing 
himself,  he  built  up  one  of  the  great  business  houses  of  Montreal 
and  earned  a  fortune,  which  enabled  him,  in  his  later  years,  to  turn 
his  attention  to  philanthropy. 

Through  all  the  years  Sir  Charles  never  forgot  Perkins  Institu- 
tion. He  came  to  visit  the  school  in  1932,  at  the  time  of  the 
Centennial  Exercises,  where  he  made  the  presentation  of  the  organ 
in  Dwight  Hall.  This  was  the  gift  of  former  students  with  half  of 
the  cost  contributed  by  Sir  Charles.  He  carried  on  a  constant  cor- 
respondence with  the  Director  and  the  Director  visited  him  a  number 
of  times.  On  each  occasion  Sir  Charles  was  eager  to  know  all  about 
the  school  and  its  activities  and  he  was  constantly  interested  in  its 
welfare.  In  his  will,  which  made  provision  for  many  hospitals  and 
charities,  he  left  ten  thousand  dollars  to  Perkins  Institution. 

Sir  Charles'  life  is  a  notable  example  of  what  a  person  without 
sight  can  accomplish.  Life  was  not  always  easy  for  him,  but  he  had 
tremendous  energy  and  he  devoted  himself  to  his  business  without 
stint.  He  succeeded  in  making  more  progress  than  many  men  who 
were  equipped  with  all  their  faculties.  Throughout  his  life  he  was 
interested  in  others  who  were  handicapped  and  there  was  hardly  an 
institution  of  any  type  in  his  city  of  which  he  was  not  a  director. 
This  was  especially  true  of  organizations  for  the  blind.  He  was  the 
Honorary  President  of  the  Canadian  National  Institute  for  the  Blind, 
a  Director  of  the  American  Foundation  for  the  Blind  and  a  member 
of  the  Corporation  of  Perkins  Institution. 

In  1935  knighthood  was  conferred  upon  him  by  King  George  V. 
This  honor  was  in  recognition  of  his  philanthropic  work.  Perkins 
was  greatly  interested  in  this  high  honor  to  a  former  student  and 
at  the  time  many  were  impressed  with  the  fact  that  he  was  the 
fourth  blind  person  associated  with  Perkins  to  have  been  knighted. 
His  life  of  service  will  be  greatly  missed,  but  as  a  Montreal  editorial 
stated,  he  leaves  "a  memory  that  will  grow  more  fragrant  and 
honored  with  the  passing  of  the  years,  for  he  won  a  lasting  place  in 
the  esteem  and  affection  not  of  his  native  city  alone,  but  of  the 
entire  Dominion  he  had  loved  and  served  so  well." 

G.  F. 


WILLIAM  OLIVER 

Whose  Name  a 
Perkins  Cottage  Bears 

By  Anna  Gardner  Fish 


A  Bust  of  William  Oliver 


AN  old  proverb  tells  us  that  "he  gives  twice  who  gives  quickly" ; 
and  the  saying  may  be  equally  true  if  paraphrased  so  as  to 
apply  to  an  early  gift.  Such  was  the  legacy  to  Perkins  Insti- 
tution under  the  will  of  William  Oliver  of  Dorchester,  Mass.,  which 
added  the  amount  of  $30,000  to  the  school's  resources  in  1847,  as  well 
as  $10,000  worth  of  stocks.  This  was  more  than  equal  to  the  valua- 
tion of  Col.  Perkins'  Pearl  Street  mansion  and  seemed  indeed  a  god- 
send; and  the  cash  payment  was  doubled  in  the  course  of  the  next 
few  years. 

Born  in  Boston  in  1781,  William  Oliver  became  a  merchant  dis- 
tinguished, even  among  the  remarkable  men  whose  high  qualities 
made  trade  an  honorable  line,  by  his  accuracy,  promptness  and  fidelity 
in  all  business  transactions,  great  or  small,  and  in  the  discharge  of 
all  trusts  and  offices  committed  to  his  care.  His  neighbors  and  busi- 
ness associates  placed  entire  confidence  in  him,  and  sometimes  he  was 
fairly  forced  to  accept  public  responsibilities,  although  he  did  not  seek 
them  or  desire  them.  He  gave  to  each  the  same  direct,  careful  atten- 
tion, the  same  honest  consideration,  that  he  bestowed  upon  his  per- 
sonal affairs.  He  was  highly  respected  throughout  the  community, 
and  his  advice  was  earnestly  sought  and  unquestioningly  followed. 
Upon  retiring  from  business  with  a  competence  he  lived  out  his  de- 
clining years  at  his  pleasant  home  in  Dorchester  in  his  favorite  occu- 
pations of  reading  and  caring  for  his  garden. 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 
—  3  — 


N1 


Deaf-blind 
Leonard 


CHILDREN  OF  THE  SILENT  NIGHT 

"EARLY  20,000  leaflets  telling  of  our  work  with 
deaf -blind  children  have  been  mailed  to  friends 
throughout  the  country.  In  addition  to  telling 
of  the  four  new  children  who  bring  the  total  of  mem- 
bers of  the  Department  up  to  eighteen,  the  general 
work  of  the  Department  is  described  and  illustrated 
with  pictures.  Accompanying  the  leaflets  is  a  letter 
from  the  President  of  the  Corporation  asking  for 
support  of  this  unique  work.  In  his  letter,  Mr.  Hallo- 
well  expressed  the  hope  that  sufficient  funds  would  be 
obtained  to  maintain  the  work  of  the  Deaf-Blind  De- 
partment on  an  independent  basis.  As  the  Institution 
suffered  a  considerable  deficit  during  the  past  year, 
it  is  the  more  important  that  contributions  be  gener- 
ous this  year.  Already  response  is  coming  in  in  a  good  way  and  if  it 
continues,  our  hopes  for  the  sustaining  of  this  department  may  soon 
be  realized. 

THE  BLIND  ARTISANS 

A  YEAR  ago  the  program  of  the  Blind  Artisans  was  announced 
in  The  Lantern.  Since  that  time  considerable  progress  has 
been  made  in  this  effort  to  find  suitable  employment  for  blind 
workers.  Special  stress  has  been  placed  upon  piano  tuning  and 
advertising  material  has  been  prepared  for  the  tuners.  A  number 
of  large  orders  for  brooms  have  been  secured  and  these  have  been 
diverted  to  the  various  state  shops,  both  in  Massachusetts  and  New 
Hampshire.  Considerable  exploratory  work  has  been  done,  finding 
new  articles  to  be  made.  As  a  result  of  this,  ironing  board  covers 
and  handmade  candles  are  being  made  in  the  South  Boston  Workshop 
for  distribution  through  retail  stores.  An  unusually  fine  opportunity 
to  make  baskets  has  been  contacted  and  steps  are  now  being  taken  to 
train  special  workers  for  this  craft. 

When  the  program  of  the  Blind  Artisans  was  launched,  its  first 
aim  was  to  discover  potential  business  for  blind  workers.  Mr. 
Hemphill,  to  whom  this  task  was  assigned,  brought  to  it  a  wide 
experience  in  marketing  methods  in  the  industrial  world.  During 
the  past  year  he  has  discovered  many  opportunities  for  the  profitable 
disposal  of  blindmade  products.  The  next  step  is  to  find  adequate 
means  to  produce  these  products  on  a  commercial  basis.  Toward 
that  end  a  special  operating  committee  is  now  working. 

—  4  — 


RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION 

RESPONDING  to  the  need,  which  is  generally  felt,  for  more 
effective  religious  instruction  for  all  boys  and  girls  of  school 
age,  arrangements  have  been  made  with  several  religious 
bodies,  whereby  instructors  come  into  the  school  to  hold  classes,  on 
Thursday  afternoon  of  each  week.  Although  the  classes  are  volun- 
tary, practically  the  entire  school  attends.  The  school  has  been 
divided  into  three  general  groups,  made  up  of  Roman  Catholic  chil- 
dren, Protestant  children,  and  pupils  who  represent  various  national 
churches  and  the  Episcopal  Church.  Sisters  from  a  nearby  convent 
give  instruction  to  the  Catholic  children,  while  teachers  for  the  other 
groups  have  been  provided  by  the  Episcopal  Diocese  of  Massachusetts 
and  the  Watertown  Ministers'  Association.  The  class  of  older 
Protestant  boys  is  taught  by  the  Watertown  ministers  in  rotation. 
Classes  are  held  in  school  time.  This  gives  the  instruction  the  stand- 
ing accorded  regular  school  work.  The  classes  are  for  instruction 
purposes  only  and  all  pupils  are  expected  to  attend  their  respective 
churches  for  worship  on  Sunday. 


CHRISTMAS  AT  PERKINS 

THE  Christmas  spirit  is  very  real  at  Perkins.  For  ten  days 
before  the  pupils  go  home,  on  December  19,  there  is  a  festival 
air  about  the  place  and  at  almost  any  time  the  chorus  can  be 
heard  rehearsing  the  carols  for  their  concerts.  Groups  of  pupils  may 
be  seen  in  the  alcoves  of  the  museum,  making  wreaths  to  adorn  the 
hall,  and  the  cottage  homes  are  decorated  in  anticipation  of  the 
Christmas  parties  held  on  Friday  evening,  Decem- 
ber 15.  Each  of  the  twelve  cottages  has  its  own 
party  on  that  evening  with  all  the  "fixings"  and 
with  gifts  for  one  another.  In  the  manual 
training  departments,  the  pupils  are  found 
busy  making  presents  to  take  home  to  their 
parents  and  friends. 

Three  concerts  are  to  be 
given  by  the  chorus  of  the 
Upper  School  and  the  choir  of 
the  Lower  School.  The  public 
concert  in  Boston  will  be  held 
in  Jordan  Hall  on  Sunday 
afternoon,  December  17,  while 
another  concert  for  the  bene- 


A  Wreath 
Maker 


fit  of  the  public  will  be  held  in  Dwight  Hall  on  Thursday  evening,  Dec- 
ember 14.  A  third  concert  will  be  on  Tuesday  night,  December  19, 
and  will  be  especially  for  the  parents  and  friends  of  the  pupils.  School 
closes  on  that  day  and  many  of  the  pupils  will  go  home  with  their 
parents  after  the  concert. 

The  Dwight  Hall  concerts  this  year  will  be  greatly  enriched  by 
the  Clara  Babbitt  Hyde  Montgomery  Memorial  Organ.  Although 
this  organ  is  in  the  chapel,  it  has  been  connected  with  the  console  of 
the  main  organ  in  Dwight  Hall  in  such  a  way  that  it  serves  as  an  echo 
organ  and  will  accompany  the  little  children  as  they  sing  from  the 
gallery. 


MUSEUM  EXHIBITS 

PERKINS  tactual  museum,  which  has  long  been  noted  for  the 
variety  of  materials  in  its  care,  has  undergone  a  considerable 
overhauling  by  a  committee  made  up  of  Mr.  Coon,  Superintend- 
ent of  Buildings,  and  Miss  McGaw  of  the  Manual  Training  Department. 
To  create  interest  in  the  museum  and  to  acquaint  pupils  with  some  of 
the  more  valuable  specimens  the  committee  has  arranged  for  the  "ex- 
hibit of  the  month".  Each  month  special  features  of  timely  interest 
are  made  available  for  the  pupils  to  examine  and  to  have  a  "look-see". 
A  memorandum  telling  of  the  features  of  the  exhibit  is  prepared  for 
pupils  and  teachers. 


NINE  SACKS  FULL 

SPEAKING  before  the  Perkins'  staff  recently,  Mr.  A.  C.  Ellis,  of 
the  American  Printing  House  for  the  Blind,  told  about  the 
publication  of  The  Weekly  Reader,  a  current  events  paper 
published  for  school  children  and  now  available  in  braille  for  blind 
children  (because,  as  Mr.  Ellis  pointed  out,  Perkins  Institution 
suggested  it  and  gave  it  financial  aid  until  it  was  self-supporting) . 
Feeling  that  ink  print  readers  would  be  interested  in  the  braille 
edition  the  editor  stated  that  braille  copies  could  be  secured  by 
sending  ten  cents  to  the  Printing  House.  So  eager  were  boys  and 
girls  to  know  about  braille  that  their  requests  filled  nine  mail  sacks 
and  it  took  three  weeks  to  run  off  enough  copies  to  meet  the  demand. 

—  6  — 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Station  W1XAL,  a  short-wave  sta- 
tion operating  for  educational  purposes 
at  the  Boston  University  Club  opened 
its  season  with  a  program  of  recordings 
on  Sunday  afternoon,  October  1.  Dur- 
ing the  broadcast  it  was  announced 
that  the  two  favorite  programs  of  last 
year  would  be  broadcast  from  record- 
ings. The  programs  presented  were  by 
the  Syracuse  Alumni  Chorus  and  the 
chorus  of  Perkins  Institution. 


Turkish  authorities  report  the  return, 
after  three  years  of  study  in  the  United 
States,  of  Mitat  Enc.  He  was  received 
by  the  Prime  Minister  who  expressed 
the  hope  that  he  would  work  for  the 
blind  of  that  country.  Mitat  Enc  was 
a  member  of  the  Harvard  Class  and 
later  entered  the  New  York  Institute 
and  studied  at  Columbia,  where  he  re- 
ceived the  degrees  of  A.  B.  and  M.  A. 


A  second  association  for  the  blind 
has  been  founded  in  Penobscot  County, 
Maine,  sponsored  by  the  Zonta  Club. 
The  opening  meeting  was  held  in  the 
Public  Library  in  Bangor  on  Friday 
evening,  November  7.  The  Director  of 
Perkins  spoke  and  showed  moving  pic- 
tures of  school  activities. 


Norman  S.  Case,  Jr.,  Perkins  '36,  has 
been  awarded  the  Francis  Wayland 
Scholarship  at  Brown  University  for 
"distinctive  academic  achievement", 
according  to  the  University's  Commit- 
tee on  Scholarships. 


The  Director  spoke  on  The  Place  of 
the  Blind  in  a  Modern  Social  Welfare 
Program  at  the  annual  State  Confer- 
ence of  Social  Workers,  held  in  Bangor, 
Maine,  on  Saturday,  October  21. 


Andrea  Caroselli  and  Phillip  Small, 
two  graduate  pupils  in  music  at  Per- 
kins, have  been  performing  Saturday 
mornings  over  Station  WHDH,  Boston. 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


The  Howe  Memorial  Exercises,  held 
on  November  10,  were  made  memorable 
by  the  presence  of  Mrs.  Maud  Howe 
Elliott,  the  daughter  of  Samuel  Gridley 
Howe  and  Julia  Ward  Howe.  Attend- 
ing with  Mrs.  Elliott  was  Mrs.  Larz 
Anderson,  who  graciously  read  some 
of  her  poems.  Mr.  Henry  H.  Richards, 
grandson  of  the  first  Director,  brought 
a  greeting  from  his  mother,  Mrs.  Laura 
E.  Richards,  sister  of  Mrs.  Elliott,  while 
his  wife,  Mrs.  Richards,  gave  a  delight- 
ful talk  on  gardening. 


Anagnos  Day  exercises  in  memory  of 
the  second  Director  were  held  at  the 
Lower  School  on  the  morning  of  No- 
vember 7.  Dr.  Edward  E.  Allen,  the 
third  Director,  spoke  briefly,  while  the 
children  paid  their  tribute  by  placing 
flowers  before  the  bust  of  Michael 
Anagnos. 


Once  There  Was  A  Princess,  a  play 
in  three  acts,  was  presented  by  the 
girls  of  the  Senior  Class  on  Friday  eve- 
ning, November  24.  For  the  first  time 
the  male  par^s  in  the  play  were  taken 
by  men  recruited  from  the  faculty  and 
Harvard  Class. 


Children  from  the  Lower  School, 
under  the  direction  of  Miss  Eleanor 
Thayer,  sang  carols  with  the  New  Eng- 
land Ensemble  at  a  series  of  Tuesday 
afternoon  tea-concerts  held  in  Novem- 
ber and  December  at  the  Women's 
Educational  and  Industrial  Union, 
Boston. 


The  girls'  intercottage  school  meet 
was  held  on  the  Lower  School  green  on 
October  18.  May  Cottage  came  off  the 
field  with  a  score  of  24  points,  Oliver 
with  26,  and  Brooks,  aided  by  its  mas- 
cots, a  can  of  spinach  and  a  bottle  of 
milk,  brought  home  the  bacon  with  a 
victorious  28  points.  (As  reported  by  a 
pupil.) 


WILLIAM  OLIVER 

(Continued  from  Page  3) 

By  the  terms  of  his  will  Mr.  Oliver  divided  his  estate  into  three 
equal  parts,  to  be  held  in  trust  for  his  brother  and  two  sisters  and 
to  be  paid  eventually  to  certain  designated  good  causes, — the  brother's 
third  to  be  given  unconditionally  to  Perkins  Institution,  the  elder  sis- 
ter's portion  to  the  Massachusetts  General  Hospital,  the  younger 
sister's  to  the  two  institutions  in  equal  shares.  The  brother  died 
before  Mr.  William  Oliver  himself,  and  a  codicil  to  the  will  confirmed 
the  orginal  bequest,  which  thus  became  immediately  available. 

It  was  just  about  this  time  that  Dr.  Howe  was  laying  stress  upon 
the  great  need  of  separate  quarters  for  the  workshop  department, 
using  many  strong  arguments  against  the  existing  arrangement 
which  involved  the  presence  of  these  adult  workers  among  the  young 
pupils.  He  declared,  after  alluding  to  Mr.  Oliver's  gift,  that  the  state 
of  the  treasury  made  the  time  ripe  for  the  erection  of  a  suitable 
building  for  the  growing  industries;  and  as  this  new  workshop  was 
an  accomplished  fact  within  the  next  three  years,  it  is  safe  to  assume 
that  it  was  Mr.  Oliver's  bequest  which  made  this  improved  condition 
possible. 

Of  Mr.  Oliver's  kindly  interest  Dr.  Howe  has  said  that  his  lega- 
cies to  this  school  and  to  the  Massachusetts  General  Hospital  were 
in  keeping  with  his  life  and  character, — the  resolute  and  quiet  ful- 
filment of  a  purpose  deliberately  and  conscientiously  formed. 


THE  SEAL  OF  THE  BLIND  ARTISANS 


Designed  by 

E.  S.  Whitten 

of  the 

Advisory 

Committee 


Watch 

for  this  seal 

on 

blindmade 

products 


Chorus  Broadcast  Saturday,  April  20 

Stations  WBZ-WBZA  __—  i  ~j-  3.30-4.00  p.  m. 


The  Lantern 


THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


: 


VOLUME  IX.  NO.  3  MARCH  15.  1940 

Radio  and  Education 

EDUCATORS  are  placing  increasing  emphasis  on  the  value  of 
radio  as  a  means  of  supplementing  classroom  work.  Broad- 
casts of  educational  worth  are  frequent.  For  some  of  the 
programs  teachers'  manuals  and  students'  worksheets  are  available, 
as  well  as  reprints  after  the  presentation.  Schools  in  general  are 
availing  themselves  of  the  unique  opportunities  offered.  Schools 
for  the  blind,  in  particular,  ought  to  be  on  the  alert  to  realize  these 
possibilities  because  here  is  an  avenue  of  learning,  where  the  sense  of 
hearing  supersedes  the  sense  of  sight,  generally  considered  the  chief 
medium  of  instruction. 

Dr.  Franklin  Dunham  of  N.  B.  C.  is  right  when  he  states:  "The 
force  of  radio  in  education  is  contained  in  its  unique  power  to  create  a 
sense  of  reality,  a  vital  ingredient  in  learning."  David  Sarnoff,  Presi- 
dent of  R  C  A,  pointed  out  to  the  New  York  Board  of  Regents :  "Radio 
and  education  are  the  youngest  and  the  oldest  products  of  civilization. 
Ever  since  man  first  talked  with  man  there  have  been  teachers  and 
pupils.  Down  through  the  centuries  there  have  always  been  radio 
waves  but  it  was  not  until  within  the  last  half-century  that  man 
learned  to  harness  them  as  carriers  of  sound  .  .  ." 

Certainly  this  youngest  product  of  civilization  can  prove  a  potent 
force  in  the  age-old  process  of  learning.  Through  it  the  whole  world 
can  be  brought  to  the  most  remote  schoolhouse ;  school  children  every- 
where can  know  the  voices  of  the  great  leaders  of  today;  and  the 
events  of  the  past  can  be  so  adequately  dramatized  that  even  history 
is  a  living  subject.  And  from  our  point  of  view  value  lies  in  the  fact 
that  ears  and  not  eyes  are  the  open  sesame. 


^ajfr*ts( '  7&a/\*££ 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown,  Massachusetts 
Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President.  GABRIEL  FARRELL,  Director. 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


The  Chorus  will  broadcast  over  sta- 
tions WBZ  and  WBZA  Saturday  after- 
noon April  20  at  an  hour  to  be  an- 
nounced later. 


Miss  Fish  represented  Perkins  Insti- 
tution in  a  broadcast  on  Wednesday, 
February  14,  over  Station  WBZ,  featur- 
ing the  Town  of  Watertown.  Assisting 
her  was  James  Delaney,  a  post-gradu- 
ate. 


The  Clergy  of  Watertown  have  again 
generously  come  to  Perkins  on  Thurs- 
day mornings  during  Lent  to  speak  at 
the  chapel  exercises.  The  school  values 
these  annual  messages  from  the  leaders 
of  the  Watertown  churches. 


John  Morrison,  a  post-graduate  stu- 
dent, is  taking  a  special  course  this 
term  at  the  Nylin  School  of  Swedish 
Massage.  Six  Upper  School  pupils  are 
taking  a  course  in  massage  theory  and 
practise  in  our  Physiotherapy  Depart- 
ment. 


John  Di  Francesco  and  Andrea  Car- 
oselli  are  to  attend  the  opera  on  April 
4,  as  the  guests  of  a  Boston  woman 
and  her  daughter  who  were  impressed 
by  the  way  the  boys  carried  the  solo 
parts  at  the  Perkins'  Christmas  Con- 
cert. 


No  Slump  Club  is  the  name  of  a 
group  of  eleven  Primary  School  girls 
who  are  interested  in  good  posture.  In 
addition  to  scheduled  corrective  work 
under  Miss  Peirce,  Physiotherapist,  the 
girls  also  have  occasional  parties  to 
stimulate  interest. 


Recent  visitors  at  the  school  have 
come  from  Austria,  England,  Egypt, 
Sweden,  Norway  and  Hawaii,  as  well 
as  many  places  in  the  United  States. 
Fifteen  hundred  people  visited  the 
school  at  the  Annual  Open  House  on 
Washington's  Birthday. 

—  2 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Angelo  Maschio,  Perkins  '33,  who  is 
attending  the  College  of  Business  Ad- 
ministration at  Boston  University  is  on 
the  Dean's  honor  list  for  this  term. 


Madeline  Beyal,  the  Navajo  Indian 
girl  who  spent  last  year  at  Perkins  In- 
stitution as  a  graduate  student  in  the 
Commercial  Department,  has  secured  a 
position  as  telephone  operator  in  a 
hospital  at  Ganado,  Arizona. 


Lawrence  Thompson,  Perkins  '34,  and 
Harvard  '38,  who  is  an  active  agent  of 
the  New  England  Magazine  Agency  for 
the  Blind,  reported  recently  making 
3,000  telephone  calls,  soliciting  sub- 
scriptions with,  he  states,  "good  re- 
sults." 


The  Ohio  State  School  for  the  Blind 
announces  that  beginning  next  year  the 
High  School  Course  will  be  extended 
from  four  years  to  five  years  to  give 
more  time  for  intensive  work  and  ex- 
tra-curricular activities. 


The  New  York  Institute  for  the  Edu- 
cation of  the  Blind  presented  in  the 
Town  Hall  on  Saturday  evening,  Feb- 
ruary 10,  a  concert  by  its  chorus  of 
thirty  members,  assisted  by  Lauritz 
Melchior,  the  famed  tenor  of  the  Met- 
ropolitan Opera  Company.  Tickets 
sold  at  prevailing  prices  brought  a 
large  return  to  the  Institute. 


With  deep  regret  we  announce  the 
death  on  February  22  of  Paul  E.  Fitz- 
patrick,  for  many  years  a  Trustee  of 
the  Institution,  as  his  father  was  be- 
fore him.  Mr.  Fitzpatrick  was  also  a 
member  of  the  Executive  Committee 
and  of  the  Advisory  Committee  of  the 
Blind  Artisans  of  New  England.  He 
was  a  faithful  and  helpful  Trustee  and 
a  devoted  friend  of  the  school,  and  his 
loss  will  be  keenly  felt. 


PERKINS  BOYS  STILL  SHOVEL  SNOW 

Seeing  the  boys  (and  also  the  girls)  shovel  snow  during  the  recent  storms 
reminded  us  of  a  letter  written  in  1909  which  told  how  Perkins  once  benefitted 
from   this  form  of  healthy  and  helpful  exercise. 

Perkins  Institution  for  the  Blind, 

You  have  recently  been  informed  of  the  gift  of  One  Hundred 
Thousand  Dollars  to  your  institution  by  Mr.  John  Edward  Brown, 
who  died  lately  in  Providence.  I  doubt  if  the  particulars  which  led 
to  the  gift  may  come  to  your  notice,  except  through  me ;  and  it  gives 
me  pleasure  to  send  those  details  to  you. 

Mr.  Brown  was  a  perfect  specimen  of  a  business  man,  cold  and 
unemotional.  He  was  childless.  He  may  have  been  an  excellent 
husband,  but  he  lacked  sympathy. 

He  came  to  me  some  years  ago  to  ask  if  his  will,  which  had  been 
written  in  Massachusetts,  would  meet  Rhode  Island  requirements  if 
he  should  die  in  the  latter  state,  and  thus  it  came  to  my  notice  that 
he  had  given  several  large  charitable  gifts.  After  the  business  con- 
ference I  looked  up  at  the  grim  man  and  said :  "Mr.  Brown,  it  must  be 
a  great  pleasure  to  be  able  to  give  such  immense  amounts  for  such 
most  excellent  purposes."  He  turned  to  me  abruptly  and  asked: 
"Do  you  know  how  I  came  to  give  to  those  blind  people?  It  was  in 
this  way :  My  wife  and  I  were  boarding  in  Jamaica  Plain.  The  house 
chanced  to  be  near  their  school,  but  I  knew  nothing  about  them.  I 
cared  nothing  for  charity  or  charitable  institutions.  One  day  a  tre- 
mendous snowstorm  came  on.  It  lasted  several  days,  stopping  all 
traffic.  I  couldn't  get  down  town  or  talk  with  a  man  as  I  wanted  to. 
I  couldn't  even  get  a  newspaper. 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 
—  3  — 


CONFERENCES  FOR  VOLUNTEERS 


A  SERIES  of  conferences  for  volunteer  workers  with  the  blind 
is  to  be  held  at  Perkins  Institution  on  Thursday  mornings  at 
11:00  o'clock,  beginning  April  11,  and  concluding  May  16.  At 
the  meeting  held  last  spring  of  the  voluntary  organizations  for  the 
blind  in  New  England,  it  was  suggested  that  some  practical  way  of 
training  volunteer  workers  for  the  blind  be  provided.  Leading  persons 
in  the  field  of  social  and  educational  work  for  the  blind  will  present 
problems  which  confront  volunteer  workers.  They  will  be  open  to 
all  interested  people.     The  conferences  as  planned  are : 

April  11— EDUCATIONAL  OPPORTUNITIES  FOR  BLIND  CHILDREN. 

Gabriel  Farrell,  Director  of  Perkins  Institution 
April  18— VOCATIONAL  NEEDS  AND  ACTIVITIES. 

Miss  Rose  L.  Trainor,  Division  for  the  Blind 
April  25— MEDICAL  AND   SOCIAL  ASPECTS  OF  BLINDNESS. 

Miss  Helen  Almy,  Massachusetts  Eye  and  Ear  Infirmary 
May      2— THE  RED  CROSS  BRAILLE  TRANSCRIBING  PROGRAM. 

Miss  Eleanor  H.  Lovett,  Braille  Section, 

Boston  Chapter  of  The  American  Red  Cross 
May      9— VOLUNTEER  SERVICE  FROM  THE  SOCIAL  AGENCY  POINT 
OF  VIEW. 

Mrs.  James  Donovan,  Volunteer  Service  Bureau 
May    16— VOLUNTEER  SERVICE  FROM  THE  POINT  OF  VIEW  OF  THE 
BLIND. 

Arthur  F.  Sullivan,  Attorney. 

_^  THE  BURSAR'S  HOUSE 

FOR  MANY  years  the  matter  of  providing  living  quarters  for 
married  members  of  the  staff  has   been  under  consideration. 
Recently  plans  have  been  compeleted  for  the  erection  of  a  block 
of  faculty  apartments  to  be  situated  on  the  grounds  near  the  corner 
of    Beechwood    Avenue    and    North    Beacon    Street.      These    plans 
which  have  been  approved  by  the  Trustees,  provide  accomodations 

for  five  families.  It 
has  been  decided  to 
proceed  with  the 
building  of  the  first 
section  of  the  apart- 
ment house,  which 
will  contain  living 
quarters  for  Mr. 
Hemphill,  the  Bur- 
sar.    The  wing  on 


the  right-hand  side 
of  the  model  in  the 
accompanying'  pic- 
ture represents  the 
Bursar's  house.  The 
house  will  be  ready 
at  the  beginning  of 
the  next  school 
year. 


RADIO  IN  THE  CLASSROOM 

RADIOS  have  been  used  at  Perkins  for  several  years.  Nearly 
every  classroom  in  the  Lower  School  has  one  and  the  Upper 
School  has  two  in  assembly  rooms,  while  each  cottage  has  its 
own  instrument.  Opportunity  to  hear  news  broadcasts  is  provided, 
and  arrangements  are  made  for  the  pupils  to  hear  all  the  special 
programs  of  national  importance.  In  addition  the  cottage  radios 
are  always  a  means  of  leisure  time  enjoyment.  To  afford  wider  oppor- 
tunity to  use  this  modern  medium  of  instruction  in  the  Upper  School 
classrooms  several  new  portable  radios  have  been  purchased. 

DR.  SAMUEL  P.  HAYES 

DR.  SAMUEL  P.  HAYES,  who  is  retiring  from  his  position  as 
Professor  of  Psychology  at  Mount  Holyoke  College  at  the  end 
of  this  academic  year,  will  be  in  residence  at  Perkins  Institu- 
tion next  year  and  will  direct  the  work  of  the  Department  of  Per- 
sonnel. Dr.  Hayes  has  pioneered  in  the  field  of  the  psychology  of 
blindness  and  is  widely  known  through  his  adaptation  of  tests  and 
his  writings.  In  his  new  position  he  will  be  able  to  give  entire  time 
to  his  studies  in  the  psychology  of  blindness  and  to  carry  on  new 
projects  of  far-reaching  importance. 

TEAS  IN  CAMBRIDGE 

DURING  the  winter  the  girls  in  the  Upper  School  have  been 
entertained  at  tea  by  a  number  of  ladies  living  in  Cambridge. 
Planned  by  a  committee  of  the  Volunteer  Service  Bureau, 
under  the  direction  of  Mrs.  Arthur  Brooks,  the  teas  have  been  a 
valuable  experience  for  the  girls,  as  well  as  a  source  of  great  pleasure. 
The  ladies  who  have  entertained  have  reported  our  girls  as  delightful 
guests  and  they,  too,  have  enjoyed  the  experience.  The  girls  are 
planning  to  return  the  hospitality  by  entertaining  their  hostesses 
at  a  tea  to  be  held  at  the  school  in  April. 

—  5  — 


HARVARD 
CLASS 


T 


HE  HARVARD 
CLASS  has 
completed  the 
first  half-year's  work 
under  the  leadership 
of  Dr.  Edward  P.  Al- 
J  len,  Director  Emeri- 
tus, who  has  con- 
ducted this  course  for  eighteen  years.  The  members  of  the  class  are 
now  engaged  in  the  second  half-year  course  in  special  methods  under 
the  direction  of  Miss  Genevieve  H.  Haven.  A  register  of  the  students 
with  their  qualifications  has  been  sent  out  to  all  schools  for  the  blind, 
and  the  students  are  now  waiting  inquiry  in  regard  to  employment. 

THE  VOLTA  BUREAU 

THE  VOLTA  BUREAU,  organized  by  Alexander  Graham  Bell 
for  the  increase  and  diffusion  of  knowledge  relating  to  the  deaf, 
is  observing  its  fiftieth  anniversary  this  year.  Our  Deaf-Blind 
Department  gave  a  Silver  Tea  in  its  honor  on  Friday,  February  2,  in- 
viting teachers  in  schools  for  the  deaf  near  Boston.  Contributions 
made  at  the  party  totaled  $50.00,  which  were  sent  to  the  Volta  Bureau 
for  the  fund  which  it  is  raising  for  its  work. 

MAP-OF-THE-MONTH 

THE  MAP-OF-THE-MONTH,  which  has  been  published  for  some 
time  by  the  WPA  Project  in  co-operation  with  Perkins  Insti- 
tution, will  appear  hereafter  directly  from  the  Howe  Memorial 
Press,  as  the  WPA  Project  has  closed  for  a  time.  Selecting  the  map 
and  editing  the  text  will  continue  to  be  done  by  Mr.  E.  J.  Waterhouse, 
of  the  Perkins'  staff.  Preparation  of  the  map  and  distribution  will 
be  undertaken  by  the  Howe  Memorial  Press. 

FEELING  IS  SEEING 

^"WOU  HAVE  made  that  butterfly  beautifully,"  said  the  teacher 
of  handicrafts  to  a  little  pupil.  "You  have  even  put  in  the 
feelers  very  nicely."     Later  a  little  boy  in  the  class  asked 

softly,  "Are  butterflies  blind?"     "Why,  no.     What  made  you  think 

so?"    "Well,  you  spoke  of  their  feelers." 

—  6  — 


FROM  OUR  MAIL 


"In  this  country  a  movement  has 
just  been  started  for  the  Physical  Edu- 
cation of  the  blind.  It  would  be  of 
great  interest  and  help  for  us  to  have 
some  pamphlets  or  lectures  on  this 
subject."  (.Letter  from  Buenos  Aires, 
Argentina.) 


"I  am  working  as  Inspector  or  Su- 
pervisor for  the  Education  of  the  Blind 
in  Egypt  ...  I  am  trying  to  influence 
some  of  the  authorities  at  home  to  help. 
Letter  from  an  Egyptian  who  attended 
the  Harvard  Class. 


"Having  heard  much  about  the  Insti- 
tution during  the  years  I  was  a  student 
at  Harvard,  I  am  now  taking  the  lib- 
erty of  asking  your  aid  in  behalf  of 
friends  who  have  resided  in  Peru  for 
a  number  of  years  and  who  have  just 
suffered  grievously."  Letter  from  Peru 
asking  advice  about  a  blind  child. 


PUBLICATIONS 


"Because  of  the  war  in  Europe  we  are 
afraid  of  losing  our  business  relations 
in  England  and  Denmark  and,  now, 
having  your  address,  we  are  so  pre- 
sumptuous as  to  beg  you  kindly  to  help 
us  and  forward  enclosed  lists  for  quo- 
tations to  firms  that  deal  in  these 
branches."  Letter  from  the  Society  of 
Friends  for  the  Blind  in  Iceland. 


"Here,  in  Japan,  we  have  many  blind 
and  within  the  past  two  years  several 
hundred  newly  blind  soldiers  have 
come  back  to  this  land  to  be  trained 
and  cared  for.  It  is  a  very  pathetic 
sight.  We  need  any  suggestions  or 
help  that  we  can  get  from  you."  From 
a  missionary  working  for  the  blind  in 
Japan. 


"I  hope  the  plans  for  the  blinded  sol- 
diers in  Japan  will  be  successful.  One 
of  the  military  officers  here  told  us  of 
many  soldiers  who  are  going  back  to 
Japan  because  of  'this  incident'.  What 
proportions  this  so-called  incident  has 
assumed!"  From  a  missionary  working 
for  the  blind  in  China. 


I  Begin  Again  by  Mrs.  Alice  Bretz  is 
a  book  telling  how  a  person  who  lost 
her  sight  late  in  life  adjusted  to  a 
darkened  world.  The  book's  value  lies 
in  the  fact  that  Mrs.  Bretz  does  not  try 
to  compensate  for  the  vision  which  has 
gone,  but  tells  in  a  realistic  way  her 
experiences  when  dependent  upon  the 
other  senses.  In  this  connection  she 
advises  sightless  persons  to  stop  play- 
ing "Blind  Man's  Bluff"  and  to  build 
their  world  around  the  remaining 
senses.  Mrs.  Bretz  gives  practical, 
straightforward  advice  as  to  how  see- 
ing people  ought  to  react  toward  the 
blind.  It  is  a  volume  filled  with  human 
interest  and  courage. 


Readers  Digest,  for  some  years  avail- 
able to  the  blind  in  embossed  type,  now 
appears  on  talking  book  records.  This 
brings  this  invaluable  magazine  to 
many  previously  shut  out  from  it  so 
that  now  all  of  the  blind,  finger-read- 
ers and  hearing-readers,  may  keep 
abreast  with  current  literature.  The 
blind  should  be  everlastingly  grateful 
to  Mr.  DeWitt  Wallace,  Editor  of  the 
Readers  Digest,  for  making  possible 
the  extension  of  his  magazine,  and  to 
the  American  Printing  House  for  the 
Blind,  which  produces  and  distributes 
the  records. 


Lighted  Candles  is  the  title  of  a  book 
by  Alfred  D.  H.  Shurtleff,  containing 
sermonettes  which  have  appeared  in 
braille  in  OUR  SPECIAL.  Mr.  Shurt- 
leff, a  retired  Unitarian  minister, 
whose  sight  has  failed,  widens  the 
range  of  his  candles  to  the  seeing 
through  this  book. 


Story  of  the  World  Famous  Madonna 
and  Novena  Prayers  Recited  Before 
This  Madonna  are  now  available  in 
braille  through  the  Director  of  the 
Blind,  1545  Tremont  Street,  Boston, 
Massachusetts,  at  a  price  of  thirty-five 
cents  for  both  books. 


—  7  — 


STILL  SHOVEL  SNOW 

(Continued  from  Page  3) 

After  two  or  three  days  it  eased  up  and,  like  a  caged  lion,  I  kept 
going  to  the  window  to  see  what  the  prospects  were  for  getting  out. 
By  and  by  I  noticed  a  group  of  boys  across  the  way,  coming  down 
in  a  line,  shovelling  a  snow  path.  They  interested  me  because  I 
had  nothing  else  to  watch.  Finally  I  asked  someone  who  they 
were  and  was  told  that  they  were  blind  boys  belonging  to 
Perkins  Institution.  I  was  amazed.  It  began  to  dawn  upon  me, 
the  horror  of  being  blind,  the  impossibility  of  doing  anything, 
— and  yet  those  boys  were  doing  something!  I  saw  that  it 
meant  training  and  development.  It  impressed  itself  upon  my 
mind,  and  I  determined  to  give  something  for  those  boys.  That  is  the 
origin  of  my  gift  to  them.  Every  cent  of  it  is  due  to  my  seeing  those 
boys  shovel  that  path  in  such  an  orderly  way." 

In  subsequent  meetings  with  Mr.  Brown  I  saw  only  the  cold, 
stern,  hard  exterior,  the  unfeeling  manner,  but  I  cannot  forget  how 
he  was  touched  and  affected  by  this  incident ;  and  I  felt  that  you  and 
your  co-workers  should  know  what  wonderful  results  follow  the  seem- 
ingly slight  work  of  some  of  your  departments. 


Louis  L.  Angell 


Providence,  R.  I.,  Sept.  8,  1909. 


m  ECEif  E  [jj) 

ryUJUN  1  51940Lii/ 


The  iLanter 

THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTintt* 


VOLUME  IX.  NO.  4  JUNE  15.  1940 


Commencement 

IT  ALWAYS  seems  strange  to  call  the  exercises  marking-  the  com- 
pletion of  schooling  Commencement.  We  are  familiar  with  the 
graduation  speakers'  assurance  that  the  finishing  of  school  is 
the  commencement  of  real  life.  Graduates  commence  to  deal  with 
the  realities  of  the  world.  In  these  days  the  outlook  is  more  realistic 
than  assuring.  Nearly  1,750,000  young  men  and  women  will  be  com- 
pleting their  schooling  this  June.  A  little  more  than  one-half,  we  are 
told,  will  find  jobs  immediately;  the  others  may  keep  on  looking  for 
months — some  of  them,  perhaps,  for  years. 

In  our  special  schools  the  ratio  is  about  the  same.  Perkins  will 
graduate  fifteen  boys  and  girls  this  year.  On  that  basis  there  ought 
to  be  about  three  hundred  graduates  in  all  schools  for  the  blind  and 
perhaps  as  many  more  will  leave  school  because  they  have  ceased  to 
progress.  Will  half  of  them  have  jobs  awaiting?  We  doubt  it.  Are 
all  of  them  ready  for  jobs  ?  We  doubt  that  also.  Some  of  course  will 
go  on  to  college,  but  that  will  be  a  relatively  small  number,  due 
chiefly  to  financial  reasons. 

Sensing  a  need  for  higher  specialized  training  for  outstanding 
graduates  of  schools  for  the  blind,  so  that  at  least  a  few  more  may 
commence  life  with  more  hope,  the  trustees  of  Perkins  have  offered 
four  scholarships  providing  a  year  of  residence  and  instruction  in  this 
school.  In  making  this  offer  we  do  not  claim  that  our  instruction  is 
superior  to  that  of  other  schools,  but  we  do  feel  that  any  young  person 
eager  to  learn  can  gain  by  living  in  a  new  environment  and  by  making 
new  associations.    It  is  in  that  spirit  that  the  scholarships  are  offered. 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown,  Massachusetts 
Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President.  GABRIEL  FARRELL,  Director. 


^Ct&A^  J&AHjl££ 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Dr.  Allen,  unable  to  go  to  England 
because  of  the  war,  is  spending  more 
time  at  Perkins  and  has  again  taken 
up  his  favorite  pastime  of  tree  grafting. 


Fred  Lowery,  talented  blind  whistler, 
while  performing  in  Boston,  came  out 
to  Perkins,  Monday,  June  3,  and  de- 
lighted the  pupils  with  performances  at 
both  Lower  and  Upper  School  assem- 
blies. 


Anthony  Cirella,  a  member  of  the 
Senior  Class,  received  one  of  the  first 
prizes  in  SCHOLASTIC'S  1940  awards 
in  music.  He  submitted  a  part  song 
for  quartette  or  chorus  with  piano  ac- 
companiment, entitled  "Before  the  Pal- 
ing of  the  Stars." 


The  Perkins  chorus  gave  a  broadcast 
over  Station  WBZ  on  Saturday  after- 
noon, April  20.  The  school  appreciates 
the  courtesy  of  the  managers  of  that 
station  for  their  interest  and  the  valu- 
able time  allotted. 


Twelfth  Night  was  the  annual  pres- 
entation of  the  Boys'  Dramatic  Club. 
Two  performances  were  given  on  April 
24  and  26,  with  a  large  attendance  at 
both. 

The  deaf-blind  pupils  gave  a  presen- 
tation of  their  work,  including  recita- 
tions and  demonstrations  and  a  rhythm 
band,  before  members  of  the  Corpora- 
tion on  May  23.  All  contributors  to  the 
Deaf-Blind  Fund  were  invited  to  at- 
tend and  many  were  able  to  come. 


The  World's  Fair  came  to  Perkins  on 
Wednesday  morning,  May  29,  when  led 
by  Uncle  Sam  and  a  sizeable  band, 
pupils  bearing  the  flags  and  wearing 
the  costumes  of  all  nations  marched 
about  the  grounds  and  assembled  in 
Dwight  Hall.  Here  a  program  was 
held,  rather  than  outdoors,  because  of 
inclement  weather.  A  good  time  was 
had  by  all. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


The  Pennsylvania  Institution  for  the 

Instruction  of  the  Blind  invited  the 
Boy  Scouts  of  Perkins  to  go  there  for 
a  competitive  meet.  Ten  Perkins  boys 
took  part  in  manual,  literary,  and  ath- 
letic contests  over  the  week-end  of 
April  5. 


The  American  Association  of  Instruc- 
tors of  the  Blind  is  to  hold  its  biennial 
meeting  at  Pittsburgh,  June  24-28.  Dr. 
Farrell,  Dr.  Hayes,  Mr.  Andrews  and 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Waterhouse  of  the  Per- 
kins staff  will  read  papers.  The  Pitts- 
burgh school  is  celebrating  its  fiftieth 
anniversary. 


The  American  Association  to  Pro- 
mote the  Teaching  of  Speech  to  the 
Deaf  is  holding  its  fiftieth  annual  con- 
vention in  Providence.  On  Friday, 
June  21,  Miss  Hall  is  to  demonstrate 
methods  of  instruction  of  the  deaf- 
blind.  Carmela  Otero  and  Leonard 
Dowdy  are  to  be  with  her.  Dr.  Helen 
Keller  is  scheduled  to  speak  just  be- 
fore the  demonstration. 


Miss  Nilsson  on  her  way  west  is  to 
take  Margaret  and  James  Allen  as  far 
as  Cleveland,  where  they  will  spend  the 
summer  with  their  family.  She  is  to 
continue  with  Gloria  Shipman  to  Mis- 
souri, where  a  demonstration  of  the 
deaf-blind  work  will  be  given  with 
Gloria  at  Teachers'  College  in  Cape 
Girardeau,  Missouri. 


Manuel  Rubin,  Perkins  '28,  and  Rob- 
ert Barrett,  Perkins  '30,  got  into  the 
papers,  when  they  sang  for  a  young 
man  in  Cambridge,  Vermont,  who  is  in 
an  iron  lung.  The  people  in  Cambridge 
are  making  efforts  to  raise  money  to 
help  Douglas  Tobin,  who  is  receiving 
treatment  for  infantile  paralysis.  Hear- 
ing of  this  the  two  Perkins  boys  offered 
to  give  a  recital  for  his  benefit  on  April 
16.  The  newspapers  reported  the  event 
with  long  stories  and  pictures. 


—  2 


STEPHEN  BLAISDELL'S  WILL 

A  Friendly  Gesture  to  the  Blind 

By  Anna  Gardner  Fish 

At   the   chapel   exercises   May   31,   Miss  Fish,   acting   for  Mr.   Bryan,    trus- 
tee  of   the   Blaisdell   Fund,   presented   to   the   seniors   their   annual   award. 

GOOD  friends  of  Perkins  Institution,  possessed  of  wealth  and  of 
a  generous  spirit,  have  won  well-deserved  and  heartfelt  appre- 
ciation of  their  ever-helpful  gifts  to  the  school,  but  it  remained 
for  a  humbler  benefactor  to  warm  the  cockles  of  the  pupils'  hearts 
through  his  provision  by  will  for  their  pleasure. 

This  was  Stephen  Blaisdell,  blind  like  themselves,  who,  as  a  boy 
at  Perkins,  had  often  wished,  so  he  said,  for  a  little  money  in  his 
pocket,  and  determined  that  the  boys  of  his  alma  mater,  whom  he 
surmised  to  be  "hard  up"  at  times,  should  have  the  satisfaction  of 
possession  at  least  once  a  year. 

He  was,  as  this  implies,  a  poor  boy,  coming  from  Phippsburg, 
Maine,  to  Perkins  in  1844  at  the  age  of  nine  years,  and  he  is  recorded 
as  one  of  the  early  graduates  and  later  an  employee  in  the  workshop 
for  adults,  which  he  left  in  1869. 

He  made  his  home  in  South  Boston  and  was  a  frequent  visitor 
at  the  school,  taking  a  personal  interest  in  its  welfare  and  in  its 
people,  two  of  whom  were  named  as  the  executors  of  his  will.  He 
was  a  good  tuner  and  an  able  musician  and  taught  music  successfully 
for  a  while;  but  later  he  became  a  business  man,  selling  or  renting 
pianos,  selling  sewing  machines,  turning  to  advantage  every  oppor- 
tunity that  presented  itself,  and  prospering.  Although  totally  blind, 
he  traveled  about  freely  alone,  making  his  own  collections  and 
keeping  his  own  accounts  in  braille.  He  was  both  thrifty  and  indus- 
trious and,  although  shrewd  in  his  transactions  and  able  to  drive  a 
sharp  bargain,  he  was  strictly  honest  in  all  his  dealings.  He  was  in- 
tensely patriotic.  He  took  a  great  interest  in  public  affairs  and  kept 
himself  informed  on  the  questions  of  the  day.  And  he  never  failed 
to  cast  his  vote  at  elections. 

He  died  in  November,  1901,  at  the  age  of  sixty-six  years,  leaving 
a  will  in  which  Perkins'  pupils  were  most  kindly  remembered   in 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 
—  3  — 


PERKINS  SCHOLARSHIPS 

FOUR  young  people,  graduating  from  schools  for  the  blind  in  this 
country  this  year,  will  have  opportunity  for  a  year  of  residence 
at  Perkins,  beginning  in  September.  The  Trustees  have  offered 
four  scholarships  to  outstanding  graduates  from  high  school  this  year. 
Already  a  number  of  applications  have  been  received.  These  will  be 
carefully  considered  and  a  committee  will  select  the  four  who  can 
benefit  most  by  what  Perkins  offers.  The  pupils  selected  may  take 
advanced  work  in  any  of  the  five  departments  of  our  Senior  High 
School — College  Preparatory,  Literary,  Musical,  Commercial,  and 
Industrial. 

Specialized  instruction  toward  a  definite  goal  will  be  arranged, 
and  participation  in  the  cottage  life  of  Perkins  will  be  provided.  The 
scholarships  will  cover  tuition,  board,  room,  and  laundry  at  the  school 
during  the  regular  school  year.  The  money  for  the  payment  of  these 
scholarships  will  be  drawn  from  the  Putnam  and  Fisher  Funds, 
which  have  been  built  up  for  the  purpose  of  affording  advanced  study 
for  blind  people.  The  primary  purpose  of  these  scholarships  is  to  give 
to  a  selected  number  of  young  people  from  different  parts  of  the 
country  opportunity  for  advanced  study  in  a  new  environment  and  in 
a  school  which  has  special  facilities,  which  it  is  glad  to  share. 


A  COUNCIL  OF  WORKERS 

A   COUNCIL,  to  be  made  up  of  representatives  of  the  several 
organizations  for  the  blind  functioning  in  New  England,  was 
proposed  by  Mr.  Arthur  F.  Sullivan  at  the  last  of  the  series  of 
conferences  for  volunteer  workers  with   the  blind,  which  was  an- 

—  4  — 


noimced  in  the  last  issue  of  The  Lantern.  Mr.  Sullivan  felt  that  the 
volunteer  work  would  be  greatly  strengthened  if  there  were  oppor- 
tunity for  the  various  organizations  to  discuss  their  programs  and 
to  correlate  their  activities.  The  suggestion  met  with  such  a  happy 
reception  that  Mr.  Sullivan  and  Dr.  Farrell  were  asked  to  form  a 
committee  to  make  plans  for  the  establishment  of  such  a  council. 

A  committee,  made  up  of  the  following  persons,  has  been  ap- 
pointed and  has  already  had  its  first  meeting.  The  members  of  the 
committee  are :  Mr.  Arthur  F.  Sullivan ;  Miss  Eleanor  H.  Lovett,  rep- 
resenting the  American  Red  Cross ;  Miss  Lucy  Wright,  the  Massachu- 
setts Association  for  Promoting  the  Interests  of  the  Adult  Blind ;  Rev. 
John  J.  Connolly,  the  Catholic  Guild  for  the  Blind ;  Mrs.  Chester  Fin- 
berg,  the  Boston  Committee  for  the  Blind;  Mrs.  James  Stimson,  the 
Worcester  Association  for  the  Blind.  It  is  proposed  to  have  a  meeting 
early  in  the  fall  to  which  all  existing  organizations  for  the  blind  will 
be  invited  to  send  representatives. 

CANEY  CREEK  CRUSADERS 

SEVERAL  young  men  from  the  Caney  Creek  Settlement  in  Ken- 
tucky were  guests  of  the  school  for  a  couple  of  days.  On  one 
evening  they  presented  an  interesting  program,  telling  of  their 
work  among  the  mountaineers  of  that  State.  The  young  men  made 
a  great  impression  upon  the  Perkins'  pupils  and  for  days  thereafter 
they  were  gathering  up  materials  to  be  sent  to  the  settlement.  Money 
contributions  were  received  and  thirteen  boxes  of  clothing  were 
gathered  and  sent  by  parcel  post.  Many  books  were  included  because 
the  pupils  were  intrigued  by  the  "book  for  a  gun"  program  of 
Caney  Creek. 


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CELLAR  TREASURE 

TO  MAKE  space  for  our  ever-increasing  library  of  braille  and 
talking  books  and  for  the  many  models  recently  made  by  W  P  A, 
a  portion  of  the  basement  directly  under  the  museum  has  been 
prepared.  While  clearing  out  this  space,  which  had  been  used  as  a 
general  storeroom,  a  box  of  interesting  pictures  in  newspapers  of  1879 
was  found.  Among  the  pictures  were  two  fine  oil  portraits  and  two 
exquisite  examples  of  dry  point  work.  All  of  these  were  probably 
drawn  in  Italy  and  portrayed  relatives  of  Mrs.  Julia  Ward  Howe,  the 
wife  of  the  First  Director,  and  well  known  as  the  author  of  "The 
Battle  Hymn  of  the  Republic."  Mrs.  Maud  Howe  Elliott  is  to  dis- 
tribute them  to  members  of  her  family  who  may  be  interested  in  them. 


FIFTY  YEARS 

ON  JULY  1,  Mr.  Julian  H.  Mabey,  of  the  Manual  Train- 
ing Department,  will  have  completed  fifty  years  of 
teaching  at  Perkins  Institution.  Through  the  half 
century  with  Mr.  Mabey,  the  instruction  of  crafts  has  been 
secondary  to  the  teaching  of  boys.  In  South  Boston  he  had 
complete  charge  of  the  boys  and  over  a  thousand  young 
men  have  had  the  benefit  of  his  guidance  and  counsel.  For- 
tunate is  a  school  which  can  claim  the  continued  interest 
and  devotion  of  such  a  man ! 


GRADUATION 

GRADUATION  exercises  were  held  on  Friday  afternoon,  June  14. 
Fifteen  boys  and  girls  received  diplomas  from  Mr.  Robert  H. 
Hallowell,  President  of  the  Corporation.     In  addition,  Clifford 
Hall  received  a  certificate  from  the  pianoforte  normal  department. 
At  the  graduation  exercises  the   special   speaker  was   Dr.   Delmar 
Leighton,  Dean  of  Freshmen  at  Harvard  University. 

BANK  FOR  LINCOLN  DOLLARS 

WHEN  THE  Lincoln  Dollars  are  given  to  the  pupils,  tremen- 
dous decisions  must  be  made  as  to  the  right  use.    One  little 
boy  in  the  Lower  School  solved  his  problem  when  he  an- 
nounced: "I  am  going  to  put  my  dollar  in  a  SIGHT-SAVING  BANK!" 

—  6  — 


FROM  OUR  MAIL 


"It  may  be  of  interest  to  you  to  know 
of  our  work  in  India.  My  grandfather, 
the  late  Rev.  L.  V.  Shah,  founded  the 
first  school  for  the  blind  in  our  country 
fifty  years  ago.  My  father  came  to 
England  in  1914  to  study  the  education 
of  the  blind  at  the  Royal  Normal  Col- 
lege and  he  is  the  present  principal  of 
our  school  in  Calcutta."  From  the 
Leader  of  the  blind  Scouts  in  India. 


"Would  you  be  so  kind  as  to  advise 
me  regarding  the  program  of  physical 
education  .  .  .  There  is  a  great  need  in 
South  America  for  information  of  this 
nature."  Inquiry  from  Montevideo, 
Uruguay. 


"I  can  imagine  the  beauty  of  our 
campus  at  this  season.  I  tell  of  it  and 
of  Perkins,  in  general,  to  my  pupils. 
They  think  it  is  a  marvelous  place; 
perhaps  a  Utopia."  From  a  Greek  girl 
who  attended  Perkins  and  now  is  a 
teacher  in  Athens,  Greece. 


"We  are  preparing  one  of  our  pupils 
to  avail  herself  of  a  Perkins  scholar- 
ship just  as  soon  as  her  English  per- 
mits." Letter  from  a  Perkins  former 
pupil  now  at  Bangkok,  Siam. 


"I  have  been  commissioned  by  Mrs. 
Oscar  Benairdes,  wife  of  the  President 
of  Peru,  to  write  to  your  organization 
for  such  information  and  help  as  you 
can  give  us."    Letter  from  Lima,  Peru. 


"I  have  been  reading  with  great  in- 
terest the  reports  and  booklets  of  the 
Perkins  Institution  which  have  been 
enlightening  to  me  on  many  problems." 
From  the  school  for  the  blind  in  Bom- 
bay, India. 


"I  have  received  your  very  interest- 
ing pamphlet,  which  is  of  great  value 
to  me  and  for  which  I  thank  you." 
Letter  from  Johannesburg,  South 
Africa. 


COLLEGE  NOTES 


Nevart  Najarian,  who  was  graduated 
from  Perkins  in  1923  and  later  received 
a  degree  from  Boston  University,  was 
awarded  the  degree  of  Ph.  D.  by  Boston 
University  on  June  10.  During  the  past 
two  years,  while  completing  the  re- 
quirements for  her  doctor's  degree,  Miss 
Najarian  has  been  active  as  teacher  of 
English  at  Perkins. 


Martha  Wolfson,  who  attended  Per- 
kins and  was  graduated  from  Water- 
town  High  School  in  June,  1936,  is 
completing  requirements  for  gradua- 
tion from  Radcliffe  College  and  will  re- 
ceive her  A.  B.  degree  later  in  the 
month. 


Norman  Case,  Perkins  '36,  receives 
his  A.  B.  degree  from  Brown  University 
this  month.  He  has  been  elected  to 
Phi  Beta  Kappa  and  in  the  initiation 
was  selected  to  speak  for  the  group. 


William  Johnson,  Perkins  '36,  is 
graduating  this  month  from  Gettysburg 
College,  where  he  specialized  in  eco- 
nomics and  was  a  member  of  Tau 
Kappa  Epsilon  fraternity. 


Andrea  Caroselli,  Perkins  '36,  has 
received  a  scholarship  to  continue  his 
studies  at  the  New  England  Conserva- 
tory of  Music. 


Paul  Giuliana,  Perkins  '32,  is  con- 
tinuing his  studies  at  Harvard  Univer- 
sity, leading  to  a  doctor's  degree  of 
music. 


Entering  college  this  year  from  Per- 
kins will  be  Fay  Bresnahan,  Regis  Col- 
lege; James  Delaney,  Holy  Cross;  Rob- 
ert Scott,  Boston  College;  and  Gideon 
Tancrelle,  Rhode  Island  State  College. 


Anthony  Cirella  and  John  Di  Fran- 
cesco are  to  enter  the  New  England 
Conservatory  of  Music  in  the  fall. 


—  7 


STEPHEN  BLAISDELL'S  WILL 

(Continued  from  Page  3) 

the  disposition  of  his  estate,  which  amounted  to  $10,000, — not  a  large 
sum,  but  much  of  the  property  consisted  of  western  lands  which  later 
became  exceedingly  valuable  and  added  importance  to  the  bequest, 
which  was  as  follows: 

"They  (the  trustees  of  the  estate)  are  to  pay  to  each  pupil  of  the 
Perkins  Institution  for  the  Blind  and  the  Kindergarten  connected  with 
the  same,  the  sum  of  one  dollar  on  or  before  the  twelfth  day  of  February 
of  each  year,  the  birthday  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  and  in  Commemoration 
of  his  freeing  the  slaves  and  preserving  the  Union,  and  this  to  be  called 
the  "Blaisdell  Fund."  If  the  amount  of  money  warrant  it,  and  the 
trustees  deem  it  advisable  I  also  direct  that  they  may  pay  a  like  sum  to 
each  of  said  pupils  on  or  before  the  Fourth  day  of  July  of  each  year. 

"If  the  trustees  consider  it  best  instead  of  the  last  payment  they 
may  pay  to  the  graduates  each  year  the  sum  of  from  ten  to  fifteen 
dollars." 

It  seemed  best  to  the  active  executor  to  make  a  definite  gift  to 
the  graduates  instead  of  the  optional  distribution  on  the  fourth  of 
July,  when  the  students  are  widely  scattered;  and  as  soon  as  the 
accumulated  income  made  it  possible,  in  1913,  a  check  for  $10  was 
given  to  each  graduate,  the  sum  being  increased  to  $15  in  1915  and 
remaining  at  that  figure  ever  since,  a  fact  which  would  surprise  the 
donor,  Mr.  Blaisdell,  who  himself  believed  that  the  fund  would  some 
day  be  exhausted,  for  he  wrote  into  his  will: 

"They  are  to  pay  the  above  amounts  to  .  .  .  the  said  pupils  from  the 
income,  and  if  that  is  not  sufficient,  from  the  principal  until  the  whole 
has  been  exhausted." 

But  the  legacy,  rather  than  diminishing,  has  increased  in  the 
efficient  care  of  the  sole  surviving  trustee,  Mr.  Reardon,  manager  of 
the  Howe  Memorial  Press,  and  later  his  successor,  Mr.  Frank  C. 
Bryan.  While  the  latter  makes  no  prophecy  as  to  the  future  status 
of  the  fund,  he  has  had  the  satisfaction  of  maintaining  its  high  level 
for  the  last  quarter  century,  a  record  which  is  equally  gratifying  to 
the  entire  personnel  of  the  school  and  to  those  who,  going  out  to  seek 
such  fortunes  as  the  world  may  hold  for  them,  have  shared  in  the 
benefactions  planned  and  bestowed  upon  them  by  Stephen  Blaisdell. 


The  Lantern 


THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  X.  NO.  1  SEPTEMBER  15,  1940 


The  Lending  Library 


DURING  the  summer  additional  space  in  the  basement  of  Howe 
Building  was  shelved  to  hold  more  braille  volumes.  This  space 
will  increase  the  capacity  of  the  library  25%  and  will  help 
meet,  for  a  time,  the  expanding  demands  of  that  department.  The 
Perkins  Library  is  more  than  a  school  center  because  it  serves  the 
adult  blind  of  New  England.  Over  25,000  volumes  of  braille,  6,351 
volumes  of  Moon  type,  and  over  2,000  sets  of  talking  book  records 
are  housed  in  the  Perkins  library  for  the  benefit  of  blind  readers. 
These  books  range  from  a  volume  of  "The  Acts  of  the  Apostles", 
printed  in  1836  and  the  first  book  for  the  blind  published  in  the  United 
States,  to  "Not  Peace  But  A  Sword",  by  Vincent  Sheen,  the  most 
recently  received  braille  book.  The  newest  talking  book  is  "Action  at 
Aquila",  by  Hervey  Allen. 

A  glance  at  the  library  records  shows  that  there  are  over  fifteen 
hundred  regular  readers  drawing  books,  while  the  annual  circulation 
is  about  25,000  volumes.  The  number  of  readers  of  embossed  books 
is  practically  the  same  now  as  ten  years  ago,  but  reached  its  highest 
point  in  1935.  The  year  previous  talking  books  were  introduced  and 
this  service  added  a  thousand  readers.  Likewise,  the  circulation  of 
embossed  books  is  the  same  now  as  a  decade  ago  and  its  climax  was 
reached  in  1935.  Last  year  10,913  embossed  volumes  were  distributed, 
but  to  that  figure  must  be  added  the  circulation  of  13,503  talking 
books.  Most  of  these  volumes,  both  embossed  and  talking,  for  the 
adult  blind,  are  provided  by  Federal  grants  to  the  Library  of  Congress 
and  are  circulated  through  twenty-seven  regional  libraries.  Perkins 
is  one  of  these  and  is  glad  of  this  opportunity  to  serve  the  adult  blind. 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown,  Massachusetts 
Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President.  GABRIEL  FARRELL,  Director. 


^Ct^ci/  7&AA*£? 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Dr.  Hayes  was  one  of  the  speakers  at 
the  ninth  annual  convention  of  the 
Eastern  Conference  of  Home  Teachers, 
held  in  Brooklyn,  September  4-7. 


Joseph  Kohn,  teacher  of  English,  re- 
ceived his  degree  of  Master  of  Arts  in 
Education  from  Harvard  University  in 
June. 


John  J.  Morrison,  Perkins  '39,  who 
did  post-graduate  work  in  the  school 
last  year,  will  enter  the  University  of 
Notre  Dame  this  fall. 


Albert  Gayzagian,  whose  home  is  in 
Watertown,  has  left  Perkins  to  enter 
the  East  Watertown  Junior  High 
School. 


Frederick  Hayashi,  a  special  student 
in  music  from  Hawaii,  took  courses 
during  the  summer  at  the  New  England 
Conservatory  of  Music. 


The  Director  of  Perkins  has  been 
elected  a  trustee  of  the  American 
Foundation  for  the  Blind,  a  member 
of  the  Executive  Committee  and  Sec- 
retary. 


A  leaflet  with  an  attractive  picture 
of  the  tower  in  color,  a  brief  history 
of  the  school  and  an  embossed  braille 
alphabet  has  been  printed  for  general 
distribution. 


Roger  Walker,  Perkins  '19,  the  only 
blind  carillonneur  in  the  country,  was 
featured  in  a  special  article  in  The 
Boston  Herald,  written  by  Lawrence 
Dame,  telling  of  his  interest  in  bells 
and  of  his  career. 


With  deep  regret  we  announce  the 
death  on  August  12  of  Estelle  Langlois 
of  Attleboro,  after  a  long  illness.  She 
had  been  a  pupil  in  the  Lower  School 
since  1933. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


The  Catholic  Digest  is  to  be  embossed 
in  braille  and  the  work  is  being  done  by 
the  National  Braille  Press  at  the  Per- 
kins Workshop  in  South  Boston. 


A  swimming  pool,  built  of  concrete 
and  set  in  the  midst  of  the  pine  woods, 
was  installed  at  Camp  Allen,  the  Bos- 
ton Lions  Club's  Camp  for  Blind  Girls 
in  Bedford,  New  Hampshire. 


Visiting  day  of  the  1940  Convention 
of  the  American  Occupational  Therapy 
Association  is  to  be  Thursday,  Septem- 
ber 19,  and  Perkins  is  looking  forward 
to  the  visit  of  many  O.  T.'s  as  the  In- 
stitution is  included  on  the  list  of 
places  to  be  visited. 


Dr.  O.  H.  Burritt,  former  Principal 
of  the  Pennsylvania  Institution  for  the 
Instruction  of  the  Blind,  is  to  have 
charge  of  the  lectures  in  connection 
with  this  session  of  the  Home  Teacher 
Training  Course,  given  at  Overbrook 
and  the  Pennsylvania  School  of  Social 
Work. 


A  summary  of  education  of  the  blind 
in  residential  schools  is  presented  in  a 
new  bulletin,  entitled  RESIDENTIAL 
SCHOOLS  FOR  HANDICAPPED 
CHILDREN,  issued  by  the  Office  of 
Education,  Department  of  the  Interior, 
Washington,  D.  C.  It  was  written  by 
Dr.  Elise  H.  Martens  and  is  beauti- 
fully illustrated. 


Perkins  Institution  is  included  in  an 
article,  entitled  HOSPITALS  OF 
GREATER  BOSTON,  by  Frederick  A. 
Washburn,  M.  D.,  and  reprinted  from 
the  July,  1940,  issue  of  HOSPITALS, 
for  the  benefit  of  those  who  are  at- 
tending the  Convention  of  the  Ameri- 
can Hospital  Association  to  be  held  in 
Boston  during  the  week  of  Septem- 
ber 16. 


—  2 


DISTINGUISHED  VISITORS 

By  Anna  Gardner  Fish 

During  the  summer,  when  the  teachers  and  pupils  are  away,  we  have  many  vis- 
itors from  far-away  places  especially  from  other  schools  for  the  blind.  This  year 
there  have  not  been  so  many  foreign  callers  as  in  the  past,  although  we  have  had 
one  man  from  India.  Visitors  have  come,  however,  from  California,  and  several 
states  between  here  and  there.  That  visiting  Perkins  is  a  well-established  tradition 
is  shown  by  this  paper  by  Miss  Fish. — G.  F. 

WE  HAVE  always  enjoyed  the  personal  friendship  of  men  of 
affairs,  such  as  the  Hon.  Charles  Sumner,  His  Excellency, 
Curtis  Guild,  the  Hon.  Thomas  P.  Gore,  Donald  McMillan, 
and  His  Excellency,  Leverett  Saltonstall;  of  literati,  such  as  Frank 
B.  Sanborn,  Horace  Mann,  Francis  Lieber,  Mrs.  Julia  Ward  Howe, 
Profs.  Arlo  Bates  and  Charlton  E.  Black,  Mrs.  Lucia  Ames  Mead,  Dr. 
Henry  Van  Dyke  and  Dallas  Lore  Sharp ;  of  musicians,  such  as  Ernst 
Perabo,  Carl  Faelten,  Louis  C.  Elson,  John  Orth,  Hiram  G.  Tucker 
and  Mme.  Helen  Hopekirk. 

In  former  years  it  was  the  custom  of  the  Massachusetts  governors 
to  pay  us  an  annual  visit,  and  when  it  was  such  a  handsome  gentleman 
as  His  Excellency,  Roger  Wolcott,  we  all  clustered  around  to  feast  our 
eyes  upon  his  fine  and  distinguished  presence.  He  insisted  upon  in- 
cluding the  workshop  in  his  visit,  saying  that  his  mother,  who  sent 
all  her  chair  and  mattress  work  there,  would  never  forgive  him  if 
he  omitted  it  in  his  tour  of  inspection. 

The  first  notability  from  overseas  that  we  have  record  of  was 
Charles  Dickens,  who  visited  the  school  in  January,  1842, — alas,  in 
Dr.  Howe's  absence, — and,  as  one  teacher  jotted  down  in  her  diary, 
"did  not  deign  to  notice  anything  or  anybody  except  Laura  Bridgman." 
Of  his  keen  interest  in  her  development  he  has  given  ample  proof  by 
his  allusion  to  her  in  his  American  Notes.  Later,  in  London,  England, 
Dr.  Howe  and  Charles  Dickens  became  great  friends,  and  the  latter 
paved  the  way  for  doors  of  schools,  workhouses  and  prisons  to  open 
to  this  American  visitor. 

In  1876  Dom  Pedro,  emperor  of  Brazil,  came  to  this  country  as 
a  visitor  to  the  Centennial  Exposition  in  Philadelphia,  where  the  tele- 
phone, there  exhibited  for  the  first  time,  caught  his  amazed  interest 
and  led  him  to  exclaim:  "My  God,  it  talks!"  Unexpected  and  un- 
announced, he  arrived  at  Perkins  Institution  one  fine  day,  where  he 
was  shown  every  attention  by  Mr.  Anagnos,  who  had  recently  become 
director  after  Dr.  Howe's  death  in  January  of  that  year.    He  expressed 

(Continued  on  Page  7) 
—  3  — 


PERKINS  SCHOLARSHIPS 

FOUR  young-  people  who  were  graduated  from  schools  for  the  blind 
in  June  are  to  be  graduate  students  at  Perkins  this  year.  They 
were  selected  for  the  four  scholarships,  offered  by  the  Trustees 
of  Perkins  to  outstanding  graduates  of  the  previous  year.  Many 
applications  for  the  scholarships  were  received  and  after  careful  con- 
sideration the  choice  fell  upon:  Katharine  Smith,  of  the  Alabama 
School  for  the  Blind ;  Lelah  Thomas,  of  the  West  Virginia  School  for 
the  Blind ;  Robert  Beukema,  of  the  Grand  Rapids  Public  School  Classes 
for  the  Blind,  in  Michigan ;  and  Marion  V.  Beal,  of  the  Kansas  School 
for  the  Blind.  Miss  Smith  and  Mr.  Beal  will  take  the  College  Prepara- 
tory Course,  both  looking  forward  to  the  profession  of  teaching; 
and  Miss  Thomas  and  Mr.  Beukema  are  to  study  in  the  Music  Depart- 
ment. In  addition  to  the  opportunity  to  take  advanced  work  in  this 
school,  it  is  hoped  that  these  students  will  gain  by  the  privilege  of 
living  in  a  new  environment  and  by  making  new  associations.  It 
will  be  good  for  the  Perkins  pupils  to  have  young  men  and  young 
women  from  other  parts  of  the  country  live  with  them  and,  thereby, 
gain  a  larger  appreciation  of  other  parts  of  the  country. 

The  money  for  these  scholarships  comes  from  two  funds,  one 
named  for  Dr.  John  D.  Fisher,  the  man  who  first  had  the  idea  of 
establishing  a  school  for  the  blind  in  New  England,  and  the  other 
named  for  William  H.  Prescott,  the  great  historian  who  was  blind. 
These  funds  were  established  a  number  of  years  ago  and  were  built 
up  through  the  solicitude  of  Dr.  Allen,  who  was  anxious  that  out- 
standing blind  young  people  could  come  to  Perkins  for  further  study. 
The  funds  have  now  reached  the  point  where  it  is  possible  to  assign 
scholarships  from  the  income. 

CINCE  the  above  state- 
^  merit  was  set  in  type, 
an  application  for  a  schol- 
arship was  received  from 
the  School  for  the  Blind 
in  Puerto  Rico  for  Asun- 
cion Aponte,  a  former 
pupil  in  that  school  who 
was  graduated  with  hon- 
ors in  June  from  the 
Catholic  Academy  at  San 
Juan.  Because  of  his 
high  ability,  means  have 
been  found  to  grant  an 
additional  scholarship. 
Another  boy,  Jean  Sorel, 
is  entering  this  year  from 

THE  GRADUATES 


IN  JUNE,  1940 

Haiti  as  a  private  pupil. 
Hector  Cadavid,  from 
Colombia,  returns  for  a 
second  year.  Rosa  M. 
Sala  from  Cuba  is  to 
enter  the  Harvard  Class 
and  a  young  man  is  ex- 
pected from  Mexico. 
While  Perkins  has  re- 
ceived foreign  students  for 
many  years,  the  enroll- 
ment this  year  seems  in 
line  with  the  national 
policy  of  strengthening 
our  ties  with  Latin 
America. 


TEACHING  PUPILS 

FEW  PEOPLE  realize  that  some  of  our  pupils  are  also  teachers. 
They  are  the  advanced  music  pupils  taking  the  Pianoforte 
Normal  Course,  which  qualifies  them  as  piano  teachers.  This 
course  covers  three  years  and  is  open  to  graduate  pupils  with  definite 
musical  ability.  In  order  to  secure  practice  in  actual  teaching,  lessons 
are  offered  at  a  very  small  charge  to  boys  and  girls  living  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  school.  Last  year  fourteen  boys  and  girls  re- 
ceived lessons  and  gave  a  public  recital  on  the  evening  of  June  7. 
Beginning  children  meet  in  classes  until  the  fundamentals  of  rhythm 
and  notation  are  grasped  and  then  they  have  two  half-hour  private 
lessons  a  week.  Three  advanced  pupils  gave  the  instruction  last  year 
under  the  direction  of  a  member  of  the  Music  Department. 


LAURA  BRIDGMAN  LETTERS 

RECOGNIZING  the  historical  background  of  Perkins  and  that 
many  people  turn  here  for  data  in  regard  to  the  early  days 
and  events,  people  from  time  to  time  send  here  old  letters  and 
documents,  especially  if  they  concern  blindness  or  blind  persons. 
Recently  two  letters  came  through  an  interesting  circuit.  Miss  Mary 
H.  Buckingham,  of  Boston,  sent  the  letters  to  Dr.  A.  Lawrence  Lowell, 
the  former  President  of  Harvard,  who  sent  them  to  Rt.  Rev.  William 
Lawrence,  retired  Bishop  of  Massachusetts,  who  sent  them  to  the 
Director  of  Perkins  for  the  historical  museum.  They  were  written  by 
Amos  Lawrence,  the  grandfather  of  Bishop  Lawrence  and  the  great- 
uncle  of  Mr.  Lowell,  to  Miss  Sarah  Wight,  teacher  of  Laura  Bridgman, 
and  accompanied  gifts  to  the  two  ladies. 

—  5  — 


A  MARRIAGE  MART 

THE  TOLL  of  Cupid's  dart  was  heavier  than  usual  this  past 
summer.  Eight  marriages  involved  ten  Perkins  staff  members. 
Mr.  Benjamin  F.  Smith,  master  of  Potter  Cottage,  married  Miss 
Martha  J.  Fox,  a  teacher  in  the  Lower  School;  they  are  continuing 
with  their  duties.  Miss  Gertrude  A.  MacDonald,  of  the  Deaf-Blind 
Department,  became  Mrs.  Warner  Stenquist.  She  is  living  in  Wal- 
tham  and  will  teach  one  more  year.  Mr.  Joseph  E.  Jablonske,  of  the 
same  department,  and  Mr.  Douglas  Cook,  of  the  Manual  Training 
Department,  were  married  and  will  carry  on  in  their  present  positions. 
Mr.  Don  Donaldson,  master  of  Eliot  Cottage,  married  Miss  Dorothy 
Adams,  of  the  Harvard  Class.  Miss  Miriam  A.  Phipps,  teacher  of 
Manual  Training,  became  Mrs.  George  McGrath.  Miss  Marion  A. 
Totman,  secretary  to  the  Bursar,  was  the  bride  of  Mr.  Harold  Young. 
Miss  Ruth  E.  Robinson,  former  secretary  to  the  Director,  is  now  Mrs. 
Roger  D.  Smith.  All  of  these  have  resigned  their  positions  to  take 
up  housekeeping. 

STAFF  CHANGES 

FIVE  resignations  for  reasons  other  than  matrimony  require  the 
engagement  of  nine  new  staff  members.    They  are : 

Mrs.  Georgia  McCallum,  secretary  to  the  Principal,  formerly  asso- 
ciated with  Sufneld  Academy,  Deerfield  Academy,  and  the  Harvard  Place- 
ment Bureau;  Miss  Naomi  Johnson,  secretary  to  the  Bursar,  graduate  of 
the  Simmons  College  Secretarial  School;  Miss  Marguerite  W.  Furlong, 
teacher  of  manual  training,  attended  Simmons  College  and  the  Boston 
School  of  Occupational  Therapy;  Miss  Barbara  Baskerville,  teacher  of 
manual  training,  graduate  of  Jamestown  College,  Simmons  College 
School  of  Social  Work  with  special  training  in  the  Philadelphia  School 
of  Occupational  Therapy;  Mr.  William  J.  Higginson,  master  of  Eliot 
Cottage,  graduate  of  Clark  University  and  the  Harvard  Course;  Miss 
Felicia  Cunningham,  of  Cambridge,  assistant  to  the  Receptionist;  Mrs. 
Lee  W.  Woolston,  of  Brookline,  matron  of  Potter  Cottage;  and  Mrs.  Glen 
Smith,  of  Seattle,  matron  of  May  Cottage.  Dr.  Samuel  P.  Hayes,  for- 
merly a  professor  at  Mount  Holyoke  College  and  Consultant  in  Psy- 
chology at  Perkins,  is  in  residence  this  year,  directing  the  Department  of 
Personnel  and  Research. 

TENSION 

TENSION  is  a  word  frequently  heard  in  the  eye  clinics.    On  the 
way  back  from  the  hospital  one  day,  a  pupil  asked:    "What  do 
the  doctors  mean  when  they  say  'tension'?"     Replied  another: 
"Why  it's  just  the  same  as  when  the  teachers  say  pay  'tention,  only 
they  leave  out  the  pay." 

—  6  — 


DISTINGUISHED  VISITORS 

(Continued  from  Page  3) 

the  utmost  pleasure  in  his  visit,  and  we  may  hope  that  seeds  were 
then  sown  which  produced  good  fruitage  in  his  home  land. 

It  was  in  1906  that  we  welcomed  to  Perkins  the  Maharajah 
Gaekwar  of  Baroda,  reputed  to  be  the  richest  prince  in  India,  who 
had  come  to  Boston  to  call  upon  his  son,  a  student  at  Harvard.  He 
was  an  upright  and  dignified  personage  in  his  linen  robes  and  turban, 
observing  everything  and  saying  little,  but  registering  approval  of  all 
that  he  saw.  He  was  followed  around  by  his  wife,  meek  and  wordless, 
swathed  to  the  eyes  in  her  white  robes  wound  tightly  and  continuously 
about  her;  but  she  was  not  so  meek  as  she  appeared,  for  later  news 
from  India  told  of  her  progressive  work  for  the  women  of  her  king- 
dom. 

The  Maharajah,  in  the  course  of  his  inspection,  asked  if  it 
would  be  permissible  to  give  "a  little  something  for  sweetmeats  for 
the  pupils",  and  he  was  assured  that  it  would  be  not  only  permissible 
but  much  appreciated.  He  departed  without  further  allusion  to  a 
gift,  and  the  incident  seemed  to  be  closed.  But  a  little  later  a  messen- 
ger arrived  at  Perkins  bringing  a  check  for  $200  in  furtherance  of  his 
wish.  We  felt  very  noble  because,  instead  of  spending  it  forthwith, 
we  placed  the  sum  in  a  bank  and  used  the  income  from  it  each  year  for 
strawberries,  which  did  not  grow  for  us  on  every  plant  in  those  days. 
This  custom  lasted  through  many  years,  until  a  new  treasurer 
abolished  this  and  other  small  separate  holdings. 

We  always  felt  a  warm  friendship  for  this  Maharajah  and  grieved 
when  he  fell  into  disrepute  in  India,  where,  seated  on  a  platform  with 
other  notabilities  during  the  Queen's  Jubilee,  he  failed  to  rise  when 
the  royal  party  arrived.  He  declared  that  that  was  not  true,  but  a 
chance  photograph  showed  him  seated  while  others  stood,  with  the 
soles  of  his  boots  upturned  towards  the  audience.  I  believe  that  the 
incident  was  later  lived  down,  wealth  salving  all  difficulties. 

Now  I  pass  to  1931,  when  we  had  a  delightful  call  from  Prince 
and  Princess  Takamatsu  of  Japan,  the  former  brother  of  the  Emperor, 
a  visit  brought  about  by  Mr.  Courtenay  Crocker  of  Boston,  formerly 
legal  adviser  to  the  King  of  Siam,  who  was  president  of  the  Japanese 
Society  in  Boston,  of  which  Miss  Lowe,  matron  of  May  Cottage,  was 
a  member.  The  occasion  being  carefully  planned  in  advance,  every 
feature  was  enjoyable, — the  kindergarten  children,  assembled  at  the 
main  entrance,  flanking  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Allen  and  bearing  flowers  for 
the  Princess,  well-arranged  activities  in  the  schoolrooms,  a  fine  pro- 

—  7  — 


gram  by  the  choir,  including  a  solo  "Lead  Kindly  Light"  by  Robert 
Barrett,  which  so  moved  the  Prince  that  he  broke  his  hitherto  un- 
alterable rule  not  to  speak  in  public  and  made  us  an  appreciative 
speech,  interpreted,  as  I  recall  it,  by  the  Japanese  consul.  The  guests 
visited  Miss  Lowe's  cottage  and  the  kindergarten  and  then  went  on 
their  way,  leaving  a  very  delightful  memory  with  us  all. 

If  I  stop  at  this  point  it  is  not  to  be  understood  that  there  have 
not  been  others  of  note  who  have  graciously  shown  their  interest  in 
our  school,  many  of  whom  have  carried  away  pleasurable  impressions 
and  suggestions  which  have,  perhaps,  spread  the  influence  of  the 
Perkins  spirit  far  and  wide,  even  as  our  Harvard  classes  are  doing 
from  year  to  year. 


SUMMER  BETTERMENTS 

THE  OUTSTANDING  betterment  in  the  plan  this  summer  has 
been  the  modernization  of  the  laundry.  Practically  all  new 
machinery  has  been  installed  and  the  operations  centered  on 
one  floor.  The  laundry  will  be  in  charge  of  Mr.  Thomas  H.  Read,  in 
place  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Edmund  Blais,  who  have  been  the  efficient 
leaders  for  the  past  seventeen  years.  In  the  Engineering  Department 
there  has  been  considerable  replacement,  and  the  maintenance  men 
were  busy  with  brushes,  scrubbing  and  painting,  in  order  to  have  all 
buildings  spick  and  span  for  the  opening  day  of  school. 

THE  BURSAR'S  COTTAGE 

THE  BURSAR,  Mr.  Hemphill,  and  his  family,  have  moved  into  the 
new  house  built  for  them  during  the  summer.    The  house  is  an 
attractive  structure,   corresponding   in   architecture  with   the 
other  buildings  on  the  grounds,  and  is  located  on  the  corner  of  Beech- 
wood  Avenue,  opposite  to  that  of  the  Principal's  house. 

THE  DIRECTOR'S  FARM 

DURING  the  summer  the  Director  and  Mrs.  Farrell  acquired  a 
farmhouse  more  than  two  hundred  years  old  in  Rochester, 
Massachusetts,  near  Marion.  Much  of  their  time  was  spent 
in  the  throes  of  restoration  and  experiencing  the  thrills  which  come 
when  original  pine  paneling  is  found  under  old  plaster  and  laths. 
Ten  acres  of  land  give  ample  opportunity  to  satisfy  any  "back  to  the 
farm"  aspirations  which  may  develop. 


PLEASE 

IF   RECEIVED    FOR  NOTE  ON  THE 

FIRST  TIME  -v  LAST  PAGE 


The  (Lantern 


THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  X.  NO.  2  DECEMBER  15,  1940 


The  Shop  Turns  a  Century 

A  HUNDRED  YEARS  ago  the  Perkins  Workshop  opened  in 
South  Boston.  Although  it  has  changed  buildings  from  time 
to  time,  it  has  continued  through  the  century  to  do  business 
on  the  same  site.  During  all  these  years  its  primary  purpose  has  been 
to  demonstrate  to  the  public  that  the  blind  can  be  gainfully  employed 
and  that  their  products  merit  purchase  on  their  quality.  Dr.  Howe 
early  set  that  stamp  upon  the  shop  and  a  few  years  after  the  opening 
he  was  able  to  report  that  business  had  increased  "in  consequence  of 
the  satisfaction  always  given." 

In  the  first  days  of  the  shop  it  was  closely  associated  with  the 
school.  Most  of  the  employees  lived  in  the  Institution.  One  of  Dr. 
Howe's  first  decisions  was  to  separate  school  and  shop.  He  did  this, 
partly  to  protect  youth  from  the  habits  and  attitudes  of  older  people, 
and  partly  to  give  the  adults  the  freedom  and  responsibility  that  come 
from  living  outside  an  institution. 

As  we  review  the  century  of  service  this  shop  has  rendered  and 
the  larger  aspect  of  employment  of  the  blind,  there  looms  clearly  the 
need  of  another  separation;  and  that  is  between  those  who  can  keep 
alive  the  demonstration  of  gainful  employment  and  those  who  simply 
cannot  maintain  that  standard.  There  are  to-day  among  the  blind 
two  groups,  the  production  group  and  the  occupational  group.  Both 
deserve  work  and  effective  programs.  But  if  a  shop  expects  to  sell 
to  the  public  it  must  depend  upon  the  production  group.  Business 
comes  only  in  consequence  of  satisfaction  always  given  and  this  calls 
for  workers  able  to  maintain  that  standard. 


^ctJhuJ  ^aSifiJ*££ 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown,  Massachusetts 
Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President.  GABRIEL  FARRELL,  Director. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


The  Connecticut  School  for  the  Blind, 
at  Hartford,  entertained  five  Perkins 
girls,  accompanied  by  Miss  Simonds 
and  Miss  Nass,  for  an  all-day  get-to- 
gether on  Saturday,  November  2. 


Rogers  House,  the  home  and  social 
center  for  men  in  South  Boston,  main- 
tained by  the  Massachusetts  Associa- 
tion for  the  Adult  Blind,  has  appointed 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Charles  R.  Pratt,  of  Ash- 
burnham,  to  be  residents  in  charge. 


The  School  for  the  Blind  and  Deaf  of 
the  Republic  of  Colombia,  in  South 
America,  in  connection  with  the  cele- 
bration of  its  fifteenth  anniversary, 
presented  a  certificate  "to  the  world- 
famous  Perkins  Institution  from  which 
we  hope  to  have  enthusiastic  and  con- 
stant co-operation  in  this  wonderful 
work." 


The  Western  Pennsylvania  School  for 
the  Blind,  in  Pittsburgh,  observed  its 
fiftieth  anniversary  October  29-30.  An 
historical  pageant  by  Mary  F.  Flem- 
ing, teacher  in  the  Pittsburgh  School 
and  former  member  of  the  Harvard 
Class,  was  presented.  Dr.  Edward  E. 
Allen,  Director  Emeritus  of  Perkins, 
made  one  of  the  principal  addresses.  A 
program,  commensurate  with  the  occa- 
sion, was  planned  by  Mr.  Bradley  S. 
Joice,  the  Superintendent. 


The  Boy  Scouts  at  Perkins  presented 
on  November  4  two  plays  for  the  bene- 
fit of  Boy  Scout  troops  in  this  vicinity. 
They  were  so  well  received  that  the 
two  plays  were  repeated  on  November 
15,  for  the  benefit  of  the  Perkins  Girl 
Scout  Troop  and  other  Girl  Scout 
Troops  in  the  neighborhood.  At  the 
first  meeting  achievement  badges  were 
awarded  to  seven  Scouts  and  the  com- 
mitteemen of  the  district  held  their 
monthly  meeting  after  the  plays. 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Howe  memorial  exercises  were  held 
in  Dwight  Hall  on  the  afternoon  of 
Tuesday,  November  12.  Mr.  Henry  H. 
Richards,  grandson  of  Samuel  Gridley 
Howe,  brought  greetings  from  his  mo- 
ther, Mrs.  Henry  Richards,  and  from 
Mrs.  Maud  Howe  Elliott.  A  program 
in  the  form  of  "Information  Please" 
brought  out  in  a  new  way  some  of  the 
old  facts  about  the  First  Director. 


Exercises  in  memory  of  Michael 
Anagnos,  the  Second  Director,  were 
held  on  Thursday,  November  7,  at  the 
Lower  School.  Pupils  questioned  Mr. 
Julian  H.  Mabey,  of  the  Upper  School, 
who  taught  under  Mr.  Anagnos  and 
who  told  many  interesting  things  about 
the  Founder  of  the  Kindergarten. 


Moulton  Cottage  was  host  to  the  cot- 
tage football  teams  at  the  annual  foot- 
ball banquet  on  Wednesday,  November 
20,  thereby  indicating  that  it  had  won 
the  series  of  fall  games.  The  girls'  an- 
nual field  meet  was  held  on  the  after- 
noon of  October  16,  and  the  final  scores 
were:  Brooks — 33,  Fisher — 22,  Oliver — 
19,  May— 12. 


Members  of  Perkins  Corporation  as- 
sembled for  the  annual  meeting  on  No- 
vember 4,  and  elected  Mr.  Robert  H. 
Hallowell,  President,  Mr.  G.  Peabody 
Gardner,  Vice-President,  Mr.  Roger 
Amory,  Treasurer,  and  Dr.  Gabriel  Far- 
rell,  Secretary.  Eight  trustees  were 
elected. 


Christmas  Concerts  are  to  be  held  on 
Sunday  afternoon,  December  15,  in  Jor- 
dan Hall,  Boston;  Tuesday  evening,  De- 
cember 17,  in  Dwight  Hall;  and  Friday 
evening,  December  20,  in  Dwight  Hall. 
After  the  last  concert  school  will  close 
for  the  Christmas  Vacation.  School 
will  reopen  on  Monday,  January  6,  1941. 


2  — 


SAMUEL  G.  HOWE 
First  Director 


THE  WORKSHOP 

Some  Personal  Items 
By  Anna  Gardner  Fish 

At  the  very  outset  of  his  work  for  blind  youth 
Dr.  Howe  saw  the  necessity  of  training  them  to 
use  their  hands  with  skill  and  with  good  and 
marketable  results,  and  on  his  return  from  a  visit 
of  observation  of  European  schools  for  the  blind, 
in  1832,  which  preceded  his  actual  instruction,  he 
brought  with  him  two  well-trained  teachers,  one 
of  them  Mr.  John  Pringle  of  Edinburgh,  a  master 
of  handicraft.  The  department  created  by  this 
craftsman  has  been  a  continuous  service  from 
that  early  day  even  to  the  present  time,  and  the 
instances  of  success  which  have  followed  through 
his  instruction  are  beyond  computation.  He  it  was  who  taught  mat- 
tress-making to  our  good  workman,  Joseph  Chalieu,  only  recently 
superannuated  and  still  cognizant  of  Mr.  Pringle's  helpfulness. 

As  Dr.  Howe  only  casually  named  his  assistants,  as  occasion 
arose,  the  succession  of  these  helpers  cannot  be  vouched  for  through 
his  reports,  but  we  can  follow  in  some  fashion  the  vicissitudes  of  those 
efforts  in  manual  training,  as  the  enterprise  of  the  Workshop  for 
Adults  parted  company  with  the  school  and  finally  attained  its  own 
separate  quarters  and  independent  existence.  A  curious  sidelight  is 
afforded  by  the  careful  plans  made  for  the  shop  and  its  expenses,  as 
set  forth  in  the  sixteenth  report  (1847),  whereby  the  "master  work- 
man," a  former  pupil,  Mr.  I.  W.  Patten,  assumed  full  financial  responsi- 
bility, whether  for  gain  or  loss.  Although  the  gain  in  1846  was  only 
$13.81,  we  may  hope  that  this  represented  a  minimum,  since  Mr. 
Patten  was  content  to  remain  in  charge  through  many  years. 

Salesroom  in  the  City 
The  need  of  a  central  office  or  salesroom  in  the  city,  readily  acces- 
sible to  the  patrons  of  the  shop,  was  recognized  at  an  early  date,  and 
a  room  at  No.  152  Washington  Street  was  secured  for  the  purpose. 
This  was  soon  given  up  in  preference  for  one  at  No.  20  Bromfield 
Street,  which  served  not  only  for  shop  transactions  but  as  the  meeting 
place  for  the  director  and  trustees.  In  his  eulogy  of  Dr.  Howe,  Gover- 
nor Bullock  spoke  of  his  "almost  ubiquitous  attendance  on  his  work ; 

—  3  — 


TRUCKS  CALL  AND  DELIVER 


he  was  at  South  Boston,  he  was 
at  his  office  in  town,  ...  he  was 
always  where  duty  called." 

After  twenty-seven  years'  oc- 
cupancy of  this  site  the  office 
was  moved  to  No.  37  Avon 
Street,  and  there  occurred  one 
of  those  delightful  romances, 
such  as  every  school  cherishes 
among  its  memoirs.  It  chanced 
that  the  desk  of  the  young 
woman  clerk,  Miss  Louisa 
Knapp,  was  near  the  window, 
and  there  she  was  espied  by  the 
poor  but  ambitious  young  man, 
literally  "on  his  uppers"  and  struggling  to  build  up  an  advertising 
business,  Mr.  Cyrus  H.  K.  Curtis,  who  promptly  fell  in  love  with  Miss 
Knapp.  And  so  they  were  married  and  lived  happily  through  the 
ensuing  years  in  which  Mr.  Curtis,  moving  on  to  Philadelphia,  acquired 
the  Saturday  Evening  Post,  founded  the  Ladies'  Home  Journal  and 
amassed  a  fortune,  all  with  Mrs.  Curtis'  co-operation  and  active  aid. 
It  is  pleasant  to  dwell  upon  such  a  charming  episode,  emanating  from 
the  dusty  environs  of  Avon  Street. 

The  Shop  Moves 

Among  the  traditions  which  should  be  preserved  is  one  illustra- 
tive of  Dr.  Howe's  swift  and  sure  action.  The  word  for  that  vigorous 
campaigner  should  have  been  "dauntless,"  for  the  story  goes  that, 
when  he  desired  to  move  the  shop  building  from  its  location  at  the 
northern  end  of  H  Street,  South  Boston,  to  a  site  on  Fourth  Street, 
adjacent  to  the  school,  a  permit  to  cross  Broadway  was  refused. 
Nevertheless  in  the  morning  the  building  was  on  the  desired  spot, 
and  who  could  be  found  to  explain  or  gainsay  this  change  of  base  ? 

An  old-time  anecdote  which  may  be  of  interest  to  the  lovers  of 
animals  concerns  itself  with  a  Perkins  dog  which  was  totally  blind. 
He  liked  to  spend  his  days  in  the  workshop  among  the  men  he  knew, 
but  at  mealtimes  the  Perkins  family  cat  would  cross  Fourth  Street  to 
fetch  the  dog  home.  This  she  did  by  preceding  him,  lightly  brushing 
his  nose  with  her  waving  tail.  If  a  team  should  be  passing  on  Fourth 
Street,  the  cat  would  sit  down,  and  the  dog  would  wait  until  the  gentle 

(Continued  on  Page  9) 
—  4  — 


COUNCIL  OF  ORGANIZATIONS 

REPRESENTATIVES  of  twenty-four  of  the  thirty-nine  organiza- 
tions for  the  blind  in  the  Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts  met 
at  the  Boston  City  Club  on  Monday  evening,  November  18,  and 
organized  the  Massachusetts  Council  of  Organizations  for  the  Blind. 
The  purpose  of  the  Council  is  to  correlate  the  activities  of  the  many 
groups  and  thereby  to  strengthen  programs  for  the  blind  and  for  the 
prevention  of  blindness.  Meetings  are  to  be  held  quarterly.  The 
Council  is  to  be  made  up  of  two  representatives  from  each  member 
organization.  The  following  officers  were  elected:  Mr.  Arthur  R 
Sullivan,  of  Boston,  President;  Mrs.  T.  Edwin  Andrew,  of  Lawrence, 
Vice-President;  Miss  Rosanna  D.  Thorndike,  of  Boston,  Secretary- 
Treasurer.  Mrs.  Chester  Finberg,  of  Waban,  and  Rev.  John  J.  Con- 
nolly, of  Boston,  were  appointed  members  of  the  Executive  Committee, 
in  addition  to  the  officers. 

THE  BOOK  FAIR 

PERKINS  INSTITUTION  had  an  exhibit  at  the  Book  Fair,  held 
at  the  Boston  Garden  in  October.  A  feature  which  attracted 
a  good  deal  of  attention  was  the  photographic  reproduction  of 
letters  passed  between  Dr.  Samuel  Gridley  Howe  and  Charles  Dickens. 
Dr.  Howe  complained  of  the  "lugubrious  reading  matter,"  which  the 
blind  had,  and  stated  that  he  wanted  something  which  would  "gladden 
their  hearts."  Mr.  Dickens  sent  $1,700.00  to  have  THE  OLD  CURI- 
OSITY SHOP  embossed  for  the  blind  at  the  Institution  press.  A  copy 
of  the  original  edition  was  shown  among  a  number  of  rare  books  from 
the  Perkins  Library,  while  other  books  showed  the  various  forms  of 
embossed  type  from  the  old  line  type  invented  by  Dr.  Howe  to  the 
dot  system  known  as  braille  now  universally  used.  A  part  of  the 
exhibit  will  be  shown  in  the  Howe  Building  until  the  Christmas 
vacation. 

AN  EARLY  ATLAS 

AN  ATLAS  of  the  United  States,  embossed  for  the  blind  at 
Perkins  in  1837,  found  its  way  back  recently.  Bound  in  red 
leather,  tooled  in  gold,  the  atlas  bore  the  book  plate  of  Edward 
Everett  and  contained  an  inscription :  "To  Louis  Philippe  I,  with  the 
respect  and  esteem  of  Edward  Everett."  It  was  brought  from  Europe 
to  Miss  Jane  Muhlf  eld,  of  New  York,  who  now  owns  it.  The  atlas  was 
made  up  of  an  embossed  map  of  each  state  with  a  following  page  in 
line  type,  giving  geographical  characteristics.  It  was  the  first  atlas 
printed  for  the  blind  in  this  country. 

—  5  — 


^wa 


THE  MAKING 
OF  A  MATTRESS 


THE  PERKINS  WORKSHOP 

IN  1840  the  Perkins  Workshop  became  a  separate 
department,  where  adults  were  employed  and 
their  products  sold  in  Boston.  This  was  eight 
years  after  Dr.  Samuel  Gridley  Howe  had  begun  the 
instruction  of  blind  youth  and  at  that  early  stage  he 
felt  the  need  of  a  place  where  the  training  acquired 
in  the  school  could  be  put  to  good  effect.  The  new 
project  grew  steadily  until  1850,  when  a  separate 
building  was  acquired  and  occupied.  In  1930  further 
expansion  was  necessary  and  the  large  commodious 
building,  now  occupied,  was  built.  This  fireproof 
structure  of  concrete  and  steel  is  generally  consid- 
ered to  be  one  of  the  finest  shops  for  the  blind  in 
this  country. 

During  the  hundred  years  of  operation,  the  Work- 
shop has  never  tried  to  be  a  large  concern.  Organ- 
ized to  demonstrate  that  blind  persons  with  good 
training  could  earn  a  livelihood,  the  chief  business 
has  been  the  making  and  the  remaking  of  hair  mat- 
tresses. Business  comes  not  only  from  private  indi- 
viduals but,  also,  from  hospitals  and  institutions  in 
the  vicinity  of  Boston.  An  order  received  in  Novem- 
ber was  for  the  remaking  of  one  hundred  and  seven- 
teen little  mattresses  for  the  infant  cribs  of  the 
Boston  City  Hospital.  The  making  of  mattresses 
calls  for  a  highly  trained  sense  of  touch,  which  the 
blind  are  able  to  develop  to  a  high  degree.  In  addi- 
tion to  mattress  making,  the 
shop  for  some  years  has  con- 
ducted a  large  business  in  the 
caning  of  chairs  and,  more  re- 
cently, has  added  the  restring- 
ing  of  tennis  racquets.  At  the 
present  time  twenty-two  blind 
persons  and  eight  seeing  per- 
sons are  employed  at  the  Work- 
shop and  an  annual  business  of 
almost  $50,000.00  is  carried  on. 


ARTISANS 
AT  WORK 


THE  BLIND  ARTISANS 

TWO  YEARS  ago  the  program  of  the  Blind 
Artisans  was  announced  in  The  Lantern 
and  in  the  corresponding  issue  of  a  year  ago 
a  report  of  progress  was  made.  It  is  appropriate, 
therefore,  to  report  again  at  this  time.  Planned, 
originally,  as  a  means  of  discovering  new  products 
or  services  which  could  be  provided  by  the  blind  on 
a  production  basis,  steps  taken  have  led  to  a  pro- 
duction unit.  Occupying  space  in  the  Perkins  Work- 
shop in  South  Boston,  ten  blind  persons  are  now  en- 
gaged in  the  making  of  candles,  knitting  boxes,  iron- 
ing board  covers  and  aprons. 

The  result  of  this  work  is  the  conviction  that 
there  are  new  articles  that  can  be  made  by  the  blind 
on  a  production  basis  and  steps  will  soon  have  to  be 
taken  to  make  it  possible  to  carry  on  this  work  in  a 
larger  way.  This  problem  is  now  being  studied  in 
connection  with  the  century-old  business  of  the  Per- 
kins Workshop  and  other  groups  which  are  carrying 
on  employment  programs. 

During  the  year  the  Blind  Artisans  have  continued 
to  give  encouragement  to  the  piano  tuners  and  they 
hope  to  extend  their  help  to  others  who  work  outside 
the  shops.  Many  blind  people  engage  in  home  crafts 
which  give  a  partial  livlihood  and  in  this  field  there 
is  need  for  the  development  of  articles  modernly 
styled  and  in  opening  new  outlets.  In  soliciting  busi- 
ness the  Artisans  have  succeeded 
in  interesting  purchasers  in  arti- 
cles made  in  the  State  shops, 
chiefly  in  the  placing  of  large 
orders  for  brooms.  In  the  dis- 
posal of  articles  made  in  the 
Shop  the  New  England  depart- 
ment stores  and  other  sales 
agencies  have  given  splendid  co- 
operation, and  their  executives 
have  given  sound  advice. 


SOUTH  BOSTON  TABLET 

THE  MAYOR  OF  BOSTON  dedicated  on  Saturday,  November  23, 
a  bronze  tablet  set  in  a  ten-ton  boulder  at  the  South  Boston 
Municipal  Building-  bearing  the  following  inscription: 
"1839-1912  Perkins  Institution  and  Massachusetts  School  for  the  Blind 
occupied  the  Mt.  Washington  House  on  this  site  from  1839-1912.    Here  the 
training  of  Helen  Keller  reflected  the  pioneer  education  of  Laura  Bridgman. 
Here  Samuel  Gridley  Howe,  Michael  Anagnos,  and  Edward  E.  Allen,  edu- 
cators and  scientists,  brought  light  to  the  blind.     Erected  by  the  City  of 
Boston  on  the  sixtieth  anniversary  of  the  organization  of  the  South  Boston 
Citizens  Association,  November  23,  1940,  Maurice  J.  Tobin,  Mayor  of  Boston." 

The  Municipal  Building  occupies  the  site  of  the  former  home  of 
the  Institution.  Directly  in  the  rear  of  this  site  is  the  present 
workshop. 

THE  MAGAZINE  AGENCY 

THE  BLIND  ARTISANS  is  planning  to  take  over,  as  soon  as 
satisfactory  arrangements  can  be  made,  the  business  of  the 
New  England  Magazine  Agency  for  the  Blind.  This  has  been 
conducted  as  a  training  scheme  in  connection  with  the  school's  course 
in  salesmanship  but  a  number  of  blind  people  are  getting  started  in 
this  business  and  there  is  need  for  a  central  clearing  agency,  which 
will  help  the  individuals  in  their  approaches  to  the  magazine  pub- 
lishers. It  is  hoped  that  many  people  will  want  to  clear  their  sub- 
scriptions to  all  magazines  through  this  agency,  which  affords  em- 
ployment to  the  blind,  and  any  who  want  to  help  in  this  way  may  do 
so  by  getting  in  touch  with  the  school. 

SWEATERS  FOR  THE  RED  CROSS 

KNITTING  needles  are  flying  back  and  forth  in  all  spare  hours  on 
the  girls'  side  as  fifty  pupils  and  staff  members  are  knitting 
for  the  American  Red  Cross.    By  Christmas  they  hope  to  have 
over  fifty  sweaters  completed  and  all  are  getting  great  satisfaction 
over  putting  to  such  noble  use  one  of  the  skills  in  which  the  blind  excel. 

FROM  A  LOWER  SCHOOL  COMPOSITION 

{{T  A  7"HILE  he  was  teaching  Laura  (Bridgman),  he  met  Julia 
Y  y  Ward  Ward,  who  wrote  The  Bottle  Hymn  of  the  Repub- 
lic', and  he  set  his  heart  on  marring  the  girl.  They  were 
married  and  he  took  her  to  Green  Peas  (Peace) ,  a  lovely  old  house  to 
live  with  .  .  .  Laura  was  said  to  be  a  very  jolly  woman,  but  she  did 
not  turn  out  exactly  the  way  Dr.  Howe  had  planned." 

—  8  — 


MATTRESS  MAKERS 


THE  WORKSHOP 

(Continued  from  Page  4) 

guidance  was  renewed.  Surely- 
life  at  Perkins  was  full  of  home- 
ly and  homelike  attributes. 

At  that  time  Mr.  Anthony  W. 
Bowden  was  serving  not  only  as 
steward  of  the  school  but  as 
manager  of  the  shop, — a  kindly 
and  affable  man  whose  dealings 
with  the  workmen  were  based 
upon  a  very  deep  sympathy  and 
understanding,  though  perhaps 
lacking  in  modern  methods  of 
efficiency.  Our  engineer,  Mr. 
John  Carroll,  has  told  how  he 
would  approach  Br.  Bowden  for 
needed  supplies,  whereupon  the  latter  would  whip  out  his  black  note- 
book and  write  down  the  request.  Then  Mr.  Carroll  would  groan  "Not 
in  the  little  black  book,  Bowdie, — not  in  the  little  black  book !"  knowing 
well  that  out  of  sight  was  out  of  mind  and  that  that  would  be  the 
end  of  the  matter. 

The  Beloved  "Cap" 

We  find  mention  of  Mr.  John  Smiley  and  a  Mr.  Shepard  as  man- 
agers of  the  shop  and  of  the  coming  in  1872  of  the  revered  Mr.  John 
H.  Wright,  as  an  expert  broom-maker.  "His  other  good  qualities," 
said  one  who  knew,  "were  later  discovered  by  Dr.  Howe,"  and  for  the 
next  forty  years  he  was  the  boys'  beloved  "Cap,"  a  punctilious  super- 
visor whose  word  was  law  but  whom  the  boys  themselves  esteemed 
as  the  embodiment  of  just  dealing  and  the  upholder  of  high  standards 
of  character  and  conduct. 

Following  Mr.  Bowden  as  manager  of  the  shop  in  1890  came  Mr. 
Eugene  C.  Howard,  a  man  of  sterling  character  and  a  master  crafts- 
man, somewhat  reserved  and  brusque  in  manner  but  possessed  of 
business  acumen  and  executive  ability  and  interested  in  his  work  and 
his  workers;  and  the  shop  prospered  under  his  management.  His 
sternness  of  manner  was  softened  by  a  deep  and  inherent  love  of 
flowers,  and  his  labors  among  them  offered  welcome  relief  from  his 
strict  attention  to  business.  It  is  noteworthy  that,  when  he  became 
ill  and  had  to  give  up  his  position,  both  the  men  of  the  shop  and  the 

—  9  — 


boys  of  the  school  were  constant  visitors  at 
his  bedside  and  showed  an  affectionate  re- 
gard for  his  welfare. 

In  his  day  the  office  and  salesroom  shifted 
from  No.  37  to  No.  39  Avon  Street  in  1899, 
and  to  No.  383  Boylston  Street  in  1906,  a 
building  bought  for  the  use  and  purposes  of 
the  institution.  In  1924,  in  view  of  the 
trend  of  trade,  this  prominent  and  valuable 
piece  of  property  was  sold,  and  the  present 
building  at  No.  133  Newbury  Street  was 
acquired  and  utilized  as  the  in-town  office 
for  all  transactions  requiring  a  central  place 
of  business. 


FRANK  C.  BRYAN 
Shop  Manager 


Mr.  Bryan  Takes  Charge 

After  Mr.  Howard  relinquished  the  reins,  in  1906,  and  after  a 
brief  interregnum,  Mr.  Allen,  newly  appointed  director,  persuaded 
Mr.  Frank  C.  Bryan  to  come  to  Perkins  from  Philadelphia.  In  the 
Overbrook  school  for  ten  years  he  had  proved  his  ability  in  the  pro- 
duction with  meticulous  precision  of  all  sorts  of  appliances  for  the 
benefit  of  the  blind  as  well  as  their  own  output.  He  brought  to  the 
work  a  wholehearted  enthusiasm  for  this  field  of  labor  and  a  conscien- 
tious and  painstaking  effort  to  make  the  manufactured  article  the  very 
best  that  could  be  produced  by  the  shop  and,  later,  by  the  Howe 
Memorial  Press,  of  which  he  became  manager  succeeding  Mr.  Reardon 
in  1916.  Although  avoiding  publicity,  he  has  accepted  to  the  full  all 
the  responsibilities  his  positions  have  entailed,  and  his  complete  co- 
operation and  wise  judgment  may  be  depended  upon  in  the  multi- 
farious and  perplexing  problems  brought  about  by  the  present-day 
economic  changes. 

This  account  must  not  close  without  reference  to  the  long-time 
service  of  such  helpers  as  Pliny  Morrill,  foreman,  and  Miss  M.  A. 
Dwelly,  forewoman,  Miss  Mendum  and  Mrs.  Lincoln,  clerks,  and  Mr. 
Charles  F.  Bond,  assistant  to  the  manager.  Surely  Perkins  Institution 
has  been  fortunate  in  its  loyal  supporters  and  owes  much  of  its 
prestige  to  their  staunch  adherence  and  interest. 

—  10  — 


PUBLICATIONS 


EDWARD  ELLIS  ALLEN,  the  life  of 
Dr.  Allen  written  by  Mrs.  Allen,  has 
been  privately  printed.  Copies  are 
available  through  The  Riverside  Press, 
Cambridge.  Proceeds  are  to  be  given  to 
two  schools  for  the  blind  in  China. 


OUR  COUNTRY  is  the  title  of  the 
recently  published  memoirs  of  Dr.  Clar- 
ence Hawkes,  a  Perkins  graduate,  and 
the  author  of  over  fifty  books. 


THE  INSTRUCTOR  for  September 
contains  an  article,  "A  Unit  on  the 
Bermuda  Islands",  by  Mrs.  Jessie  W. 
Mayshark,  of  the  Perkins  faculty. 


THE  OLD  FARMER'S  ALMANAC 
FOR  1941,  in  its  149th  year,  lists  in  its 
calendar  for  March  that  the  Perkins 
Institution  was  incorporated  on  the 
second  day  of  that  month  in  1829. 


THE  EDUCATION  OF  EXCEPTION- 
AL CHILDREN,  by  Arch  O.  Hech,  pub- 
lished by  the  McGraw-Hill  Book  Com- 
pany, contains  five  chapters  dealing 
with  the  blind  and  the  low  visioned. 


THE  SOCIAL  SECURITY  BULLE- 
TIN, for  September,  1940,  has  an  article, 
entitled  "Who  Receives  Aid  to  the  Blind 
and  How  Much  Are  They  Receiving", 
by  Anne  E.  Geddes. 


THE  BOSTON  TRANSCRIPT  had 
an  article  on  the  deaf -blind  children  at 
Perkins  in  the  issue  of  October  15,  and 
an  article  by  the  Director  on  the  edu- 
cation of  blind  children  in  the  issue  of 
October  12. 


LIFE,  for  November  15,  has  an  article 
telling  how  deaf-blind  children  are 
taught  to  speak  and  a  series  of  excel- 
lent pictures  of  the  deaf-blind  children 
at  the  New  York  Institute.  Featured 
is  Helen  Siefert,  who  was  a  pupil  at 
Perkins  for  two  years  prior  to  entering 
the  New  York  Institute. 

—  11 


FROM  OUR  MAIL 


"The  mattress  is  fine, — just  the  way  I 
want  it." — York  Village,  Maine. 


"Thank  you  very  much  for  the  fine 
work  that  was  done  on  my  two  chairs 
in  your  workshop." — Boston. 


"The  down  quilt  arrived  and  is  the 
very  thing  I  wished — beautiful  work — 
enclosed  is  payment." — Madison,  Wis- 
consin. 


"I  am  certainly  well-pleased  with  the 
mattress.  If  I  have  any  further  work 
to  do,  I  will  always  let  you  know." — 
Charlestown. 

"We  are  quite  satisfied  with  the  work 
done  on  the  chair.  Noticing  that  you 
do  mattress  work,  we  should  like  to 
have  you  call  for  one." — Woburn. 


"I  was  much  pleased  with  the  job  you 
did  on  my  puff.  Will  you  be  good 
enough  to  send  me  .  .  .  samples  of  your 
coverings . ' ' — Newton . 


My  check  herewith  .  .  .  for  remaking 
mattress.  It  is  the  best  mattress  job  I 
ever  had  done.  I  will  surely  recom- 
mend your  work  to  anybody  seeking  ex- 
cellent and  honest  work." — Melrose. 


"I  appreciate  .  .  .  the  very  satisfactory 
and  business  relations  the  school  has 
had  with  your  Institution.  The  inner- 
spring  mattress  ordered  with  special 
cover  to  fit  couch  can  be  sent  after 
July  1." — Andover. 


"Your  bill  has  been  remailed  to  me  so 
I  presume  you  delivered  the  made-over 
mattress  ...  As  your  work  has  always 
been  perfectly  satisfactory,  I  am  mail- 
ing my  check."  "Your  bill,  forwarded 
to  me.  However,  I  thought  it  wiser  not 
to  send  check  until  I  had  seen  the  work. 
I  came  back  to  town  not  three  hours 
ago  and  am  thoroughly  pleased  with 
the  results  as  I  see  them." — Two  Sum- 
mer letters. 


WORKSHOP  FOR  THE  BLIND 


Salesroom 

133  Newbury  St., 

Boston 

Ken.  1722 


Workshop 

549  E.  Fourth  St. 

South  Boston 

Sou.  4570 


CHAIRS 
RE-CANED 


NEW  MATTRESSES  MADE 

Hair  and  Inner  Spring 

OLD  MATTRESSES  REMADE 

Hair  Sterilized 

PILLOWS  AND  DOWN  PUFFS 

Made  and  Renovated 

For  100  years 
'"Satisfaction  Always  Given" 


RACKETS 
RE-STRUNG 


Special  Workshop  Edition 

Dedicated  to  the  Workshop  which  for  a  century  has  fur- 
nished gainful  employment  to  the  blind  and  has  always 
given  satisfaction  to  its  patrons. 

This  issue  of  The  Lantern  is  being  sent  to  friends  and 
patrons  of  the  shop.  It  will  be  sent  regularly  each  quarter 
to  any  who  send  us  their  name  and  address. 


BLIND    ARTISANS    of  New  England 

A  program  to  assist  blind  workers  develop  new  articles  and  market  their 
products,  through  established  stores. 

For  information  call  KEN  more  1722 


PIANOS 
TUNED 


MAGAZINE 
SUBSCRIPTIONS 


Watch  for  this  sign  in  the  stores. 


—  12  — 


The  Lantern 


THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  I.  NO.  3  MARCH   15.  194  1 


What  of  The  Blind? 

EVERYWHERE  today  organizations  and  people  are  analyzing 
their  activities  to  see  what  part  they  can  play  in  the  defense 
program.  In  this  scrutiny  we  may  well  ask:  What  of  the 
blind?  Have  the  blind  a  contribution  which  they  can  make  and 
which  will  enable  them  to  satisfy  the  yearning,  common  to  all,  to  do 
their  bit  for  National  Defense?  From  abroad  we  hear  stories  of  the 
Italians  using  blind  men  as  outposts  to  listen  for  the  approaching 
enemy  and  many  are  the  stories  that  come  from  England,  telling  how 
in  the  blackouts  the  blind  become  leaders  and  guides. 

Recently,  under  the  direction  of  the  Army,  the  American  Legion 
conducted  a  demonstration  of  the  use  of  civilians  in  detecting  ap- 
proaching airplanes,  a  duty  in  which  keen  ears  are  the  essential  quali- 
fication. Our  boys  were  asked  to  have  a  part  in  this  by  occupying  a 
nearby  listening  post.  Our  girls  are  also  taking  a  helpful  part  in  the 
war  program.  One  group  has  knitted  nearly  one  hundred  sweaters  to 
be  sent  to  England  and  another  has  hemmed  towels  for  the  use  of 
the  American  Red  Cross. 

The  danger  in  many  of  these  efforts  is  to  seek  the  spectacular. 
The  blind  might  better  try  to  find  a  place  in  the  secondary  line  of 
defense.  More  and  more,  men,  and  women  too,  are  being  called  away 
for  active  service.  They  are  leaving  empty  places  in  their  communi- 
ties. Therein  lies  opportunity  for  the  visually  handicapped.  "They 
also  serve  who  only  stand  and  wait"  might  well  be  the  motto  of  our 
people  in  seeking  a  place  in  National  Defense. 


^cUO^^f  7?oAAjl££ 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown,  Massachusetts 
Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President.  GABRIEL  FARRELL,  Director. 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Miss  Fish,  whose  leading  articles  in 
former  issues  of  THE  LANTERN  have 
been  so  widely  received,  is  spending 
the  winter  months  at  her  home  in 
Nantucket.  She  will  resume  her  duties 
at  the  school  in  April. 


Anita  O'Shea,  of  the  Junior  Class, 
submitted  a  poem,  "March  Nocturne", 
for  an  ATLANTIC  MONTHLY  prize. 
Although  she  did  not  receive  a  prize 
or  honorable  mention,  her  poem  stood 
high  enough  to  be  included  on  the 
final  list  from  which  the  prize  winners 
were  selected. 


The  Clergy  of  Watertown  are  again 
coming  to  chapel  on  Thursday  morn- 
ings, bringing  Lenten  messages  to  staff 
and  pupils.  On  Tuesday  mornings  dur- 
ing the  winter  term  the  Student  Coun- 
cils have  been  providing  speakers,  as 
in  former  years. 


The  Chorus  had  the  privilege  of 
joining  in  a  program  with  the  Am- 
phion  Club,  a  noted  men's  chorus,  at 
a  concert  in  Melrose  on  the  evening 
of  February  27. 


The  Metropolitan  Opera  Company  is 
to  be  in  Boston  during  the  week  of 
March  27.  All  Seniors  and  those  spe- 
cializing in  music  will  attend  a  per- 
formance through  the  Oliver  Fund, 
which  provides  for  the  purchase  of 
tickets  to  musical  concerts. 


Perkins  wrestlers  met  the  team  of 
the  Belmont  High  School  on  the  eve- 
ning of  January  21,  and  won  six  out 
of  nine  matches;  on  February  11,  they 
lost  to  Needham  9-0;  and  on  February 
18  at  Quincy  High,  they  tied  for  hon- 


1616  people  came  to  the  Institution 
to  view  the  many  demonstrations  on 
Washington's  Birthday.  The  Boy  Scout 
program  and  the  swimming  were  pop- 
ular features. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Miss  Rosanna  D.  Thorndike,  a  Trus- 
tee of  Perkins  and  active  in  all  work 
for  the  blind  in  Massachusetts,  left 
Boston  early  in  the  New  Year  to 
serve  in  Unoccupied  France  in  the 
great  rehabilitation  program  conduct- 
ed by  the  Quakers  in  that  country. 
Miss  Thorndike's  devotion  to  the 
handicapped  and  her  knowledge  of 
France  and  the  French  language  will 
make  her  an  invaluable  worker. 


The  Massachusetts  Council  of  Agen- 
cies for  the  Blind  held  an  important 
meeting  at  the  Red  Cross  headquarters 
in  Boston  on  Monday,  February  24. 
Miss  Eleanor  H.  Lovett,  formerly  in 
charge  of  the  Braille  Division  of  the 
Red  Cross,  has  succeeded  Miss  Ros- 
anna D.  Thorndike  as  Secretary- 
Treasurer. 


The    Rhode    Island    Association    for 

the  Blind  has  planned  a  tremendous 
two- day  program,  featuring  outstand- 
ing accomplishments  by  the  blind,  to 
be  held  on  March  13  and  14  in  Provi- 
dence. Carl  King  and  Phillip  Small, 
pupils  at  Perkins,  are  to  participate 
and  a  Perkins  exhibit  of  educational 
materials  is  to  be  shown. 


The     New     York     Institute    for     the 

Education  of  the  Blind  has  again 
achieved  great  success  in  a  concert  at 
the  Town  Hall,  New  York  City,  on 
January  25,  by  presenting  a  chorus  of 
students  and  alumni  and  featuring 
Lauritz  Melchior,  the  great  Danish 
tenor  of  the  Metropolitan  Opera. 


Joseph  Cetto,  a  former  pupil  at  Per- 
kins, is  a  candidate  for  Selectman  and 
Tax  Collector  in  the  spring  election  for 
his  Town  of  Charlemont. 


Miss  Ethel  I.  Parker,  Perkins  gradu- 
ate and  Massachusetts  Home  Teacher, 
broadcasts  every  Thursday  over  Sta- 
tion WLAW. 


—  2 


PERKINS  BOY  SCOUTS 


j\  Chapel  Talk,  February  & 

By  Roger  Beaudry 

The  writer  is  Senior  Patrol  leader  and  our  outstanding  troop  leader.  During  his  six  years 
of  Scouting,  he  has  won  many  merit  badges  and  has  attained  the  rank  of  Star  Scout  which 
leaves  only  the  Eagle  degree   for  him  to   obtain.     Editor. 

THIS   week  marks   the   thirty-first   anniversary   of   Scouting   in 
America.     It  is  fitting,  therefore,  that  we  tell  you  something 
about  our  own  troop. 
Troop  25  is  the  largest  in  the  Watertown  district,  with  a  mem- 
bership of  forty-four  Scouts.    We  are  proud  of  our  record  in  competi- 
tions with  other  troops.    Our  troop  is  divided  into  four  patrols.    They 
are:    Beaver,  Bright  Star,  Eaglehead,  and  the  Silver  Fox. 

Since  November,  we  have 
held  a  contest  among  the  four 
patrols.  The  prize  was  to  be 
given  to  the  one  that  made 
the  greatest  advancement  in 
Scout  rank,  conduct  and  spirit 
during  troop  meetings.  The 
prize  was  roller  skating  or 
similar  entertainment  chosen 
by  the  winning  patrol. 

The  contest  ended  last 
night.  The  winning  patrol  was 
the  Beaver,  its  leader  is  Scout 
William  Burke.  If  Scout 
Burke  will  please  step  for- 
ward, I  will  (on  behalf  of 
troop  25)  present  him  with 
this  patrol  leader's  badge.  I 
am  proud  to  present  you  with 
this  patrol  leader's  emblem, 
and  may  you  continue  to  ad- 
vance your  patrol  in  years  to  come. 

William  Burke :  I  think  the  Beaver  Patrol  won  this  contest,  be- 
cause all  the  boys  in  the  patrol  worked  together.  When  the  bugle 
sounded  assembly,  every  boy  fell  into  line  quickly  and  quietly.  During 
our  work  periods,  almost  every  boy  followed  my  instructions  for  study. 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 
—  3  — 


ROGER  BEAUDRY  (left) 
Explaining  the  Scout  Shield 


I 


KATHERINE  SMITH 
Alabama 


SCHOLARSHIP  STUDENTS 

N  THE  four  corners  of  these  pages  are  pictures 
of  the  four  young  people  who  are  attending 
Perkins  this  year  as  scholarship  pupils.  They 
come  as  indicated  under  the  pictures,  from  differ- 
ent parts  of  the  country  and  were  selected  from  a 
large  number  of  applicants  for  the  four  scholar- 
ships offered  to  outstanding  graduates  of  schools 
for  the  blind  last  June.  During  the  year  each  in 
his  or  her  own  way  has  contributed  to  Perkins. 
They  have  talked  in  chapel,  have  written  for  the  school  paper, 
and  they  have  caused  our  pupils  to  be  interested  in  people  from 
other  parts  of  the  country.  All  four  would  eagerly  acclaim  the 
benefits  they  have  received  while  here.  Educationally,  they 
have  been  stimulated  by  special  studies,  trained  in  certain  skills, 
and  given  a  taste  of  that  indefinable  something  called  "New 
England  culture". 

Opportunity  for  four  more  young  people  to  enjoy  these  privileges 
has  been  assured  by  the  action  of  the  Trustees,  in  making  scholar- 
ships available  for  another  year.  The  attention  of  the  heads  of  the 
schools  for  the  blind  throughout  the  country  will  be  called  to  these 
scholarships  and  they  will  be  asked  to  submit  applications.  The 
scholarships  will  cover  tuition,  board,  room  and  laundry  during  the 
regular  school  year,  beginning  next  September.  Applications  will  be 
received  until  May  15,  and  the  awards  will  be  granted  June  15. 


GC 


F.  T.  Hayashi.i 


MARION  V.  BEAL 
Kansas 


DIRECTOR  EMERITUS  HONORED 

A  BRONZE  plaque,  honoring  fifty  years  of  service  to  the  blind 
by  Edward  Ellis  Allen,  has  been  dedicated  at  the  Pennsylvania 
Institution  for  the  Instruction  of  the  Blind,  in  Philadelphia. 
The  plaque,  the  gift  of  former  associates  of  Dr.  Allen  while  he  was 
Principal  of  the  Philadelphia  School,  bears  a  bas-relief 
of  Dr.  Allen,  similar  to  the  one  on  a  tablet  at  Perkins, 
but  bearing  a  different  inscription.  Exercises  appro- 
priate to  such  an  occasion,  with  an  address  by  Dr.  0.  H. 
Burritt,  Dr.  Allen's  successor  at  Overbrook,  were  held 
on  the  evening  of  Wednesday,  January  29,  and  many 
friends  gathered  to  bear  tribute  to  Dr.  Allen  and  his 


half  century  of  leadership. 


—  4  — 


HISTORICAL  CANES 

A  CANE,  made  of  beautifully  grained  ma- 
hogany with  a  curved  silver  handle,  bear- 
ing the  legend,  "Cut  in  1846,  from  a  piece 
of  the  original  timber  of  the  frigate  Constitu- 
tion— Old  Ironsides — then  under  repairs  at  the 
Pensacola  Navy  Yard,  in  charge  of  Captain  W.  K. 
Latimer",  has  been  presented  to  the  Perkins 
museum  by  Henry  Randolph  Latimer,  for  many 
years  the  able  leader  of  the  blind  in  Pennsylvania 
and  now  residing  in  Baltimore.  The  museum  is  grateful  for  this 
gift  and  it  has  been  placed  in  a  case  in  the  museum,  which  also 
contains  the  cane  used  by  Michael  Anagnos,  the  Second  Director 
of  Perkins,  and  presented  to  the  school  by  Mrs.  Cora  L.  Gleason, 
formerly  Home  Visitor.  Mr.  Latimer's  gift  suggests  the  idea 
that  there  could  be  no  more  appropriate  souvenir  of  a  blind 
leader  than  the  walking  stick  which  has  been  his  "feeler"  and 
protector  during  his  active  life. 


LELAH 

West 


THOMAS 
Virginia 


OUR  THANKS  TO  — 

BOSTON  COLLEGE  and  the  Cenacle  for  Christmas  parties  and 
presents  to  the  Upper  School  on  January  11,  and  the  Lower 
School  on  January  18.  .  .  .  The  Highland  Glee  Club  of  Newton  for 
an  inspiring  concert  in  Dwight  Hall  on  January  14.  .  .  .  The  Junior 
League  Orchestra  for  playing  to  the  Lower  School  on  January  22.  .  .  . 
The  W  P  A  Orchestra  of  Newton  for  an  interpretative  concert  on 
January  23.  .  .  .  Sir  Herbert  Ames,  former  Treasurer  of  the  League  of 
Nations,  for  an  illuminating  talk  on  training  aviators  in  Canada,  on 
January  28.  .  .  .  The  Boston  Committee  for  a  Lower  School  party  on 
February  8.  .  .  .  Sir  Clutha  Mackenzie,  noted  blind  leader  of  New  Zea- 
land, for  chapel  talks  at  both  Lower  and  Upper  Schools  and  an  address 
to  the  whole  school  on  February  10.  .  .  .  The  American 
Folk  Singers  for  a  program  of  Negro  Spirituals  on  Feb- 
ruary 17.  .  .  .  The  Boston  College  Dramatic  Club  for  a 
presentation  of  an  act  of  the  play  "Father  Malachy's 
Miracles",  on  February  19.  .  .  .  Ben  Ames  Williams,  dis- 
tinguished novelist,  for  a  talk  on  Curling,  on  February 
25.  .  .  .  Horace  Taylor  for  a  lecture  on  astronomy  on 
March  7.  .  . .  All  these  events  have  made  this  long  winter 
term  one  of  unusual  interest. 


ROBERT  J.  BEUKEM, 

Michigan 


—  5  — 


*yf  A 


T 


THE  ANNUAL  REPORT 

HE  accompanying  picture  is  the  frontispiece  of 
our  one  hundred  and  ninth  annual  report,  recently 
published.  Taken  on  our  pond,  the  picture 
glimpses  something  of  the  more  restful  side  of  school 
life,  which  is  sometimes  lost  sight  of  in  a  report  whose 
purpose  is  to  chronicle  activities  and  events.  A  volume 
of  seventy-four  pages,  the  annual  report  is  a  compre- 
hensive covering  of  the  work  of  the  school.  It  is  mentioned  here 
because  some  of  our  readers  might  like  to  know  a  little  bit  more  about 
Perkins  than  The  Lantern  conveys.  The  report  also  represents  the 
work  of  another  handicapped  group,  because  it  is  printed  at  the  Indus- 
trial School  for  Crippled  and  Deformed  Children  in  Boston. 

THE  SEEING  EYE 

PERHAPS  no  form  of  aid  to  the  blind  is  better  known  than  the 
Seeing  Eye.  Supplementing  the  natural  desire  of  all  to  help 
sightless  people,  there  is  the  innate  love  of  an  intelligent  dog. 
Like  many  other  causes  which  have  caught  the  public  attention,  the 
Seeing  Eye,  Inc.  is  sometimes  embarrassed  by  its  friends.  Generally 
well-intentioned,  these  friends  are  not  always  helpful.  There  is  some 
doubt  as  to  whether  featuring  guide  dogs  leading  their  owners 
through  unusual  exploits  in  literature  or  in  art  is  eminently  helpful. 
On  the  other  hand,  there  is  no  doubt  but  that  some  efforts  which 
have  been  and  are  being  made  to  secure  dogs  are  decidedly  harmful. 
Only  recently  Perkins  was  informed  that  enough  tinfoil  had  now 
been  raised  by  interested  friends  to  secure  a  dog  for  one  of  the 
younger  pupils.  This  practice,  as  well  as  that  of  collecting  match 
folders  and  cigarette  wrappers,  is  so  widespread  that  the  officers  of 
the  organization  have  had  to  take  extensive  measures  to  combat  this 
false  information.  As  a  result  of  our  own  experience,  we  are  bringing 
this  matter  to  the  attention  of  our  readers  because  the  guide  dog 
movement  is  so  soundly  helpful  to  the  blind  that  it  must  not  be  either 
exploited  or  misinterpreted. 

TEMPUS  FUGIT 

EVEN  when  deaf  and  blind,   time  flies.     Our  thirteen-year-old 
Leonard  recently  exclaimed  to  Miss  Hall:    "Oh,  Oh!     The  days 
go  faster  and  faster  each  day!"     "Why?",  asked  Miss  Hall. 
Leonard  replied:   "There  isn't  time  enough." 

—  6— 


PUBLICATIONS 


In  braille,  available  through  the 
regional  libraries,  is  EDWARD  ELLIS 
ALLEN,  the  life  of  Dr.  Allen,  by  Kath- 
erine  G.  Allen,  mentioned  in  our  last 
issue.  It  has  been  embossed  at  the 
American  Printing  House  for  the 
Blind,  Louisville,  Kentucky. 


The  national  school  newspaper. 
CURRENT  EVENTS,  and  editions  3,  4 
and  5  of  MY  WEEKLY  READER  for 
February  10,  contain  pictures  of  pu- 
pils at  Perkins  reading  these  publica- 
tions and  tell  they  are  now  published 
in  braille  for  schools  for  the  blind. 


Training   Teachers   of   the   Blind,   by 

Genevieve  M.  Haven,  Tutorial  Assist- 
ant of  the  Harvard  Course,  published 
in  the  December  issue  of  THE  OUT- 
LOOK FOR  THE  BLIND,  tells  of  the 
Special  Methods  Course,  which  covers 
the  second  half  of  the  Harvard  Course 
year. 


Four  million  pillow  cases  have  been 
ordered  by  the  United  States  Army  ac- 
cording to  THIS  WEEK  MAGAZINE 
for  January  26.  This  work  has  been 
allocated  through  the  American  Foun- 
dation for  the  Blind  to  forty-four 
workshops  in  twenty-six  states  and 
provides  employment  for  hundreds  of 
blind  men  and  women. 


Larz  Anderson,  Letters  and  Journals 
of  a  Diplomat,  edited  by  his  wife  Isa- 
bel Anderson,  contains  many  happy 
references  to  Mrs.  Maud  Howe  Elliott, 
daughter  of  the  first  Director.  Mrs. 
Anderson  is  an  honorary  member  of 
the  Ladies  Visiting  Committee  of  the 
Kindergarten  and  the  book  tells  of  her 
Christmas  custom  of  entertaining  the 
children  of  the  Kindergarten  at  her 
home  "Weld"  when  that  school  was  in 
Jamaica  Plain.  With  Mrs.  Howe,  she 
has  frequently  shared  in  the  Howe 
Memorial  exercises  held  annually  at 
Watertown.  A  braille  copy  of  this  book 
is  available  through  the  library. 


FROM  OUR  MAIL 


Many  letters  were  received  in  re- 
sponse to  the  Perkins  Christmas  card 
containing  the  story  related  by  King 
George  in  his  message  to  his  people 
Christmas,  1940.     All  were  appreciated. 


Perkins  pupils  were  delighted  to  re- 
ceive this  letter  from  Helen  Hayes, 
whose  presentation  of  TWELFTH 
NIGHT  so  many  attended  when  it 
played  in  Boston: 

"I  should  like  to  call  you  all  by  your 
names  and  separately  thank  you  for 
your  sweet  letters  to  me  in  Boston 
about  TWELFTH  NIGHT.  It  makes 
me  so  happy  that  you  enjoyed  it,  for 
I  loved  playing  in  it. 

"I  shall  treasure  the  pictures  which 
you  sent  me  of  your  TWELFTH 
NIGHT  and  they  will  have  an  honored 
place  in  my  scrapbook. 

"And  your  kind  words  about  the 
radio  programs  are  very  heart-warm- 
ing. Since  we  can't  tell  on  the  radio 
how  much  we  are  pleasing,  it  is  nice 
to  hear  from  those  who  listen  that 
they  like  us. 

"Thank  you  again  and  all  good 
wishes. 

(Signed)     Helen  Hayes." 


"What  a  beautifully  typed  letter  it 
is.  I  notice  that  it  was  transcribed  by 
a  blind  Ediphone  operator."  Yale  Uni- 
versity School  of  Medicine. 


"I  am  at  present  living  in  a  small 
community  of  people  who,  while  they 
have  shelter  for  their  sleeping  hours 
in  the  Crypt  of  St.  Paul's,  play  their 
part  in  watching  and,  as  far  as  they 
can,  safe-guarding  that  immense  and 
noble  building  .  .  .  London  has  been 
knocked  about  a  bit  .  .  .  We  appreciate 
all  you  are  doing  to  help  .  .  ."  W. 
McG.  Eager,  Secretary-General  of  Na- 
tional Institute  for  the  Blind,  London, 
England. 


—  7  — 


PERKINS  BOY  SCOUTS 

i  Continued  from  Page  1) 
At  our  regular  patrol  meetings  on  Wednesday  afternoons,   almost 
every  boy  was  present. 

This  co-operation  made  it  possible  for  my  assistant,  Francis 
Cordeau  and  me  to  advance  in  Scout  rank  several  of  our  boys.  Our 
patrol  also  worked  hard  on  the  project  of  brailling  Scout  songs.  My 
patrol  and  I  decided  to  go  roller  skating.  We  are  going  to  do  our 
best  to  win  the  next  contest. 

Roger  Beaudry :  Now  let  us  all  stand  and  give  the  pledge  of 
allegiance  to  the  flag: 

"I  pledge  allegiance  to  the  flag  of  the  United  States  of 
America,  and  to  the  republic  for  which  it  stands;  one  nation, 
indivisible,  with  liberty  and  justice  for  all." 


THE  ANNUAL  PLAY 

IN  PLACE  of  the  annual  play,  which  usually  is  a  well-known  dra- 
matic work  (last  year  TWELFTH  NIGHT  was  presented),  Per- 
kins Players  are  this  year  combining  with  the  Girls'  Chorus  to 
produce  on  the  evenings  of  March  26  and  28  the  Gilbert  and  Sullivan 
operetta,  "Pirates  of  Penzance".  This  work  affords  fine  opportunity 
for  the  choral  groups  and,  also,  a  broad  scope  for  the  dramatic  talent 
which  the  school  possesses.  As  usual,  the  proceeds  will  be  divided 
between  the  Perkins  Athletic  Association  and  the  Theatre  Fund. 


The  Lantern 


THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 

m 




VOLUME  X.  NO.  4  JUNE  15,  1941 


Teachers  in  Training 

IN  A  HIGHLY  specialized  field,  like  the  education  of  the  blind,  a 
primary  problem  is  to  secure  well-trained  workers.  Good  teachers 
for  ordinary  schools  are  abundantly  turned  out  by  normal  schools 
and  colleges.  But  the  special  schools  must  provide  their  own  spe- 
cialized training.  In  many  such  schools  we  find,  therefore,  in  addition 
to  the  regular  instructors,  teachers  in  training.  Perkins  Institution 
is  no  exception,  unless  it  is  exceptional  in  that  it  has  had  such  a  pro- 
gram for  twenty  years. 

Throughout  his  life  Dr.  Edward  E.  Allen  has  been  an  advocate  of 
higher  professional  standards  among  teachers  of  the  blind.  For 
twenty  successive  years  he  has  gathered  at  Perkins  Institution  a 
group  of  aspirants  for  training  in  this  field.  Under  his  tutelage  and 
in  the  well-equipped  environment  of  this  school  these  students  have 
had  an  experience  and  an  inspiration  which  could  scarcely  be  gained 
elsewhere. 

From  the  outset  this  training,  although  held  at  Perkins,  has  been 
offered  by  the  Graduate  School  of  Education  of  Harvard  University. 
Because  of  that  sponsorship  the  instruction  has  become  known  as 
"The  Harvard  Course".  Associated  with  Dr.  Allen  from  the  begin- 
ning has  been  Dr.  Henry  W.  Holmes,  until  last  year  the  dean  of  the 
Graduate  School  and  more  recently  a  trustee  of  Perkins.  Dean  Holmes 
has  constantly  been  a  strong  supporter  of  this  joint  enterprise  which 
has  provided  specialized  training  for  nearly  three  hundred  teachers 
who  now  serve  in  thirty-five  states  and  eighteen  countries  beyond 
the  seas. 


^asfa****/  7&AA*>£p 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown,  Massachusetts 
Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President.  GABRIEL  FARRELL,  Director. 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


The  Junior  League  entertained  the 
Lower  School  on  May  16,  with  their 
dramatization  in  costume  of  the  fairy 
story,  "Princess  Tenderheart". 

Fifty  boys  participated  in  the  inter- 
cottage  track  meet  on  May  24.  Tomp- 
kins scored  18  points;  Eliot,  10;  Moul- 
ton.  8  and  Bridgman,  0. 


The  girls'  athletic  meets  for  the  year 
closed  with  the  following  results: 
Brooks,  155;  Fisher,  108;  May  112%  and 
Oliver.  93.  Twenty-five  girls  took  part 
in  the  swimming  meet  and  13  swam  200 
yards. 

The  girls'  chorus  presented  THE 
PIRATES  OF  PENZANCE  on  March 
26  and  28.  The  girls  gave  the  operetta 
and  the  boys  sold  the  tickets,  with  the 
Music  and  Dramatic  Departments  co- 
operating in  the  production. 


The  track  team  has  not  had  a  very 
successful  season.  It  came  out  at  the 
tail  end  of  the  triangular  meet  at  Hart- 
ford on  May  10,  with  Hartford,  Over- 
brook  and  Perkins  competing.  It  also 
suffered  defeat  at  the  hands  of  the 
New  York  Institute  on  May  17. 


A  broadcast  from  Station  WORL  was 
given  by  Perkins  pupils  on  Saturday 
morning,  June  7,  in  cooperation  with 
the  Watertown  Police.  This  was  part 
of  the  Ml  Safety  Program,  offered  each 
week  over  that  station.  The  Seventh 
Grade  wrote  a  play  especially  for  the 
occasion. 


Upper  School  girls  have  enjoyed  the 
privilege  of  attending  teas  at  Cam- 
bridge homes,  arranged  for  them  under 
the  direction  of  Mrs.  Arthur  Brooks,  of 
Cambridge.  Nearly  twenty  hospitable 
women  in  Cambridge  have  entertained 
the  girls  in  this  delightful  way.  With 
Miss  Marshall,  the  Home  Visitor,  the 
girls  went  in  groups  of  four  to  the  teas. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Charles  P.  Eaton,  Perkins  '30,  is 
chairman  of  the  Town  Planning  Board 
of  Watertown. 

Annie  Rose  Moses,  Perkins  '34,  a 
graduate  of  Hampton  Institute,  is  em- 
ployed as  a  home  teacher  of  the  blind 
in  New  Jersey,  under  a  WPA  Project. 


Dorothy  Ingersoll,  Perkins  '32,  enters 
the  employ  of  the  Edison  Co.  July  1. 
During  June  she  is  assisting  at  Perkins. 


Frank  Green,  Perkins  '34,  has  entered 
the  employ  of  the  Blind  Artisans  at 
South  Boston. 


Eva  Del  Padre,  Perkins  '40,  has  se- 
cured a  position  in  a  private  school  in 
Barrington.  Rhode  Island. 


Gerard  Desrosiers,  Perkins  '40,  has 
been  engaged  to  take  charge  of  the 
poultry  on  an  estate  in  Rhode  Island. 


Anthony  Pollino,  Perkins  '38,  has  se- 
cured the  right  of  placing  a  vending 
stand  in  the  Public  Works  Building  in 
Boston. 


Angelina  Correia,  Perkins  '39,  has 
been  engaged  by  Lewis  Shepard  Com- 
pany, Watertown,  as  an  Ediphone  oper- 
ator. 


Gideon  Tancrelle,  Perkins  '39,  is  em- 
ployed by  the  Rhode  Island  Association 
for  the  Blind  at  its  Providence  office. 


Graduate  students  completing  the 
Pianoforte  Tuning  Course  in  June  are: 
Don  Copple.  who  will  take  up  this 
work  in  Maine;  Clifford  Hall,  who  goes 
to  Vermont;  and  Clinton  Dyson  and 
Leo  Queenan.  who  will  work  in  Massa- 
chusetts. 


—  2 


ANNA  GARDNER  FISH 

A  Devoted  Servant  of  Perkins 

By  Gabriel  Farrell 

EVERY  ISSUE  OF  "THE  LAN- 
TERN" except  two,  since  it  ap- 
peared in  this  form,  has  carried 
on  this  page  an  article  by  Anna  Gard- 
ner Fish.  These  articles  have  told  of 
people  whose  names  have  been  writ- 
ten into  the  history  of  Perkins  Insti- 
tution. Of  those  about  whom  she 
wrote  few,  if  any,  have  served  the 
Institution  longer  and  none  has  been 
more  loyal  and  devoted  than  Miss 
Fish.  It  seems  appropriate,  there- 
fore, that  on  this  page  there  should 
be  a  tribute  to  Anna  Gardner  Fish, 
whose  life  closed  on  April  30.  Up  to 
a  few  days  before  her  death  Miss 

Fish  was  at  work  at  her  desk  and  had  she  lived  until  June  1,  she  would 
have  completed  forty-four  years  of  service  to  Perkins  Institution. 

During  these  forty-four  years  of  service  Miss  Fish's  life  merged 
intimately  with  the  life  of  the  Institution.  She  served  under  three 
directors  and  to  all  gave  a  full  measure  of  loyal  service  and  unstinted 
attention  to  the  smallest  detail  in  the  management  of  the  Institution. 
In  1897  Miss  Fish  came  to  Perkins,  then  at  South  Boston,  to  be  secre- 
tary to  Michael  Anagnos,  the  second  Director.  When  Dr.  Edward  E. 
Allen  became  Director,  she  continued  in  that  office  and  served  him 
faithfully  through  the  quarter  century  of  his  directorship.  In  1931 
she  became  Registrar  of  the  Institution  and  carried  on  the  duties  of 
that  office,  pertaining  to  the  official  documents  and  the  registration 
of  the  school,  until  a  few  days  before  her  death.  During  all  these 
years  Miss  Fish  came  to  know  the  details  of  management  thoroughly 
and  she  was  an  authority  on  all  matters  pertaining  to  Perkins'  his- 
tory, as  well  as  one  to  whom  anyone  could  turn  for  information  about 
the  many  boys  and  girls  that  she  had  seen  pass  through  the  school. 
Next  to  Perkins  Institution,  Miss  Fish's  loyalty  and  devotion 
centered  in  the  island  of  Nantucket,  where  she  was  born  seventy-two 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 
—  3  — 


DR.  ALLEN 


A  SCORE  OF  YEARS 

IN  1920  Dr.  Edward  E.  Allen,  then  Director  of 
Perkins  Institution,  felt  the  need  for  more  ade- 
quate provision  for  the  training  of  teachers  of 
the  blind.  After  consultation  with  Dr.  Henry  W. 
Holmes,  then  Dean  of  the  Graduate  School  of  Edu- 
cation of  Harvard  University,  and  Mr.  Charles  B. 
Hayes,  of  the  Massachusetts  Division  of  the  Blind, 
a  plan  was  worked  out  for  a  series  of  lectures  upon 
the  history  and  outlook  in  education  of  the  blind. 
These  lectures  were  given  by  several  leaders  in  the 
field  on  appointed  evenings  at  Lawrence  Hall,  Har- 
vard University,  and  attracted  a  number  of  those  already  in  the  work 
and  a  few  whose  interests  drew  them  towards  it.  So  successful  was 
this  preliminary  series  that  Dean  Holmes  invited  Dr.  Allen  to  take 
up  the  work  more  systematically,  becoming  a  duly  appointed  lecturer 
on  an  extension  half -course  to  occupy  the  first  semester  of  the  college 
year  on  the  education  of  the  blind  with  Harvard  Graduate  School 
of  Education  as  its  sponsor  and  Perkins  Institution  as  its  laboratory. 
In  February,  1925,  the  course  was  raised  from  the  status  of  an 
extension  course  to  that  of  a  regular  half-course  with  credit  counting 
toward  the  degree  of  Master  of  Education  to  duly  accredited  college 
graduates.  In  that  same  year  the  course  was  supplemented  by  a 
second  half-course  on  "special  methods"  of  teaching  the  blind.  Since 
then  this  second  course  has  occupied  the  second  half  of  the  school 
year.  For  the  first  eleven  years  it  was  conducted  by  Miss  Jessica 
L.  Langworthy,  Ed.  M.,  an  experienced  teacher  of  the  blind,  and,  later, 
by  Miss  Genevieve  M.  Haven,  Ed.  M.,  also  a  well-versed  instructor 
of  blind  youth.  This  supplementary  course  also  counts  towards  the 
degree  of  Ed.  M.  under  certain  restrictions  and  conditions. 


COURSE  AT  HARVARD 

DURING  the  past  twenty  years  the  Harvard 
Course  has  centered  more  and  more  at 
Perkins.  There  has  been  a  growing  desire  on 
the  part  of  students  attending  the  course  to  have 
opportunity  to  avail  themselves  of  the  instruction 
given  at  Harvard.  To  meet  this  demand,  a  new  plan 
for  the  future  training  program  has  been  arranged 
to  go  into  effect  in  September. 
—  4  — 


DR.  HOLMES 


The  teacher  in  training  program  for  next  year  will  consist  of 
four  units  of  work,  two  each  half-year  as  follows: 

1.  The  first  half-year — 

a.  A  three-hour  course  on  the  educacion  of  the  blind  to  be  given  at 
Perkins.  This  will  consist  of  three  periods  a  week,  two  for  lectures 
and  one  for  conference. 

b.  A  required  number  of  hours  of  observation  and  practice  teaching 
under  the  direction  of  the  various  departments  at  Perkins  with  visits 
to  related  organizations. 

2.  The  second  half-year — 

a.  A  course  selected  from  those  offered  by  the  Graduate  School  of  Edu- 
cation at  Harvard  and  approved  by  the  Dean  of  the  Graduate  School 
of  Education  and  the  Director  of  Perkins.  This  will  be  taken  at 
Cambridge  and  may  be  in  general  principles  of  education,  a  course  on 
methods,  or  one  on  content,  as  the  need  may  be. 

b.  Continuation  of  the  observation  and  practice  teaching,  described 
above. 


THE  TWENTIETH  CLASS 

THE  PRESENT  GROUP,  which  represents  the  twentieth  class 
of  the  Harvard  Course,  is  made  up  of  twelve  members,  coming 
from  five  states,  Cuba  and  the  Philippine  Islands,  and  repre- 
senting ten  colleges.    While  this  class  is  smaller  than  the  average  of 
recent  years,  it  has  been  an  excellent  group,  which  is  attested  by  the 
fact  that  nearly  all  have  positions  assured  for  the  coming  year. 

—  5  — 


GRADUATION,  JUNE  20 

GRADUATION  takes  place  on  Friday,  June  20.  The  Lower  School 
will  hold  its  promotion  exercises  on  that  morning  at  9.00  o'clock 
and  those  who  are  to  be  advanced  to  the  Upper  School  will 
receive  recognition  of  their  achievement  in  the  Lower  School  at  that 
time.  The  Upper  School  graduation  will  be  held  in  Dwight  Hall  at 
2:00  o'clock.  The  Commencement  address  this  year  will  be  given  by 
the  Rev.  Vivian  T.  Pomeroy,  D.  D.,  Minister  of  the  Unitarian  Church 
in  Milton,  and  the  Invocation  will  be  by  the  Rev.  Thomas  J.  Carroll, 
of  the  Catholic  Guild  for  the  Blind.  The  diplomas  for  the  seventeen 
graduates  and  the  certificates  for  the  special  students  will  be  awarded 
by  Mr.  Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President  of  the  Corporation. 

SPECIAL  EDUCATION  CONFERENCE 

THE  DEPARTMENT  of  Special  Education  of  the  National  Edu- 
cation Association  is  to  hold  sectional  conferences  at  Perkins 
Institution  on  Tuesday,  July  1.  The  N.  E.  A.  is  holding  its 
annual  meeting  in  Boston  and  it  seemed  appropriate  for  those  inter- 
ested in  special  education  to  come  to  Perkins  for  the  day  and  arrange- 
ments have  been  made  for  an  interesting  program.  Luncheon  is  to  be 
served  at  noon,  after  which  there  will  be  a  general  assembly  in  Dwight 
Hall.  At  2.00  o'clock  section  meetings  will  be  held  for  those  inter- 
ested in  the  mentally  retarded,  the  physically  handicapped,  the  blind 
and  sight-saving,  the  deaf  and  hard-of-hearing,  behavior  problems, 
remedial  reading,  speech  problems,  and  gifted  children. 

A  GOOD  COUNTRY 

THROUGH  THE  Howe  Memorial  Club  prizes  were  offered  to 
members  of  the  Senior  High  School  for  the  best  essays  on  the 
subject:  "Why  the  United  States  is  a  Good  Country  in  Which 
to  Live".  Consideration  was  given  to  content,  typing,  and  general 
composition.  Thirty-one  papers  were  submitted  and  at  the  chapel 
exercises  on  Thursday,  May  29,  prizes  were  awarded  as  follows:  1. 
Francis  Fournier,  2.  Elaine  Drake,  3.  Alden  Allen. 

WHAT'S  IN  A  NAME? 

A    KINDERGARTEN    child    recently    said    proudly    that    her 
mother's  name  was  the  same  as  that  of  the  Founder  of  the 
Kindergarten,  Mr.  Anagnos,  only  the  "An"  was  left  off.    Her 
name  was  Agnes.    (From  Miss  Fish's  files) 

—  6  — 


SENIOR  PLANS 


Mary  Andrews  has  taken  a  position 
with  the  Blind  Artisans  at  the  South 
Boston  Shop. 


Americo  Autuori  has  begun  his  career 
as  an  orchestra  leader.  His  orchestra 
is  to  play  at  the  Senior  Boys'  Recep- 
tion. 


Clarence  Briggs  returns  to  Vermont 
where  he  plans  to  make  articles  de- 
signed by  the  Blind  Artisans  to  be  sold 
through  a  nearby  tearoom. 


Joseph  Correia  plans  to  enter  his 
father's  grocery  business  and  will  also 
raise  poultry. 


Francis  Fournier  has  secured  a  posi- 
tion as  an  Ediphone  operator  in  the 
Cooperative  Workshop,  Boston. 


Stanton  Hunt  has  been  engaged  at 
the  Middlesex  Tuberculosis  Sanitorium 
to  work  in  the  domestic  department. 


Alice  Miller  has  returned  to  Rhode 
Island,  where  she  has  accepted  a  posi- 
tion in  the  home  of  the  State  Treasurer 
of  Rhode  Island. 


Joseph  Roberge  has  completed  plans 
to  start  a  poultry  business  with  his 
brother. 


Returning  for  post-graduate  study 
are:  Alden  Allen  for  poultry,  Carl  King 
in  music,  Irving  MacShawson  in  college 
preparatory,  Margaret  Golden  for  Edi- 
phone work,  Mildred  Lovejoy  and  Mar- 
tha Gurry  for  manual  training. 


Two  members  of  the  Deaf -Blind  De- 
partment are  graduating:  Earl  Martin, 
who  will  return  to  his  home  in  Vermont 
and  William  Zarr,  who  lives  in  Massa- 
chusetts. During  the  year  William  has 
built  a  row-boat  which  he  will  take 
home  with  him. 


COLLEGE  NOTES 


Ruth  R.  Hayden,  Perkins  13,  received 
the  degree  of  M.  A.  from  Boston  Uni- 
versity June  8. 


Betty  L.  Nye,  a  former  student,  was 
graduated  June  9,  from  the  Wheelock 
School  for  kindergarten  and  primary 
teachers. 


Marion  Foley,  Perkins  '39,  has  com- 
pleted her  work  at  the  Leslie  Kinder- 
garten School  in  Cambridge  this  June. 


Adelaide  Feleciano,  Perkins  '40,  who 
entered  Leslie  Kindergarten  School  this 
year,  is  doing  honor  work  with  an 
average  of  91%  in  all  subjects. 


John  Morrison,  who  entered  Notre 
Dame  University  last  September,  has 
been  elected  President  of  the  Fresh- 
man Class,  which  has  a  membership  of 
one  thousand. 


James  Delaney,  a  Freshman  at  Holy 
Cross  College,  has  won  scholarship 
honors  and  has  made  the  Dean's  list, 
which  is  attained  by  about  only  15% 
of  the  pupils. 


Richard  Hull,  formerly  a  student  at 
Perkins,  was  graduated  from  Clark 
University  this  June,  where  he  special- 
ized in  political  science.  Last  fall  he 
was  a  candidate  for  the  Legislature 
from  his  home  district,  Rockland. 


Louis  H.  Rives,  Jr.,  a  former  pupil, 
who  completed  his  preparatory  work  in 
the  public  schools  of  Norfolk,  Virginia, 
recently  visited  Perkins  while  in  Boston 
as  a  member  of  the  Debating  Team  of 
William  and  Mary  College,  Virginia, 
which  was  debating  Boston  College. 
Rives  was  graduated  from  William  and 
Mary  this  June  and  was  on  the  honor 
roll. 


—  7  — 


ANNA  GARDNER  FISH 

•  Continued  from  Page  3) 

years  ago  and  where  she  was  buried  on  the  Saturday  following  her 
decease.  Miss  Fish  traced  her  descent  to  the  early  settlers  of  Nan- 
tucket and  throughout  her  life  she  went  there  every  summer.  During 
the  past  winter  she  was  at  her  home  in  Nantucket  for  three  months 
and  had  planned  to  live  there  upon  her  retirement.  Her  dual  interest 
in  Nantucket  and  Perkins  was  carried  over  into  the  disposition  of  her 
estate.  After  leaving  definite  bequests  to  a  large  number  of  friends, 
including  several  on  the  staff  of  Perkins,  she  bequeathed  the  residue 
to  be  divided  equally  between  the  Nantucket  Cottage  Hospital  and 
the  Perkins  Institution. 

Miss  Fish  was  especially  interested  in  the  deaf-blind  pupils  of 
Perkins  and  her  retentive  memory  brought  to  light  many  interesting 
stories  regarding  their  success.  At  the  time  of  the  centennial  of  the 
admission  of  Laura  Bridgman,  the  first  deaf-blind  mute  ever  to  be 
taught  the  use  of  language,  Miss  Fish  published  a  book,  entitled  "Per- 
kins Institution  and  Its  Deaf-Blind  Pupils",  which  covered  the  story 
of  the  education  of  the  doubly-handicapped  at  Perkins  during  the 
previous  century.  At  the  time  of  the  semi-centennial  of  the  founding 
of  the  Kindergarten,  Miss  Fish  told  in  booklet  form  of  the  life  of 
Michael  Anagnos,  its  founder,  and  related  many  incidents  which  led 
to  the  establishment  of  what  is  now  the  Lower  School.  In  nearly 
every  issue  of  THE  LANTERN  there  was  some  part,  in  addition  to 
her  signed  article,  which  came  from  her  vast  knowledge  of  Perkins 
and  her  appreciation  of  the  present  program  of  activity. 

Many  friends  of  Miss  Fish,  particularly  former  students,  wrote 
in  regard  to  what  she  had  meant  in  their  lives.  Perhaps  the  fol- 
lowing statement,  written  by  one  of  the  older  men  graduates,  ex- 
presses the  feeling  that  many  held  for  Anna  Gardner  Fish : 

"I  remember  very  well  when  Miss  Fish  came  to  Perkins  a  modest  young- 
secretary.  The  spirit  of  Perkins  soon  enveloped  her,  as  it  does  most  every 
person  connected  with  the  school,  and  it  was  not  long  before  she  was  one 
of  the  joys  to  which  the  old  graduates  looked  forward  when  returning  to 
their  Alma  Mater.  I  feel  that  in  the  death  of  Miss  Fish  I,  personally,  have 
lost  a  dear  friend.  The  articles  which  Miss  Fish  contributed  to  THE 
LANTERN  on  historical  facts  connected  with  Perkins  and  many  of  its 
former  co-workers  were  most  enjoyable  and  will  be  greatly  missed." 


The  Lantern 


THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  XI.  NO.  1  SEPTEMBER  15.  194  1 


A  Decisive  Decade 

FOR  TEN  YEARS  THE  LANTERN  has  endeavored  to  send  out 
rays  of  light  to  the  blind  and  to  those  interested  in  the  visually 
handicapped.  Perhaps  during  no  decade  since  the  first  in  Per- 
kins' history  have  so  many  changes  taken  place.  Within  Perkins 
have  been  those  to  be  expected  normally  from  a  new  administration. 
Outside  in  the  larger  world  of  the  blind  there  have  been  decisive 
changes  which  will  mark  this  as  a  period  of  tremendous  transition. 

Never  in  the  history  of  this  special  field  has  so  much  money  been 
available.  Generous  provision  for  financial  aid  for  the  blind  through 
the  Social  Security  Board,  augmented  dollar  for  dollar  by  state  funds, 
has  enabled  programs  for  the  blind  to  develop  and  to  expand.  WPA 
has  contributed  its  quota  directly  through  employment  of  the  blind, 
or  indirectly  through  products  such  as  braille,  maps,  models  and  in 
many  cases  buildings  for  school  purposes.  Funds  for  reading  matter 
have  increased  and  largely  because  of  this  a  new  reading  medium,  the 
Talking  Book,  has  become  almost  of  greater  importance  than  braille. 

While  we  are  thankful  for  this  generous  provision  for  the  blind 
we  must  not  forget  that  money  can  never  be  the  sole  solution  of  their 
problem.  We  still  adhere,  after  ten  years,  to  the  principle  set  forth 
in  the  first  issue  of  THE  LANTERN,  that  our  aim  must  be  to  prepare 
our  pupils  for  poised  and  purposeful  living.  To  train  our  young 
people  to  be  able  to  meet  life  adequately,  to  acquire  skills  that  com- 
mand respect  and  provide  employment  and  to  have  a  zeal  to  be  con- 
tributors rather  than  recipients  must  always  be  objectives  for  those 
who  really  want  to  enable  the  blind  to  fill  the  place  in  life  that  is  their 
aspiration. 


^aJhusf  7?L>iA^<f 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown,  Massachusetts 
Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President.  GABRIEL  FARRELL,  Director. 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Six  Perkins'  boys  attended  Camp 
Massapoag  as  the  guests  of  the  Boston 
Committee  for  the  Blind. 


Many  Perkins'  girls  enjoyed  a  vaca- 
tion at  Camp  Allen  this  summer,  where 
Miss  Jane  Murdock,  teacher  in  the 
Commercial  Department,  was  in  charge. 


Virginia  Cole  returns  to  the  Manual 
Training  Department  of  the  Upper 
School  after  a  year  of  special  study  in 
weaving. 


Armand  Michaud,  Perkins  '29,  Boston 
University  '35,  was  awarded  the  Degree 
of  Master  of  Arts  at  the  close  of  the 
summer  session  of  Boston  University. 


Maureen  Nilsson,  teacher  in  the 
Deaf-Blind  Department,  was  awarded 
the  Degree  of  Master  of  Arts  at  the 
Colorado  State  Teachers  College  in 
Greeley,  Colorado. 


Miss  Thelma  E.  Peirce,  Physiothera- 
pist, and  Miss  Harriet  A.  Ellis,  Adviser 
in  the  Lower  School,  were  the  most  ex- 
tensive travelers  this  summer.  Accord- 
ing to  reports,  they  went  "to  Mexico 
by  way  of  Alaska". 


Congratulations  to  Jean  Dodds,  who 
became  Mrs.  Alfred  Taylor;  Helen 
Louise  Nass,  who  has  married  Mr.  Ken- 
neth Henderson;  Marion  L.  Damren, 
who  became  the  bride  of  Mr.  Richard 
Hibbard  and  Harry  Burke,  who  was 
married  to  Miss  Joan  R.  Spire. 


With  deep  regret  we  announce  the 
death  of  Miss  Sadie  Turner  on  August 
12,  after  an  illness  which  began  early 
in  the  spring.  For  twenty-five  years 
Miss  Turner  has  been  a  devoted,  faith- 
ful teacher  in  the  Kindergarten  and 
she  will  be  greatly  missed.  On  July  7 
Robert  Hopkins,  pupil  in  the  Lower 
School,  died  at  the  Massachusetts  Gen- 
eral  Hospital. 


NEW  STAFF  MEMBERS 


Sara  E.  Blodgett,  Mount  Holyoke 
'40,  Harvard  Class  '41,  psychometrist 
and  secretary  of  the  Department  of 
Personnel. 


Axel  Borg,  Perkins  '40,  teacher  in  the 
Boys'  Manual  Training  Department  in 
the  Upper  School  and  master  of  Eliot 
Cottage. 


Almira    J.    Clark,    graduate    of    the 
Cambridge  Hospital,  resident  nurse. 


Alice  Cornelison,  Vassar  '40,  Harvard 
Class  '41,  teacher  of  mathematics  in 
the  Upper  School. 


Guido  Marchisio,  Perkins  '33,  Boston 
University  '37,  member  of  the  Harvard 
Class  for  this  year,  master  of  Moulton 
Cottage. 


Frances  L.  Martin,  graduate  of 
Framingham  Teachers  College,  teacher 
of  home  economics  in  the  Upper  6chool. 


Leroy  McLaughlin,  Perkins  '36,  master 
of  Bridgman  Cottage. 


Betty  Nye,  a  special  student  at  Per- 
kins in  '38,  Wheelock  School  '41,  teach- 
er in  the  Lower  School. 


Dorothy  Rodgers,  Sargent  School  of 
Physical  Education  '39,  Harvard  Class 
'40,  physical  director  for  girls  in  Upper 
School. 


Lawrence  Thompson,  Perkins  '34, 
Harvard  '38.  Harvard  Class  '41,  teacher 
of  social  studies  in  the  Upper  School. 


Mrs.  L.  S.  Bartram  of  Cambridge, 
matron  of  Bradlee  Cottage  for  one  year, 
during  absence  of  Miss  Goodwin. 

Mrs.  Marcia  F.  Batchelder,  of  Haver- 
hill, matron  of  Brooks  Cottage,  suc- 
ceeding Mrs.  Minnie  D.  Hutton,  who 
retired  after  twelve  years  of  service. 


AN  AMERICAN  CREDO 

Why  I  Would  Rather  Live  in  the  United  States  than  in  a 
Country  Controlled  by  a  Dictator 

By  Francis  Fournier,  '41 

This  paper  won  first  prize  in  a  contest  held  last  spring  for  members  of  the  senior  high 
school.  The  writer  completed  his  work  at  Perkins  in  June  and  is  now  employed  as  an 
Ediphone   operator   at    the   Co-operative    Workshop    in   Boston. — Editor. 

DO  I  prefer  to  live  in  the  United  States  because  here  I  have 
freedom  of  speech  and  freedom  of  the  press?  Is  it  because  I 
can  choose  and  faithfully  follow  a  religion,  unmolested?  Are 
my  emotions  aroused  by  the  fair  trials  to  which  all  are  entitled?  Or 
is  it  that  I  have  the  privilege  to  vote  and  actively  take  part  in  my 
country's  government  that  makes  my  choice  America?  Certainly 
no  one  of  these  reasons  is  responsible  for  my  preference,  but  every 
one  of  them  and  more  besides. 

The  American  flag  waving  on  the  pole  in  front  of  our  school 
building  is  not  reverenced  merely  through  demand,  but  through  sin- 
cere appreciation  of  that  for  which  it  stands.  To  me,  those  colors 
stand  for  happiness.  Of  course,  many  people  living  within  the  bounds 
of  this  great  nation  are  not  happy.  But  that  flag  which  so  gently 
waves  before  me,  I  know,  stands  for  a  stronger  pursuit  of  happiness 
to  all  than  that  of  any  other  land. 

America,  you  are  my  foremost  choice  because  here  I  can  live. 
Whether  I  am  Irish,  Italian,  Greek,  German,  French,  or  whatnot — 
Whether  I  am  in  the  upper  register  of  society  or  toiling  for  subsistence 
in  a  factory — I  know  I  can  live  compatibly  and  work  side  by  side 
with  my  fellow  men.  You  offer  me  a  land  free  from  persecution  and 
full  of  opportunity.  You  are  emphatically  progressive,  but  not  mali- 
ciously aggressive.     Your  spirit  is  unsurpassed. 

You,  the  United  States,  do  not  claim  to  be  faultless,  nor  do  you 
have  all  ups  and  no  downs.  Problems  exist  here,  difficult  ones,  but 
you  are  great  enough  to  cope  with  them.  Ever  since  you  saved  your- 
self from  division  more  than  seventy-five  years  ago,  you  have  grown 
stronger  and  better  in  every  way.  And  until  some  nation  comes  to 
offer  greater  opportunities — a  chance  really  to  live — I,  along  with 
millions  of  others,  thank  God  for  the  privilege  of  living  within  your 
borders. 

—  3  — 


THE  ONE  HUNDRED  AND  ELEVENTH  YEAR 

PERKINS  opens  for  the  one  hundred  and  eleventh  year  a  week 
later  than  usual,  in  that  the  staff  reconvenes  two  weeks  after 

Labor  Day,  rather  than  one  week  after  that  holiday.  On  Monday 
evening,  September  15,  the  Director  meets  with  the  staff  and  lays 
before  them  plans  for  the  coming  year.  At  that  meeting  twelve  new 
staff  members  will  be  introduced.  (See  list  on  page  2.)  On  the 
following  day  the  pupils  return  and  on  Wednesday  classes  begin. 

Three  members  of  the  staff  have  been  granted  leaves  of  absence 
for  the  coming  school  year.  Mr.  E.  J.  Waterhouse,  for  eight  years 
teacher  of  mathematics  in  the  Upper  School  and  first  director  of  the 
W  P  A  Model  Project,  enters  Government  service  in  October  as  in- 
spector of  defense  machinery  after  taking,  during  this  past  summer, 
an  intensive  course  at  M.  I.  T.  Mr.  Paul  L.  Neal,  for  sixteen  years 
master  of  Moulton  Cottage  and  teacher  of  social  sciences  in  the  Upper 
School,  has  undertaken  a  special  piece  of  work  for  the  Commonwealth 
in  the  Department  of  Child  Guardianship.  Miss  Ethel  M.  Goodwin, 
for  eighteen  years  a  matron  in  Bradlee  Cottage,  is  to  live  at  home 
because  of  the  serious  illness  of  her  mother. 


A  VISITING  TEACHER 

INSTRUCTION  is  to  be  given  this  year  to  about  a  dozen  blind  boys 
and  girls  who  have  been  unable  to  attend  Perkins  because  of  physi- 
cal handicaps  other  than  blindness.  For  some  time  there  has  been 
concern  over  these  children  who  are  not  receiving  the  education  to 
which  they  are  entitled.  There  seemed  to  be  no  way  to  make  special 
accommodations  for  them  at  Perkins,  because  their  crippled  condition 
made  it  impossible  for  them  to  get  about  our  buildings  and  grounds 
and  their  presence  here  would  restrict  the  freedom  of  movement, 
which  we  encourage  in  our  pupils. 

A  solution  to  this 
problem  has  come 
through  the  engaging 
of  a  special  teacher 
who  will  visit  in  the 
homes  regularly, 
giving  the  necessary 
instruction.  This  has 
been  instituted  for  a 
year's  trial.  Miss 
Josephine    L.    Taylor, 

SOME  GO  TO  SCHOOL 


for  five  years  a  teacher  in  the  Lower  School,  has  been  assigned  as  the 
teacher  for  the  coming  year.  Miss  Taylor  brings  to  this  work  a  wide 
knowledge  of  our  instructional  methods  and  the  program  of  Perkins, 
as  well  as  experience  as  a  visiting  teacher  for  the  Arthur  Sunshine 
Home,  a  nursery  for  blind  babies  in  New  Jersey,  where  she  was  en- 
gaged before  coming  to  Perkins. 

SUMMER  IMPROVEMENTS 

THE  PERKINS'  tower,  a  landmark  of  the  Charles  River  Valley, 
and  widely  known  through  its  frequent  reproduction  on  Perkins 
literature,  has  undergone  considerable  repair  this  summer.  The 
stones  on  the  top  of  the  tower  had  become  loose  and  all  of  them  had 
to  be  re-set  and  a  great  deal  of  repointing  done  in  the  masonry  of  the 
tower.  This  will  make  it  secure  for  many  years  to  come  so  that  it 
may  continue  to  bear  aloft  the  lantern,  which,  in  architectural  sym- 
bolism indicates  that  the  surrounding  buildings  are  educational  rather 
than  ecclesiastical. 

Likewise,  the  great  chimney  of  the  power  plant,  which,  in  itself, 
is  something  of  a  tower,  was  the  object  of  considerable  work,  as  it 
had  to  be  entirely  repointed  and  the  top  layers  of  capping  stone  re- 
placed. Provided  sufficient  coal  is  obtainable  this  year,  the  recon- 
structed chimney  will  assure  us  of  warmth  during  the  winter  months. 

THE  DISTRIBUTING  LIBRARY 

PERKINS  Institution  is  one  of  the  twenty-two  distributing  libra- 
ries which  provide  reading  matter  for  the  adult  blind.  A  recent 
report  shows  that,  counting  music,  the  Perkins  library  has  the 
largest  number  of  books  in  stock,  but  without  music  it  is  exceeded 
by  three  other  libraries.  In  the  number  of  readers  the  Perkins  library 
stands  sixth  and  it  also  has  that  rating  in  the  circulation  of  books. 
New  York  City  Library  has  the  most  readers,  whereas  the  St.  Louis 
Library  circulates  the 
most  books.  The  Per- 
kins Library  contains 
32,231  embossed  books 
and  3,006  talking 
books  and  lists  1,624 
readers  with  an  an- 
nual circulation  of  32,-  m::  ,ag|.a  f^SEjgJ  ^P^sf%  -*• 
906  volumes,  half  em- 
bossed and  half  re- 
corded. 


SOME  GO  TO  WORK 


THE  CENTENARY  OF  LOUIS  BRAILLE 

SOUTH  American  countries  seem  to  have  been  more  alert  in  giving 
recognition  to  the  centenary  of  Louis  Braille.  In  Argentina  the 
authorities  interested  in  the  blind  formed  a  committee  to  pay 
tribute  to  Louis  Braille  and  to  commemorate  his  great  contribution 
to  the  well-being  of  the  blind.  In  publications  which  were  received 
at  Perkins  there  were  many  accounts  of  the  life  of  Braille  and  an 
interesting  picture  of  him  was  widely  distributed.  A  two  and  one- 
half  cent  stamp,  bearing  the  reproduction  of  the  picture  of  Louis 
Braille,  carried  this  tribute  to  all  parts  of  the  world.  All  interested 
in  the  blind  do  well  to  pay  tribute  to  this  Frenchman,  who,  after 
losing  his  own  sight,  adapted  a  more  complicated  dot  system  to  the 
simpler  system  based  on  six  dots,  which  is  now  universally  used  by 
finger  readers. 

SPECIAL  EDUCATION  CONFERENCE 

PERKINS  was  host  on  Tuesday,  July  1,  to  the  Department  of  Spe- 
cial Education  of  the  National  Educational  Association,  which 
was  holding  its  annual  convention  in  Boston.  Extensive  exhibits 
of  work  done  by  the  several  groups  of  special  classes  were  set  up  in 
the  buildings  and  many  visitors  came  out  during  the  week  of  the 
convention.  On  the  day  of  the  meeting  luncheon  was  served  in  the 
museum  and  eight  sectional  conferences  were  held  for  the  various 
groups.  Over  five  hundred  people  were  present  at  the  conferences  and 
all  enjoyed  the  hospitality  offered  by  Perkins. 

SCHOLARSHIP  PUPILS 

FOUR  young  people  from  different  parts  of  the  country  will  attend 
Perkins  this  year  on  scholarships  which  are  offered  to  outstand- 
ing graduates  of  schools  for  the  blind  each  year.  Many  applica- 
tions were  received  this  year  and,  after  careful  consideration,  the 
following  were  selected:  Charles  Nedick,  Jr.,  Columbus,  Ohio;  Irving 
Smith,  Wenatchee,  Washington;  Beulah  Holly,  Lakeland,  Florida,  and 
Mary  Palmer,  Custer,  South  Dakota. 

FOURSCORE  YEARS 

MANY  friends  of  Dr.  Edward  E.  Allen,  Director  Emeritus  of 
Perkins,  sent  greetings  to  him  on  the  occasion  of  his  eightieth 
birthday,  August  1,  and  congratulations  to  Dr.  and  Mrs. 
Allen  on  their  fiftieth  wedding  anniversary,  July  9.    THE  LANTERN 
is  glad  to  add  its  felicitations! 

—  6  — 


PUBLICATIONS 


CONTRIBUTIONS    TO   A   PSYCHOLOGY 

OF   BLINDNESS 

By   Samuel   P.   Hayes.   Ph.   D.,   American 

Foundation  for  the  Blind,  Inc.,  New  York 

Since  his  retirement  as  Professor  of 
Psychology  at  Mount  Holyoke  College 
a  year  ago,  Dr.  Hayes  has  been  able  to 
give  full  time  to  his  studies  in  the 
psychology  of  blindness.  Being  in  resi- 
dence at  Perkins  Institution,  he  has 
had  the  resources  of  the  Perkins'  li- 
brary and,  also,  opportunity  to  work 
directly  with  blind  children. 

Part  I  of  the  book  presents  chapters 
of  a  more  comprehensive  study  of  the 
psychology  of  blindness  which  will  be 
completed  for  publication  sometime  in 
the  future.  In  Part  II  he  makes  acces- 
sible to  teachers  a  great  deal  of  mate- 
rial in  regard  to  the  administering, 
scoring,  and  interpreting  of  psychologi- 
cal tests.  A  valuable  part  of  the  volume 
is  the  Appendix,  which  contains  two 
complete  bibliographies  of  test  litera- 
ture upon  the  blind,  one  list  upon 
achievement  tests  and  the  other  upon 
intelligence  tests. 

WHAT    OF    THE    BLIND? 

A    Survey    of    the    Development    and    Scope    of 

Present  Day  Work  with  the  Blind.     Edited 

by   Helga   Lende,  American  Foundation 

for  the  Blind,  Inc.,  New  York 

A  few  years  ago  the  American  Foun- 
dation published  a  book,  entitled  WHAT 
OF  THE  BLIND.  This  met  with  such 
a  wide  acceptance  that  a  second  vol- 
ume covering  problems  of  a  more  speci- 
fic nature  and  dealing  with  subjects 
not  elaborated  upon  in  Volume  1  has 
been  compiled. 

Readers  of  THE  LANTERN  may 
be  interested  to  know  that  of  the 
seventeen  chapters  three  are  by  mem- 
bers of  the  Perkins'  staff  and  one  by  a 
graduate  of  Perkins.  These  chapters 
are:  "Mental  Measurements  of  the 
Blind"  by  Dr.  Samuel  P.  Hayes;  "Spe- 
cial Groups  Among  the  Blind"  by  Jes- 
sie W.  Mayshark;  "The  Blind  of  Lim- 
ited Employability"  by  Peter  J.  Salmon, 
Perkins  '14  and  "The  Education  of  the 
Deaf-Blind"  by  Dr.  Gabriel  Farrell. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Frank  Swett,  Perkins  '39,  has  ac- 
cepted a  position  in  defense  work  in 
Meridan,  Connecticut. 


Douglass  Barker,  Perkins  '40,  has  ac- 
cepted a  position  at  the  State  Hospital 
in  Pondville,  Massachusetts. 


Alfred  Reinert,  Perkins  '30,  assumed 
his  duties  on  September  1,  as  head  of 
the  New  Hampshire  broom  shop  in 
Concord,  New  Hampshire. 


Carl  Ireland,  Perkins  '38,  has  left  em- 
ployment at  the  Workshop  to  take  a 
position  with  Mr.  Gibson  on  his  poul- 
try project  in  Reading. 


William  Johnson,  Perkins  '36  and  a 
graduate  of  Gettysburg  College,  played 
the  leading  part  in  the  Seeing  Eye  film, 
which  is  being  produced  in  theatres 
throughout  the  country. 


Meeting  in  Indianapolis,  in  July,  the 
American  Association  of  Workers  for 
the  Blind  elected  as  President  for  the 
next  biennial  Peter  J.  Salmon,  Perkins 
'14,  Assistant  Director  of  the  Industrial 
Home  for  the  Blind,  Brooklyn,  New 
York,  and  re-elected  as  Treasurer, 
Francis  B.  Ierardi,  Perkins  '08,  Director 
of  the  National  Braille  Press. 


William  Endicott,  member  of  the 
Perkins  Corporation  for  over  fifty  years, 
died  in  Beverly,  August  25.  As  a  young 
man  he  was  elected  a  trustee  in  1888 
and  held  that  office  until  1934.  From 
1904  to  1916  he  acted  as  treasurer. 
During  all  these  years  Mr.  Endicott 
was  a  devoted  and  loyal  friend  of  the 
Institution  and  although  he  held  many 
other  public  and  banking  affiliations 
his  interest  in  the  blind  and  in  Per- 
kins never  wavered.  During  World  War 
I  he  was  head  of  the  American  Red 
Cross  for  Great  Britain. 


7  — 


COUNCIL  OF  ORGANIZATIONS 

THE  Massachusetts  Council  of  Organizations  for  the  Blind  is  to 
hold  its  first  open  meeting  at  Perkins  on  Saturday  afternoon, 
September  27.  The  Council,  formed  a  year  ago,  is  made  up  of 
two  representatives  of  each  organization  for  the  blind  in  the  state, 
but  to  this  meeting  any  member  of  organizations,  or  in  fact,  any 
persons  interested  in  the  blind  may  attend.  Following  the  assembly 
in  Dwight  Hall  at  2:15  there  will  be  an  address  by  Mrs.  Sidney  E. 
Pollack,  Administrative  Director  of  the  New  York  Guild  for  the 
Jewish  Blind  and  formerly  president  of  the  New  York  Council  of 
Agencies  for  the  Blind. 

At  three-fifteen  there  will  be  Round  Table  Conferences  lead  by 
the  chairmen  of  the  following  committees : 

1.  Social  and  Recreation  Activities,  Mrs.  Etta  P.  McPhee ; 

2.  Industrial  Problems  and  Employment,  Mr.  Frank  C.  Bryan ; 

3.  Prevention  of  Blindness,  Dr.  Gabriel  Farrell. 

After  the  round  tables  brief  reports  on  the  conference  will  be  pre- 
sented to  the  whole  group  followed  by  refreshments  and  a  tour  of 
Perkins. 

THE  A.  A.  I.  B.  CONVENTION 

THE  American  Association  of  Instructors  of  the  Blind  has  ac- 
cepted the  invitation  extended  by  Perkins  to  hold  its  biennial 
convention  here  on  June  21-26,  1942.     It  is  twenty-four  years 
since  the  convention  was  held  at  Perkins  and  it  is  not  too  soon  to 
make  plans  so  that  those  who  attend  will  have   a  profitable   and 
pleasant  time. 


St.  Dunstan's, 

Inner  Circle,  Regent's  Park, 
London,   N.  W.   1 
Prom  The  Chairman's  Office  22nd  July,  1941. 

Dear  Mr.  Bryan, 

Thank  you  for  your  letter  of  17th  June  and  please  thank  Dr.  Farrell 
very  much  indeed  for  the  generous  gift  of  two  lots  of  slates.  I  am  glad  to 
tell  you  that  the  first  consignment  have  been  received  in  perfect  condition, 
and  I  much  hope  the  second  lot  will  come  shortly  as  you  can  be  sure  we 
shall  make  good  use  of  them. 

I  greatly  appreciate  your  generosity  in  making  this  contribution  towards 
our  work  for  the  young  people  who  have  been  and  are  being  blinded  in  this 
war.  It  is  only  another  sign  of  the  universality  of  American  good-will 
towards  our  cause. 

Yours  sincerely, 
Frank  C.  Bryan,  Esq.,  IAN  FRASER 

Manager — Howe  Memorial  Press, 

Perkins  Institution  &  Massachusetts  School  for  the  Blind, 
594,  East  Fourth  Street,  S.  Boston. 


I 


/ 


i  at 


m 


The  Lantern  1/ 


THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  XI.  NO.  2  DECEMBER  15.  194  1 

®Iji>  IGtgtjt  nf  ®1jp  Warlb 

CHRISTMAS  is  an  appropriate  time  to  unveil  a  window  fea- 
turing "The  Light  of  the  World."  At  this  season  that  Light 
beams  brightly  from  the  Halo  of  the  Little  Child  of  Bethlehem. 
Certainly  there  is  need  of  light,  not  only  among  the  blind,  but  among 
all  men.  May  it  be  as  the  prophet  of  old  wrote:  "The  people  that 
walked  in  darkness  have  seen  a  Great  Light;  they  that  dwell  in  the 
land  of  the  shadow  of  death,  upon  them  hath  the  Light  shined." 

Probably  in  no  generation  has  the  science  of  physical  light  made 
more  advance  than  in  our  own.  The  many  lamps  in  our  homes,  the 
careful  attention  given  to  lighting  in  schools,  the  illumination  of 
highways,  to  say  nothing  of  the  flaming  signs  of  advertising,  have 
made  light  a  modern  miracle. 

What  does  all  this  mean  to  the  blind?  In  1881,  Edward  Everett 
Hale,  while  pleading  for  funds  for  the  Howe  Press,  said  that  the 
blind  were  subject  to  the  same  taxes  as  the  seeing  and  asked:  "How 
does  a  blind  taxpayer  feel,  I  wonder,  when  he  is  told  of  these  long 
ribbons  of  light — like  a  cobweb  laid  over  the  whole  of  this  city — 
lighted  up  every  night  as  the  lamp-lighter  makes  his  rounds?" 

The  light  that  the  world  needs  today,  however,  is  not  physical 
light  but  spiritual  light.  And  it  can  be  possessed  even  by  those  with- 
out sight.    John  Milton,  the  blind  poet,  knew,  for  he  wrote: 

"And  wisdome  at  one  entrance  quite  shut  out. 
So  much  the  rather  Thou  Celestial  Light 
Shine  inward,  and  the  mind  through  all  her  powers 
Irradiate,  there  plant  eyes,  all  mist  from  thense 
^  Purge  and  disperse,  that  I  may  see  and  tell 
Of  things  invisible  to  mortal  sight." 


^Os&uJ 7&AA*<€p 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown,  Massachusetts 
Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President.  GABRIEL  FARRELL,  Director. 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Memorial  exercises  for  Samuel  Grid- 
ley  Howe  and  Michael  Anagnos  were 
held  on  November  10  and  November  7. 
respectively.  On  anniversaries  of  the 
birthdays  of  the  First  Director  of  the 
Institution  and  the  founder  of  the 
Kindergarten,  exercises  are  held  to 
keep  alive  their  memories  and  to  pay 
tribute  to  the  leadership  which  has 
made  the  present-day  Perkins  possible. 


Moulton  Cottage,  by  half  a  point, 
won  the  intercottage  football  meet  this 
fall  and,  according  to  custom,  enter- 
tained the  other  football  teams  at  a 
banquet  on  Thursday  evening,  Decem- 
ber 4. 


May  Cottage  won  the  girls'  annual 
autumn  Field  Day,  held  on  November 
6.  A  glorious  day  made  the  event 
quite  a  happy  occasion,  and  the  scores 
were:  May  30,  Brooks  25,  Oliver  20, 
Fisher  9. 


The  Boston  College  Dramatic  Club 
came  to  Perkins  on  Friday  afternoon. 
November  28,  to  read  portions  of  King 
Lear  to  the  assembled  school. 


Miss  Margaret  Hamma,  World 
Champion  Typist,  gave  a  demonstra- 
tion at  Perkins  on  Wednesday,  No- 
vember 26,  and  thrilled  the  pupils  with 
her  speed  and  efficiency  at  the  type- 
writer. 


The  girls  of  the  Upper  School  held 
a  dance  on  Saturday  night,  December 
6,  when  they  entertained  thirty  sailors 
from  the  Boston  Navy  Yard. 


Two  girls,  Mildred  Lovejoy  and  Mar- 
garet Tebbetts,  as  representatives  of 
Perkins,  attend  the  monthly  meetings 
of  the  American  Junior  Red  Cross  in 
Boston.  Perkins  was  asked  to  send 
representatives  as  a  result  of  the  in- 
terest shown  in  knitting  for  the  Red 
Cross  last  year. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


William  E.  Powers,  Perkins  '32, 
Judge  of  the  Cumberland,  Rhode  Is- 
land, Probate  Court,  addressed  the 
Pawtucket  Rotary  Club  on  November 
14. 


Hervey  Rainville,  Perkins  '33,  gave 
a  piano  recital  before  the  New  Bed- 
ford Women's  Club  on  the  afternoon 
of  November  19. 


Manuel  J.  Rubin,  Perkins  '28,  played 
the  piano  and  was  one  of  a  quartet 
in  a  concert  for  the  Pilgrims'  Daugh- 
ters, in  Brockton,  on  November  13. 


Madeleine  Brooks,  Perkins  '25,  gave 
a  recital  for  the  Music  Club  in  Con- 
cord, New  Hampshire,  on  November  10, 
and  talked  on  The  Seeing  Eye. 


The  Industrial  Home  for  the  Blind. 
Brooklyn,  New  York,  center  of  the 
Light  Buoy  industries,  opened  a  new 
building  on  October  23  for  its  growing 
industrial  activities.  Peter  J.  Salmon, 
Perkins   '14,  is  the  Assistant  Director. 


William  Johnson,  Perkins  '36,  a 
graduate  of  Gettysburg  College,  has 
been  engaged  as  a  home  teacher  by 
the  Pennsylvania  State  Council  for  the 
Blind. 


Edith  Di  Dominicis,  Perkins  '32,  was 
featured  in  THE  BOSTON  TRAVEL- 
ER of  September  24,  in  one  of  a  series 
of  articles,  entitled  "Our  Gracious 
Ladies",  in  which  it  told  of  her  charm 
and  personality,  her  education,  and 
her  present  work  at  The  American 
Red  Cross,  where  she  is  head  of  the 
Braille  Division. 


Gideon  Tancrelle,  Perkins  '40,  on 
November  14,  took  the  Civil  Service 
examination  for  State  telephone  oper- 
ator. The  examination  was  put  into 
braille  by  the  Howe  Memorial  Press, 
at  the  request  of  the  Civil  Service 
Commission. 


2  — 


FRANCIS  HENRY  APPLETON 

President  of  the  Perkins  Corporation,  1898-1930 

FRANCIS  HENRY  APPLETON  was  president  of  the  Perkins 
Corporation  longer  than  any  other  man  who  has  held  that  office. 
He  was  connected  with  many  other  organizations,  such  as  First 
Corps  Cadets,  Massachusetts  General  Hospital,  Massachusetts  Horti- 
cultural Society,  Massachusetts  Society  for  Promoting  Agriculture, 
the  Charitable  Irish  Society,  Sons  of  the  American  Revolution.  At 
one  time  he  served  in  the  Massachusetts  Legislature,  and  he  was  a 
member  of  Governor  Roger  Wolcott's  staff.  At  the  time  of  his  death 
he  was  the  oldest  graduate  of  St.  Paul's  School,  Concord,  and  one  of 
the  oldest  graduates  of  Harvard  University.  But  none  of  these 
interests  was  as  close  to  his  heart  as  the  leadership  which  he  gave 
to  Perkins  Institution. 

Elected  president  of  the  corporation  in  October,  1898,  he  held 
that  office  until  he  was  more  than  eighty  years  old,  resigning  at  the 
annual  meeting  in  November.  1930.  These  years  were  crucial  in  the 
history  of  Perkins  Institution.  When  Mr.  Appleton  took  office,  the 
school  was  in  charge  of  Michael  Anagnos,  who  died  suddenly  while 
abroad  during  the  summer  of  1906.  The  responsibility  of  guiding 
the  Institution  through  this  critical  time  fell  upon  Mr.  Appleton.  and 
under  his  direction  the  trustees  sought  a  new  head  for  the  Institution, 
which  resulted  in  the  election  of  Dr.  Edward  E.  Allen. 

The  School  in  Watertown 

Dr.  Allen's  first  great  undertaking  was  to  establish  a  new  school 
at  Watertown,  removing  the  Institution  from  South  Boston  and  the 
Kindergarten  from  Jamaica  Plain.  Dr.  Allen  tells  with  great  appre- 
ciation of  the  strong  support  which  he  received  from  Mr.  Appleton 
and  the  wise  counsel  which  enabled  the  plans  for  the  new  school  in 
Watertown  to  receive  recognition  as  the  most  beautiful  school  for 
the  blind  in  the  country,  if  not  in  the  world. 

Even  after  his  retirement  as  president  of  the  corporation,  Mr. 
Appleton  continued  as  a  member  of  that  body,  and  his  interest  in 
Perkins  did  not  abate.  In  these  later  years,  when  he  had  retired 
from  other  activities,  he  continued  to  come  to  the  school  several  times 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 
—  3  — 


THE  MEMORIAL  WINDOW 

DURING  the  Christmas  holidays  a  stained  glass  window  is  to  be 
installed  in  the  chapel  in  memory  of  Francis  Henry  Appleton, 
President  of  the  Perkins  Corporation  1899-1930,  and  his  wife, 
Fannie  Tappan  Appleton.  The  window  is  the  gift  of  their  son,  Francis 
H.  Appleton,  Jr.  After  his  retirement  as  President,  and  until  his  death 
in  1939,  General  Appleton  frequently  visited  Perkins,  and  often 
expressed  the  hope  that  the  chapel  could  be  completed  with  stained 
glass  windows.  In  addition  to  adding  beauty  and  dignity  to  the 
chapel,  the  richly  stained  glass  will  soften  the  strong  light  that  now 
enters  and  is  disturbing  to  the  pupils'  eyes. 

When  a  window  as  a  memorial  was  suggested,  the  matter  was 
taken  up  with  Mr.  Charles  J.  Connick,  distinguished  Boston  artist  in 
stained  glass.  Mr.  Connick  and  his  associates  had  previously  con- 
sidered the  possibility  of  installing  a  window  in  the  chapel  to  replace 
one  that  had  been  destroyed  in  the  hurricane.  Some  preliminary 
sketches  had  already  been  made,  and  when  Mr.  Connick  was  ap- 
proached he  was  glad  to  make  these  designs  available.  The  colored 
reproduction  of  the  window,  inserted  in  this  issue  of  THE  LAN- 
TERN, shows  clearly  Christ,  "The  Light  of  the  World"  as  the  central 
theme,  with  a  representation  of  The  Good  Samaritan  in  the  right 
lancet,  and  an  incident  of  the  healing  of  blindness,  as  recorded  in 
John  IX,  6,  pictured  in  the  left  lancet.  The  small  medallions  in  the 
lower  part  symbolize  the  agricultural  interests  of  Mr.  Appleton. 

CAROLS  FOR  CHRISTMAS 

A  HAPPY  opening  for  the  Christmas  Season,  which  begins  early 
at  Perkins,  was  a  delightful  lecture  on  "The  Creche  in  Modern 
Art,"  illustrated  by  beautiful  specimens  of  creches  from  all 
parts  of  the  world.  For  ten  days,  beginning  December  11,  special 
programs  with  carols  and  recitations  by  pupils  were  held  in  the 
chapel  each  morning.  On  Wednesday,  December  17,  parties  were 
held  in  all  the  cottages  with  gifts  and  gaiety  for  all. 

The  Carol  Concerts,  usually  three  in  number,  were  four  this 
year,  because  a  request  was  received  from  the  local  chapter  of  the 
American  Guild  of  Organists  to  have  our  program  presented  at  a 
special  meeting  on  Wednesday  evening,  December  10,  in  Dwight  Hall. 
The  regular  concerts  were  planned  for  Sunday  afternoon,  December 
14,  in  Jordan  Hall,  and  on  Tuesday  and  Friday  evenings  following 
in  Dwight  Hall  at  the  school.     The  Friday  night  concert  is  planned, 

—  4  — 


primarily,  for  the  friends  and  parents  of  the  pupils.  At  the  close 
of  the  concert,  those  who  live  nearby  may  return  home  for  the 
Christmas  holidays.  All  will  leave  the  following  day  and  will  return 
on  Monday,  January  5. 

CHILDREN  OF  THE  SILENT  NIGHT 

ONCE  again  we  have  sent  to  several  thousand  friends  of  our 
work  for  the  deaf-blind  a  report  of  progress  and  an  appeal 
for  their  continued  support.     This  year  the  appeal  took  the 
form  of  a  calendar  with  an  attractive  picture  of  our  two  newest 
pupils  on  the  front,  and  a  brief  statement  regarding  "Children  of 


This  picture  was  among 
the  many  taken  of  our 
deaf-blind  pupils  to  And 
one  suitable  for  the  appeal. 
Attractive  as  It  Is,  we  did 
not  put  it  on  the  appeal 
because  it  might  seem  diffi- 
cult for  some  people  to 
think  that  these  children 
are  not  actually  talking  to 
one  another.  As  a  matter 
of  fact,  both  are  totally 
deaf  and  totally  blind,  and, 
as  yet,  have  acquired  little 
ability  in  the  use  of 
speech.  With  this  ex- 
planation we  are  glad  to 
share  with  our  readers  this 
attractive  picture  of  Edgar 
Pittman,  from  Idaho,  and 
Juanita  Morgan,  from  Col- 
orado. 


the  Silent  Night"  on  the  back  of  the  calendar.  It  is  hoped  that  the 
calendar  will  seem  so  attractive  that  people  will  want  to  keep  this 
reminder  of  our  work  on  their  desks  throughout  the  year.  Last  year 
we  received  650  contributions  from  33  States  and  5  foreign  countries, 
and  it  is  hoped  that  there  will  be  as  widespread  sharing  in  this  work 
again  this  year. 


PERKINS  PREPARES 

THE  Watertown  Committee  for  Civilian  Defense,  pointing  out 
that  the  town  has  no  hospital  facilities,  has  asked  the  Trustees 
to  make  available  part  of  the  Perkins  buildings  for  emergency 
hospital  units  in  the  event  of  war.     The  Trustees  have  granted  this 


request,  and  committees  have  been  appointed  at  Perkins  to  do  their 
part  in  the  program  of  public  safety.  Beginning  in  January,  about 
thirty-five  staff  members  are  to  take  an  authorized  First  Aid  Course, 
to  be  given  at  the  school  by  the  American  Red  Cross.  Seventeen 
members  of  the  staff  have  taken  the  Convoy  Course,  which  provides 
training  in  evacuation  proceedings.  Full  programs  have  been  pre- 
pared, which  will  enable  setting  up  cottages  as  thirty-bed  hospital 
units  within  an  hour's  notice.  Other  committees  are  working  on  such 
problems  as  emergency  feeding,  hospital  sewing,  and  air-raid  shel- 
ters. The  Perkins  tunnel,  connecting  the  buildings,  made  of  concrete 
far  beneath  the  ground,  affords  perfect  air-raid  shelters  for  all  in  the 
school  and  many  in  the  community. 

MORE  GIRL  SCOUTS 

GIRL  SCOUTS  have  been  active  for  several  years  at  Perkins, 
and  so  interested  have  the  girls  become  that  it  has  been  neces- 
sary to  form  a  second  troop.  Troop  8,  under  the  leadership 
of  Miss  Frances  M.  Roots,  has  twenty-seven  members  divided  into 
three  patrols.  At  investiture  exercises,  held  on  Thursday  evening, 
November  13,  in  the  Lower  School,  two  new  members  were  admitted 
to  Troop  8,  and  fourteen  girls  of  the  Lower  School  were  accepted  to 
form  Troop  31,  which  is  to  be  under  the  leadership  of  Miss  Marjorie 
Beal.    Both  troops  meet  regularly  on  Thursday  evenings. 

MORE  GOOD  NEIGHBORS 

MISS  EUGENIA  CORTES,  a  member  of  the  Harvard  Class 
1929-30,  has  come  back  to  Perkins  for  an  intensive  review 
of  our  methods  of  instruction.  On  January  1,  Miss  Cortes 
resumes  her  duties  as  educational  director  in  the  School  for  the  Blind, 
Mexico  City,  a  position  which  she  held  prior  to  the  closing  of  the 
school  several  years  ago.  Coming  with  Miss  Cortes  is  a  graduate  of 
the  Mexico  School,  Miss  Lilia  Gonzalez. 

INTELLIGENCE  QUESTIONING 

A   REQUIREMENT  in  a  mental  test  is  to  count  from  twenty 
back  to  one.    A  little  boy  taking  the  test  had  had  difficulty  in 
counting  upwards,  pausing  at  twelve.     When  asked  to  count 
from  twenty  backward,  he  said  in  a  tone  which  questioned  the  intelli- 
gence of  the  tester:  "Now,  look  here,  my  dear.     If  I  had  so  much 
trouble  counting  up,  how  do  you  think  I  can  count  back? 

—  6  — 


PUBLICATIONS 


MY  WIFE  AND  I,  by  Sidney  Homer, 
has  been  embossed  in  braille  for  the 
Library  of  Congress  and  is  now  avail- 
able through  the  regional  libraries. 
Mr.  Homer,  one  of  America's  leading 
composers,  tells  the  story  of  his  life, 
as  well  as  that  of  his  wife,  Louise 
Homer,  former  Metropolitan  Opera 
star.  In  the  book  Mr.  Homer  states 
that  at  one  time  he  was  offered  the 
position  as  head  of  the  Music  Depart- 
ment at  Perkins. 


MAKE  THE  MOST  OF  WEAVING 
AT  CAMP  is  an  interesting  article  by 
Miss  Virginia  Cole,  which  appeared  in 
the  summer  edition  of  THE  WEAVER. 
Miss  Cole  is  teacher  of  weaving  at 
Perkins  and  is  developing  home  weav- 
ing among  former  students. 


THE  PERKINS'  GOAT,  the  pupils 
paper,  published  in  braille  and  also 
mimeographed  for  the  benefit  of  non- 
finger  readers,  has  announced  that 
hereafter  the  June  issue  will  be  elim- 
inated, and  subscriptions  will  be  sev- 
enty-five cents  for  eight  issues. 


THE  JONATHAN  HARRINGTON 
HOUSE  IN  LEXINGTON,  MASSA- 
CHUSETTS, by  Helen  Clark  Fernald, 
a  book  telling  of  this  historic  residence, 
has  been  recorded  for  use  on  the  talk- 
ing book.  Four  copies  of  a  limited 
edition  were  especially  designated  for 
Perkins  Instituton. 


NINETY     YEARS     ON,     by     Henry 
Richards,  is  a  volume  of  special  inter- 
est to  all  concerned  with  Perkins,  al- 
■  though  we  usually  think  of  Mrs.  Rich- 
,  ards    as    the    author    of    the    family. 
Another  book  about,  but  not  by,  Mrs. 
;  Richards   has  been  published   in   con- 
i   nection  with  her  ninetieth  birthday — 
LAURA    E.    RICHARDS    AND    GAR- 
DINER— which  tells  of  her  many  in- 
terests and  activities  in  her  home  com- 
munity. 


FROM  OUR  MAIL 


LIMA,  PERU: — "The  society  for  giv- 
ing aid  to  the  young  blind  in  Peru 
acknowledges  with  this  letter  receipt 
of  the  maps  made  especially  for  teach- 
ing the  blind,  which  you  have  been 
kind  enough  to  present  to  us,  and  its 
representative  takes  advantage  of  this 
opportunity  to  express  his  gratitude 
for  so  generous  a  gift." 


MEXICO  CITY:— "We,  the  Direc- 
tora  and  Professors  of  Secondary 
School,  No.  y,  desire  to  thank  you 
again  for  your  wonderful  generosity  in 
renewing  the  scholarships  for  Miss 
Eugenia  Cortes  and  her  pupil,  Lilia 
Gonzalez,  who  has  been  our  pupil  also 
in  the  secondary  school." 


HAVANA,  CUBA:— "Up  to  this  time 
there  has  been  no  kindergarten  for 
blind  children  in  Cuba.  I  am  a  kin- 
dergarten teacher  and  I  am  going  to 
start  a  kindergarten  .  .  .  for  which  I 
would  like  to  have  you  send  me  a  list 
of  your  activities.  All  the  details  which 
you  can  give  me  concerning  topics  to 
discuss  with  the  course,  games,  and 
other  activities  of  the  kindergarten 
will  be  very  helpful  to  me." 

SHANGHAI:— "This   letter   is   to   let 

my  friends  at  Perkins  know  that  I  am 
still  here  in  Shanghai  waiting  for 
transportation  for  Manila  ...  I  shall 
never  forget  my  stay  at  Perkins  and 
the  many  interesting  people  I  met  in 
Cambridge  and  Boston.  All  these  I 
owe  to  you  for  giving  me  the  chance 
to  enjoy  the  one-year  scholarship  at 
the  Institution." 


CANTON,  CHINA:— "I  am  thinking 
so  especially  of  Perkins  these  days,  as 
you  are  reopening  school.  The  glory 
of  a  New  England  autumn  is  one  of 
the  lovely  memories  I  have.  The 
young  women  who  expect  to  go  to  Per- 
kins are  working  hard  on  their  English 
now.  It  is  the  greatest  that  can  come 
to  Ming  Sum  to  be  able  to  have  these 
Chinese  people  get  what  they  will  get 
at  Perkins." 


—  7  — 


FRANCIS  HENRY  APPLETON 

( Continued  from  Page  3) 

during  the  year  to  look  about,  to  talk  with  staff  members,  and  to 
inquire  how  everything  was  going.  People  at  Perkins  were  always 
glad  to  see  him.  He  always  had  some  interesting  episode  of  the  past 
to  relate  and  was  full  of  appreciation  of  the  new  endeavors. 

On  several  of  these  visits  he  went  to  the  chapel  and  often  ex- 
pressed the  hope  that  it  could  be  completed  by  the  installation  of 
stained  glass  windows.  In  conversations  he  spoke  of  the  types  of 
windows  in  which  he  was  interested,  and  on  one  occasion  he  invited 
the  Director  to  visit  a  nearby  institution  which  had  windows  that 
pleased  him  greatly.  Because  of  that  interest  it  seemed  appropriate 
to  select  as  a  memorial  the  central  chapel  window. 

For  many  years  Mr.  Appleton  owned  a  farm  on  the  shores  of 
Suntaug  Lake  on  the  Newburyport  Turnpike,  now  a  water  supply 
for  the  City  of  Peabody. 

He  liked  to  plow  his  own  fields  and  milk  his  own  cows.  It  is 
recorded  that  when  a  friend  in  Boston  once  asked  him  why  he  spent 
so  much  time  on  his  farm  at  Peabody,  he  replied :  "Cowhide  boots 
are  excellent  alternatives  for  patent  leathers  and  vice  versa."  One 
of  the  boys  in  the  neighborhood,  who,  as  a  lad,  knew  Mr.  Appleton 
there,  is  now  the  Rev.  George  P.  O'Connor  of  Dedham,  a  valued 
trustee  of  Perkins  Institution. 

At  the  time  of  Mr.  Appleton's  death  Father  O'Connor  was  asked 
to  prepare  resolutions,  expressing  the  sense  of  loss  felt  by  the  trus- 
tees and  their  appreciation  for  his  many  years  of  service  to  the 
Institution.  In  this  minute  he  wrote:  "General  Appleton  had  an 
extraordinary  interest  and  vision  in  the  accomplishments  of  Perkins. 
He  loved  the  Institution  and  labored  for  it  with  wisdom,  with  pa- 
tience, and  with  foresight.  Perkins  became  the  consuming  ambition 
in  the  active  years  of  his  later  life.  He  served  it  faithfully,  unself- 
ishly, and  with  profound  sympathy.  .  .  . 

"He  had  a  remarkable  capacity  for  inspiring  confidence  in 
others.  His  gift  in  being  equal  to  the  confidence  given  him  is  no 
less  extraordinary.  Because  he  could  answer  every  test  of  his  loyalty 
to  ideals,  men  of  every  stamp  loved  him,  sought  him,  and  completely 
trusted  him.  He  spent  the  major  portion  of  his  life  fighting  for 
noble  purposes,  for  human  things  in  which  his  idealism,  his  impulse 
to  service,  his  self -forgetting  love  of  human  kindness  were  supreme." 


The  Lantern 


THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  XI.  NO.  3  MARCH  14.  1942 


Victims  of  Victory 


AMERICA  is  all  out  for  victory.  There  is  no  alternative,  and 
there  must  be  no  evasion  of  the  stern  realities  which  face  us. 
All  abilities  and  resources  must  be  mustered  into  service  and 
intelligently  directed  toward  that  objective.  Victories  of  value  have 
never  been  achieved  without  cost,  and  there  are  always  bound  to  be 
victims  as  well  as  victors.  That  has  been  the  universal  price  of  suc- 
cess, and  Americans  today  are  ready  to  pay  that  price  in  full. 

While  we  feel  grave  concern  for  all  the  victims — the  wounded, 
the  bereaved,  the  refugees,  the  dispossessed,  and  the  hungered — we 
trust  that  we  will  not  be  misunderstood  if  we  express  special  concern 
for  those  whose  contribution  to  victory  is  loss  of  sight.  Hundreds — 
we  hope  not  thousands — of  the  armed  forces  and  of  civilians,  in  the 
course  of  duty  or  through  accident,  will  lose  their  sight  before  victory 
comes.  As  they  fall  within  our  area  of  special  interest — those  whom 
we  have  resources  and  facilities  to  help — we  are  filled  with  concern 
over  what  we  can  do  and  what  we  ought  to  be  doing  now. 

With  many  who  are  blinded  in  the  days  to  come,  sight  will  be 
lost  in  a  flash;  but  the  adjustment  to  a  permanently  blacked-out 
world  is  a  long,  drawn-out  battle.  It  is  during  this  time  that  intelli- 
gent and  understanding  help  and  guidance  is  imperative.  We  did 
not  do  very  well  by  the  soldiers  blinded  in  the  last  war,  and  because 
of  that  we  want  to  press  the  question  now:  Are  we  prepared  or 
preparing  adequately  to  help  at  the  critical  time  these  victims  of 
victory  ? 


-JzOsQ^usf '  7&ASiJ*££ 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown,  Massachusetts 
Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President.  GABRIEL  FARRELL,  Director. 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


The  Clergy  of  Watertown  are  again 
speaking  in  turn  at  morning  chapel  on 
Thursdays  during  the  season  of  Lent. 


The  chapel  window  described  in  the 
last  issue  was  not  installed  but  has 
been  stored  in  a  safe  place  for  the 
duration.  

Miss  Josephine  Taylor,  Visiting 
Teacher,  told  of  her  work  over  Station 
W  L  A  W  in  Lawrence  on  Thursday. 
February  18.        

Open  House,  held  for  many  years  on 
Washington's  Birthday,  was  held  this 
year  on  Saturday,  February  21,  with 
about  seven  hundred  people  in  attend- 
ance.   Monday  was  a  holiday. 


The  annual  staff  party,  in  the  form 
of  a  square-dance,  was  held  on  Thurs- 
day evening,  February  5.  The  leader 
and  musicians  from  Wayside  Inn  came 
back  for  a  return  engagement  on  the 
evening  of  March  5. 


Miss  Lydia  Y.  Hayes,  a  Perkins 
graduate  and  for  a  quarter  of  a  century 
head  of  the  work  for  the  blind  in  New 
Jersey,  visited  the  school  for  a  week 
in  February  and  spoke  in  chapel  on  the 
morning  of  Friday,  February  6. 


Robert  Smithdas,  a  deaf-blind  pupil, 
who  has  been  attending  the  Western 
Pennsylvania  School  for  the  Blind  at 
Pittsburgh,  was  admitted  to  Perkins 
late  in  February.  He  is  sixteen  years 
old  and  lost  his  sight  at  the  age  of 
seven  and  hearing  at  eleven. 


"Talkies,"  or  sound  moving  pictures, 
are  being  offered  at  the  school,  and  a 
number  of  pupils  enjoy  them.  Early  in 
January  Mr.  Morris  Frank  showed  the 
film  of  The  Seeing  Eye,  and  in  Feb- 
ruary pictures  with  a  commentator 
describing  New  England  were  offered 
by  the  New  York,  New  Haven,  and 
Hartford  Railroad. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


John  Morrison,  a  sophomore  at  Notre 
Dame,  had  no  mark  under  90  during 
the  first  half-year. 


Adelaide  Feleciano,  a  freshman  at 
Emmanuel  College,  had  only  one  mark 
under  90  and  that  was  85. 


Joseph  Cetto,  a  former  Perkins  pupil, 
reports  that  he  is  leader  of  the  Boy 
Scout  troop  of  his  town  and  is  doing 
regular  duty  at  the  local  observation 
post,  reporting  planes. 


The  New  York  Institute  for  the  Edu- 
cation of  the  Blind  is  seeking  funds  to 
build  an  air-raid  shelter  for  its  pupils, 
which  may  be  later  rebuilt  as  a  swim- 
ming pool. 


Gideon  Tancrelle,  Perkins  '40,  passed 
the  Civil  Service  Examination  in  Rhode 
Island  and  has  been  assigned  as  tele- 
phone operator  at  the  office  of  the 
Pawtucket  Division  of  the  State  Em- 
ployment  Service. 


Boston  Nursery  for  Blind  Babies  on 
February  12  unveiled  a  portrait  of  the 
late  Mrs.  Roland  G.  Hopkins,  for  many 
years  Treasurer  of  the  Nursery  and  an 
ardent  leader  in  work  with  the  pre- 
school blind  child. 


The  Barnes  School  at  Henniker,  New 
Hampshire,  has  been  opened  by  the 
New  Hampshire  Association  for  the 
Blind  for  the  training  of  young  men 
over  eighteen  years  of  age  in  agricul- 
tural pursuits.  Mr.  Merton  M.  Lake  is 
the  Superintendent. 


The     Executive     Committee     of     the 

American  Association  of  Instructors  of 
the  Blind,  after  canvassing  all  of  the 
schools  for  the  blind  in  the  country, 
voted  not  to  hold  the  biennial  conven- 
tion this  year.  This  was  scheduled 
be  held  at  Perkins  late  in  June. 


—  2 


IN  DR.  HOWE'S  DAY 

Glimpses  from  Early  Reports 


W 


HILE  CLEARING  ATTICS  as  an  air-raid 
precaution  has  revealed  many  early  relics, 
Perkins  has  had  somewhat  the  same  ex- 
perience through  the  necessity  of  cleaning  out  the 
large  vault  in  one  of  the  offices  in  order  to  make 
room  to  store  valuable  documents.  In  this  process 
were  found  bundles  of  old  correspondence  and  the 
Director's  reports  to  the  trustees  from  1830-1876. 
In  going  over  these  various  reports  in  order  to  pre- 
s.  g.  Howe  about  1831  serve  and  classify  them,  many  glimpses  of  the  early 
days  were  revealed  and  we  would  like  to  share  a  few  with  our  readers. 
It  is  interesting  to  learn  that  in  the  first  years  the  trustees 
paid  only  educational  expenses,  while  Dr.  Howe  boarded  the  pupils 
at  his  own  expense.  He  was  allowed  to  charge  the  parents  of  the 
children  for  their  board,  but  at  the  end  of  the  first  year  he  reported 
that  he  lost  money  and  in  1836  he  asked  to  be  released  from  the 
contract.  'Tn  the  present  high  prices  it  is  desirable  and  proper  that 
the  strictest  economy  should  be  practised;  and,  yet,  I  am  very  much 
averse  to  doing  it,  situated  as  I  now  am,  lest  the  pupils  attribute  it  to 
my  desire  for  gain." 

The  reports  regarding  health  show  a  lack  of  many  modern  pre- 
ventives, but  certainly  no  lack  of  serious  difficulties.  "Severe  disease 
of  the  lungs,"  "the  consumption,"  "typhus,"  "a  weak  and  scrofulous 
nature,"  are  often  mentioned.  One  report  said  "eight  of  the  males 
were  taken  down  with  the  varioloid  and,  in  one  case,  unmodified 
smallpox."  In  the  same  month  a  teacher's  illness  "assumed  a  fatal 
turn  and  she  died"  and  "a  domestic  feeling  the  approach  of  a  fit,  to 
which  she  was  subject,  fell  from  the  fourth  story  window  upon  the 
top  of  the  piazza  and,  rolling  off  from  that,  fell  two  stories  more  to 
the  brick  pavement.  She  was  taken  up  insensible  and  so  continued 
until  she  died." 

Reports  and  correspondence  indicate  the  importance  of  the  trans- 
fer from  Colonel  Perkins'  house  to  the  great  hotel  in  South  Boston. 
Soon  after  the  removal  Dr.  Howe  reports:  "The  advantages  of  our 
new  location  in  promoting  physical  health  are  most  striking  .  .  .  Our 
pupils  bathe  daily  in  the  sea ;  they  are  out  in  the  open  air  much  of  the 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 
—  3  — 


PERKINS'  WAR  PROGRAM 

FROM  the  outset  of  events  which  ultimately  led  this  country  into 
war,  Perkins  has  been  alert  to  find  its  rightful  place  in  the  war 
program,  both  as  an  institution  and  also  for  its  people.  A 
year  ago  girls  were  knitting  sweaters  for  the  Red  Cross  in  free  time. 
Now  all  of  the  time  in  the  Boys'  and  Girls'  Manual  Training  Depart- 
ments is  devoted  to  war  work.  More  sweaters,  other  knitted  goods, 
and  sewed  articles  are  being  prepared  by  the  girls,  while  the  boys  are 
making  stretchers  for  the  First  Aid  Stations  of  Watertown  and 
games  for  the  hospitals,  as  requested  by  the  Red  Cross. 


EXCEPT  for  greater  intensity  of  purpose,  the  school  program  goes 
on  as  before.  At  this  time  there  seems  to  be  no  need  to  acceler- 
ate our  courses  of  instruction,  as  many  colleges  are  doing.  A 
decision,  however,  has  been  made  to  drop,  for  the  time  being,  the 
extension  of  the  Senior  High  School  from  three  years  to  four  years, 
in  order  to  complete  our  Six-Four-Four  Plan.  This  will  enable  pupils 
to  be  available  for  employment  a  year  earlier  than  was  previously 
planned.  

SOME  time  ago  the  Town  of  Watertown  asked  if  an  emergency 
hospital  might  be  established  at  Perkins.  This  request  was 
readily  granted,  but,  after  a  careful  survey  of  the  plan,  it  was 
considered  inadvisable  to  make  the  expenditure  required  to  equip  a 
hospital  so  near  the  Arsenal.  It  has  been  decided,  however,  to  make 
Perkins  one  of  the  four  First  Aid  Stations  to  be  established  in  Water- 
town.  Arrangements  for  the  use  of  our  buildings  in  case  of  attack 
are  complete,  and  practice  drills  have  been  held. 


PERKINS'  program  for  defense,  which  provides  for  air-raid  shel- 
ter, fire  control,  emergency  feeding,  and  evacuation,  attracted 
so  much  attention  that  the  Massachusetts  Committee  on  Public 
Safety  sent  a  representative  to  investigate  the  plan.  From  their  office, 
stories  of  our  preparations  for  air-raids  were  sent  to  papers  through- 
out the  State.  In  addition,  THE  BOSTON  TRAVELER  of  January  27 
carried  a  story  headed:  "Blind  at  Perkins  Ready  for  Raids",  by  Cor- 
nelius Dalton,  which  described  at  length  our  plans,  with  pictures 
which,  through  the  courtesy  of  THE  BOSTON  TRAVELER,  are 
reproduced  on  the  opposite  page. 

—  4  — 


w     *<P| 


♦   A 


CONSERVATORY  CELEBRATES 

PERKINS  CONGRATULATES  the  New  England  Conservatory  of 
Music  on  its  seventy-fifth  anniversary,  observed  in  February. 
It  would  be  hard  to  enumerate  the  number  of  Perkins  pupils 
who  have  been  students  at  the  Conservatory.  Because  of  this,  Per- 
kins feels  a  close  association  with  the  Conservatory  and  was  glad 
to  observe  that  the  Institution  was  represented  in  the  first  event  of 
the  anniversary  program.  At  a  concert,  held  on  Monday  evening, 
February  16,  of  the  works  which  had  been  awarded  Philip  R.  Allen 
prizes  in  composition,  two  of  the  seven  selections  for  the  anniversary 
program  were  by  Perkins'  graduates:  "Sleep,  Holy  Babe",  by  Paul 
Giuliana,  and  "Tryste  Noel",  by  Helen  Reese. 

CHORAL  CONCERTS 

THE  PERKINS  CHORUS  is  to  give  a  choral  concert  at  Rockport, 
Massachusetts,  on  Tuesday,  March  24.  It  is  planned  to  repeat 
the  program  on  the  evening  of  Thursday,  March  26,  the  last 
day  of  school  before  the  spring  vacation.  The  latter  concert  will  be, 
primarily,  for  the  parents  and  friends  of  the  pupils,  and,  while  no 
invitations  are  being  sent  out,  friends  of  the  school  will  be  welcome 
to  attend.  The  vacation  will  extend  through  the  following  week, 
terminating  the  Monday  after  Easter,  April  6. 

THE  BOYS'  PLAY 

THE  ANNUAL  BOYS'  PLAY  is  to  be  held  this  year  on  the  eve- 
nings of  Wednesday,  April  22,  and  Friday,  April  24.  Under 
the  direction  of  Miss  Claudia  Potter,  several  boys,  assisted  by 
young  women  of  the  staff,  will  present  the  popular  comedy,  "You 
Can't  Take  It  with  You."  The  proceeds  of  the  play  will,  as  usual, 
be  divided  between  the  Perkins  Athletic  Association  and  the  Lang- 
worthy  Theatre  Fund.  This  year  the  half  for  the  latter  cause  will 
be  invested  in  Defense  Bonds  and  held  for  the  benefit  of  the  fund. 

V  FOR  VICTORY 

DOWN  THE  RIVER  not  far  from  Perkins  is  a  manufacturing 
plant  which  for  many  years  has  displayed  in  a  blinking  electric 
sign  its  name,  DOVER.    Now  when  the  lights  go  off,  the  center 
letter  remains  illuminated  in  brilliant  red  with  symbols  below,  which 
leaves  standing  against  the  dark  sky :        V.      While  this  has  nothing 
to  do  with  Perkins,  we  like  it  and  think  our  readers  will  also. 

—  6  — 


PUBLICATIONS 


The  editorial  in  the  January  issue  of 
THE  PERKINS  GOAT,  by  Anthony 
Cirella,  was  reprinted  and  commended 
in  THE  PILOT  of  February  15. 


In  braille,  available  for  the  blind  of 
Massachusetts,  are  the  rules  regarding 
air-raids  and  blackouts.  They  were 
embossed  by  Perkins  at  the  request  of 
the  Massachusetts  Committee  on  Pub- 
lic Safety  and  may  be  obtained  through 
local  air-raid  wardens,  who  will  secure 
them  from  the  Boston  office  of  the 
Safety  Committee. 


Telephone  Topics,  January,  1942,  con- 
tains a  story,  entitled  "New  England's 
Only  Blind  Operator  Retires  from 
Service."  This  is  Elwyn  Smith,  a  for- 
mer teacher  at  Perkins  Institution,  who 
for  nineteen  years  was  the  telephone 
operator  at  Greenfield,  New  Hamp- 
shire. Upon  his  retirement  a  dial  sys- 
tem was  installed. 


Four  articles  in  the  recent  issue  of 
THE  TEACHERS  FORUM  were  by 
Perkins  persons:  "Training  for  our 
Field",  by  Edward  E.  Allen,  D.  Sc; 
"Sensory  Illusions",  by  Samuel  P. 
Hayes,  Ph.D.;  "The  Relation  of  the 
Museum  to  Tactual  Education",  by  Nel- 
son Coon;  and  "The  Blind:  Music's 
Special  Children",  by  Geraldine  Scholl. 
of  the  present  Harvard  Class. 


The  two  publications  of  the  American 
Foundation  for  the  Blind,  THE  OUT- 
LOOK FOR  THE  BLIND  and  THE 
TEACHERS  FORUM,  have  combined 
and  the  first  joint  issue  appeared  in 
February.  Miss  Lucy  Goldthwaite,  for 
some  years  Librarian  of  the  Library 
for  the  Blind  of  the  New  York  Public 
Library,  and  now  retired  from  that 
position,  is  the  Managing  Editor  of  the 
joint  publication. 


PERKINS  REPORTS 


One  hundred  per  cent  of  the  staff 
and  many  pupils  contributed  to  the 
United  War  Fund  $1,054,  more  than 
twice  the  amount  given  last  year. 


Seventy-five  pupils  have  bought  and 
are  buying  Defense  Stamps.  Staff 
members  are  too,  but  we  have  no  check 
on  the  number. 


Sixty  sweaters,  twenty-six  knitted 
suits  and  many  mittens  have  been 
turned  in  to  the  Cambridge  Red  Cross 
since  the  first  of  the  year.  One  hun- 
dred and  fourteen  sweaters  were  knitted 
earlier. 


Children's  dresses,  nightgowns,  ki- 
monos, and  over  three  hundred  diapers 
have  been  sewn  for  the  Watertown  Red 
Cross. 


Afghan  squares,  neck  ruffs,  and  sea 
boots  have  been  and  are  being  made 
for  the  British  War  Relief. 


Seventy-six  stretchers  are  being  made 
by  the  boys  in  co-operation  with  the 
Watertown  High  School. 


Little  tots  in  the  Lower  School  are 
doing  their  part  by  winding  worsted. 


Two  tons  of  paper  and  one-half  ton 
of  iron  have  been  collected  outside  the 
grounds  by  the  Boy  Scouts,  to  be  sold 
when  three  tons  have  been  accumu- 
lated. 


The  girls'  civics  class  has  collected 
and  sold  a  ton  and  a  half  of  paper,  in- 
vesting the  $13  received  in  Defense 
Stamps. 


First  Aid  and  nutrition  classes  are 
being  held  at  the  school  for  members 
of  the  staff.  Staff  members  have  taken 
outside  courses  in  fire  control,  auxiliary 
police,  convoy  duty  and  air-raid  pre- 
caution. 


—  7  — 


IN  DR.  HOWE'S  DAY 

(Continued  from  Page  3) 

time."  Another  report  states  that,  in  addition  to  ''their  improved 
appearance,"  "they  have  consumed  twenty-five  per  cent  more  flour 
than  any  month  at  Pearl  Street." 

In  January,  1835,  while  the  school  was  still  in  Boston,  Dr.  Howe 
urged  on  the  Board  "the  expediency  of  providing  more  room  to  enable 
those  in  charge  to  effect  a  complete  separation  of  the  sexes  and  to 
keep  the  males  out  of  the  main  building."  Again,  he  reports:  "I 
should  not  allude  to  the  subject  without  an  intimate  conviction  of  its 
importance  .  .  .  but  to  give  you  an  idea  of  the  influence  of  the  Blind 
God  of  Love  ..."  In  June  1839:  "The  separation  of  the  sexes  is 
now  complete." 

The  plan  of  keeping  the  "females"  away  from  the  "males"  at 
the  beginning,  however,  encountered  difficulty,  the  "females"  getting 
the  short  end  of  it.  In  one  of  the  reports  Dr.  Howe  stated  that  the 
"females"  were  not  getting  sufficient  exercises  because  the  "males" 
monopolized  the  yard.  He  requested  that  money  be  appropriated 
to  place  a  fence  in  the  middle  of  the  playground  so  that  the  "females" 
might  have  their  share  of  outdoor  opportunity. 

At  first  Dr.  Howe  had  to  work  hard  to  interest  the  public  in  the 
school,  but  later  he  had  to  work  even  harder  to  keep  the  public  away. 
Visitors  came  in  such  number,  he  reported,  that  "not  only  are  the 
pupils  greatly  incommoded,  but  those  of  the  visitors  whom  we  should 
be  most  anxious  to  gratify  are  prevented  from  obtaining  sight  of 
anything  by  the  throng  of  children  and  inconsiderate  females  who 
occupy  the  front  places." 

The  fame  of  the  Institution  was  not  only  intense  in  Boston,  but 
it  extended  to  different  parts  of  the  land. 

In  August,  1840,  Dr.  Howe  reported:  "A  circumstance  occurred  during 
the  last  month,  which  shows  the  ignorance  prevailing  in  the  country  re- 
specting the  nature  of  the  Institution  and,  also,  the  strong  desire  which  the 
blind  have  to  learn  to  read:  A  young  man  in  Tennessee,  blind  from  birth, 
had  heard  of  this  establishment  and,  supposing  it  to  be  a  charitable  one 
and  intended  for  all  the  United  States,  he  took  a  lad  with  him  and  started 
for  Boston.  After  traveling  on  foot  nearly  thirteen  hundred  miles,  he  arrived 
safely.  Although  surprised  to  find  that  he  could  not  be  received  as  a  pupil, 
he  was  delighted  with  the  gift  of  a  TESTAMENT  and  some  other  books; 
and,  after  receiving  some  general  instructions  about  leaving  by  himself,  he 
shouldered  his  pack  and  went  his  way  rejoicing  to  Tennessee." 

—  8  — 


The  Lantern  G 


THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  XI.  NO.  4  JUNE  15.  1942 


Special  Services 


IT  IS  perhaps  only  natural  that  a  school  should  focus  primary  atten- 
tion on  its  educational  program.  A  school's  first  purpose  is  to 
teach.  But  in  these  days  many  other  enriching  aspects  are  needed 
to  complete  the  picture.  Food  and  equipment,  heat  and  light  must 
be  provided.  Health,  both  physical  and  mental,  must  be  maintained. 
And  in  a  school  for  the  blind,  concern  for  and  care  of  the  eye  defects  of 
the  pupils  must  never  be  overlooked. 

Boys  and  girls  attend  a  school  for  the  blind  because  they  are 
visually  handicapped.  Perkins  has  always  been  alert  to  the  visual 
needs  of  its  pupils,  but  this  year  our  program  has  been,  if  we  may  use 
a  war  educational  term,  "accelerated."  Knowing  that  he  would  be  in 
war  service  before  the  school  year  closed,  our  Ophthalmologist,  Dr. 
Trygve  Gundersen,  has  given  us  a  large  amount  of  time.  As  a  result, 
our  eyes  are  in  better  condition  than  ever  before,  and  we  are  grateful 
to  him. 

Appreciation  may  well  be  expressed  for  other  aspects  of  our 
medical  service.  The  school  Physician,  Dr.  Robert  S.  Palmer,  is  in 
the  Navy,  but  his  work  is  being  adequately  carried  on  by  Dr.  Dera 
Kinsey,  assisted  by  the  Resident  Nurse,  Miss  Almira  Clark.  Dr. 
Frank  R.  Ober,  the  distinguished  Orthopedist,  has  for  many  years 
been  our  specialist  in  this  department  and  his  directions  are  carried 
out  by  our  Physiotherapist,  Miss  Thelma  E.  Peirce.  Our  two  Dentists, 
Dr.  Reinhold  Ruelberg  and  Dr.  Mark  D.  Elliott,  still  guard  the  dental 
front.  Appreciation  must  also  be  expressed  to  the  doctors  and  nurses 
of  the  Massachusetts  Eye  and  Ear  Infirmary  and  the  Massachusetts 
General  Hospital,  where  our  pupils  receive  professional  attention. 


^CL&t^f '  I&SiAj^ 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown,  Massachusetts 
Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President.  GABRIEL  FARRELL,  Director. 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


John  Di  Francesco,  a  student  at  the 
New  England  Conservatory  of  Music,  is 
on  the  Dean's  list. 


Robert  Brownawell,  a  six-year-old 
deaf-blind  boy  from  Carlisle,  Pa.,  en- 
tered the  Deaf-Blind  Department  early 
in  May. 


Brooks  Cottage  was  winner  this  year 
in  the  inter-cottage  competitions  with 
122  points.  The  other  scores  were  Oli- 
ver 118.  May  91  and  Fisher  80. 


The  Alumnae  Association  held  its 
annual  meeting  at  the  school  on  Sat- 
urday, June  6,  and  the  Alumni  Asso- 
ciation met  on  Saturday,  June  13. 


Frank  C.  Bryan,  Manager  of  the 
Workshop  and  Howe  Memorial  Press,  is 
away  from  his  work  because  of  a  re- 
cent operation  at  the  Phillips  House 
in  Boston. 


Virginia    Haley    and    Anita     O'Shea 

have  been  awarded  certificates  of  pro- 
ficiency offered  by  the  Ediphone  Com- 
pany to  students  who  pass  required 
tests. 


A  mountain  of  coal  may  be  seen  on 
the  Perkins'  grounds.  Fifteen  hundred 
tons,  a  year's  supply,  have  been  dumped 
there  so  that  heat  will  be  assured  for 
next  winter. 


Mrs.  Homer  Gage,  of  Worcester, 
Trustee  of  Perkins  and  friend  of  the 
blind  everywhere,  received  the  honor- 
ary degree  of  Doctor  of  Civic  Leader- 
ship at  the  Commencement  exercises 
of  Clark  University,  Monday,  May  25. 
She  was  presented  as  "one  who  is  first 
in  our  (£ity  in  all  fine  civic  interests. 
...  No  worthy  charity  has  failed  of  her 
support."  To  all  that  was  said  of  her 
civic  interests  much  more  could  be 
added  about  her  helpfulness  to  the 
blind. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Clarence  Hawkes'  recent  book  of 
poems,  HOLIDAY  HOPES,  has  been 
embossed  in  braille. 


Mrs.   Emily   T.   Murchie   is   the  new 

field  worker  for  the  blind  in  the  State 
of  Maine. 


Mr.  Fred  C.  Ward,  a  former  Perkins' 
student,  is  now  in  charge  of  the  work 
for  the  blind  in  the  State  of  New 
Hampshire. 


\ 


Miss  Virginia  Cole,  formerly  teacher 
in  the  Manual  Training  Department, 
has  resigned  to  accept  a  position  as 
home  teacher  and  field  worker  for  the 
blind  in  the  State  of  Vermont. 


Bertrand  Chombeau,  Perkins  '38,  and 
Mrs.  Chombeau,  a  former  teacher,  have 
been  elected  to  represent  their  church 
in  San  Diego,  California,  where  Mr. 
Chombeau  is  organist,  at  a  General 
Council  of  Churches  to  be  held  in 
Durham,  New  Hampshire,  in  June. 


James  Fulton,  who  completed  his 
studies  at  Perkins  in  1920,  and  since 
1922  head  of  the  Physical  Education 
Department  of  the  Louisiana  State 
School  for  the  Blind,  died  on  April  23, 
1942.  He  was  greatly  interested  in 
Scouting  and  had  been  awarded  the 
Silver  Beaver,  the  highest  honor  in 
Boy  Scouts. 


The  Boston  Nursery  for  Blind  Babies 
presents  its  forty-first  annual  report 
in  the  form  of  an  attractive,  illustrated 
leaflet  describing  the  daily  activities  of 
the  children  in  the  nursery  school  one 
of  the  divisions  of  the  Nursery's  pro- 
gram. Under  the  heading  "Between 
the  Daylight  and  the  Dark"  the  sched- 
ule from  "I  wanna  get  up!"  at  6:30 
a.  m.  to  "Good  night"  at  6  p.  m.  is  pic- 
turesquely listed.  The  Nursery  is  in 
charge  of  Miss  Katherine  F.  Fiske, 
R.N. 


—  2  — 


MAIDEN  LANE 

Life  at  South  Boston 

Because  of  the  interest  in  the  article  on  the  early  days  of  Perkins  in  the  last  issue,  we  are 
printing  in  this  issue  an  account  of  one  of  the  interesting  spots  in  the  old  Institution  in  South 
Boston.  This  paper  was  written  by  Anna  Gardner  Pish,  shortly  before  her  death  a  little  more 
than  a  year  ago. 

LIFE  at  Perkins  Institution  in  South  Boston  was  of  Spartan  sim- 
plicity,— well  ordered  under  Michael  Anagnos,  the  second  di- 
rector, but  devoid  of  luxuries.  The  women  teachers  and  officers, 
some  fifteen  in  number,  occupied  rooms  on  the  second  floor  of  the 
west  wing,  the  corridor  being  known  as  "Maiden  Lane".  The  single 
rooms  were  narrow  and  high-studded,  each  having  a  single  huge 
window  which  rattled  inordinately  in  the  slightest  breeze.  There 
were  no  closets — only  wardrobes — and  no  radiators — only  a  hairpin 
pipe  which  came  up  through  the  floor,  turned,  and  went  down  again. 
There  was  a  single  bathroom  for  the  entire  group,  a  single  gasplate 
for  heating  an  iron,  a  single  dry  mop.  (Chorus  at  7 :30  A.  M. :  "Who's 
got  the  mop?    Who's  got  the  mop?") 

But  we  were  young  and  vigorous,  not  accustomed  to  softness  of 
living,  and  withal  imbued  with  a  spirit  of  consecration  to  a  life  which 
all  shared  alike.  There  was  a  great  deal  of  fun  and  laughter  and  in- 
dulgence in  escapades  and  practical  jokes,  and  sometimes  the  out- 
burst of  merriment  would  produce  a  loud  knocking  at  the  head  of  the 
corridor  and  the  stentorian  tones  of  the  principal  saying:  "Less 
noise,  please.  You  are  disturbing  the  boys'  study  period."  That 
quelled  our  spirits  for  a  brief  time  and  gave  the  boys  the  utmost 
satisfaction. 

Since  the  single  gas-jet  in  each  room  was  wholly  inadequate  for 
lighting  purposes,  every  one  had  a  reading  lamp,  and  the  care  of  these 
lamps  was  another  bothersome  daily  rite,  along  with  the  care  of  wash- 
ing facilities  in  the  several  rooms.  The  gas-jets  created  a  situation 
which  was  fraught  with  real  danger.  The  gas  was  turned  off  each 
night  at  ten  o'clock  but  was  turned  on  again  at  four  A.  M.  for  the 
benefit  of  the  baker.  One  might  be  reading  by  her  lamp  when  the 
gas  went  off,  but  the  difference  in  light  was  too  slight  to  be  noticed,  or 
she  might  be  absent  from  her  room  when  the  gas  went  out.  In  either 
case  she  would  go  to  bed  without  thought  of  the  open  jet.  Why, 
among  many  near  tragedies,  no  one  was  actually  asphyxiated  must  be 
attributed  to  the  gods  and  to  Miss  Boylan,  faithful  blind  teacher,  who 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 
—  3  — 


VISUAL  IMPROVEMENT 

REALIZING  that  before  the  school  year  closed  he  would  prob- 
ably be  in  Army  Service,  Dr.  Trygve  Gundersen,  the  school 
Ophthalmologist,  gave  a  good  deal  of  time  to  the  eye  conditions 
of  the  pupils.  Practically  the  entire  school  was  re-examined,  treat- 
ments were  checked  and  glasses  provided,  and  ten  major  operations 
for  visual  improvement  were  performed.  These  included  the  removal 
of  a  band  keratitis,  an  enucleation,  discissions,  cataract  extractions, 
and  plastic  surgery. 

The  records  of  the  last  five  years  show  that,  in  addition  to  the 
ten  operations  performed  this  year,  there  have  been  thirty-eight  major 
surgical  operations  performed  for  the  preservation  and  restoration 
of  sight  among  Perkins'  pupils.  Fifteen  pupils  have  been  discharged 
from  Perkins  to  return  either  to  sight-saving  classes  or  to  go  to 
public  schools  because  of  improved  vision.  In  his  final  report,  Dr. 
Gundersen  recommended  that  several  more  pupils  be  transferred  to 
seeing  schools. 

GRADUATION  — JUNE  16 

AT  THE  graduation  exercises  to  be  held  on  Tuesday,  June  16, 
the  Commencement  speaker  will  be  Colonel  E.  A.  Baker  of 
Toronto.  Colonel  Baker  is  the  managing  director  of  the  Cana- 
lian  National  Institute  for  the  Blind  and  a  former  President  of  the 
American  Association  of  Workers  for  the  Blind.  A  veteran  of  the  last 
war,  he  is  a  graduate  of  St.  Dunstan's,  the  famous  school  for  the  war- 
blinded  in  England.  At  the  exercises,  which  will  be  held  at  2:00 
o'clock  in  Dwight  Hall,  diplomas  will  be  awarded  to  five  girls  and 
four  boys  by  Mr.  Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President  of  the  Corporation. 
The  invocation  will  be  offered  by  the  Rev.  Francis  D.  Taylor,  Pastor 
of  the  Watertown  Methodist  Church.  Special  certificates  will  be 
awarded  to  John  Di  Francesco  for  having  completed  the  work  in  the 
Pianoforte  Normal  Department,  and  to  Mildred  Lovejoy,  Doris 
Nicholas,  Viola  Patterson,  and  Angelina  Pepe  for  having  completed 
the  work  in  the  Manual  Training  Department.  The  closing  assembly 
in  the  Lower  School  will  be  held  at  8:40  on  Tuesday  morning,  June  16. 
The  girls  of  the  senior  class  hold  their  class  exercises  on  Monday 
afternoon,  June  15,  and  their  graduation  dance  on  Tuesday  evening, 
when  they  are  to  have  as  guests  a  group  of  men  from  the  Coast 
Guard.  The  boys'  dance  is  to  be  held  on  Monday  evening,  June  15. 

—  4  — 


CHILDREN'S  ISLAND  SANITARIUM 

THE  four  cottages  of  the  Girls'  Upper  School  are  to  be  occupied 
this  summer  by  the  Children's  Island  Sanitarium.  This  or- 
ganization has  for  many  years  maintained  a  summer  camp  for 
crippled  children  on  an  island  off  Marblehead.  Because  of  the  war 
conditions,  it  seemed  inadvisable  to  open  the  camp  this  summer,  and 
permission  has  been  granted  for  the  work  to  be  carried  on  at  Perkins. 
A  large  staff  of  nurses  and  attendants  will  care  for  eighty  or  ninety 
small  crippled  children.  They  will  enjoy  all  the  privileges  of  the 
girls'  cottages  and  will  use  the  swimming-pool,  the  pond,  and  the 
grounds  for  the  convalescent  care  and  corrective  work  which  is  given 
to  these  children.  Perkins  is  glad  to  have  its  buildings  used  in  this 
beneficial  way. 


Perkins  boys  took  part  in  three  track  meets  this  spring:  Triangular 
meet  with  the  Pennsylvania  and  Connecticut  Schools  at  Perkins,  May  16; 
with  the  Maryland  School  at  Baltimore,  May  23;  with  the  New  York 
Institute  at  Perkins,  June  6. 


THE  VISITING  TEACHER 

DURING  the  year  Miss  Josephine  Taylor,  as  a  visiting  teacher, 
has  been  travelling  about  eastern  Massachusetts  to  give  in- 
struction to  blind  boys  and  girls  who,  because  of  being  crippled 
or  having  some  other  disability,  are  unable  to  attend  Perkins.  She 
has  given  regular  instruction  to  twelve  children  and  considerable 
progress  has  been  made  in  their  learning.  She  has  also  visited  about 
twenty  other  children  who,  for  one  reason  or  another,  were  not  able 
to  receive  regular  instruction.    In  her  travels  Miss  Taylor  has  found 

—  5  — 


that  many  of  the  children  need  more  than  teaching.  A  great  deal 
has  been  done  to  make  sure  that  the  parents  understand  the  needs 
of  blind  children  and,  in  several  cases,  provision  has  been  made  for 
medical  care.  Two  crippled  boys  spent  a  week  at  Perkins,  and  other 
children  have  come  here  for  the  day  for  the  benefit  of  special  treat- 
ment or  examination. 

A  WORTHY  SON 

TWENTY-FIVE  years  of  work  with  the  blind  on  the  part  of  Peter 
J.  Salmon  is  to  be  recognized  by  a  testimonial  dinner  to  be  held 
in  Brooklyn  on  June  18.  Leaders  among  the  blind  are  to  gather 
to  pay  tribute  to  this  Perkins'  graduate  of  1914,  who  completed  his 
work  in  tuning  here  in  1916.  In  1917  Mr.  Salmon  became  associated 
with  the  Industrial  Home  for  the  Blind  in  Brooklyn.  At  that  time 
the  Home  was  carrying  on  a  business  of  $38,000.00  a  year,  selling 
articles  made  by  the  blind.  Now  the  Home,  in  its  newly  opened  work- 
shop, is  doing  a  business  of  about  $300,000.00  a  year  and  is  one  of 
the  outstanding  industrial  programs  for  the  blind  in  the  country. 

Mr.  Salmon  is  also  Vice-President  of  the  National  Industries  for 
the  Blind,  which  allocates  Government  work  among  shops  for  the 
blind  throughout  the  country.  He  is  also  President  of  the  American 
Association  of  Workers  with  the  Blind,  having  been  elected  to  that 
office  in  July,  1941.  Perkins  is  glad  to  add  its  word  of  congratulation 
to  Peter  Salmon  and  to  acknowledge  its  pride  in  this  outstanding 
graduate.  Several  persons  from  Boston  are  going  to  Brooklyn  to 
attend  the  dinner. 

SUMMER  PLANS 

THE  members  of  the  staff  who  are  on  duty  at  Perkins  will  have 
rooms,  as  in  the  past,  in  Fisher  Cottage,  sharing  that  house 
with  members  of  the  staff  of  the  Children's  Island.  The  Per- 
kins' staff,  however,  will  have  their  meals  served  in  Bennett  Cottage. 
The  Library  and  administrative  offices  will  be  open  throughout  the 
summer.  Staff  members  will  return  for  the  new  year  on  Monday, 
September  14  and  the  pupils  wrill  come  back  the  following  day. 

MEDICAL  CONFUSION 

Upon  returning  from  the  hospital,  where  he  had  had  an  opera- 
tion, a  Lower  School  boy  was  greeted  by  a  friend  who  said:  "I  hear 
you  had  your  independix  out." 

—  6  — 


PERSONALS 


Albert  Finger  will  enter  Brown  Uni- 
versity in  the  fall. 


Irving  Mac  Shaw  son,  a  graduate  last 
June,  will  enter  Clark  University. 


John  King,  Perkins  '38,  was  grad- 
uated from  Boston  University  on  May 
25. 


Phillip  Small,  a  post-graduate  student 
in  music,  will  return  to  Maine,  where 
he  plans  to  continue  his  musical  study. 


Hector  Cadavid,  of  Colombia,  South 
America,  is  to  return  to  Perkins  next 
year  as  a  member  of  the  Harvard  Class. 


Anthony  Cirella  and  John  Di  Fran- 
cesco will  return  to  continue  their 
studies  in  the  New  England  Conserva- 
tory of  Music. 


Asuncion  Aponte,  who  has  been  at 
Perkins  for  two  years,  will  return  to 
Puerto  Rico  to  teach  in  the  School  for 
the    Blind. 


Earl  Nickerson,  who  received  his  cer- 
tificate from  the  Nylon  School  of 
Physiotherapy,  has  opened  a  vending 
stand  in  Gloucester. 


Wilma  True,  Perkins'  '38,  who  entered 
the  Gorham  Normal  School  on  leaving 
Perkins  and  later  transferred  to  the 
University  of  Maine,  has  successfully 
completed  her  junior  year. 


Seniors  returning  for  post-graduate 
work  are:  Kathryn  Gibalerio,  to  study 
at  the  New  England  Conservatory  of 
Music;  Cecile  Nadeau,  to  study  com- 
mercial work;  and  Joseph  Callero  to 
study  Ediphone  operating. 


BEQUESTS 


Perkins,  through  the  century,  has 
been  the  recipient  of  many  bequests. 
Indeed,  these  bequests,  many  in  num- 
ber, but  not  many  of  large  size,  have 
built  up  the  present  endowment. 

Recently  a  bequest  was  written  in 
this  interesting  way:  "In  grateful  re- 
membrance of  my  sight  being  spared  to 
me  when  both  my  eyes  were  seriously 
threatened  by  illness  at  an  early  age, 
and  in  sympathy  for  those  who  may 
not  enjoy  the  great  blessing  of  sight, 
I  give  and  bequeath  to  Perkins  Insti- 
tution and  Massachusetts  School  for 
the  Blind,  located  at  Watertown,  Mas- 
sachusetts, $5,000.00." 

This  bequest  was  in  the  will  of  Stan- 
ley B.  Hildreth,  late  of  Harvard,  Mass- 
achusetts. 

Another  will  of  interest  was  that  of 
Clement  Ryder,  late  of  Somerville,  and 
a  former  student  of  Perkins.  In  his 
will  he  wrote:  "To  said  Perkins  Insti- 
tution and  Massachusetts  School  for 
the  Blind,  as  a  gift  toward  the  cost  and 
installing  of  the  antiphonal  organ  for 
which  subscriptions  are  still  being 
sought,  I  give  the  sum  of  $1,000.00;  but 
if  at  the  time  of  my  decease,  it  shall 
have  been  installed  and  paid  for,  then 
I  give  said  legacy  to  the  Whitcomb  Hall 
for  Men,  owned  and  operated  by  the 
Memorial  Homes  for  the  Blind  (Inc.) 
of  Worcester,  Massachusetts." 

As  the  organ  has  already  been  in- 
stalled, Perkins  was  unable  to  benefit 
by  this  gift  from  a  former  student,  but 
all  are  glad  to  have  his  money  go  to 
the  Memorial  Homes  for  the  Blind  in 
Worcester. 

Perhaps  this  may  be  an  opportune 
time  to  remind  friends  of  Perkins  that 
the  work  that  is  being  done  for  the 
blind  by  this  school  has  been  made 
possible  through  the  bequests  of 
friends.  Only  as  Perkins  is  remembered 
in  this  way  can  its  work  grow  and  ex- 
pand. 


—  7  — 


MAIDEN  LANE 

(Continued  from  Page  3) 

again  and  again,  in  the  early  morning  hours,  plodded  down  the  corri- 
dor, knocking  at  one  door  after  another  and  calling  to  the  room  occu- 
pant: "Is  your  gas  on?"    Undoubtedly  she  saved  lives. 

There  was  a  sitting-room  of  sorts  for  our  use,  dingy  and  sparsely 
furnished,  but  it  was  never  popular,  except,  briefly,  as  a  gathering 
place  after  prayers  on  Sunday  mornings.  It  was  some  little  distance 
from  Maiden  Lane,  though  on  the  same  floor,  next  to  the  big  boys' 
(the  nine  o'clocks')  sitting  room  and  opposite  the  nursery  for  sick 
boys.  The  few  parties  held  there  furnished  topics  for  gossip  for  the 
entire  school.  But  there  were  times  when  we  were  fairly  frozen  out 
of  Maiden  Lane.  Even  the  one  big  radiator  at  the  further  end,  around 
which  we  were  wont  to  gather  in  a  cold  spell,  sometimes  failed  us, 
and  we  had  to  resort  to  the  sitting  room.  One  such  occasion  was 
after  the  big  storm  of  November  1898,  when  the  Portland  steamer 
was  lost  with  all  on  board,  and  again  in  the  following  February,  when 
there  was  another  snow-storm  almost  as  severe. 

The  front  door  of  the  institution  was  locked  at  ten  P.  M.,  and 
after  that  Tom  Horton,  the  night  watchman,  must  be  summoned  by 
the  door-bell  to  let  a  late-comer  in.  When  he  was  off  on  his  rounds, 
his  progress  through  the  big  old  building  marked  by  the  weird  and 
wavering  light  of  his  lantern,  it  was  a  cold  and  dreary  wait  under 
the  porte  cochere  for  admission.  It  was  said — though  never  con- 
firmed— that  Horton  jotted  down  in  a  note  book  the  names  of  all  whom 
he  admitted  "after  hours",  and  if  the  same  name  appeared  frequently 
in  his  list  he  would  report  it  to  Mr.  Anagnos,  who  might  hint  to  the 
guilty  party  that  nightly  revels  might  interfere  with  schoolroom 
efficiency. 

Life  in  Maiden  Lane,  with  all  its  vicissitudes,  its  pleasures  and 
sorrows,  its  deprivations  and  compensations,  its  community  of  in- 
terests, produced  a  friendliness  and  intimacy  which  no  cottage  system, 
however  admirable,  could  hope  to  achieve. 

After  the  building  had  been  deserted  (1912)  Chester  Roberts,  a 
totally  deaf  and  almost  totally  blind  boy,  then  under  instruction  in 
the  Workshop,  begged  Mr.  Bryan  to  let  him  visit  Maiden  Lane.  As 
he  was  conducted  through  the  corridor  and  went  from  narrow  room 
to  narrow  room,  his  face  registered  surprise  and  disappointment, 
and  finally  he  grunted  that  he  "didn't  see  anything  very  grand  about 
it,  after  all." 

—  8  — 


The  Lantern 


THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  XII.  NO.  1  SEPTEMBER  15.  1942 

Employ  The  Handicapped 

IT  IS  AN  OLD  AMERICAN  INSTITUTION  to  designate  a  week  for 
focusing  attention  on  a  particular  problem  or  program.  Beginning 
with  Old  Home  Week,  the  list  has  grown  to  a  point  where  there  are 
not  weeks  enough  to  go  around.  Now  comes  a  new  week,  to  be  desig- 
nated as  "National  Employ  the  Physically  Handicapped  Week."  Bills 
have  been  introduced  to  the  Congress,  asking  that  the  third  week  in 
September  be  so  assigned  and  appropriate  ceremonies  be  held  through- 
out the  Nation,  "the  purpose  of  which  will  be  to  enlist  public  support 
for,  and  interest  in,  the  employment  of  otherwise  qualified  but  physi- 
cally handicapped  workers." 

Whether  this  legislation  will  be  passed  is  not  known  at  the  time 
of  this  writing,  but  despite  the  awkwardness  of  the  name,  the  purpose 
of  the  week  is  deserving  of  support.  In  these  days,  when  every  ounce 
of  material  and  every  degree  of  skill  must  be  mustered  to  the  war 
program,  the  handicapped  should  be  entitled  to  play  their  part  as 
citizens  capable  and  desirous  of  serving.  It  is  pointed  out  that  there 
are  over  two  million  physically  handicapped  persons  who  possess 
skills  that  the  country  needs.  As  a  leading  supporter  of  this  measure 
said,  "We  save  'scrap',  but,  continue  to  'scrap'  men!" 

In  this  movement  to  enlist  public  support  for,  and  interest  in,  the 
employment  of  physically  handicapped  persons  let  us  put  forward  the 
claims  of  those  who  cannot  see.  Sight  may  be  gone,  but  willingness 
to  work  is  strong  and  desire  to  serve  their  country  is  unsurpassed. 
Not  one  week  but  every  day  of  every  week  let  us  strive  to  keep  alive 
the  first  rule  of  democracy — the  right  of  every  person  to  serve  his 
country. 


^^A^/^Vu^7 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown,  Massachusetts 
Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President.  GABRIEL  FARRELL,  Director. 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Albertina  Eastman,  Perkins  '27,  a 
graduate  of  the  Watertown  High  School 
in  '28,  and  since  '31  a  teacher  of  cor- 
rective speech  at  Perkins,  has  com- 
pleted the  requirements  for  the  Degree 
of  B.  S.  in  Education,  awarded  to  her 
at  the  close  of  the  summer  school  of 
Boston  University  in  August. 


Wayne  Moody,  a  Senior  this  year, 
has  continued  to  carry  on  through  the 
summer  his  weekly  broadcasts  on  Sun- 
days at  4.45  p.m.  ever  Station  WESX. 
This  series,  called  "Thoughtful  Mo- 
ments," has  brought  many  favorable 
comments. 

Edward  J.  Waterhouse,  teacher  of 
mathematics  and  on  leave  last  year, 
has  requested  to  have  his  leave  of  ab- 
sence continued,  as  he  is  holding  a  re- 
sponsible position  in  the  General  Elec- 
tric Company,  in  Lynn. 


Paul  L.  Neal,  who  has  been  associ- 
ated with  Perkins  for  eighteen  years 
and  who  last  year  was  on  leave  of  ab- 
sence, has  resigned,  as  he  has  been  ap- 
pointed Probation  Officer  in  the  Massa- 
chusetts Court. 


Anthony  Cirella,  a  post-graduate  stu- 
dent at  Perkins  and  attending  the  New 
England  Conservatory  of  Music,  won  a 
prize  of  $50.00,  offered  by  the  Con- 
servatory for  the  best  motet. 


Married — Marjorie  Beal  to  Robert  C. 
Mcrey.  Barbara  E.  Farnham  to  Kil- 
borne  F.  Rowe.  Both  brides  are  on  the 
Lower  School  staff  and  will  return  "for 
the  duration." 


Josephine  L.  Taylor,  Visiting  Teacher 
last  year,  has  accepted  an  important 
position  with  the  New  Jersey  State 
Commission  for  the  Blind. 


Chester  A.  Gibson,  Douglas  Cook, 
Axel  Borg,  and  Harry  Burke  have  left 
to  engage  in  war  work. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


The  Catholic  Guild  for  the  Blind  has 
announced  the  following  winners  of 
cash  prizes  in  an  essay  contest  on  "The 
Holy  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass."  First 
Prize,  $25.00  each — Patricia  Robinson 
and  John  Di  Francesco;  second  prize — 
$10.00  each — Gloria  Hill  and  Anthony 
Cirella;  third  prize,  $5.00  each — Ber- 
nice  Zagunis,  Evelyn  Wilcox  and  Mary 
Robbins;  Irving  Smith,  Norman  Hamer, 
and   Bruno   Kiwior. 


The    Murray    Printing    Company    of 

Cambridge,  which  produces  and  distrib- 
utes a  monthly  calendar,  this  year  is 
running  a  series  on  educational  insti- 
tutions with  which  they  do  business. 
The  calendar  for  July  had  an  attractive 
picture  of  the  Perkins'  tower  and  con- 
tained a  quotation  from  the  Director, 
stating  the  educational  policy  of  the 
school. 


The  Pennsylvania  Institution  for  the 

Instruction  of  the  Blind  has  announced 
a  plan  whereby  two  groups  of  five  pu- 
pils each  will  work  for  four  weeks  in 
industry,  as  placed  by  the  placement 
agent,  and  then  four  weeks  in  school, 
studying  subjects  adapted  to  their 
work. 


Irving  MacShawson,  Perkins  '41.  who 
was  here  as  a  post-graduate  student 
last  year,  and  who  enters  Clark  Univer- 
sity this  fall,  has  been  granted  an  Ellis 
Scholarship. 


Wilma  True,  Perkins  '38,  and  a  Senior 
at  the  University  of  Maine,  was  one  of 
eight  persons  to  be  awarded  scholar- 
ships by  the  American  Foundation  for 
the  Blind. 


Carl  King,  Jr.,  Perkins  '41,  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  East  Greenwich,  Rhode 
Island,  Civilian  Defense  Corps,  and 
takes  his  turn  regularly  at  the  report 
center. 


2  — 


A  PERKINS  MYSTERY 

Pertaining  to  a  Brain 

IN  THAT  STRANGE  WAY  in  which  a  mystery  works,  one  is 
emerging  from  the  Perkins  of  fourscore  years  ago  and  developing 
to  prime  magnitude.  It  all  pertains  to  a  brain.  So  many  people 
have  written  to  us  about  this  particular  center  of  human  intelligence 
that  we  feel  that  we  have  to  tell  all  that  we  know.  Our  first  concern 
was  some  time  ago  when  we  received  a  letter,  asking:  "Can  you  give 
me  any  information  about  this  strange  matter,  particularly  what  was 
done  with  the  brain?  How  could  it  have  been  preserved  in  a  box?" 
It  all  began  when  people  were  reading  NEW  ENGLAND:  IN- 
DIAN SUMMER  by  Van  Wyck  Brooks,  who  in  that  delightful  volume 
wrote,  right  in  the  middle  of  a  paragraph  telling  of  Julia  Ward  Howe, 
the  wife  of  Samuel  Gridley  Howe,  the  first  Director  of  Perkins : 

"Theodore  Parker's  brain  reposed  in  a  box  in  a  closet  at  the  Perkins 
Institution.  It  had  been  sent  to  Dr.  Howe  by  Parker's  Italian  physician, 
when  the  great  preacher  died  and  was  buried  in  Florence.  The  Howes 
regarded  the  box  with  horror,  not  knowing  what  to  do  with  this  fearful  relic; 
but  Parker's  mind  lived  on  in  Mrs.  Howe." 

When  queried  on  this  matter  Mr.  Brooks  said  in  effect  that  all  he 
knew  was  what  he  read  in  books  by  the  daughters  of  Julia  Ward  Howe. 
We  advised  one  correspondent  to  write  to  Mrs.  Laura  E.  Richards, 
one  of  the  very  distinguished  daughters  of  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Howe,  still 
living  at  the  age  of  ninety-two  at  her  home  in  Gardiner,  Maine.  Mrs. 
Richards  replied  by  referring  to  her  book,  STEPPING  WESTWARD, 
where,  in  describing  her  childhood  and  mentioning  the  fact  that  her 
family  at  that  time  lived  at  the  Institution  in  South  Boston,  she 
wrote : 

"I  do  not  remember  anything  about  the  room  where  I  slept,  but  I  do 
remember  that  in  a  closet  nearby  in  a  wooden  box,  which  my  mind's  eye 
sees  only  too  clearly,  reposed  the  brain  of  Theodore  Parker,  an  object  of 
unfailing  terror.  Mr.  Parker  died  in  Florence  in  1860.  His  friend  and  physi- 
cian sent  his  brain  to  my  father  as  a  precious  relic.  My  father  .  .  .  regarded 
the  gift  with  horror,  and  my  mother,  I  suppose,  put  it  away  in  this  upper 
cupboard  little  knowing  the  anguish  she  caused  one  of  her  children." 

Our  concern  now  is  the  present  whereabouts  of  the  brain.  On 
this  point  Mrs.  Richards  wrote :  "I  have  no  idea  of  the  ultimate  fate 
of  the  brain." 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 
—  3  — 


THE  NEW  YEAR 

WHEN  MEMBERS  OF  THE  STAFF  return  on  Monday,  Sep- 
tember 14,  and  pupils  return  on  the  following  day,  it  will 
seem  strange  to  all  not  to  be  greeted  by  Francis  M.  Andrews. 
For  seventeen  years  Mr.  Andrews  has  been  associated  with  Perkins 
Institution  and  in  the  last  several  years  has  been  in  charge  of  the 
entire  educational  program,  as  Principal  of  the  school.  Recognizing 
the  ability  and  leadership  shown  in  this  work,  the  Maryland  School 
for  the  Blind,  in  Overlea,  near  Baltimore,  extended  a  call  to  him  to 
become  Superintendent  of  that  school,  and  he  took  this  office  on 
August  1.  A  graduate  of  Massachusetts  State  College,  Mr.  Andrews 
carried  on  graduate  work  at  Boston  University,  which  led  to  the 
granting  of  the  Degree  of  M.  Ed.  in  1933.  He  has  served  on  many 
committees  of  the  American  Association  of  Instructors  of  the  Blind 
and  is  widely  recognized  as  one  of  the  leading  men  in  this  field  of 
education.     He  is  and  will  be  greatly  missed. 

A  NEW  PRINCIPAL 

ALLAN  W.  SHERMAN  has  been  selected  as  the  new  Principal  to 
succeed  Mr.  Andrews.  Mr.  Sherman  is  a  graduate  of  Harvard 
University,  1934,  and  spent  the  year,  1939-40,  in  residence  at 
the  Graduate  School  of  Education,  receiving  the  Degree  of  M.  A.  in 
teaching.  Since  leaving  Harvard  he  has  been  a  master  at  Tabor 
Academy,  Marion,  Massachusetts,  and  for  four  years  has  been  in 
charge  of  the  summer  school  there.  Tabor  Academy  is  one  of  the 
five  honor  naval  schools  accredited  by  the  Navy  Department,  and  its 
program  is  run  along  naval  lines.  Mr.  Sherman  will  bring  to  Perkins 
a  good  experience  in  a  well-established  residential  school  and,  also, 
something  of  the  spirit  of  a  naval  routine,  which  will  be  of  special 
interest  in  these  times.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sherman,  both  of  whom  are 
former  residents  of  Watertown,  will  live  in  the  Principal's  house. 
They  have  one  son. 

COTTAGE  CHANGES 

DUE  TO  THE  SMALL  NUMBER  of  boys  in  the  Upper  School, 
and  as  a  war  economy,  Bridgman  Cottage  will  not  be  open  this 
year.     A  new  plan  is  being  tried  this  year  by  assigning  boys 
to  the  other  three  cottages  according  to  age.     The  youngest  group, 
those  in  the  Seventh  and  Eighth  Grades,  will  be  in  Eliot  Cottage. 
Post-graduates,  members  of  the  Senior  Class,  and  older  special  pupils 

—  4  — 


will  live  in  Tompkins  Cottage.  The  boys  falling  in  between  will  live 
in  Moulton  Cottage.  For  competitive  sports  the  members  of  the 
Boys'  School  will  be  divided  into  equal  teams,  regardless  of  the  houses 
in  which  they  live. 

Another  change  in  the  cottage  plan  has  been  forced  by  the  eco- 
nomic situation.  To  try  to  keep  twelve  adequate  cooks  in  as  many 
cottages  has  become  an  increasing  problem.  In  an  attempt  to  help 
this  situation  no  meals  will  be  served  in  Tompkins  Cottage.  The  boys 
in  that  house  will  be  assigned  for  meals  to  Eliot  and  Moulton  Cottages. 
On  the  girls'  side  two  kitchens,  one  on  each  side  of  the  close  will  serve 


J 
u 

N 
E 

G 

R 
A 

D 
U 
A 
T 
E 
S 


;  U^"*"^?^^^*^ 


Cecile  J.  Nadeau,  Anita  M.  O'Shea,  Elaine  M.  Drake 
Kathryn  T.  Gibalerio,  Catherine  M.  Pickett 

the  four  cottages.  To  make  this  possible  a  door  has  been  cut  between 
the  two  cottages  on  each  side.  In  order  to  facilitate  this  arrangement 
and,  also,  in  spirit  with  the  times,  to  provide  work  experience  more 
duties  will  be  assigned  to  the  pupils  in  connection  with  the  manage- 
ment and  operation  of  the  cottages, 

FINGERS  OR  EYES 

FOR   SOME   TIME   reference   has   been   made   to   the   increasing 
amount  of  vision  among  pupils  in  schools  for  the  blind.    This  has 
led  to  the  introduction  in  some  schools  of  visual  methods  of 
education.     Perkins  has  adhered  to  the  principle  of  being  a  "finger 


—  5 


reading-"  school,  but  the  time  has  now  come  when  thought  will  have  to 
be  given  to  the  recommendation  of  medical  authorities  that  pupils 
having  sight  be  permitted  to  use  it  as  widely  as  possible.  After  con- 
sideration of  this  problem  on  the  part  of  the  Perkins'  staff,  and  in 
consultation  with  the  medical  authorities,  a  recommendation  was 
made  at  the  June  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  that,  beginning 
this  year,  an  experiment  be  carried  on  to  see  to  what  extent  there 
may  be  provision  for  visual  education  in  this  school.  At  the  meeting 
of  the  Trustees  the  following  three  principles  were  approved: 

1.  That  20/200  or  10%  vision  be  still  considered  the  maximum  amount 
of  sight  for  admission  of  pupils  into  the  school. 

2.  That  braille  still  be  taught  as  the  chief  means  cf  instruction  and  that 
all  pupils  be  required  to  learn  to  write  braille. 

3.  That  provision  be  made  for  pupils  with  sufficient  vision  to  use  ink 
print  for  reading,  that  books  of  suitable  type,  insofar  as  they  can  be  ob- 
tained, be  secured,  and  that  adequate  lighting  facilities  for  the  reading  of 
ink  print  be  provided. 

This  will  involve,  during  the  year,  a  careful  study  of  modern 
appliances  for  eye-reading,  as  well  as  adequate  lighting  and  other 
mediums  which  science  may  develop. 

NATIONAL  SCHOLARSHIPS 

ONCE  AGAIN  FOUR  YOUNG  PEOPLE  have  been  selected  from 
a  large  number  of  applicants  to  benefit  by  the  National 
Scholarships,  offered  bythe  Trustees  of  Perkins  to  outstanding 
graduates  of  school  for  the  blind  throughout  the  country.  Those 
chosen  are:  Patricia  Byrnes,  California  State  School  for  the  Blind; 
Suzanne  Sirak,  Cleveland,  Ohio,  Braille  Classes ;  Herschel  Kochenower, 
Oklahoma  School  for  the  Blind,  and  Frontis  Lown,  South  Carolina 
School  for  the  Blind.  Later  Miss  Byrnes  gave  up  her  scholarship 
and  it  was  assigned  to  Mary  Palmer  of  South  Dakota. 


MANY  STRANGE  REQUESTS  come  to  our  desk  but  a  new  one 
reached  us  this  summer  from  a  man  who  is  writing  a  play 
which  has  a  blind  character  as  the  hero.  After  describing 
his  character  and  the  situation  which  leads  to  the  climax  (the  blind 
person  is  charged  with  a  murder  which  he  did  not  commit)  the  writer 
asked:  "Is  the  story  a  possible  one?  Is  it  a  probable  one?  Does 
my  character  behave  'medically  proper'  in  the  last  scene?" 

—  6  — 


NEW  STAFF  MEMBERS 


C.  Jane  Lawrence,  Vassar  '40,  and 
Doris  Welsh,  School  of  Handicrafts  and 
Occupational  Therapy,  Boston,  '41,  both 
members  of  last  year's  Harvard  Class, 
teachers  in  the  Girls'  Manual  Training 
Department. 


Florence  Murphy,  Boston  University 
School  of  Physical  Education  '40,  last 
year  Director  of  Physical  Education  in 
the  Wesleyville  (Pa.)  High  School,  in 
charge  of  recreation  in  the  Lower 
School. 


Rose  M.  Di  Dominicis,  Salem  Teach- 
ers College  '38,  Harvard  Class  '39,  re- 
cently teacher  in  the  Maryland  School 
for  the  Deaf,  teacher  in  the  Deaf-Blind 
Department. 


Guido  Marchisio,  Perkins  '33,  Boston 
University  '37,  Spring  Secretaria1 
School,  Boston,  '39,  Harvard  Class  '42, 
teacher  of  commercial  subjects. 


Susan  M.  Brooks,  graduate  of  Boston 
School  of  Occupational  Therapy  and 
Penland  Institute  of  Hand-weaving, 
teacher  of  weaving. 


Ruth  I.  Erickson,  graduate  of  Iowa 
State  Teachers  College,  Harvard  Class 
'39,  teacher  in  the  Lower  School. 


Mrs.  Pearl  Gosling,  matron  of  Bridg- 
man  Cottage  will  be  matron  of  Brooks 
Cottage. 


Mrs.  Marion  R.  Woolston,  matron  of 
Potter  Cottage,  will  be  matron  of  Oliver 
Cottage. 


Mrs.  May  A.  Roche,  Bridgewater,  ma- 
tron of  Potter  Cottage. 


Miss  Verna  Anderson,  Waltham,  Sec- 
retary to  the  Bursar. 


FROM  OUR  MAIL 


"This  week  Her  Majesty,  the  Queen 
of  Egypt,  was  kind  enough  to  visit  all 
the  institutions  and  associations  for  the 
blind  around  Cairo.  This  visit  marked 
an  epoch  in  the  life  of  our  blind  people. 
The  Minister  of  Education  proclaimed 
in  front  of  Her  Majesty  that,  in  mem- 
ory of  her  gracious  visit,  two  institu- 
tions and  two  workshops  attached  to 
them  will  be  opened  next  September. 
So,  when  Perkins,  the  father  re-opens, 
he  will  have  two  little  new-born  Per- 
kins, Jr.  in  Egypt.  Such  news,  I  know, 
will  be  interesting  to  you  and  the  Per- 
kins family."  Sayed  Abell  Fattah,  Min- 
istry of  Education,  Cairo,  Egypt. 


A  radiogram  from  China,  relayed 
from  California,  stated:  ''Miss  Carpen- 
ter, Miss  Schaeffer  (former  Harvard 
Class  members),  and  I  want  you  to 
know  we  are  well  and  safe.  They  are 
still  at  their  post  in  Ming  Sum,  (Can- 
ton) and  I  am  still  holding  the  fort  at 
Shiuhing  in  Free  China."  Mary  E. 
Burtt.  

"Referring  to  the  notice,  'Children  of 
the  Silent  Night',  in  THE  LANTERN 
issued  December  15,  1941,  I  take  the 
liberty  of  asking  you  for  the  report 
mentioned  therein,  giving  details  con- 
cerning the  education  of  deaf-blind 
children."  Ulrich  Rothenberger,  St. 
Gallen-Langasse,   Switzerland. 


"The  work  in  our  school  for  the  blind 
is  progressing  slowly  but  surely,  and  we 
have  great  hopes  of  accomplishing  good 
results.  I  am  deeply  grateful  to  you 
for  the  hearty  and  most  helpful  co- 
operation I  received."  Eugenia  Cortes, 
Mexico  School  for  the  Blind. 


"You  will  be  glad  to  hear  that  the 
work  of  our  Institution  is  progressing 
very  satisfactorily.  We  are  opening  a 
board  house  for  the  benefit  of  our  stu- 
dents, including  the  war-blinded  sol- 
diers." S.  C.  Roy,  Lighthouse  for  the 
Blind,  Calcutta,  India. 


—  7  — 


A  PERKINS  MYSTERY 

(Continued  from  Page  3) 

Theodore  Parker  was  a  leading  reformer  in  Boston  prior  to  the 
Civil  War.  Julia  Ward  Howe  wrote  that  the  three  greatest  men  she 
ever  knew  were :  Ralph  Waldo  Emerson,  Theodore  Parker,  and  Samuel 
Gridley  Howe.  When  Parker's  health  failed,  friends  urged  him  to  go 
away.  Dr.  Howe  went  with  him  as  far  as  Cuba,  on  his  way  to  Italy. 
Parker  disliked  Rome,  and  as  he  did  not  wish  to  die  there,  Dr.  Apple- 
ton,  his  physician,  took  him  to  Florence,  where  he  passed  away  on 
May  10,  1860.  It  was  Dr.  Appleton  who  sent  the  brain  to  Dr.  Howe. 
Why?  The  physician  may  have  known  the  high  esteem  in  which 
Parker  was  held  by  Dr.  Howe.  Writing  to  Charles  Sumner,  Dr.  Howe 
stated  that  Parker's  condition  would  "remove  the  foremost  man  of 
this  continent  from  the  earth  in  less  than  a  year." 

Beside  the  letters  a  telephone  call  was  received  from  a  leading 
officer  of  the  Unitarian  Church,  who  asked:  "Is  it  true  that  you  have 
at  Perkins  the  brain  of  Theodore  Parker?"  We  replied  that  we  only 
wish  that  we  knew.  Some  time  ago  we  destroyed  a  number  of  pack- 
ages that  had  been  removed  from  South  Boston.  Not  having  had  a 
wide  experience  in  what  a  brain  would  look  like  after  reposing  in  a 
closet  for  eighty-some  years,  we  may  have  thrown  it  away. 

The  brain  of  Theodore  Parker  was  actually  here  recently  in  the 
imaginations  of  some  people.  Early  last  spring  the  Director  read 
some  of  the  letters  received  at  a  school  assembly.  At  the  following 
assembly  the  Director  found  on  the  reading  desk  a  box  which  bore  the 
label:  "The  lost  is  found.  Here  I  am."  Opening  the  box,  he  found 
a  shrivelled  article,  labelled:  "The  brain  of  Theodore  Parker",  and  a 
note  saying:  "I've  come  back  to  slap  the  Japs."  The  Director  de- 
scribed the  contents  to  the  pupils  and  read  the  attached  notes.  Just 
before  school  closed  he  was  surprised  to  find  that  some  of  the  pupils, 
and  he  suspects  some  of  the  staff,  actually  thought  that  this  was  the 
brain  of  Theodore  Parker. 

This  is  all  that  we  know  about  what  one  of  our  correspondents 
called  "a  queer  episode."  Whatever  may  have  been  "the  ultimate  fate 
of  the  brain"  on  which  Mrs.  Richards  cannot  enlighten  us,  Van  Wyck 
Brooks  was  undoubtedly  right  in  stating:  "Parker's  mind  lived  on  in 
Mrs.  Howe,"  and,  without  doubt,  it  continued  to  thrive  in  the  Indian 
Summer  of  New  England. 

—  8  — 


t 

our  contribution  to  lightening  the  load   of   the    mailman    at    Christmas 

the  mailing  of  The  Lantern  has  been  deferred. 



The  Lantern 

THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  XII.  NO.  2  DECEMBER  15.  1942 

A  Braille  Friendship  League 

MANY  are  concerned  over  the  discontinuance  of  braille  trans- 
cribing by  The  American  Red  Cross.  This  is  a  loss  that  will 
be  keenly  felt,  both  by  those  who  received  the  embossed  vol- 
umes and  those  who  so  generously  transcribed  them.  In  all-out  war, 
however,  many  services  appreciated  and  valued  have  to  give  way  to 
the  imperative  needs  of  the  times.  Certainly  the  war  demands  now 
imposed  upon  the  Red  Cross  must  have  first  call  for  the  full  use  of 
their  personnel  and  their  resources. 

There  ought  to  be  some  way,  however,  whereby  this  service  can 
be  continued  for  the  benefit  of  those  who  have  learned  to  depend  upon 
it.  There  is  still  need  for  college  textbooks  and  the  occasional  trans- 
cribing of  material  which  does  not  justify  multiple  embossing.  There 
are  still  people  who  have  learned  this  skill  and  who  take  great  delight 
in  using  it.  One  of  the  most  valuable  by-products  of  the  transcribing 
has  been  the  enlistment  of  many  who  thereby  learned  to  know  and  to 
understand  the  blind. 

A  suggestion  which  might  help  conserve  both  this  interest  and 
this  skill  lies  in  the  possibility  of  creating  what  might  be  called  a 
Braille  Friendship  League.  Enlisted  in  this  company  could  be 
those  who  enjoy  transcribing  braille  for  its  own  sake,  as  well  as  for 
the  friendship,  which  has  developed  between  blind  and  seeing  people. 
There  are  many  people  without  sight  throughout  the  country  who  are 
lonely.  If  such  a  league  could  use  the  skill  which  its  members 
possess  to  write  letters  rather  than  books  to  these  people,  many 
hearts  would  be  lightened  and  many  people  now  having  the  skill 
of  transcribing  would  find  infinite  satisfaction  in  using  it  in  this  way. 


^a^&^f 7&jvi*££ 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown,  Massachusetts 
Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President.  GABRIEL  FARRELL,  Director. 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


An  art  exhibit  was  held  in  the  apart- 
ment of  Mr.  Coon  in  November  featur- 
ing paintings  by  Miss  Knowlton,  Miss 
McGaw,  and  Mr.  Coon. 


Three  boys  from  Perkins  are  attend- 

Iing  The  Barnes  School,  Henniker,  N. 
H.,  taking  a  practical  course  in  poultry 
raising  and  farming. 


Benjamin  F.  Smith,  Master  of  Pot- 
ter Cottage  and  leader  of  the  Boy 
Scouts,  was  interviewed  in  a  radio 
broadcast  about  Perkins'  war  work 
over  Station  WBZ  on  December  10. 


The  salesroom  at  133  Newbury 
Street,  Boston,  has  been  relinquished 
by  the  Workshop,  in  order  to  make 
room  for  a  mica  project  on  which 
about  thirty  blind  people  are  engaged. 
The  officers  of  the  Workshop  have 
been  moved  to  South  Boston. 


Dr.  H.  B.  C.  Riemer  has  taken  the 
place  of  Dr.  Gundersen,  Ophthalmol- 
ogist, now  in  the  U.  S.  Army.  Dr. 
Riemer  has  served  both  the  Boston 
Nursery  for  Blind  Babies  and  the  Mas- 
sachusetts Division  of  the  Blind.  He 
is  an  outstanding  specialist  in  this 
field.  

New  staff  members  since  the  open- 
ing of  school  are:  Alysan  C.  Hooper, 
secretary  to  the  Director;  Mrs.  Sarah 
M.  Keith,  matron  of  Eliot  Cottage; 
Mrs.  Ann  M.  Tucker,  matron  of  May 
Cottage;  Mrs.  Patricia  M.  Taylor,  Mrs. 
Irene  O'Connor,  and  Miss  Elizabeth 
Schantz,  teachers  in  the  Lower  School. 


A  large  plasticine  map,  covering  one 
of  the  tables  in  the  Museum,  depicts 
the  Mediterranean  Sea  and  the  stra- 
tegic countries  surrounding  it.  This 
map  supplements  the  braille  Map-of- 
the-Month  for  November  and  gives  our 
pupils  a  realistic  picture  of  the  ter- 
rain and  natural  barriers  which  are  so 
important  in  the  struggle  that  is  cen- 
tered in  this  part  of  the  world  at  the 
present  time. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Douglas  Barker,  Perkins   '40,  is  em- 
ployed in  a  large  bakery  in  Cambridge. 


Gerald  Desrosiers,  Perkins  '40,  is 
head  chef  in  a  department  store  in 
Providence,  Rhode  Island. 


Charles  Simons,  Perkins  '32,  has 
been  appointed  manager  of  a  First 
National  Store  in  Watertown. 


Edward  W.  Jenkins,  Perkins  '22,  in- 
structor in  the  Music  Department,  will 
give  a  recital  on  December  27,  at  4.30 
p.m.,  at  All  Saints'  Episcopal  Church, 
Worcester.  The  music  will  be  appro- 
priate to  the  Christmas  Season. 


Angelina  Correia,  Perkins  '39,  em- 
ployed at  the  Lewis-Shepard  Co.,  Wa- 
tertown, is  taking  dictation  on  both 
the  Ediphone  and  the  braille  short- 
hand machine.  Her  employers  speak 
highly  of  her  good  work. 


Clifford  F.  Hall,  Perkins  '38,  after 
leaving  Perkins  in  June,  bought  a 
truck  and,  with  a  young  man  to  drive 
it,  tuned  over  one  hundred  pianos  dur- 
ing the  summer.  He  also  played  four 
nights  a  week  in  an  orchestra. 


Richard  L.  Hull,  who  attended  Per- 
kins from  1924-33,  when  he  entered  the 
Rockport  High  School  and,  later,  was 
graduated  from  Clark  University,  was 
elected  to  the  State  Legislature  in  the 
November  election.  His  home  is  in 
Rockport.  Massachusetts. 


Virginia  Haley,  working  at  the  Fam- 
ily Welfare  Office  in  Fitchburg,  writes: 
"My  job  is  just  great  and  they  treat 
me  perfectly  grand  ...  I  am  glad  you 
pounded  figures  and  tabulations  into 
my  head!  Most  of  my  work  is  in 
shorthand,  but  last  week  I  took  the 
minutes  of  a  board  meeting." 


2  — 


PERKINS  IN  THE  LAST  WAR 

Extracts  from  the  Record 

THE  WAR  has  brought  and  will  continue  to  bring  changes  in  our 
routine  affairs.  Many  of  these  seem  startling  and  new.  Institu- 
tions, as  well  as  individuals,  are  required  in  time  of  war  to  re- 
adjust and  often  reappraise  their  activities.  This  is  not  new,  because 
history  reveals  that  war  has  always  dislocated  not  only  nations,  but 
also  personal  affairs,  and  even  institutions  as  well  established  as  Per- 
kins. The  other  clay  we  were  inspired  to  read  over  the  Director's  quar- 
terly reports  to  the  Trustees  during  World  War  I.  To  our  interest,  and 
somewhat  to  our  surprise,  we  found  that  many  of  the  changes  which 
are  perplexing  us  now,  and  many  of  the  adjustments  which  we  are 
making  and  which  we  have  considered  so  new  and  unusual,  had  been 
previously  faced  in  the  last  war. 

We  have  recently  reported  with  pride  the  accomplishments  of  our 
girls  in  providing  knitted  articles  for  the  Red  Cross.  The  record  of 
1917  shows  that  they  were  following  a  good  tradition,  because  it  re- 
ported: "Our  girls  continue  to  help  the  Red  Cross  work  through  con- 
tributions of  knitting." 

Our  very  active  selling  of  war  bonds  and  stamps  within  the  school 
and  our  participation  in  the  War  Fund  Drive  have  good  precedents. 
In  January,  1918,  it  was  reported:  "The  officers,  teachers,  servants  and 
pupils  of  the  school  collectively  subscribed  the  sum  of  $7,800.00  for  the 
second  Liberty  Bond ;  also,  that  some  seventy-five  have  joined  the  Red 
Cross  Society."  In  April,  1918,  it  was  reported:  "  'Midsummer  Night's 
Dream,'  by  boys  in  Tompkins  Cottage,  the  latter  for  war  work  in  the 
Y.M.C.A.,  from  which  they  cleared  $600.00,  was  presented.  The  girls 
presented  a  dramatization  of  Mrs.  Richards'  'Mrs.  Tree'  and  raised 
$150.00  for  the  purchase  of  a  Liberty  Bond." 

This  year  we  have  closed  Bridgman  Cottage  on  the  Boys'  side.  In 
the  last  war  we  find  that  Tompkins  Cottage  was  closed,  not  because 
of  lack  of  pupils  because  there  were  enrolled  in  the  Upper  School  one 
hundred  and  forty-three,  compared  with  our  present  enrollment  of  one 
hundred  and  twenty-five.  One  of  the  reasons  for  closing  Tompkins 
Cottage  was  the  difficulty  in  holding  men  teachers.  The  following  is  a 
typical  statement:  "One  or  more  of  our  men  teachers  may  leave  this 
spring  for  military  service.  When  Mr.  Dillingham,  gymnastic  teacher, 
was  called  to  the  Colors  in  January,  I  tried  vainly  to  find  a  suitable 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 
—  3  — 


RED  CROSS  BRAILLE 

THE  AMERICAN  RED  CROSS  has  announced  that  its  department 
for  braille  transcribing  is  to  be  discontinued.  This  service  orig- 
inated during  World  War  I,  when  there  was  a  great  need  for 
braille  books  for  the  war-blinded.  Because  of  the  interest  which  the 
work  inspired,  the  program  was  continued  until  there  has  been  built  up 
throughout  the  country  a  large  company  of  men  and  women  who  have 
given  generously  of  their  time  to  make  books  available  for  the  blind. 
The  Red  Cross  service  has  been  especially  valuable  for  college  text- 
books and  the  single  copies  of  special  books.  According  to  the  an- 
nouncement by  the  Red  Cross,  no  chapters,  other  than  those  engaged 
in  braille  transcribing,  are  to  be  permitted  to  initiate  this  service,  and 
plans  are  to  be  made  for  its  discontinuance  where  it  is  established. 

PROGRAM  CHANGES 

IN  ORDER  to  have  more  time  for  sports  and  recreation  in  the  middle 
of  the  day,  the  school  program  has  been  pushed  ahead  in  the  after- 
noon. The  football  games  between  the  cottages,  girls'  field  events, 
and  various  forms  of  outdoor  sports  are  now  held  regularly  from  1:30 
until  3:00  o'clock.  Classes  are  resumed  at  3:10  and  continue  until 
almost  6:00  o'clock.  This  has  the  advantage  of  getting  the  pupils  out- 
of-doors  during  the  sunny  hours.  Another  change  of  interest  in  the 
way  of  acquiring  physical  fitness,  has  been  through  the  setting-up 
exercises,  conducted  each  morning  during  recess  in  the  courtyards  of 
the  Upper  School.  The  boys  respond  to  the  brisk  "one,  two,  three, 
four"  of  Mr.  Di  Martino,  and  the  girls  are  led  in  their  exercises  by 
Miss  Rodgers.  It  is  invigorating  some  of  these  cold  mornings. 


■ 

ilk     \               '  ^l 

■       \ 

IS 

THE  WAR-BLINDED 

MANY  people  have  been  inquiring'  about  what  plans  are  being 
made  to  care  for  those  who  may  lose  their  sight  because  of 
the  war.  While  there  is  a  widespread  interest  in  this  subject, 
there  seems  to  be,  at  the  present  time,  no  definite  plan  arranged,  al- 
though a  responsible  officer  in  Washington  states:  "We  have  been 
building  background  and  are  looking  into  the  forthcoming  soldier  prob- 
lem with  more  certainty  than  has  been  possible  before." 

There  are  several  bills  before  Congress  at  the  present  time  per- 
taining to  this  problem.  In  October  an  all-day  conference  of  those  in- 
terested in  the  blind  was  held  in  Washington  to  discuss  a  bill  intro- 
duced into  the  House  by  Representative  Barden  of  North  Carolina. 
Interest  centers  in  this  bill  because  it  contains  a  title  for  a  separate 
program  for  the  rehabilitation  of  the  blind,  both  war-blinded  and 
civilians.  Another  bill  has  been  introduced  into  the  Senate  by  Senator 
Walsh  of  Massachusetts,  which  makes  provision  for  the  rehabilitation 
of  men  in  the  service  under  the  Veterans'  Administration.  Both  of 
these  bills  are  still  in  committee,  and  no  definite  announcement  can  be 
made  about  the  program  for  the  war-blinded  until  Congress  enacts  the 
necessary  legislation. 


DEAF-BLIND  APPEAL 

LATE  IN  November,  the  annual  appeal  for  funds  for  the  deaf-blind 
was  sent  out.  In  making  the  appeal,  recognition  was  given  of  the 
priority  of  demands  for  war  needs,  and  it  is  gratifying  to  be  hav- 
ing a  good  response.  The  appeal  this  year  took  the  form  of  a  little  blue 

—  5  — 


booklet,  telling  of  the  work  and  bearing  on  the  cover  the  words :  ''Chil- 
dren of  the  Silent  Night." 

The  Deaf-Blind  Department,  this  year,  is  continuing  its  work 
with  twelve  doubly-handicapped  children.  Miss  Hall,  the  head  teacher, 
is  enjoying  a  year's  leave  of  absence  at  her  home  in  Colorado,  where 
she  is  doing  some  interesting  work  with  the  Speech  Department  of  the 
University  of  Denver. 

SPEAKING  OF  APPEALS 

TWO  FORMS  of  soliciting  aid  to  help  the  blind  have  come  to  our 
attention  recently.  1.  The  old  story  of  collecting  cigarette  wrap- 
pings in  order  to  secure  a  Seeing  Eye  Dog  for  a  blind  person 
seems  to  have  been  revived.  A  dog  cannot  be  secured  in  this  way,  and 
the  officers  of  the  Seeing  Eye,  Inc.  have  asked  many  times  that  this 
rumor  be  denied.  2.  Representatives  of  the  American  Printing  House 
for  the  Blind  have  been  forming  a  "Boston  Sponsors'  Committee  to  en- 
able them  to  secure  funds  for  the  purpose  of  providing  free  subscrip- 
tions for  the  Reader's  Digest  in  braille  and  talking  book  form.  We  are 
glad  to  commend  this  effort  to  extend  the  reading  of  this  publication. 


THIS  YEAR  the  Christmas  Concerts  are  to  be  held  in  Dwight  Hall 
at  the  school  on  Friday  evening,  December  18,  at  8:00  o'clock; 
in  Jordan  Hall,  Boston,  on  Sunday,  December  20,  at  3:30;  and  the 
special  concert  for  the  parents  and  friends  of  the  pupils,  in  Dwight 
Hall  on  Tuesday  evening,  December  22.  Because  of  the  difficulty  in- 
volved in  transportation,  the  children  of  the  Lower  School  are  not  to 
attend  the  concert  in  Boston.  School  will  close  following  the  concert 
on  Tuesday  evening  and  will  re-open  on  Wednesday,  January  6,  1943. 

SINCE  THE  opening  of  school,  steps  have  been  taken  to  reorganize 
our  defense  program,  filling  the  vacancies  caused  by  staff  and 
pupil  changes.  Several  air-raid  drills  have  been  held  and  classes 
in  First  Aid  have  continued.  The  Boy  Scouts  in  the  school  have  accu- 
mulated mountains  of  scrap,  while  the  civics  classes  have  accumulated 
great  quantities  of  paper.  The  buying  of  War  Bonds  with  the  proceeds 
of  these  sales  and  the  purchase  of  stamps  by  individuals  goes  on  apace. 


A 


TEACHER  in  the  Lower  School  reports  hearing  some  little 
boys,  while  rehearsing  "Hark,  the  Herald  Angels  Sing"  singing 
"Doc-tor  Far-rell's  Angels,  Sing  Glory  to  the  New-Born  King!" 

—  6  — 


PUBLICATIONS 


Intelligence  testing  is  now  considered 
an  essential  part  of  any  modern  school 
program.  Adaptations  of  tests  of  this 
type  for  the  blind  have  been  made  by 
Dr.  Samuel  P.  Hayes,  formerly  Profes- 
sor of  Psychology  at  Mount  Holyoke 
College,  and  now  Director  of  the  De- 
partment of  Personnel  and  Research 
at  Perkins. 


The  Hayes-Binet  Tests,  used  for 
many  years,  especially  with  young 
blind  children,  have  been  discontinued. 
Dr.  Hayes  now  recommends  the  new 
tests  listed  below.  These  are  standard 
tests  which  he  has  adapted  for  use 
with  the  blind. 


For  young  children.  The  Interim 
Hayes-Binet  tests,  a  selection  of  tests 
from  the  Terman-Merrill,  1937,  revised 
Stanford-Binet  Intelligence  Tests.  They 
are  based  on  Terman's  twenty-year 
study  and  give  a  direct  comparison 
with  the  seeing. 


For  blind  adolescents  and  adults.  The 

Weschler-Bellevue  Adult  and  Adoles- 
cent Scales.  Weschler's  five  verbal 
tests  and  his  vocabulary  tests  may  be 
used  with  the  blind  practically  with- 
out change  and  yield  an  I.  Q.  based 
on  seeing  standards. 


For  the  semi-sighted.  Brown's  I.  J. 
R.  Tests  for  the  Visually  Handicapped. 
These  tests  are  the  result  of  an  exten- 
sive study  made  by  Professor  Andrew 
J.  Brown  at  the  Institute  of  Juvenile 
Research  in  Chicago. 


Test  materials  needed  for  the  first 
series  of  tests  may  be  secured  from  Dr. 
Hayes  at  Perkins  Institution.  A  report 
on  the  use  of  the  Weschler  Tests  may 
be  found  in  the  OUTLOOK  FOR  THE 
BLIND,  Vol.  XXXVI,  October,  1942. 


FROM  OUR  MAIL 


"THE  LANTERN  is  the  only  maga- 
zine that  I  read  all  through  as  soon 
as  it  arrives."    Fred  V.  Walsh. 


"I  have  read  the  last  LANTERN 
with  more  than  the  usual  interest;  a 
strong  statement!"  Laura  E.  Richards, 
Gardiner,  Maine. 


"All  good  wishes!  I  like  your  not 
using  'high  pressure'  as  some  do." 
From  a  contributor  to  the  Deaf-Blind 
Fund. 


"One  does  not  need  to  be  sightless 
to  see  what  the  talking-book  means  to 
one  who  is,  and  to  be  eternally  grate- 
ful that  it  exists  for  their  great  delight." 
To  our  library. 


"Recently  I  borrowed  several  issues 
of  the  Map-of-the-Month  from  the 
Chicago  Public  Library.  .  .  We  should 
be  so  very  grateful,  if  we  could  receive 
the  map  each  month."  Chicago,  Illin- 
ois. 


"We  should  like  to  reproduce  a 
black-and-white  photograph  of  your 
portrait  of  Samuel  Gridley  Howe  by 
Jane  Stuart  in  our  forthcoming  text- 
book Never  Surrender  by  Fitzgerald." 
From  Ginn  and  Company. 


"I  thank  you  most  sincerely  for  your 
kindness  in  granting  us  permission  to 
make  here  the  slates  used  at  our  Na- 
tional School  for  the  Blind  as  it  will 
enable  us  to  carry  on  our  plans  in 
benefit  of  its  pupils  and  its  organiza- 
tion." Subsecretario  de  la  Asistencia 
Publica,  Mexico. 


"Christmas  at  Perkins,  Ah,  yes! 
There  cannot  be  a  stronger  holiday 
spirit  anywhere  than  abounds  through- 
out Perkins  at  Christmas  time.  Every 
year  during  this  season  my  wife  and  I 
get  a  yearning  to  be  at  Perkins."  From 
a  graduate  now  in  California. 


—  7 


PERKINS  IN  THE  LAST  WAR 

'Continued  from  Page  3) 

substitute  and  had  to  adjust  the  teaching  by  employing  a  woman  in- 
stead of  a  man."  October,  1918:  "Mr.  Molter,  boys'  Principal-Teacher, 
has  a  leave  of  absence  without  pay  in  order  to  be  Principal-Teacher  of 
the  General  Hospital  School  for  Blinded  Soldiers  in  Baltimore." 

The  reports  refer  to  many  of  the  minor  adjustments  that  would 
be  expected.  We  have  been  gravely  concerned  over  our  problem  of 
securing  adequate  help,  both  on  the  grounds  and  in  the  domestic  posi- 
tions. Our  predecessors  had  just  as  much  trouble.  We  have  had  to 
resort  to  public  advertising  for  help  in  the  last  month  or  two.  In  April, 
1920,  Dr.  Allen  wrote:  "We  have  never  before  had  to  advertise  so  much 
for  service."  In  October,  1918 :  "The  resolution  to  erect  an  iron  fence 
along  our  western  and  northern  boundary  has  been  halted  by  inability 
to  get  the  iron."  Now  there  are  some  people  who  would  like  to  take 
down  our  fence  in  order  to  "get  the  iron." 

Securing  supplies,  also,  was  difficult  in  World  War  I,  as  it  is  now. 
"All  the  year  we  have  used  throughout  the  Institution  nut  margarine 
instead  of  butter,  less  expensive  cuts  of  meat  than  usual,  and  for  the 
last  three  months,  milk  powder  for  cooking,  where  we  formerly  used 
milk."  When  we  placed  nearly  two  thousand  tons  of  coal  in  a  pile  on 
the  farm  last  spring,  we  thought  that  we  were  smart  and  original.  In 
the  last  war,  the  records  state,  "our  coal  situation  is  promising  as  to 
supply — in  piles  now  on  the  ground  five  hundred  tons  of  anthracite 
screenings  and  about  four  hundred  of  bituminous  coal." 

The  reports  through  the  war  indicate  the  same  experience  that  we 
are  having  now,  a  much  better  opportunity  for  employment  of  the 
blind  than  before  the  war.  This  carried  over  after  the  war,  because 
on  April  7,  1920,  Dr.  Allen  wrote:  "The  times,  however,  have  been 
propitious  for  the  vocational  employment  of  blind  men  and  women  all 
over  the  country.  It  can  now  be  truthfully  said,  and  I  fully  believe, 
that  there  are  today  more  places  open  to  the  competent  blind  than 
there  are  such  people  to  fill  them."  New  fields  for  the  blind,  cited  at 
the  time,  were  typewriting,  Ediphone  operating,  wrapping,  and  assem- 
bling of  parts. 

All  in  all,  the  records  show  that  there  is  a  certain  consistency  that 
runs  through  the  years  and  while  we  may  feel  that  more  of  our  share 
of  adjustment  and  change  is  required,  those  who  have  gone  before 
have  had  the  same  experience,  and  we,  in  our  turn,  have  to  learn  that 
the  only  certain  thing  in  life  is  change. 

—  8  — 


The  Lantern 
- 1       ; 

THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  XII.  NO.  3  MARCH  15.  1943 


Training  for  Industry 


OPPORTUNITIES  FOR  EMPLOYMENT  of  the  blind  in  modern 
industry  have  never  been  so  plentiful  as  they  seem  to  be  at  the 
present  time.  Hardly  a  day  goes  by  that  a  newspaper  or  mag- 
azine does  not  contain  a  report  of  work  being  done  by  visually 
handicapped  people  in  an  airplane  factory,  a  munitions  plant,  or  some 
other  form  of  war  effort.  This  is  partly  due  to  the  need  that  there  is 
for  every  available  form  of  manpower.  Along  with  this  need  for  the 
skills  that  the  handicapped  possess,  is,  also,  an  amazement  on  the  part 
of  industrial  leaders  that  the  handicapped,  especially  the  blind,  can 
work  and  have  skills  that  enable  them  to  take  a  part  in  modern 
industry. 

Training  blind  youth  for  modern  industry  is  a  new  task  for  our 
schools.  We  have  not  been  training  youth  for  industry,  but,  rather, 
educating  them  along  broad  lines.  The  word  education  goes  back  to 
the  verb  educere  which  means  "to  draiv  out."  Our  aim  has  been  to 
draw  out  and  to  develop  natural  and  latent  abilities,  and  to  encourage 
youth  to  find  a  wide  field  to  exercise  these  abilities.  Under  the  duress 
of  the  emergency,  this,  we  are  told,  may  no  longer  be  done.  We  are 
asked  to  tie  down  abilities,  train  them  to  definite  skills,  and  make  our 
youth  content  to  do  a  simple,  uncreative  task,  finding  compensation  in 
the  fact  that  that  is  asked  of  all  youth  today.  Even  some  of  our  most 
deeply  rooted  colleges  of  liberal  arts  are  being  transformed  from  edu- 
cational institutions  into  training  schools  under  the  domination  of 
Mars.  Such  is  war,  and  we  have  to  play  our  part.  And  the  blind  will 
do  their  share  to  prepare  themselves  to  make  the  most  of  the  oppor- 
tunities which  modern  industry  now  throws  open  to  them. 


^Oy&^f  ^a/i/l+£g 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown,  Massachusetts 
Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President.  GABRIEL  FARRELL,  Director. 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Trustees  appointed  for  the  first  time 
by  the  Governor  of  the  Commonwealth 
are  Dr.  Reginald  Fitz  of  Brookline  and 
Mr.  Theodore  F.  Drury  of  Weston. 


Wrestling-  has  become  a  big  sport  this 
year.  The  Perkins  team  has  wrestled 
with  several  public  and  private  school 
teams  including  Andover  Academy  and 
Browne  and  Nichols  School,  losing  to 
the  former  and  winning  from  the 
latter. 


New  staff  members  are  Mrs.  Nellie 
E.  H.  Hamill,  matron  of  May  Cottage 
succeeding  Mrs.  Ann  M.  Tucker;  Mrs. 
Elizabeth  L.  Rew,  physiotherapist  in 
place  of  Miss  Thelma  E.  Peirce.  Mrs. 
Elsa  B.  Martz  has  resigned  as  teacher 
in  the  Lower  School  and  her  place  has 
been  filled  by  the  return  of  Miss  Edna 
H.  Ennis  who  had  been  on  leave. 


OBITUARIES 

Laura  E.  Richards  passed  away  in  her 
92nd  year  on  January  14.  Mrs.  Richards 
was  a  daughter  of  the  first  Director, 
Samuel  Gridley  Howe,  and  of  Julia 
Ward  Howe,  author  of  "The  Battle 
Hymn  of  the  Republic."  Born  at  the 
school  in  South  Boston,  she  never  lost 
interest  in  its  work  and  its  pupils. 

Rev.  George  P.  O'Conor  passed  away 
on  January  29.  Appointed  to  the  Board 
of  Trustees  by  the  Governor  in  1926,  he 
served  continuously  and  faithfully  all  of 
these  years. 


Lydia  Y.  Hayes,  died  on  February  8, 
at  Bemidji,  Minnesota,  where  she  made 
her  home  with  her  nephew,  William  G. 
Hayes,  and  his  wife,  a  former  deaf-blind 
student  at  Perkins.  Miss  Hayes  was 
graduated  from  Perkins  in  1889,  and 
throughout  her  life  has  been  active  in 
Alumnae  affairs. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Walter  Brzoza,  '38,  has  been  accepted 
by  the  Army  and  assigned  to  Military 
Police  duty  at  a  camp  in  Oklahoma. 


Robert  Cookson,  '38,  and  Armand 
Paquette,  who  left  Perkins  in  1934,  are 
engaged  in  assembly  work  at  the  Tor- 
pedo Station  at  Newport,  Rhode  Island. 


Francis  J.  Fournier,  '41,  has  a  posi- 
tion selling  at  the  Post  Exchange  at  the 
Boston  Navy  Yard. 


Alden   E.   Allen,   '42,  is  employed   at 
assembly  work  at  Waltham  Watch  Co. 


George    E.    Forte,    '40,    is    running    a 
cutting  machine  at  Brighton  Box  Co. 


Frank  A.  Swett,  '39,  has  a  job  as  a 
moulder's  helper  in  a  foundry  in  Hyde 
Park. 


PUBLICATIONS 


Headlines  from  clippings  received 
during  the  last  month  tell  the  story  of 
the  wide  range  of  the  employment  of 
the  blind:  Blind  Find  Many  Jobs — 
Michigan;  Now  They're  Working — New 
York. 


Blind  People  Aiding  U.  S.  War 
Effort — California;  State  to  Hire  Blind 
Typist  —  Michigan;  Blind  Woman's 
Work  Helps  War  Plant  Hum — Illinois; 
Blind  Make  Pace  In  Plane  Plants — 
New  York;  Blind  Farmers — Oklahoma; 
Blind  Do  Shipyard  Work — Washington; 
I  am  Sure  I  Can  Do  It — Massachusetts ; 
Blind  Men  Given  Jobs  in  Tractor  Plant 
— Illinois. 


Efficiency  of  Blind  Inspectors  Praised 
—California;  Blind  Worker  Will  Help 
in  Womanpower  Campaign — New  York; 
Four  Blind  Men  Air  Observers — Louis- 
iana; In  Darkness  They  Fight  for 
Right — New  York. 


—  2  — 


PREPARATORY  TRAINING  FOR  INDUSTRY 

A  paper  read  by  the  Director  at  the  National  Conference  of  Social 
Work,  New  York  City,  March  8 

BACK  ABOUT  THE  TIME  of  World  War  I  someone  said: 
"Civilization  is  a  race  between  education  and  catastrophe."  That 
would  seem  to  throw  the  burden  of  progress  upon  the  educator. 
Somewhat  the  same  attitude  prevails  today  in  the  efforts  to  meet  the 
crises  of  World  War  II  with  adequate  manpower.  Industry  must  have 
workers — well-trained  workers — and  what,  industrialists  ask  the 
educators,  are  you  doing  to  provide  them  for  us  ?  If  they  do  not  have 
workers,  they  claim,  in  the  mills  and  factories  to  keep  production  lines 
moving  along,  the  Army  cannot  "keep  'em  rolling"  and  the  enemy 
will  prevail.  Civilization  will  give  way  to  catastrophe.  The  race  will 
be  lost.    And  education  will  be  blamed. 

School  teachers  are  accustomed  to  being  blamed.  Their  pupils 
see  to  that,  and  parents  are  not  always  uncomplaining;  but  when  the 
industrialists  turn  to  the  schools,  make  demands,  and  expect  returns, 
the  school  authorities  realize  anew  the  part  they  play  in  modern  life. 
Right  now  the  expectation  is  for  hundreds,  yea,  thousands,  trained  to 
man  the  production  lines  and  to  take  the  places  of  those  who  have 
moved  up  to  the  fighting  fronts.  The  military  takes  the  1-A's,  both 
in  classification  and  ability,  for  the  armed  services,  and  the  educators 
are  expected  to  make  the  4-F's,  from  the  military  point  of  view,  1-A's 
from  the  industrial  viewpoint. 

This  requires  training,  and  as  our  subject  states,  "preparatory 
training,"  I  feel  that  that  means  consideration  of  those  forces  which 
create  ability,  shape  attitudes,  and  form  habits  while  still  in  school 
and  before  the  production  line  is  reached.  .  .  .  Opportunity  today  is 
for  the  person  who  can  do  a  simple  single  skill  right  now,  who  is 
willing  to  do  this  eight  hours  a  day  on  scheduled  pay  and  time-and- 
one-half  for  as  many  hours  thereafter  as  endurance  permits.  There 
are  seemingly  millions  of  these  skills.  Walk  through  any  defense 
factory  and  see  young  girls  and  old  men,  the  lame,  the  halt,  and  the 
blind  all  doing  simple  tasks  over  and  over  again ;  that  is  what  appalls 
us. 

I,  therefore,  raise  the  question:  How  can  we  train  for  all  these 
various  skills?  Recently  I  saw  a  list  of  several  hundred  operations 
that  the  blind  can  do,  published  by  the  Manpower  Commission.  It  is 
impossible  for  any  or  all  schools  to  train  for  all  of  these  operations. 

(Continued   on   Page   7) 
—  3  — 


CONFERENCE  ON  TRAINING 

PERKINS  WAS  WELL-REPRESENTED  at  one  of  the  two 
sessions  on  blindness  at  the  National  Conference  of  Social  Work 
in  New  York  City.  At  this  session  on  Monday,  March  8,  Mr. 
Arthur  F.  Sullivan,  Perkins  '14,  a  Boston  attorney,  and  President  of 
the  Massachusetts  Council  of  Organizations  for  the  Blind,  was  the 
presiding-  officer,  while  the  discussion  following-  five  papers  was  led 
by  Mr.  Peter  J.  Salmon,  Perkins  '14,  Assistant  Director  of  the  In- 
dustrial Home  for  the  Blind,  Brooklyn,  New  York,  and  President  of 
the  American  Association  of  Workers  for  the  Blind.  The  Director 
of  Perkins,  Dr.  Gabriel  Farrell,  read  a  paper  on  "Training  Blind  Youth 
for  Graduation  into  Industry." 

EMPLOYMENT  SURVEY 

THE  COMMITTEE  ON  VOCATIONS  of  the  Massachusetts 
Council  of  Organizations  for  the  Blind,  in  cooperation  with  the 
Massachusetts  Division  of  the  Blind,  is  making  a  survey  of 
blind  people  throughout  the  State  who  are  available  for  employment. 
A  questionnaire  was  sent  out  by  the  Division  to  seventeen  hundred 
people  between  the  ages  of  twenty  and  fifty,  and  nearly  half  of  these 
have  been  returned.  The  committee,  under  the  chairmanship  of  J. 
Stephenson  Hemphill,  Bursar  at  Perkins,  has  been  analyzing  these 
reports  and  is  making  a  list  of  those  who  are  interested  in  employ- 
ment and  classifying  them  according  to  ability.  As  a  part  of  this 
survey,  conferences  have  been  held  with  the  regional  directors  of  the 
War  Manpower  Commission,  heads  of  the  United  States  Employment 
Service,  both  of  New  England  and  of  Massachusetts,  and  other 
Government  officials  interested  in  the  securing  of  workers  for  the 
war  industry.  This  survey  is  one  of  the  most  complete  studies  ever 
made  in  Massachusetts  and  is  resulting  in  a  roster  of  people  available 
for  work,  which  should  be  of  benefit  to  the  individuals  involved,  and 
of  assistance  to  war  industry  in  finding  available  and  well-qualified 
workers. 


TALKS  ON  PLACEMENT 

MICHAEL  SUP  A,  a  former  student  at  the  New  York  State 
School  for  the  Blind,  a  graduate  of  public  high  school,  Colgate 
College,  and  a  graduate  student  at  Cornell  University,  who 
shared  in  the  interesting  experiments  in  connection  with  the  sixth 
sense  at  Cornell,  visited  Perkins,  February  4-7.  Mr.  Supa  is  now  em- 
ployed by  the  International  Business  Machines  Corporation  in  the 
Personnel  Department,  placing  blind  persons  in  that  large  industry, 
and,  also,  in  interpreting  to  other  industries  the  wider  use  of  the 
visually  handicapped.  Mr.  Supa  talked  to  the  student  body  in  chapel 
and  gave  two  lectures  to  the  Harvard  Class.  He  also  gave  generously 
of  his  time  in  interviewing  pupils  who  are  looking  forward  to  em- 
ployment. 

John  R.  Millon,  a  member  of  the  Harvard  Class  of  last  year, 
visited  Perkins  during  the  week  of  February  15.  Prior  to  coming  to 
Perkins  Mr.  Millon  was  a  lieutenant  in  the  United  States  Army,  where 
he  lost  his  sight  while  in  the  Chemical  Warfare  Service  in  1939.  Mr. 
Millon  had  just  completed  a  three  month's  visit  to  the  Canadian 
National  Institute  for  the  Blind  where  he  studied  placement  work. 
At  chapel  on  February  17,  Mr.  Millon  told  the  school  of  the  methods 
of  placement  and  the  program  for  the  blind  of  the  Canadian  Institute. 

UNITED  WAR  FUND 

EVERY  PUPIL  in  the  school  and  every  resident  member  of  the 
staff  made  a  contribution  to  The  Greater  Boston  United  War 
Fund  Drive,  held  in  February.  The  contributions  totalled 
$1,100.30,  about  $50.00  more  than  last  year.  The  sale  of  War  Bonds 
and  Stamps,  especially  among  the  pupils,  has  increased  this  year. 
There  was  considerable  business  the  day  after  the  distribution  of  the 
Blaisdell  Lincoln  Dollars.  Plans  are  now  under  way  for  active  parti- 
cipation in  the  Red  Cross  Drive  for  funds  to  carry  on  their  great  work. 


; 


OPEN  HOUSE  OMITTED 

OPEN  HOUSE,  annually  held  on  Washington's  Birthday,  was 
omitted.  This  may  be  written  down  as  another  casualty  of  the 
war.  While  it  was  felt  that  the  limitations  on  transportation 
might  restrict  the  number  of  people  coming,  the  real  reason  for  giving 
up  the  public  demonstrations,  held  at  this  time,  was  the  difficulties 
involved  in  preparing  for  them.  A  great  deal  of  the  work  being  done 
in  the  Manual  Training  Department  is  in  connection  with  war  interests 
and,  with  the  additional  duties  placed  upon  the  pupils,  there  seemed 
to  be  insufficient  time  to  make  the  necessary  preparations. 

THE  LONG  TERM 

ANOTHER  FACTOR  given  consideration  was  that  the  winter 
term,  from  Christmas  through  Easter,  is  about  the  longest  one 
that  there  can  be,  because  Easter  is  at  almost  the  latest  date 
possible.  This  term  has  one  hundred  days,  and  it  was  thought  that 
it  would  be  helpful,  if  there  could  be  a  break  in  the  middle  of  it. 
Because  of  that,  a  recess  was  given  to  the  pupils  and  teachers  over 
the  long  Washington  Birthday  week-end.  The  spring  vacation  will 
begin  on  Thursday,  April  16,  and  close  on  Monday,  April  26. 

THE  GONDOLIERS 

IN  A  NOTICE  which  announced  that  the  Open  House  would  be 
omitted,  friends  were  invited  to  come  to  the  school  on  the  occa- 
sion of  two  events ;  the  presentation  of  OUR  TOWN  by  the  boys 
of  the  Upper  School  on  the  evening  of  March  5,  when  a  very  creditable 
performance  was  carried  out.  The  second  suggestion  was  to  attend 
the  production  of  the  Gilbert  and  Sullivan  operetta,  THE  GONDO- 
LIERS, by  the  girls  of  the  Upper  School  on  the  evenings  of  April 
8  and  9.  While  it  is  too  late  to  suggest  that  the  readers  of  THE 
LANTERN  come  to  see  OUR  TOWN,  there  is  still  a  chance  for  them 
to  show  interest  in  the  school  and,  also,  to  see  a  delightful  performance 
by  attending  THE  GONDOLIERS. 

PRODUCTION  SOLDIERS 

({     A     T  HOME  on  the  production  line  that  bulwarks  the  fighting 
/  \     front,  we  are  rapidly  discovering  that  the  physically  handi- 
capped man  may  be  a  splendid  production  soldier."     Edsel 
Ford,  Saturday  Evening  Post,  February  6,  1943. 

—  6  — 


PREPARATORY  TRAINING  FOR  INDUSTRY 

(Continued  from  Page  3) 
Is  it  possible  to  group  the  various  functions  ?  Are  there  certain  fund- 
amental skills  which  may  be  learned  and  applied  later?  In  its  Job 
Families  Series,  the  Manpower  Commission  has  arranged  its  list 
of  operations  for  the  physically  handicapped  into  seventeen  groups, 
involving  somewhat  the  same  dexterity  and  skills.  It  might  be  well 
to  familiarize  ourselves  with  these  studies  and,  also,  with  the  special 
training  facilities  available  under  W  M  C,  N  Y  A,  and  W  P  A.  But 
these  are  after-school  processes,  and  we  are  concerned  with  the  con- 
tribution of  schools  before  graduation. 

While  we  may  still  disclaim  the  ability  to  train  for  the  many 
specific  skills,  there  are  certain  fundamental  factors  which  need  the 
guidance,  development,  and  encouragement  of  our  schools,  and  which 
will,  in  the  last  analysis,  I  believe,  make  the  best  workers.  Let  me 
cite  a  few : 

1.  First,  I  place  the  necessity  of  training  toward  good  mental 
health.  Many  blind  boys  and  girls  are  suffering  from  distorted  per- 
sonalities, brought  about  by  their  physical  disability,  the  attitude  of 
their  families,  their  lack  of  adjustment  to  a  seeing  world,  or,  for  those 
who  have  lost  their  sight  recently,  inadequate  adjustment  to  a 
darkened  world.  Some  have  tried  seeing  schools  and  have  acquired 
an  inferiority  complex ;  others  have  been  thwarted  in  their  ambitions 
and  have  fallen  into  a  state  of  frustration.  Do  not  forget  that  the 
mere  possibility  of  a  well-paid  job  is  a  new  experience  for  many  of 
our  blind  people.  Through  the  formative  years  of  those  now  ready 
for  work,  handicapped  labor  has  been  undesired,  and  the  blind  have 
been  numbered  among  the  unemployable.  Most  of  our  social  legisla- 
tion of  the  past  decade  has  been  built  around  the  idea  that  the  in- 
dustry has  no  place  for  the  blind.  It  is  going  to  take  a  little  time  to 
overcome  that  attitude  and  to  build  up  a  will  to  work.  That,  I  think, 
is  the  first  step  in  modern  training. 

2.  The  second  is  like  unto  the  first  but  falls  within  the  realm 
of  physical  fitness.  With  many  of  our  blind  youth  the  visual  handicap 
is  a  secondary  disability.  There  are  forms  of  eye  defects  which 
prohibit  physical  activity ;  there  are  brain  tumor  cases,  cardiacs,  and 
those  diseases  which  cause  the  slow  deterioration  of  other  organs, 
and,  with  most  of  the  blind,  there  must  be  persistent  pressure  to  make 
them  exercise  enough  to  keep  fit;  too  many  are  inclined  just  to  sit. 
In  our  training  we  must  overcome  this  understandable  inertia.  A  little 
of  the  Commando  training  might  be  good  for  all  of  us.    There  must 

—  7  — 


be  a  physical  toughness  not  usually  associated  with  blind  youth,  if 
they  are  going  to  be  able  to  stand  the  strain  of  the  modern  production 
line. 

3.  Somewhat  associated  with  this  factor  is  the  need  of  sound 
training  in  good  work  habits.  I  believe  that  most  of  our  schools  have 
fallen,  and  are  falling,  down  on  that.  Life  has  been  too  "soft"  for  our 
pupils.  We  have  been  brought  up  on  the  theory  that  better  educa- 
tional results  are  obtained,  if  there  is  variety  in  our  schooling,  and 
that  the  mind  reacts  better,  if  not  overtaxed  by  long  periods  of  study. 
That  may  be  true  in  the  training  of  the  mind,  but  the  theory  has  no 
place  in  preparation  for  industry.  Our  boys,  and  girls,  too,  must  be 
taught  that  effective  employment  means  steady  work  and  consistently 
keeping  on  the  job.  In  my  talks  with  placement  agents  they  often 
say  that  many  of  the  blind  do  not  know  how  to  work.  I  do  not  mean 
that  they  lack  skills,  but  they  fall  short  in  application  and  stick-to-it- 
iveness.  Good  work  habits  must  be  established,  and  that  job  rests 
squarely  upon  the  schools. 

Beyond  these,  however,  there  are  other  forms  of  training  which  we  cannot 
shirk,  and,  although  we  may  still  protest  that  we  are  unable  to  give  the  specific 
training  that  industry  requires  in  all  of  the  skills,  there  are  certain  points  which 
schools  irmst  observe.  I  will  try  to  point  them  out  in  as  practical  a  way  as  one 
might  expect  from  a  school  man:  1.  Early  in  the  training  process  introduce  simple 
crafts  for  developing  finger  dexterity.  Chair  caning  still  has  value  in  that  way,  even 
if  it  has  lost  its  commercial  importance,  although  processes  of  assembling  might  have 
a  more  realistic  value  now.  2.  Follow  these  with  other  skills  that  will  employ  the 
larger  muscles  and  develop  coordination  in,  one  might  say,  a  rhythmic  response. 
Woodworking,  weaving,  and  metal  work  may  be  used  in  this  way.  3.  A  program  of 
skills,  not  automatically  taught,  but  as  a  basis  for  adaptation  so  that  new  processes 
may  be  undertaken  readily.  4.  A  knowledge  of  materials,  varieties  of  wood,  textiles, 
and  metals,  their  origin,  composition,  and  industrial  use,  should  be  provided. 
5.  Familiarity  with  tools;  first,  those  at  hand,  like  the  hammer,  saw,  and  screw- 
driver; measures  and  gauges  of  all  kinds  used  in  modern  industry  should  be  made 
available  for  handling  and  study.  Then,  the  power  tools,  sewing  machines,  presses, 
punches,  and,  perhaps  the  lathe.  7.  An  understanding  of  shop  terms  and  practises, 
acquired,  perhaps,  through  a  shop-school  exchange  program,  but,  at  least,  make  the 
trainees  familiar  with  what  they  may  expect  in  the  way  of  procedure  and  lingo 
when  they  reach  the  shop.  8.  Lastly,  emphasis  on  listening  to  and  the  understanding 
of  orders.  Constant  drill  in  following  directions.  An  appreciation  that  deviation 
from  the  blueprint  destroys  the  uniformity  which  is  the  basis  of  mass  production. 
"Modern  industrial  processes  are  often  an  endless  chain.  If  a  single  link  is  missing, 
the  chain  can't  move." 

These  are  all  simple  procedures  that  may  well  be  introduced  into 
any  school  program  and  which  will  find  ready  acceptance  today  under 
the  stimulation  of  war  contribution.  Added  to  the  three  fundamental 
factors — well-integrated  personalities,  physical  fitness  to  do  a  day's 
work,  and  the  establishment  of  good  work  habits — they  represent  the 
best  that  we  can  suggest  as  the  school's  preparation  for  the  gradua- 
tion of  youth  into  modern  industry. 

—  8  — 


The  ILantern 


THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  XII.  NO.  4  JUNE  15.  1943 


Spring  Clean-Up 


VISITORS  TO  PERKINS  this  spring  have  said  that  the  grounds 
have  never  been  more  beautiful.  It  is  true  that  the  flowering 
shrubs  have  never  been  lovelier,  although  the  forsythia  did  not 
blossom  because  of  the  cold  winter.  The  grass  has  never  been  more 
green.  While  some  may  attribute  this  to  the  large  amount  of  rain, 
we  would  prefer  to  give  credit  largely  to  the  boys  of  the  Upper  School. 

Early  in  the  spring,  at  the  time  of  the  annual  clean-up  of  the 
grounds,  it  was  impossible  to  secure  the  additional  labor  usually  em- 
ployed. This  situation  was  put  before  the  boys,  and  they  offered  to 
take  on  all  of  the  clean-up  work.  To  do  this  they  gave  up  their  usual 
spring  track  athletics,  which  meant  the  cancelling  of  all  meets. 

Every  afternoon  for  over  three  weeks  the  boys  (with  rakes, 
shovels,  brooms,  and  other  equipment)  went  out  under  the  leadership 
of  teachers.  This  was  not  a  casual  raking  here  and  there.  The  boys 
went  down  on  their  hands  and  knees,  and,  using  that  sense  of  touch 
attributed  to  the  blind,  got  their  fingers  in  among  the  vines  and 
shrubs  to  pull  out  every  single  stray  leaf.  It  was  all  a  hand  job,  and 
perhaps  that  accounts  for  its  thoroughness. 

All  the  boys  snd  the  girls  of  the  school  and  the  staff,  too,  have 
been  ready  this  year  to  step  into  every  breach  when  a  shortage  of 
help  arose.  "The  victory  peelers"  prepared  the  vegetables  for  the 
cooks  all  through  the  year.  More  housework  has  been  taken  on,  many 
repair  jobs,  and  other  items  have  been  handled  by  the  boys  and  girls. 
The  administration  wishes  to  pay  tribute  to  both  pupils  and  staff  for 
what  they  have  done  this  year.  While  it  merely  shows  the  usual 
Perkins'  spirit,  we  want  all  to  know  that  it  is  truly  appreciated. 


J^aJh^t ^oJVxj^ 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown,  Massachusetts 
Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President.  GABRIEL  FARRELL,  Director. 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


The  Children's  Island  Sanitarium  will 
occupy  the  cottages  in  the  Girls'  Close 
during  the  summer  months,  as  it  did 
last  summer. 

The  civics  class,  through  the  sale  of 
old  paper,  has  raised  enough  money  to 
buy  another  $25.00  bond,  which  has 
been  presented  to  the  Langworthy 
Theatre  Fund. 

Every  child  in  the  Lower  School  has 
a  garden  plot,  where  all  work  diligently 
planting  and  nurturing  vegetables. 
Members  of  the  staff  will  take  over  the 
gardens  after  the  close  of  school. 


Instruction  in  swimming  and  diving 
was  given  by  a  representative  of  the 
American  Red  Cross  to  thirty-two  boys 
and  forty-two  girls  of  the  Upper  School. 
Certificates  were  awarded  to  twenty- 
four  boys  and  eighteen  girls. 


Brooks  Cottage  won  the  swimming 
meet  on  May  27,  and,  also,  scored  the 
highest  number  of  points  in  competitive 
sporting  events  in  the  Girls'  Upper 
School.  As  this  is  the  third  successive 
year  that  Brooks  has  won  the  cup,  it 
will  now  be  permanently  housed  there. 


Mattie  M.  Burnell,  who  has  been  as- 
sociated with  Perkins  Institution  for 
seventeen  years,  was  married  on  May  29, 
to  Charles  R.  Carter.  A  reception  was 
held  on  June  4,  in  honor  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Carter  in  the  Board  Room.  Mrs. 
Carter  will  continue  her  duties  at  Per- 
kins through  another  year. 


Miss  Marie  P.  Murphy,  Occupational 
Therapist  at  the  Lovell  General  Hos- 
pital, Port  Devens,  was  assigned  to 
Perkins  for  a  week  in  May  to  observe 
methods  of  instructing  blinded  persons. 
There  are  three  blinded  soldiers  at 
Fort  Devens  now,  and  the  hospital 
authorities  have  approached  Perkins 
for  help  in  assisting  these  men. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


The  Survey  Mid-Monthly  for  June 
contains  an  article  by  the  Director  on 
the  rehabilitation  of  blinded  soldiers. 


Nelson  Coon  has  an  article  on  "Home 
Gardens"  in  THE  HOME  TEACHER, 
a  magazine  in  braille. 


Dr.  Mark  D.  Elliott,  Dentist  for  the 
Upper  School,  has  entered  the  Army 
Air  Corps  and  is  stationed  in  Ohio. 


"Our  Approach  to  Legislation"  is  the 

title  of  an  article  by  the  Director  in 
the  May  number  of  THE  OUTLOOK 
FOR  THE  BLIND. 


The  American  Association  of  Workers 
for  the  Blind  is  planning  to  hold  its 
biennial  convention  in  Columbus,  Ohio, 
from  July  12  until  July  16. 


Home  Gardening  courses  have  been 
given  by  Nelson  Coon,  Superintendent 
of  Buildings  and  Grounds,  to  a  group 
of  members  of  the  Perkins'  staff  and, 
also,  at  the  Adult  Education  Center. 


A  Joint  Legislative  Committee  has 
been  formed  by  the  committees  of  the 
A.A.I.B.  and  the  A.A.W.B.  with  a  repre- 
sentative of  the  American  Foundation 
for  the  Blind.  Dr.  Farrell  is  chair- 
man of  the  committee  and  Alfred  Allen 
of  the  Hadley  Correspondence  School 
for  the  Blind,  "Wlunetka,  Illinois  is 
secretary. 

The  one  hundredth  anniversary  cf 
the  marriage  of  Samuel  Gridley  Howe 
to  Julia  Ward  on  April  26,  was  observed 
through  a  letter,  sent  to  all  the  des- 
cendents  for  three  generations  by  Maud 
Howe  Elliot,  now  the  only  living  child 
of  this  marriage.  In  the  letter  she 
asked  all  to  "pause  for  a  few  moments 
and  think  back  with  reverence  and 
gratitude  to  the  union  of  these  two  lives 
and  the  joys  and  blessings  it  has 
brought  to  us  all." 


—  2 


ALONG  LIFE'S  ROAD  WITH  LAURA  E.  RICHARDS 

Faye  George,  10th  Grade 

LAURA  E.  RICHARDS  was  born  February  27,  1850  in  Boston. 
She,  along-  with  her  two  sisters,  Julia  and  Florence,  and  brother, 
Henry,  lived  at  Green  Peace,  South  Boston  until  Laura  was  six 
years  old.    It  was  one  of  the  happiest  periods  of  her  life.     She  was 
very  fond  of  Green  Peace  and  later  in  life  came  back  to  her  beloved 
birthplace. 

The  family  moved  to  Perkins  at  South  Boston  where  Laura's 
father  was  working  for  the  blind  children.  Julia  found  many  dear 
friends  among  the  blind  pupils,  but  Laura,  although  she  was  never 
unkind  to  them,  mixed  with  them  very  little.  They  ran  about  and 
played  just  as  she  did.  To  Laura,  who  never  could  make  dainty  little 
stitches,  the  blind  pupils'  sewing  seemed  a  wonder.  Laura  made  one 
friend  at  Perkins  whom  she  never  forgot,  Miss  Moulton,  the  matron 
of  all  the  boys  and  girls.  Laura  spent  many  an  hour  in  Miss  Moulton's 
room  talking  over  the  day's  excitement  and  other  things  extremely 
important  to  her  at  that  time.  While  at  Perkins  another  member  was 
added  to  the  family,  a  darling  little  girl  whom  they  named  Maud. 

Their  stay  at  Perkins,  however,  was  a  brief  one,  for  the  family 
soon  moved  for  the  summer  to  Lawton's  Valley,  a  short  distance  from 
Newport.  Here  Laura  spent  most  of  her  time  out-of-doors.  She 
loved  nature,  especially  the  trees  which  grew  around  her  home. 

Although  there  was  much  happiness  in  Lawton's  Valley,  the 
parents  decided  to  return  to  Boston  to  be  nearer  to  Dr.  Howe's  work. 
During  this  time  —  or  perhaps  earlier  —  Laura  made  a  lasting  friend- 
ship with  Charles  Sumner.  Her  father  and  Mr.  Sumner  had  been 
friends  for  many  years,  so  it  was  only  natural  that  Laura  should  love 
that  tall,  handsome  person  whom  the  Howe  children  called  the  Harm- 
less Giant.    Another  friend  of  the  family  was  John  Dwight. 

At  the  age  of  seventeen,  Laura,  with  her  mother,  father  and 
Julia,  took  her  first  trip  to  Europe.  It  was  on  this  trip  that  Dr.  Howe 
met  Michael  Anagnos,  a  young  Greek  student  who  became  extremely 
interested  in  the  work  that  Dr.  Howe  was  doing.  He  also  became 
very  much  interested  in  Dr.  Howe's  oldest  daughter,  Julia.  Dr.  Howe 
was  getting  along  in  years  and  was  already  looking  around  for  some- 
one to  continue  his  work.  When  it  was  time  for  Dr.  Howe  to  return 
to  America,  Michael  Anagnos  asked  to  accompany  him  and  soon  they 
were  working  hand  in  hand. 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 
—  3  — 


THE  WAR-BLINDED 

THE  PRESIDENT  placed  his  signature  on  legislation,  authorizing 
a  program  for  the  rehabilitation  and  retraining  of  disabled  serv- 
icemen, including  the  blind,  on  March  24,  1943.  This  legislation, 
known  as  the  Walsh-Clark-Rankin  Bill,  provides  for  persons  disabled 
while  in  the  armed  forces  and  delegates  the  authority  for  the  retrain- 
ing program  to  the  Veterans'  Administration.  General  Hines,  Admin- 
istrator of  Veterans'  Affairs,  issued  an  order  on  March  30,  directing 
each  field  station  of  the  Veterans'  Administration,  having  regional 
office  activities,  to  establish  a  Vocational  Rehabilitation  Division. 
The  rehabilitation  program  for  the  blind,  however,  will  be 
centered  in  the  Washington  office  under  the  direction  of  Maurice  I. 
Tynan,  a  Perkins  graduate  in  the  class  of  1914.  Mr.  Tynan  has  been 
associated  with  the  United  States  Office  of  Education  and  prior  to 
coming  to  Washington  was  in  charge  of  the  work  for  the  blind  in 
Minnesota.  In  a  recent  letter  Mr.  Tynan  expressed  the  hope  "that  we 
will  be  able  to  plan  and  carry  through  a  program  which  will  rehabili- 
tate each  blinded  soldier  so  that  he  may  take  his  place  in  society  as  a 
useful  member  commensurate  with  his  ability." 

As  the  program  planned  by  the  Veterans'  Administration  will  not 
begin  until  the  blinded  men  have  left  the  hospitals,  the  Surgeon- 
General's  office  has  established  a  service  for  the  blind,  which  will  care 
for  them  prior  to  discharge  and  reference  to  the  Veterans'  Administra- 
tion. 

TRAINING  FOR  INDUSTRY 

SIX  PERKINS  boys  are  having  an  unusual  opportunity  for  special 
training  at  a  public  school  in  Newton  where  a  training  project, 
supported  by  the  Federal  Government,  is  preparing  young  people 
for  defense  industries.  Five  afternoons  a  week  the  boys  go  to  the 
special  classroom  which  is  fully  equipped  with  modern  machinery  used 
in  defense  plants.  Under  the  instructor,  the  boys  are  becoming 
familiar  with  the  tools  and  the  processes  that  are  used.  Coupled  with 
the  training,  is  the  use  of  modern  vocational  tests.  The  project  is  an 
attempt  to  see  how  practical  it  is  for  visually  handicapped  boys  to 
take  this  type  of  training.  Present  reports  indicate  that  the  boys 
are  doing  excellent  work  and  are  revealing  skills  that  will  make  them 
valuable  in  industry. 

—  4  — 


VISUAL  AID 

DURING  THE  WINTER  steps  have  been  taken  to  explore  the 
possibilities  of  using  visual  processes  of  education  at  Perkins. 
As  reported  a  year  ago,  there  are  a  number  of  pupils  in  the 
school  whom  the  Ophthalmologist  feels  may  use  their  eyes  for  in- 
struction. A  room  in  the  Lower  School  has  been  equipped  with  intense 
lighting;  the  walls  have  been  painted  a  color  which  will  not  reflect 
light ;  materials  used  in  sight  conservation  classes  have  been  secured. 
Twelve  boys  and  girls  in  the  Primary  grades  have  had  instruction  for 
about  five  months,  using  this  visual  equipment.  There  is  every  indi- 
cation that  they  have  been  helped,  and  an  evaluation  of  the  progress 
made  by  the  end  of  the  year  will  determine  the  extent  to  which  these 
facilities  will  be  expanded. 

NATIONAL  SCHOLARSHIPS 

NATIONAL  SCHOLARSHIPS,  which  are  offered  each  year  by 
Perkins  Institution  to  outstanding  graduates  of  schools  for 
the  blind  throughout  the  country  have  been  assigned  to  four 
young  people:  Albert  Vallon,  of  Louisiana;  Jacqueline  Woodward,  of 
Florida;  Lelia  Jensen,  of  Montana;  and  Marion  Knoll,  of  Michigan. 
Four  young  people  from  Ohio,  Oklahoma,  South  Carolina,  and  South 
Dakota  are  now  completing  their  year  of  graduate  study. 

FIFTY  YEARS 

FIFTY  YEARS  of  continuous  service  in  the  Manual  Training 
Department  is  the  proud  record  of  Miss  Mary  B.  Knowlton. 
During  this  half -century  Miss  Knowlton  has  been  more  than  a 
teacher.  There  are  many  Perkins'  boys  who  owe  much  to  her  kindly 
interest  in  their  progress  and  her  unique  ability  in  teaching  hand 
skills.  At  the  staff  meeting  on  June  14,  recognition  was  given  to 
Miss  Knowlton's  half-century  of  service,  and  she  was  presented,  on 
behalf  of  the  staff  and  the  pupils,  with  a  radio. 

GOOD  NEIGHBORLINESS 

AT  THE  REQUEST  of  the  office  of  the  Coordinator  of  Inter- 
American  Affairs  recordings  were  made  of  four  selections  sung 
by  the  Perkins  Chorus.    These  are  to  be  included  in  a  album 
of  records  of  leading  choirs  and  glee  clubs  of  this  country  to  be  dis- 
tributed in  South  America  as  part  of  the  Good  Neighbor  policy. 

—  5  — 


GRADUATION  EXERCISES 

GRADUATION  EXERCISES  will  be  held  in  Dwight  Hall  at  2:00 
o'clock  on  Friday,  June  18.  The  Commencement  Address  will 
be  given  by  the  Rev.  Dan  Huntington  Fenn,  of  the  Harvard 
Divinity  School.  The  Invocation  will  be  offered  by  the  Rev.  John  J. 
Connolly,  Director  of  the  Catholic  Guild  for  the  Blind.  Diplomas  will 
be  awarded  to  four  girls  and  three  boys  by  Mr.  Robert  H.  Hallowell, 
President  of  the  Corporation.  Special  certificates  will  be  presented  to 
three  girls  who  have  completed  the  work  of  the  Manual  Training  De- 
partment, and  to  one  boy  who  has  completed  the  work  of  the  Piano- 
forte Normal  Course,  and  one  who  has  completed  the  work  of  the 
Pianoforte  Tuning  Department. 


Academic  achievements  of  former  Perkins'  pupils  at  this  time  are: 
Norman  S.  Case,  '36,  received  in  February  the  degree  of  L.  L.  B.  from  Yale 
University  Law  School  .  .  .  Martha  F.  Wolfson,  '40,  received  her  Master's  Degree  in 
May  from  Boston  University  .  .  .  WUrna  L.  True,  '39,  was  graduated  from  the  Uni- 
versity of  Maine  in  May  and  has  been  accepted  for  graduate  study  at  the  Boston 
University,  School  of  Social  Work  .  .  .  Irving  MacShawson,  '42,  completed  his  Fresh- 
man year  at  Clark  University  and,  at  the  close  of  the  winter  term,  stood  twelfth 
in  a  class  of  one  hundred  and  thirty  .  .  .  Julia  Kucab,  '42,  and  Catherine  Pickett,  '42, 
are  completing  a  year  of  post-graduate  work  at  St.  Anne's  School  in  Arlington 
Heights  .  .  .  Alice  Terrian,  who  left  Perkins  last  year  to  attend  public  high  school 
in  Worcester,  is  to  be  graduated  in  June  and  is  on  the  Honor  Roll  .  .  .  Clifford 
Hall,  '36,  has  completed  the  radio  course  at  the  N.  Y.  A.  Training  Center,  Waterbury, 
Vermont. 


Three  boys,  Frank  Blaine,  Gene  Boroni,  and  Walter  Polchlopek, 
have  spent  the  year  at  the  Farm  School  for  the  Blind,  known  as  the 
Barnes  School,  in  Henniker,  New  Hampshire.  This  school,  under  the 
supervision  of  the  New  Hampshire  Association  for  the  Blind,  gives 
instruction  in  farming  and  poultry  raising  on  the  large  farm  on  which 
it  is  situated.  These  boys  have  been  considered  pupils  at  Perkins,  but 
were  transferred  for  the  year  in  order  to  get  this  practical  training. 


At  the  chapel  exercises  on  Thursday  morning,  June  17,  certificates 
will  be  awarded  to  eight  young  men  and  women  who  have  completed 
the  Harvard  Course.  This  group  includes  a  young  woman  from 
Mexico  and  a  young  man  from  Colombia,  South  America. 


The  Senior  Class  Colors  are  red,  white,  and  blue,  and  the  Class 
Flower  is  the  red  rose. 

—  6  — 


FORMER  STUDENTS  IN  DEFENSE  WORK 


Mary  Andrews,  '41 

Northeastern  Products  Co.,  Boston 
Dana  Bailey,  left  '39 

A.  G.  Spaulding  Co.,  Brattleboro,  Vt. 
Mary  Bedrosian,  '37 

H.  L.  Hamson,  Worcester 
Fedora  Bessette,  '17 

Cornell  Co.,  Providence 
Howard  Blood,  '13 

Dennison     Manufacturing     Co., 
Framingham 
Joseph  Boutin,  '09 

Torpedo  Station,  Newport,  R.  I. 
Clarence  Briggs,  '41 

A.  G.  Spaulding  Co.,  Brattleboro,  Vt. 
Francis  Buckley,  '37 

Cornell,  Dublier  Co.,  New  Bedford 
Peter  Campbell,  '32 

News-stand  at  Navy  Yard,  Charles- 
town 
Charles  Casella,  '35 

Triple-A  Manufacturing  Co.,  Wal- 
tham 
Virginia  Clark,  left  '38 

Harrington-Richardson    Co.,    Wor- 
cester 
Josephine  Colaizzi,  left  '25 

Worcester  Molded  Plastic,  Worces- 
ter 
John  Cooney,  '20 

Harrington-Richardson  Arms,  Wor- 
cester 
Sarah  Dien,  left  '32 

Gillette  Safety  Razor  Co.,  Boston 
Ursula  Flannigan,  '27 

Parker,  Harper  Co.,  Worcester 
Francis  Fournier,  '41 

News-stand  at  Navy  Yard,  Charles- 
town 
Eino  Friberg,  left  '20 

Parsons  Majestic  Co.,  Worcester 
Katherine  Gibalerio,  '42 

Cornell  Co.,  Providence 
Eva  Gilbert,  left  '31 

Wright  Machine  Co.,  Worcester 
Eva  Goff,  left  '20 

Worcester  Molded  Plastic,  Worces- 
ter 
Clifton  Harris,  left  '11 

Davidson-Thurber  Co.,  Andover 


Thomas  Howard,  left  '18 

Dennison    Manufacturing    Co., 
Framingham 
Edna  Lanoue,  '26 

Dennison    Manufacturing    Co., 
Helen  Lanoue,  left  '27 

Dennison    Manufacturing    Co., 
Ellen  Laudate,  left  '29 

Indian  Motorcycle  Co.,  Springfield 
Thomas  LeBlanc,  left  '41 

Telecron  Co.,  Ashland 
Earl  Martin,  '41 

American  Woolen  Co.,  Winooski,  Vt. 
Irene  Melanson,  left  '42 

Plastic  Co.,  Leominster 
Virginia  Minezzi,  left  '40 

Telecron  Co.,  Ashland 
Maria  Delia  Morte,  left  '36 

Sunshine  Chemical  Co.,  Providence 
Juliette  Perella  Nelson,  '15 

Boston  Woven  Hose,  Cambridge 
Doris  Nicholas,  left  '42 

Bates  Mills,  Lewiston,  Me. 
Alaric  Nichols,  '38 

Sidney   Gage   Basket  Co.,   Bellows 
Falls,  Vt. 
Hayden  Nichols,  left  '38 

Sidney   Gage   Basket  Co.,   Bellows 
Falls,  Vt. 
Anna  Ouelette,  left  '26 

Torpedo  Station,  Newport,  R.  I. 
Armand  Paquette,  left  '23 

Torpedo  Station,  Newport,  R.  I. 
Frank  Radominski,  left  '29 

Wright  Mills,  West  Warren 
Henry  Rainville,  '36 

Aerovox  Co.,  New  Bedford 
Adrian  Salesses,  '16 

Sunshine  Chemical  Co.,  Providence 
Blanche  Duquette  Stott,  '34 

United  Car  Fastener,  Cambridge 
Lester  Stott,  '33 

Fish  Pier  Box  Co.,  Boston 
Lillian  Surprennant,  '38 

Sickles  Manufacturing  Co.,  Chicopee 
Adeline  Wood,  '17 

Torpedo  Station,  Newport,  R.  I. 
William  Zarr,  '41 

Wico  Electric  Co.,  Springfield 


—  7  — 


ALONG  LIFE'S  ROAD  WITH  LAURA  E.  RICHARDS 

(Continued  from  Page  3) 

A  short  time  after  this  Julia  and  Michael  became  engaged  and 
were  married.  Soon  afterward  Florence  announced  her  engagement 
to  David  Hall,  childhood  playmate.  It  was  in  1869  that  Laura  an- 
nounced her  own  engagement  to  Henry  Richards,  and  two  years  later, 
on  the  seventeenth  of  June,  they  were  married.  The  bells  rang;  there 
were  fireworks ;  and  even  the  big  cannon  was  shot  off.  But  alas !  'twas 
only  Bunker  Hill  Day!  After  a  trip  to  Europe,  Laura  and  her  hus- 
band lived  at  the  school  in  South  Boston.  But  in  1873  the  Howes 
moved  back  to  Green  Peace.  During  this  period,  Laura  had  three  of 
her  seven  children,  Alice,  Hal  and  Rosalind.  When  Laura  was  twenty- 
six,  her  father  died,  leaving  Michael  Anagnos  to  carry  on  his  work. 

Soon  after,  Laura  and  her  little  family  moved  to  Gardiner,  Maine, 
where  she  spent  the  rest  of  her  days.  Her  life  in  Gardiner  was  very 
full.  Her  husband  worked  his  paper  mill  for  many  years,  but  one 
night  it  burned  to  the  ground.  Although  they  had  to  start  from  the 
bottom  again,  their  courage  never  failed  them.  They  did  some  tutor- 
ing and  then  started  Merryweather,  a  camp  for  boys.  Also,  during 
this  time,  Laura  had  her  four  other  children :  John,  Julia,  Ward,  Laura 
Elizabeth  and  Maud,  who  lived  only  a  few  months.  She  used  to  lay  a 
baby  on  her  lap  and  use  its  back  for  a  writing  table.  In  this  manner 
were  most  of  THE  HURDY  GURDY  JINGLES  written. 

In  1880  Laura  wrote  FIVE  LITTLE  MICE  IN  A  MOUSE-TRAP 
and  CAPTAIN  JANUARY.  The  latter  was  not  accepted  for  publica- 
tion until  many  years  afterwards,  but  when  it  was  accepted,  it  was  a 
best  seller.  Later  she  saw  the  moving  picture  taken  from  her  story 
of  CAPTAIN  JANUARY,  but  she  was  much  disappointed  in  it.  Laura 
also  wrote  the  life  of  her  father  and  edited  his  letters  and  journals, 
and  with  the  help  of  her  sister,  Maud,  wrote  that  of  her  mother. 

The  year  following  her  fiftieth  wedding  anniversary  was  one  of 
great  sorrow.  Laura's  oldest  daughter,  Alice,  passed  away.  Later 
Florence  and  her  husband  died,  within  a  few  weeks  of  each  other. 
That  same  year  her  only  brother,  Henry,  died  leaving  Laura  and 
Maud  the  two  remaining  members  of  the  Howe  family. 

It  was  on  January  twenty-first  of  this  year  that  Laura  Richards 
slipped  into  eternal  rest. 

We  at  Perkins  shall  always  remember  Laura  Richards  for  the 
letters  she  wrote  to  us  on  the  birthday  of  her  father.  Some  remember 
the  days  when  she  came  to  the  Howe  Memorial  exercises,  but  the 
majority  of  us  know  her  only  through  her  writings. 

—  8  — 


The  Lantern 


THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  XIII.  NO.  1  E  SEPTEMBER  15,  194  3 

Laws  vs.  Regulations 

THE  WISE  MAN  of  old  who  "believed  that  if  a  man  were  per- 
mitted to  make  all  the  ballads  he  need  not  care  who  should  make 

the  laws  of  a  nation"  might  today,  with  wisdom,  substitute  the 
word  "regulations"  for  "ballads."  Many  a  point  won  in  the  halls  of 
Congress  is  lost  in  the  hands  of  those  who  write  the  regulations.  This 
may  be  the  fate  of  the  LaFollette-Barden  Rehabilitation  Act,  unless 
workers  for  the  blind  be  on  the  alert.  During  the  hearings  prior  to 
the  passage  of  the  Barden  Bill,  workers  for  the  blind  fought  for  recog- 
nition of  existing  state  commissions  for  the  blind  as  the  administering 
agencies  for  the  benefits  provided  for  the  visually  handicapped.  This 
point  was  finally  won  and  so  stated  in  the  Bill  as  enacted.  But,  the 
administrator  is  "authorized  to  make  rules  and  regulations  governing 
the  administration  of  this  Act." 

Now  we  hear  reports  of  regulations  which  would  nullify  the  point 
gained  in  Congress.  It  is  proposed  to  place  sole  control  of  the  ad- 
ministration of  the  Act  in  the  State  Boards  of  Vocational  Education, 
permitting  State  Commissions  for  the  Blind  to  administer  the  portion 
of  the  plan  which  cares  for  the  blind  but  claiming  that  the  responsi- 
bility for  supervision  and  control  of  the  entire  plan  must  remain  with 
the  State  Boards  of  Vocational  Education.  This  definitely  places  State 
Commissions  for  the  Blind  under  control  of  State  Boards  of  Voca- 
tional Education  insofar  as  benefits  of  the  Barden  Act  are  concerned. 
This  was  clearly  not  the  intent  of  the  authors  of  the  Bill,  nor  the  point 
for  which  workers  of  the  blind  contended.  Many  blind  commissions 
are  older  than  vocational  boards  and  some  are  in  different  state  depart- 
ments. Workers  for  the  blind  will  not  accept  this  change  of  intent 
and  practise  at  the  hands  of  the  writers  of  regulations  even  if  they 
have  to  carry  the  whole  matter  back  to  the  halls  of  Congress  for 
amendment  of  the  Act. 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown,  Massachusetts 
Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President.  Gabriel  Farrell,  Director 


J?ct<&i*U T^M^ 


OBITUARIES 


Ruth  M.  Knapp  passed  away  on  Au- 
gust 3  at  the  Baker  Memorial  Hospi- 
tal, Boston.  Since  1931,  Miss  Knapp 
has  been  on  the  Library  staff,  being 
in  charge  of  the  circulating  library. 
Although  not  feeling  well,  she  com- 
pleted the  work  of  the  school  year  and 
went  to  the  hospital  during  her  vaca- 
tion. She  had  become  an  invaluable 
member  of  the  staff,  and  she  will  be 
greatly  missed  not  only  by  those  whom 
she  served  at  Perkins  but,  also,  by  the 
hundreds  of  readers  throughout  New 
England  who  valued  her  advice  on 
books  and  her  constant  readiness  to 
help  them  secure  the  books  that  they 
desired. 

Mary  H.  Fowler,  wife  of  Elywn  H. 
Fowler  teacher  of  piano  tuning,  died 
September  8  after  a  long  illness  at  the 
age  of  eighty-eight  years.  In  1882  Mrs. 
Fowler  joined  the  teaching  staff  of  the 
Royal  Normal  College  in  London,  under 
Sir  Francis  Campbell.  In  1887  she 
became  a  teacher  at  Perkins  remaining 
until  her  marriage  to  Mr.  Fowler  early 
in  1904.  Lily  B.  Howard,  whom  she 
adopted  in  England  in  1887,  is  the  tele- 
phone operator  at  Perkins. 

Vinnie  I.  Forbush,  a  former  teacher, 
passed  away  in  Newton  June  27.  She 
was  a  specialist  in  speech  instruction 
and  since  her  retirement  a  neighbor 
and  frequent  visitor  to  Perkins. 


MARRIAGES 

Ruth  I.  Erickson,  teacher  in  the 
Lower  School,  to  Dr.  Robert  Pirtie  on 
July  4. 

Lillian  Huset,  teacher  in  the  Deaf- 
Blind  Department,  to  John  R.  Millon 
on  July  5. 

Marjorie  A.  Johnston,  teacher  in  the 
Music  Department,  to  Walter  P.  Carr, 
Perkins  '39  on  July  31. 

Caroline  M.  Burrell,  teacher  in  the 
Kindergarten,  to  Olin  J.  Cochran  on 
September  1. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Henry  T.  Istas,  Perkins  '22,  gradu- 
ate of  Yale  and  Yale  School  of  Law, 
has  been  appointed  Assistant  City  At- 
torney in  New  Haven  to  take  charge 
of  the  Municipal  Court's  Office  of  Do- 
mestic Relations. 


Henry  W.  Henrick,  Perkins  '29,  has 
given  up  his  poultry  business  to  be- 
come a  teacher  in  the  Barnes  School 
for  the  Blind  (farm  school),  Henniker, 
N.  H. 


Robert  B.  Irwin,  Executive  Director 
of  the  American  Foundation  for  the 
Blind,  received  in  June  an  honorary 
degree  of  LL.  D.  from  the  Western 
Reserve  University,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 


Stetson  K.  Ryan,  Executive  Secre- 
tary of  the  Board  of  Education  for  the 
Blind,  Hartford,  Conn.,  has  completed 
twenty-five  years  of  service  with  the 
Board,  which  is  this  year  observing  its 
fiftieth  anniversary. 


George  Marshall  died  at  Hartford. 
Conn.,  on  April  22.  He  was  born  in 
London,  England,  in  1867  and  was 
graduated  from  Perkins  in  1889.  For 
seventeen  years  he  was  the  Superin- 
tendent of  the  Connecticut  School  for 
the  Blind,  and  throughout  his  life 
maintained  an  interest  in  work  for 
the  blind  and  in  his  regard  for  Per- 
kins. 


Paul  Guiliana,  Perkins  '36,  graduate 
of  the  New  England  Conservatory  of 
Music,  holder  of  a  master's  degree  and 
now  working  for  his  doctor's  degree  in 
music  from  Harvard  writes:  "I  expect 
to  be  at  Smith  College  for  a  few  days 
at  the  invitation  of  Dr.  Alfred  Einstein 
in  connection  with  my  thesis." 


Peter  J.  Salmon,  Perkins  '16,  as 
President  of  the  American  Association 
of  Workers  for  the  Blind,  presided 
over  the  meetings  of  the  Biennial 
Convention,   held   in   Columbus,   Ohio. 


2  — 


NATIONAL  LEGISLATION  FOR  THE  BLIND 

THE  SOCIAL  SECURITY  ACT,  passed  in   1935,  put  the  blind 
in  a  special  class,  so  far  as  National  legislation  is  concerned.    At 

the  time  many  of  the  blind  and  their  friends  did  not  like  this. 
The  coming  Congress  will  have  before  it  extensive  amendments  to  this 
act,  which  eliminate  the  special  title  for  the  blind  and  include  them 
in  general  categories.  Many  of  the  blind  and  their  friends  do  not 
like  this,  and  there  has  arisen  a  plea  to  save  Title  X,  which  is  the  sec- 
tion of  the  original  act  that  separated  the  blind  from  all  other  groups 
and  made  them  a  special  class.  Title  X,  as  it  now  stands,  provides 
direct  financial  aid  to  the  needy  blind. 

Objection  to  Title  X  arose  through  the  claim  that  its  provision 
removed  the  incentive  to  work,  and  several  efforts  have  been  made  to 
exempt  earning  power  up  to  a  certain  extent  so  that  the  person  who 
worked  and  earned  would  not  be  discriminated  against  in  favor  of  a 
person  who  did  no  work  at  all  and  who,  under  Title  X,  received  the 
same  amount  as  the  one  who  worked.  Several  attempts  have  been 
made  to  amend  the  act  to  restore  work  incentive,  but  they  have  not 
been  successful.  There  is  also  a  feeling  that  Title  X  was  written  as 
it  was  because  some  of  the  authorities  on  the  Federal  level  were  con- 
vinced that  the  blind  could  not  take  a  contributory  place  in  modern 
industry,  and  the  simplest  way  to  solve  the  problem  of  this  group  was 
to  give  them  direct  financial  assistance  when  they  were  reduced  to 
the  category  of  "needy/'  The  years  since  the  war  began  have  dis- 
proved this  assumption,  and  the  blind  are  now  actually  being  sought. 

The  principle  that  the  blind  can  work  but  need  special  training 
and,  perhaps  even  more  adequate  placement  is  evident  in  the  legisla- 
tion passed  by  the  last  Congress.  This  is  the  so-called  La  Follette- 
Barden  Bill,  now  known  as  Public  Law  113,  78th  Congress.  The  ori- 
ginal version  of  this  bill  did  make  the  blind  a  special  class  with  a 
separate  program  conducted  on  the  Federal  level  and  completely  paid 
for  by  Federal  funds.  Before  passage  this  was  amended  so  that: 
1,  all  programs  for  the  blind  must  be  initiated  and  then  directed  by 
State  commissions  for  the  blind  where  they  exist;  and  2,  the  Federal 
government  will  reimburse  states  for  fifty  per  cent  of  their  expenses 
for  certain  services.  This  is  a  rehabilitation  bill  providing  "any  serv- 
ices necessary  to  render  a  disabled  individual  fit  to  engage  in  a  remun- 
erative occupation."  The  possible  catch  in  this  legislation  for  the 
blind  lies  in  the  phrase  "remunerative  occupation,"  because  there  is 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 
—  3  — 


THE  ONE  HUNDRED  AND  THIRTEENTH  YEAR 

PERKINS  OPENS  its  one  hundred  and  thirteenth  year  with  the 
smallest  number  of  pupils  it  has  had  since  before  it  moved  to 
Watertown  in  1912.  This  is  due  to  the  trend  toward  smaller  en- 
rollment, which  has  been  in  evidence  for  several  years,  and,  also,  to 
the  large  number  of  boys  and  girls  who  left  last  spring  to  obtain  posi- 
tions and  a  smaller  number  who,  having  found  good  jobs  during  the 
summer,  did  not  return.  As  most  of  these  older  boys  and  girls  are 
holding  positions  in  war  industries,  this  decrease  in  enrollment  has 
to  be  accepted  as  one  of  the  consequences  of  the  war  and  adjustments 
made  accordingly. 

BOYS  AND  MORE  BOYS! 

ENROLLED  IN  THE  LOWER  SCHOOL    are   one   hundred    and 
sixteen  pupils  of  which  seventy-four  are  boys  and  forty-two  are 
girls.     Potter,  the  primary  cottage  for  boys  has  twenty-eight 
pupils,  whereas  the  corresponding  cottage  for  girls  has  only  twenty- 
three.  Anagnos  and  Bradlee,  the  Kindergarten  cottages,  have  between 
them  sixty-five  pupils,  nineteen  girls  and  forty-five  boys.    Has  this  un- 
usually high  ratio  of  boys  in  Perkins  at  this  time  any 
significance?    About  five  years  ago  the  girls  outnumbered 
the  boys  in  the  Lower  School  but  not  in  as  great  a  propor- 
tion.   It  is  because  of  this  that,  at  the  present  time,  the 
Boys'   Upper  School  is   smaller   than   the   Girls'   Upper 

School.  The  present  figures  indi- 
cate that  in  the  next  five  years 
the  boys'  school  will  build  up,  and 
the  girls'  side  will  show  a  consid- 
erable decline  in  enrollment. 


The  Children's 
Island  Sanitarium 
unable  to  go  to 
their  island  home 
off  Marblehead 
again  used  the 
cottages  of  the 
Girls'  Close  to 
give  recreation 
and  medical  care 
to  crippled  and 
convalescent  chil- 
dren. 


FOOD  AND  SUPPLIES 

IN  COMMON  WITH  ALL  institutions  and  families,  Perkins  faces 
the  problems  arising  through  the  scarcity  of  food  and  the  ration- 
ing of  certain  articles.  As  previously  indicated,  there  is  every 
assurance  of  sufficient  fuel  to  maintain  our  heating  and  lighting  sys- 
tems, as  well  as  to  warm  the  houses,  through  storing  adequate  supplies 
of  coal  on  the  grounds.  In  order  to  lay  in  larger  supplies  of  fresh 
vegetables,  there  has  been  installed  during  the  summer  a  new  freezing 
unit.  This  is  a  "hold  freeze"  type  of  refrigeration.  In  this  room  it 
will  be  possible  to  store  vegetables  and  other  forms  of  food  which  have 
been  frozen,  and  they  will  be  held  in  this  condition  until  ready  for 
use.  Under  this  plan  it  has  been  possible  to  order  large  quantities  of 
frozen  fresh  vegetables,  and,  through  storing  them,  a  supply  will  be 
assured  for  the  winter  months. 

Other  items  which  formerly  were  bought  in  advance,  such  as 
butter,  cannot  be  secured  in  that  way  now,  and  it  will  be  necessary 
to  buy  from  the  market  week  by  week,  as  our  need  arises  and  as  it 
is  possible  to  secure  these  supplies.     The  whole  problem  of  food  and 
supplies  is  very  complicated  in  these  days,  but  Perkins  accepts  this 
situation  along  with  other  insti- 
tutions   and    families,    and   feels 
fortunate  in  being  able  to  cope 
with  the  problem  in  a  fairly  ade- 
quate way.    The  pupils  and  teach- 
ers in  residence  can  be  assured  of 
good  food  and  reasonable  warmth. 


An  official  U.  S. 
Navy  photograph 
showing  handi- 
capped men  work- 
ing at  the  Naval 
Torpedo  Station 
at  Newport.  At  the 
right  is  Robert 
Cookson,  Perkins 
'38  employed  at 
assembling. 


THE  DIVISION  OF  THE  BLIND 

GOVERNOR  SALTONSTALL  in  July,  appointed  as  Director  of 
the  Division  of  the  Blind,  Department  of  Education,  Arthur  F. 
Sullivan.  Mr.  Sullivan  was  graduated  from  Perkins  in  1914, 
attended  Boston  University  Law  School,  took  a  special  course  in  social 
work,  and,  since  then,  has  been  a  practising  attorney  in  the  City  of 
Boston.  During  the  last  war  he  was  one  of  the  directors  of  the 
American  Red  Cross  Service  Program  in  Boston.  For  twenty  years 
he  has  been  a  member  of  the  Advisory  Board  of  the  Division  of  the 
Blind,  and  he  is  President  of  the  Massachusetts  Council  of  Organiza- 
tions for  the  Blind.  Mr.  Sullivan  succeeded  Mr.  William  H.  McCarthy, 
who  has  held  the  office  for  ten  years.  Mr.  McCarthy  is  also  a  gradu- 
ate of  Perkins  and,  prior  to  being  Director  of  the  Division,  was  a 
member  of  the  Legislature  for  many  years. 

The  Division  of  the  Blind  in  Massachusetts  has  charge  of  the 
program  for  the  adult  blind,  providing  home  teaching,  field  service, 
placement,  financial  aid,  and  a  program  for  the  prevention  of  blind- 
ness. The  Division  also  maintains  a  register  of  all  the  blind  in  the 
Commonwealth.  Workers  of  the  Division  locate  pupils  for  the  sight- 
saving  classes  in  the  State  and,  also,  for  Perkins. 

Julius  E.  Warren,  Superintendent  of  Schools  at  Newton,  Mass- 
achusetts, has  been  appointed  by  the  Governor  as  State  Commissioner 
of  Education. 

BLINDNESS  NOW  REPORTABLE 

THE  MASSACHUSETTS  LEGISLATURE  passed  a  bill  at  the 
last  session,  making  it  mandatory  for  clinics,  hospitals,  physi- 
cians, or  optometrists  to  report  to  the  Division  of  the  Blind  all 
cases  of  established  blindness.  Massachusetts  is  the  first  State  to 
require  the  reporting  of  cases  of  blindness  with  the  causes  of  blind- 
ness to  a  State  department.  This  should  facilitate  the  locating  of 
blind  persons  for  immediate  attention  and,  also,  the  finding  of  visually 
handicapped  children  who  could  profit  by  attending  Perkins. 

THE  TWELVE  POINT  LOOK 

TWELVE  POINTS  a  week  for  food  for  dogs  may  now  be  obtained 
through  0  P  A  by  persons  requiring  assistance  of  Seeing  Eye 
or  other  dogs  which  have  been  especially  trained  to  guide  the 
blind  persons. 

—  6  — 


STAFF  CHANGES 


Elizabeth  C.  Oliver,  Nutritionist  and 
teacher  of  Home  Economics,  will  this 
year  give  full  time  to  the  duties  of 
nutritionist  because  of  the  many  prob- 
lems arising  through  the  food  situa- 
tion. 


Marion  A.  Woodworth,  teacher  of 
social  studies,  has  been  transferred  to 
the  Library  taking  the  duties  of  the 
late  Miss  Knapp. 


Catherine  M.  Campbell,  ediphonist, 
is  to  remain  at  home  where  she  is 
weaving  scarfs  under  an  order  from 
the  Navy. 


Alysan  C.  Hooper,  former  secretary 
to  the  Director,  has  received  an  ap- 
pointment for  hospital  duty  overseas 
with  the  Red  Cross. 


Benjamin  F.  Smith  and  Mrs.  Smith 
resigned  to  accept  positions  in  the 
Washington  School  for  the  Blind  of 
which  Mr.  Smith  is  a  graduate. 


Dorothy  I.  Misbach,  who  inaugu- 
rated the  visual  aid  work,  accepted  a 
position  to  introduce  similar  work  in 
the  Iowa  School  for  the  Blind,  of 
which  state  she  is  a  resident. 


Edna  H.  Ennis  of  the  Lower  School 
accepted  appointment  as  teacher  of 
the  Sight  Saving  Class  in  Hartford, 
Conn.,  her  home  city. 


Mrs.  Marjorie  Beal  Morey,  resigned 
to  join  her  husband,  who  is  serving  in 
the  Army  in  Maine. 


Doris  E.  Welsh  of  the  Manual 
Training  Department  resigned  to  ap- 
ply for  service  in  the  Red  Cross. 


John  R.  Millon,  Harvard  Class  '42, 
and  formerly  in  the  Army  has  been 
assigned  to  the  Surgeon  General's  office 
to  visit  hospitals  to  help  blinded  sol- 
diers. 


APPOINTMENTS 


Gladys  E.  Denton,  formerly  with  the 
State  Street  Trust  Company,  Secre- 
tary to  the  Director. 


Bertha  L.  Cowan  and  Mary  B.  Loek- 
wood,  secretaries  in  the  Department  of 
Personnel. 


Sally  Tyler,  Middlebury  '42,  Harvard 
Class  '43,  Psychometrist  in  the  De- 
partment of  Personnel. 


Bradford  W.  Newcomb,  Middlebury 
'27,  formerly  Dean  of  Men,  Southern 
Union  College,  Master  of  Tompkins 
Cottage  and  teacher  of  English. 


Frangcon  Jones,  University  of  New 
Hampshire,  Master  of  Eliot  Cottage 
and  teacher  of  science. 


Rachel  Quant,  Hamline  University 
'42,  Boston  University  Graduate  School, 
teacher  of  organ  and  piano. 


Barbara    Wilson,     Wheelock     School 
'37,  teacher  of  the  Kindergarten. 


Aline  MacDowall,  University  of  Illi- 
nois, teacher  of  the  Fifth  Grade. 


Evelyn  Kaufman,  Sexton  Hall  Col- 
lege, 42,  Harvard  Class  '43,  teacher  of 
the  Second  Grade. 


Judith  Greenstein,  Brooklyn  College 
'42,  Harvard  Class  '43,  teacher  of  Vis- 
ual Aid  Class. 


Martha  L.  Winget,  Oklahoma  A.  &  M. 
College  '43,  teacher  of  First  Grade. 


Mrs.  Freda  Jablonske,  Matron  of 
Moulton  Cottage,  succeeding  Mrs.  Eliz- 
abeth M.  Holcomb  who  retired  after 
twelve  years  of  service. 


—  7 


NATIONAL  LEGISLATION  FOR  THE  BLIND 

(Continued  from  Page  3) 
room  for  possible  hesitation  on  the  part  of  some  authorities  to  include 
in  normal  times  the  blind  as  remuneratively  employable. 

The  new  Congress  will  have  before  it  Senator  Wagner's  extensive 
amendments  to  the  Social  Security  Act,  which,  are  designed  to  fill  the 
gaps  in  the  "cradle-to-grave"  security  that  seems  to  be  the  National 
objective.  The  primary  purpose  of  these  amendments  is  to  increase 
the  benefits  and  to  extend  the  coverage  of  the  present  act.  In  brief, 
the  amendments  provide  for:  1.  Contributory  social  insurance  which 
would  cover  all  the  economic  hazards  that  threaten  to  cut  off  the 
income  of  workers;  2.  Extension  of  coverage  to  all  wage  and  salary 
employees  and,  except  in  the  case  of  unemployment  compensation  and 
temporary  disability,  to  the  self-employed  also.  This  would  bring 
into  the  system  domestic  servants,  employees  of  government  and  non- 
profit organizations,  farmers,  and  other  self-employed  persons. 
3.  Hospitalization  insurance.  4.  Social  insurance  rights  of  persons  in 
the  armed  services. 

The  Wagner  Bill,  as  prepared  for  the  next  Congress,  completely 
changes  the  program  for  the  blind  through  the  elimination  of  Title  X. 
Under  the  new  program  it  is  assumed  that  the  blind  will  be  protected 
through  the  wider  coverage  described  above.  The  danger  in  this,  for 
the  blind  is  that  in  normal  times  a  large  proportion  may  not  be  em- 
ployed and  thereby  will  not  be  covered.  In  addition,  there  are  many 
blinded  from  birth  or  in  youth  who  would  not  be  able  to  build  up  the 
reserve  that  normal  workers  do  and,  therefore,  would  be  excluded 
from  the  provisions  of  the  Act.  It  is  because  of  these  loopholes  that 
many  workers  for  the  blind  are  now  concerned  over  the  Wagner  Bill 
and  are  preparing  plans  for  its  amendment  to  safeguard  more  ade- 
quately the  benefits  which  the  blind  receive  under  the  present  act. 

The  ideal  plan  for  the  blind  is  one  which  supplements  earnings 
so  that  a  blind  person  and  his  family  may  live  adequately.  This  form 
of  assistance  has  been  weakened  by  recent  legislation  and,  particularly, 
by  the  provisions  of  the  Social  Security  Act.  Since  the  beginning  of 
the  act  eight  years  ago  it  has  been  the  aim  of  workers  for  the  blind 
to  find  some  way  whereby  incentive  to  work  could  be  restored,  employ- 
ability  increased,  and  the  respect  of  the  sightless  maintained.  The 
new  Rehabilitation  Act  is  going  to  help  in  providing  rehabilitation 
training,  if  it  is  rightfully  interpreted  and  the  present  objective  is  to 
see  that  the  amendments  to  the  Social  Security  Act  are  helpful  rather 
than  harmful.  G.  F. 


The  ILarltern 


THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  XIII.  NO.  2  feAvJ  DECEMBER  15.  194  3 


Sing  ®n  (HI??  UnrlJi 


THROUGH  THE  CORRIDORS  leading  from  the  chapel,  where 
the  chorus  is  rehearsing,  come  the  strains  of  the  old  hymn  of 
Isaac  Watts  which  has  assumed  the  lilt  and  cadence  of  an  ancient 
carol.  It  is  easy,  in  these  days  of  war,  to  think  that  there  can  be  no 
joy  in  the  world.  But  we  must  be  lifted  out  of  such  doldrums. 
Perhaps  that  is  the  mission  of  music  and  the  message  of  carols  at 
Christmas  time.    Surely  every  man  and  every  nation  needs  to  hear : 

Joy  to  the  World!  the  Lord  is  come: 

Let  earth  receive  her  King; 
Let  every  heart  prepare  Him  room 

And  heaven  and  nature  sing. 

Truly  the  earth  needs  a  King,  and  Christmas  tells  us  One  has 
come,  —  One  who  can  bring  joy  to  the  world  if  in  our  hearts  we  pre- 
pare Him  room.    How  can  we  prepare  to  receive  this  King? 

Let  men  their  songs  employ. 

Music  may  be  the  medium  that  we  need  and  may  perhaps  explain  the 
appeal  of  the  Christmas  carol  which  transcends  all  national  bounds. 
We  recall  again  the  reference  in  our  last  issue  to  the  wise  man 
of  old  who  "believed  that  if  a  man  were  permitted  to  make  all  the 
ballads  he  need  not  care  who  should  make  the  laws  of  a  nation,"  and 
this  time  we  stress  the  ballads  and  their  place  in  national  life.  We 
need  ballads,  today,  stirring  songs,  carols,  perhaps,  for  the  word 
carol  is  derived  from  two  words  meaning  to  sing  and  to  give  joy.  And 
above  all  else,  they  must  carry -into  the  hearts  of  men  everywhere  the 
message  of  Isaac  Watts  that  we  hear  from  the  corridors  below : 

He  rules  the  world  with  truth  and  grace, 

And  makes  the  nations  prove 
The  glories  of  His  righteousness, 

And  wonders  of  His  love. 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown,  Massachusetts 
Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President.  Gabriel  Parrell,  Director 


Jza&usf  7&sifr+£g 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


This  issue  of  The  Lantern  is  dedi- 
cated to  the  Music  Department  to 
whom  all  are  indebted  for  much  of  the 
joyful  spirit  which  prevails  at  Christ- 
mas time. 


The  Chapel  window  in  memory  of 
General  Francis  Henry  Appleton  and 
his  wife  described  in  The  Lantern  two 
years  ago  was  unveiled  on  November  1 
at  the  time  of  the  annual  meeting  of 
the  corporation. 


Officers  elected  at  the  annual  meet- 
ing were  Robert  H.  Hallowell,  presi- 
dent; G.  Peabody  Gardner,  vice-presi- 
dent; Roger  Amory,  treasurer;  Gabriel 
Farrell,  secretary. 


Clarence  Shellnut,  formerly  of  South- 
ern Union  College,  Alabama,  has  been 
appointed  teacher  of  physical  education 
and  is  training  the  wrestling  team 
which  meets  the  team  at  Andover 
Academy  early  in  January. 


All  classes  in  the  Upper  School  were 
cancelled  on  Wednesday,  October  27, 
while  teachers  issued  ration  book  No. 
4  and  the  pupils  raked  leaves  and 
cleaned  windows  to  make  up  for  short- 
age of  help. 


Paul  L.  Bauguss,  teacher  of  music  in 
the  Lower  School  has  become  Scout 
Master  of  the  Perkins  troop.  Mi-. 
Bauguss  teaches  every  Wednesday  at 
St.  Paul's  School,  Concord,  N.  H. 


Miss  Wilhelmina  R.  Humbert,  retired 
teacher  of  Kindergarten,  has  been  re- 
called to  help  in  the  Lower  School 
because  of  the  large  number  of  pupils. 


The  girls'  track  team  held  this  fall 
resulted  in  the  following  scores:  Brooks 
Cottage  39,  Oliver  Cottage  22,  May  Cot- 
tage 17  and  Fisher  Cottage  13. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 

J.  Robert  Atkinson,  president  of  the 
Braille  Institute  of  Air  erica,  Inc.,  Los 
Angeles,  California  and  president  of  the 
American  Associatic  i  of  Workers  for 
the  Blind,  wrote:  "Let  me  compliment 
you  for  your  able  editorial  on  the  Bar- 
den-LaFollette  Act  which  appeared  in 
the  September  issue  of  The  Lantern." 


Oliverio  Sanchez,  special  student  at 
Perkins  1930-31,  is  editor,  of  the  maga- 
zine LUCES,  published  in  Havana  in 
the  interests  of  the  blind  of  CUba. 
The  October  issue  had  a  full  account 
of  Perkins  with  special  stress  on  the 
work  of  the  Music  Department. 


James  D.  Delaney,  Perkins  '40,  re- 
ceived the  degree  of  B.  S.  at  the  grad- 
uation exercises  at  Holy  Cross  College 
October  31.  He  is  the  first  blind  stu- 
dent to  become  a  graduate  of  the  Col- 
lege. Governor  Saltonstall,  a  former 
trustee  of  Perkins,  made  the  gradua- 
tion address. 


Matthew  Di  Martino,  Perkins  '29, 
who  since  his  graduation  has  been 
teacher  of  physical  education  at  Perkins 
has  been  appointed  Placement  Agent 
on  the  staff  of  the  Bureau  of  the  Blind 
in  Rhode  Island. 


Peter  Salmon's,  (Perkins  '16)  shop 
has  been  awarded  the  Army  and  Navy 
E  in  recognition  of  its  efficient  produc- 
tion of  war  materials.  This  is  the 
Industrial  Home  for  the  Blind  in 
Brooklyn. 


Edith  De  Domiinicis,  Perkins  '32,  for 
several  years  head  of  the  Braille  De- 
partment of  the  Boston  Red  Cross,  has 
been  appointed  Home  Teacher  by  the 
Division  of  the  Blind  in  Massachusetts. 


Lilia  Gonzalez,  Perkins  '41,  and  mem- 
ber of  the  Harvard  Class  of  last  year, 
has  received  her  appointment  as  teach- 
er in  the  senior  department  of  the 
School  for  the  Blind  in  Mexico  City. 


—  2 


MUSIC  AT  PERKINS 

"and  the  air  shall  be  filled  with  music" 
By  John  F.  Hartwell 

For  forty-two  years  Mr.  Hartwell  has  been  associated  with  Perkins.  Two  years  after  his 
graduation  from  the  New  England  Conservatory  of  Music  he  came  here  as  teacher  of  piano.  Since 
1932  he  has  been  head  of  the  Music  Department  and  full  credit  for  our  high  music  sta-ndards  is 
due  to  him  and  his  associates  in  the  Department. — G.  F. 


T 


HERE'S  MUSIC  in  the  air  almost  everywhere 
about  Perkins  these  days.  Over  in  the  lower 
school  the  youngsters  are  learning  Christmas 
carols  and  singing  them  on  the  slightest  provoca- 
tion. They  are  looking  forward  to  the  Christmas 
concerts,  and  especially  hoping  that  they  may  be 
allowed  to  sing  in  Jordan  Hall,  —  the  goal  of  all 
"artists."  In  the  upper  school,  rehearsals  of  Christ- 
mas music  are  held  nearly  every  day,  and  from  the 
music  practice  rooms  strange  sounds  issue,  as  some 
anxious  Caruso  works  at  what  will  be  eventually  a  smooth  tenor  line 
in  some  carol.  The  "Christmas  spirit"  begins  early  at  Perkins,  and 
continues  until  the  final  note  of  the  last  concert. 

There  is  always  music  in  the  air  at  Perkins,  or,  to  be  particular, 
always  from  8.15  to  4.10  each  day.  The  lower  school  children  are 
meeting  in  large  and  small  groups  with  Miss  Thayer  for  their  singing, 
solfeggio  and  music  appreciation  classes,  where  they  first  become  ac- 
quainted with  the  mysteries  of  "sight-singing,"  —  reading  the  Braille 
music  with  their  fingers,  hearing  it  in  their  minds,  and  singing  it  with 
their  soprano  voices ;  and  where  they  enjoy  musical  experiences  which 
shall  build  towards  the  future  by  supplying  a  rich  background.  Most 
of  them  become  very  good  readers  and  dependable  singers  after  three 
or  four  years  of  this  training,  and  they  learn  many  interesting  songs, 
and  listen  to  much  fine  music  which  they  seldom  forget.  Then  there 
is  a  fairly  constant  procession  of  small  boys  and  girls  going  to  and 
from  their  piano  practice  rooms,  where  Miss  Gring  a"hd  Mr.  Bauguss 
struggle  and  suffer  to  make  unruly  fingers  stay  on  the  right  keys,  and 
to  help  small  memories  retain  a  few  measures  of  some  little  piano 
pieces.  That  the  combined  efforts  of  instructors  and  children  are 
successful  is  proved  by  the  good  proportion  of  pupils  who  survive  the 
ordeal  and  arrive  at  the  upper  school  eager  to  go  on  with  their  music. 
In  the  upper  school  they  are  almost  at  once  "grown  up."  The 
fortunate  girls  naturally  and  inevitably  drift  into  the  soprano  or  alto 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 
—  3  — 


THE  CHRISTMAS  CONCERTS 

CONCERTS  OF  Christmas  Music 
have  been  given  annually  by  the 
choirs  of  the  Upper  and  Lower 
Schools  for  more  than  forty  years.  This 
year  they  will  be  held  in  Dwight  Hall, 
Thursday  evening-,  Dec.  16;  in  Jordan 
Hall  in  Boston,  Sunday  afternoon,  Dec. 
19;  and  in  Dwight  Hall,  Tuesday  eve- 
ning, Dec.  21.  Tickets  for  the  first  two 
concerts  are  available  without  charge  by  sending  an  addressed 
envelope  to  the  Institution.  The  last  concert  is  primarily  for  the 
relations  and  friends  of  the  pupils  who  come  to  share  the  concert  with 
the  pupils.  Afterwards,  many  of  the  students  will  leave  for  the 
Christmas  holidays,  remaining  until  school  re-opens  on  January  5. 

CHILDREN  OF  THE  SILENT  NIGHT 

THIS  NAME  for  the  boys  and  girls  who  are  deaf  and  blind  has  a 
Christmas  origin  for  it  was  while  hearing  the  chorus  rehearse 
"Silent  Night"  that  the  thought  came  to  use  it  to  describe  our 
doubly-handicapped  children.  This  year  this  group  is  smaller  than 
usual  because  of  the  difficulty  in  securing  teachers.  Eight  deaf-blind 
boys  and  girls  are  now  being  taught  in  this  special  department.  A 
few  of  the  former  pupils  have  been  equipped  with  hearing  aids  and  are 
now  able  to  take  instruction  in  regular  classes.  This  new  development 
in  the  Department,  due  to  the  improvement  in  mechanical  hearing 
aids,  promises  to  be  helpful.  Included  in  the  department  this  year 
are  children  from  Colorado,  Idaho,  New  Jersey,  Minnesota,  Missouri, 
Pennsylvania,  and  Wisconsin. 

THE  OLIVER  FUND 

ONE  OF  THE  UNIQUE  privi- 
leges of  the  pupils  at  Perkins 
is  the  opportunity  to  attend 
musical  concerts  and  recitals,  the 
opera  and  symphony  concerts, 
through  the  provisions  of  the  Maria 
Kemble  Oliver  Fund.  For  thirty-five 
years  the  income  from  this  fund  has 
been  available  to  provide  "musical 


students  of  the  Institution  with  oppor- 
tunity to  attend  the  highest  class  of 
musical  performances."  Each  year 
tickets  are  purchased  for  all  the  musical 
events  taking  place  in  the  vicinity  of 
Boston  and  pupils  with  teachers  acting 
as  guides  and  interpreters  attend  the 
concerts.  Several  season  tickets  are 
taken  for  the  Boston  Symphony  Orches- 
tra Concerts  and  for  the  Opera  when 
the  Opera  comes  to  Boston.  Maria  Kemble  Oliver,  a  pupil  of  the 
school  from  1847  to  1854  died  in  1872  and  the  fund,  in  her  memory, 
was  set  up  by  her  family. 

THE  TOWER  BELLS 

A  VIBRANT  NOTE  is  added  to  the  Christmas  spirit  which  pre- 
vails during  the  weeks  prior  to  the  Christmas  vacation  by  the 
Wheelwright  Bells  in  the  tower.  Each  morning  at  eight  o'clock 
for  ten  days  before  the  Christmas  holiday  starts,  familiar  Christmas 
carols  are  rung  on  the  bells  by  John  di  Francesco,  one  of  the  graduate 
students  of  music,  assisted  this  year  by  Ettori  Rosati.  Every  Sunday 
morning  during  the  school  year  hymn  tunes  are  played  on  the  bells  for 
a  half  hour.  They  are  chimed  also  on  special  occasions,  more  recently 
at  11  o'clock  on  Armistice  Day,  and  usually  in  the  spring  the  changes 
are  rung  by  a  group  of  bell  ringers. 

PIANO  TUNING 

PIANO  TUNING  has  for  many  years  been  one  of  the  successful 
trades  of  visually  handicapped  people.    Sir  Charles  W.  Lindsey, 
who  gave  about  half  of  the  cost  of  the  organ  in  Dwight  Hall,  left 
Perkins  to  begin  the  career  which 
led  to  his  great  fortune,  as  a  piano 
tuner.       Since    that    time,    many 
Perkins  graduates  have  found  suc- 
cess in  this  field  and  this  skill  is  still 
being  taught  at  Perkins  to  several 
present  pupils.    For  sixty-six  years 
Perkins  trained  piano  tuners  have 
serviced  all  of  the  pianos  in  the  city 
of  Boston   public  schools   under  a 
contract  negotiated  by  Perkins. 


MUSICAL  INSTRUMENTS 

THREE  ORGANS,  seventy-six  pianos  and  innumerable  musical 
instruments  make  up  the  musical  equipment  available  to  the 
students  of  music  at  Perkins.  In  Dwight  Hall,  the  great  organ 
is  located  for  concert  use.  It  is  a  four  manual  Skinner  Organ  in- 
stalled in  1931  as  the  gift  of  former  pupils  at  the  time  of  the  Centen- 
nial Exercises.  In  1939,  a  two  manual  Frazee  Organ  was  built  for 
the  chapel  in  memory  of  Clara  B.  H.  Montgomery,  who  came  to  Perkins 
during  World  War  I  to  study  methods  in  preparation  for  going  to 
France  to  work  with  blinded  soldiers.  This  organ  can  also  be  played 
on  one  manual  of  the  Dwight  Hall  organ  as  an  echo  organ.  The  third 
organ  is  a  two  manual  reed  organ  used  for  early  instruction  and  for 
practice  purposes. 

THE  MUSIC  LIBRARY 

A  MUSIC  SERVICE  which  is  not  widely  known  but  is  widely 
appreciated  is  the  lending  of  embossed  music  to  blind  musi- 
cians. From  the  Perkins  Library  of  over  3000  titles  blind 
musicians  can  borrow  music  and  the  circulation  reaches  throughout 
the  country  and  into  Canada  and  Mexico.  Most  of  the  music  in  the 
Perkins  Library  has  been  adapted  for  publication  by  the  Perkins  staff 
and  embossed  at  the  Howe  Memorial  Press.  A  full  time  music  stereo- 
typer  is  on  the  staff  of  the  Press  and  music  can  be  immediately  pre- 
pared for  any  special  occasion. 

THE  PIANO  NORMAL  COURSE 

SIX  BOYS  and  girls  living  nearby  are  now  receiving  two  piano 
lessons  a  week  in  the  Pianoforte  Normal  Course  conducted  by  the 
Music  Department.  Under  supervision  of  the  Department,  ad- 
vance piano  students  of  the  School  give  these  lessons  as  part  of  their 
training  to  become  professional  music  teachers.  The  Normal  Course 
takes  three  years  and  work  done  in  it  is  accepted  by  the  New  England 
Conservatory  of  Music  when  students  also  attend  the  Conservatory. 

HEARD  IN  A  LOWER  SCHOOL  MUSIC  CLASS 

AFTER  LISTENING  to  the  Victrola  record  "The  Cuckoo"  from 
Saint  Saens's  "Carnival  of  the  Animals,"  a  boy  who  has  a 
sister    named    Jeannette    asked,    "What    makes    that    noise, 
OO-whoo?"    Teacher:  "A  Clarinet."    Boy:  "Is  that  a  boy  or  a  girl?" 

—  6  — 


FORMER  STUDENTS  OF  MUSIC  DEPARTMENT 


Anthony  Cirella  '40  was  elected  to  the 
Pi  Kappa  Lambda  Society  of  the  New 
England  Conservatory  last  Spring.  He 
was  graduated  from  the  Conservatory 
in  June  with  highest  honors,  won  a 
prize  in  composition,  and  received  the 
Ida  Converse  scholarship  in  organ. 
During  the  past  summer  he  attended 
the  Pius  X  School  of  Liturgical  Music 
in  New  York  City  on  a  scholarship. 


Clifton  Sears  '39  is  playing  the  organ 
and  conducting  the  church  choir  in  his 
home  town  of  Cummington,  and  taking 
organ  lessons  in  Northampton.  He 
keeps  up  his  piano  practice,  has  a 
magazine  agency,  a  large  chair  caning 
business,  and  spends  his  spare  time 
working  on  farms  in  the  neighborhood. 


Bertrand  Chombeau  '30  is  organist  of 
a  church  in  San  Diego,  Calif.,  and  plays 
the  organ  in  the  largest  of  the  three 
skating  rinks  in  that  city.  Of  54  en- 
tries for  the  Associated  American  Guild 
of  Organists  last  May,  he  was  one  of 
19  who  was  passed. 


Roger  Walker  '19  has  played  the 
carillon  at  the  Wellesley  College  Bacca- 
laureate and  Commencement  exercises 
for  several  years,  and  plays  regularly 
on  the  Norwood  carillon.  He  is  winding 
wire  for  pipe  coverers  at  the  Hingham 
Navy  Yard. 


Madeliene  Delight  Brooks  (Mrs. 
Charles  Norcross)  '25,  soprano,  gave  a 
program  for  the  Brookline  Woman's 
Club  in  October. 


Fred  Hayashi  '43  is  studying  at  the 
Moody  Bible  Institute  in  Chicago,  and 
playing  on  a  radio  program  called  "The 
Piano  Classic." 


Edward  W.  Jenkins,  '22,  is  engaged 
in  writing  a  book  on  Bach's  last  work 
"The  Art  of  Fugue." 


John  di  Francesco  '39  is  a  senior  in 
the  degree  course  at  the  Conservatory, 
majoring  in  voice.  He  gave  a  recital  at 
the  House  of  the  Pines  in  Norton  early 
in  November,  made  a  recent  appear- 
ance as  baritone  soloist  with  the  Law- 
rence Alumni  Orchestra,  and  has  been 
conductor  of  the  Catholic  Guild  chorus 
for  the  last  two  years. 


Sonora  Brusteun  '23  is  teaching 
music  in  the  public  schools  of  her  home 
town,  Summit,  S.  D.  She  has  private 
piano  pupils  after  school  hours  and  on 
Saturdays,  and  on  Sundays,  plays  for 
church  services  and  assists  in  special 
music  programs.  One  of  her  former 
pupils  is  now  directing  the  First  A.S.F. 
Band  in  Iran. 


Clifford  Hall  '37  is  not  doing  much 
playing,  but  is  singing  in  the  church 
choir  and  tuning  pianos.  He  writes 
that  he  has  a  practical  monopoly  on 
the  tuning  for  many  miles  around  his 
home  town  of  Orleans,  Vt.,  and  has 
done  80  pianos  in  the  last  two  months. 


Phillip  Small  '38  continues  his  piano 
practice,  but  doesn't  have  much  oppor- 
tunity for  organ  practice.  He  has  been 
quite  busy  playing  for  the  Elks,  Lions, 
and  Kiwanis  clubs,  and  for  the  USO 
In  Portland,  Maine. 


Paul  Guiliana,  '36,  graduate  of  the 
New  England  Conservatory  of  Music, 
holder  of  a  master's  degree  and 
now  working  for  his  doctor's  degree  in 
music  from  Harvard  is  writing  a  thesis 
on  the  Magnificat. 


Frederick  Walsh  '20,  field  worker  for 
the  Massachusetts  Division  has  been 
organist  at  St.  Bridget's  Church,  South 
Boston  for  over  twenty-five  years. 


Walter  Carr  '38  has  a  position  as 
tenor  in  the  choir  of  the  Church  of  the 
Advent  in  Boston. 


—  7 


MUSIC  AT  PERKINS 

(Continued  from  Page  3) 
sections  of  the  chorus  without  much  preliminary  fuss,  and  begin  to 
learn  the  large  repertory  of  anthems,  one  of  which  opens  the  morning 
assembly  six  days  a  week.  They  are  also  assigned  time  for  singing 
lessons,  at  first  in  groups, "and  later,  if  the  voices  warrant  it,  indi- 
vidually, and  also  time  for  piano  lessons  and  practice.  The  boys  are 
not  so  lucky.  Most  of  them  arrive  with  unchanged  or  partly  changed 
voices,  and  are  neither  tenors  or  basses,  but  sometimes  both  at  once. 
These  boys  have  to  mark  time  for  a  year  or  so,  but  eventually  are  iden- 
tified with  the  chorus  and  in  the  course  of  their  school  life,  learn,  with 
the  girls,  fifty  anthems,  fifty  hymns,  and  about  forty  Christmas  carols. 

Of  approximately  fifty  girls  and  boys  in  the  upper  school  who  are 
taking  singing  lessons,  about  forty,  with  possibly  a  few  who  do 
not  sing,  continue  the  study  of  piano  playing  as  far  as  their  several 
abilities  warrant,  or  until  further  progress  seems  impossible.  Some 
fall  out  by  the  end  of  the  first  year,  but  a  few  go  to  the  Conservatory 
or  elsewhere  for  higher  instruction,  becoming  eventually  piano 
teachers,  organists,  or  concert  singers. 

By  the  time  high  school  is  reached,  or  sometimes  a  little  earlier, 
music  pupils  are  granted  certain  privileges.  They  may  use  our  library 
of  about  850  standard  victrola  records;  they  may  attend  recitals, 
Symphony  concerts  and  opera  performances,  and  they  may  elect  to 
study,  in  addition  to  piano  and  voice,  small  instruments,  such  as 
violin,  cello,  flute,  clarinet,  saxophone  and  trumpet.  We  do  not 
especially  encourage  the  study  of  these  instruments,  but  the  pupils 
enjoy  them,  and  they,  notably  the  trumpet,  add  greatly  to  the  volume 
of  music  in  the  air  at  Perkins.  At  about  this  time,  pupils  may  begin 
the  study  of  pipe  organ  playing,  and  selected  pupils  are  started  along 
the  path  of  theoretical  studies,  —  music  history ;  harmony,  and  a  little 
later,  counterpoint.  These  studies  broaden  the  base  and  increase  the 
height  of  the  musical  structure,  thus  widening  the  range  of  under- 
standing and  appreciation  of  the  art. 

Music  is  not  an  end  unto  itself.  It  is  one  avenue  of  approach  to 
life,  an  aid  in  the  development  of  better  men  and  women,  with  finer 
perceptions,  higher  ideals,  and  a  knowledge  of  and  love  for  the  more 
worth  while  and  more  beautiful  things.  Almost  any  former  Perkins 
pupil  will  gladly  tell  you  that  because  of  music  in  the  air  at  Perkins, 
it  has  been  possible  to  more  fully  enjoy  music  on  the  air  at  home. 


The  ILaritern 


THE  PERKINS  ;  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  XIII.  NO.  3  KfeJtilf  MARCH   15,  1944 


Partially  Seeing  Children 

FIFTY  THOUSAND  children  in  this  country  need  help.  They  are 
not  blind ;  or  schools  for  the  blind  could  care  for  them.  They  are 
not  fully  sighted ;  therefore  they  cannot  benefit  fully  by  the  public 
school  system.  These  children  fall  between  two  groups  for  whom 
reasonably  adequate  facilities  are  available.  They  have  too  much 
vision  to  be  finger  readers,  but  they  cannot  see  well  enough  to  read 
the  ordinary  type  in  textbooks. 

Some  people  feel  that  schools  for  the  blind  should  accept  these 
children  and,  in  fact,  some  schools  are  admitting  them.  Their 
presence,  however,  in  a  school  planned  for  the  blind  creates  situations 
unfair  to  them  and  to  the  children  who  cannot  see.  Partially  seeing 
children  should  not  be  classified  as  blind  as  that  magnifies  their  visual 
defect.  Blind  children  should  not  be  subject  to  constant  contrast  with 
children  who  can  see  as  that  magnifies  their  sense  of  disability.  Par- 
tially seeing  children  should  have  special  education  designed  primarily 
to  meet  their  needs. 

The  ideal  program  for  the  partially  seeing  child  is  the  "sight- 
saving"  class.  Thirty  years  ago  last  April  Perkins  had  a  part  in 
establishing  in  Boston  the  first  class  for  the  partially  seeing  in  this 
country.  It  is  our  pleasure  to  present  in  this  issue  a  story  of  the 
beginning  of  that  class  by  Dr.  Allen,  who  early  recognized  the  need 
of  special  education  for  the  partially  seeing  child.  There  has  been  a 
lag  in  developing  facilities  for  these  children  who  fall  between  the 
blind  and  the  fully  sighted.  Perkins  wishes  at  this  time  to  make  its 
plea  for  these  boys  and  girls  who  need  help. 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown.  Massachusetts 
Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President.  Gabriel  Farrell,  Director 


JzcVQ^/  ^aSSi*^ 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


The  clergy  of  all  the  Watertown 
churches  are  speaking  in  turn  at  the 
morning  chapel  exercises  on  Thursdays 
during  Lent. 


Ralph  Savio,  special  student  for 
piano  tuning,  has  completed  the  course 
at  the  Nylin  Institute  of  Physiotherapy, 
in  Brookline. 


The  Director  was  reelected  chairman 
of  the  Joint  Committee  on  National 
Legislation  of  the  A.A.I.B.  and  the 
A.A.W.B.  at  a  meeting  held  in  Wash- 
ington on  January  13. 


Eight  lectures  on  problems  pertaining 
to  the  blind  are  being  given  to  members 
of  the  senior  class  at  the  Boston  School 
of  Occupational  Therapy  by  Perkins' 
staff  members. 


The  Music  Master,  a  comedy  success- 
fully produced  several  years  ago,  is  to 
be  repeated  by  the  Boys'  Dramatic  Club 
on  the  evenings  of  March  23  and  24. 


An  ultra-violet  lamp  of  institutional 
size  has  been  secured  by  the  Health 
Department  and  treatments  are  now 
available  to  pupils  and  staff  members. 


Opportunities  for  social  gatherings 
for  the  staff  are  afforded  by  tea  served 
at  the  Director's  house  on  Wednesday 
afternoons,  and  coffee  in  the  clubrooms 
in  Bridgman  Cottage  one  night  a  week 
in  succession  with  a  different  cottage 
serving  as  host  each  night. 

Dr.  I.  A.  Richards,  Director  of  the 
Commission  on  English  Language 
Studies  at  Harvard  University,  spoke  at 
the  Staff  Meeting  on  Monday,  February 
14,  on  the  principles  and  use  of  Basic 
English. 


Woven  blankets  made  by  Melina  Her- 
ron  and  Dorothy  Reynolds  were  ex- 
hibited as  part  of  the  Red  Cross  dis- 
play in  the  window  of  Filene's  in  Bos- 
ton in  March. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


John  Morrison,  Perkins  '40  was  grad- 
uated from  Notre  Dame  University  in 
February  Magna  cum  laude  having 
an  average  of  over  93  for  the 
four-year  course.  During  his  freshman 
year  he  was  president  of  his  class  of 
over  1,000.  He  has  been  awarded  a 
fellowship  which  will  enable  him  to 
return  to  Notre  Dame  for  graduate 
study  in  philosophy. 


Patricia  Robinson,  Perkins  '43,  was 
admitted  in  September  to  the  fresh- 
man class  at  the  State  Teachers  Col- 
lege at  Hyannis. 


Merle  E.  Tracy,  Perkins  '97,  formerly 
editor  and  owner  of  Current  History 
Magazine,  and  author  of  Our  Country, 
Our  People  and  Theirs,  is  now  doing 
editorial  work  for  the  Office  of  War  In- 
formation. 


Florence  E.  Birchard,  for  many  years 
Placement  Agent  for  the  Massachusetts 
Division  of  the  Blind,  has  retired  and 
is  spending  the  winter  in  Florida. 


Roger  T.  Walker,  Perkins  '19.  received 
a  certificate  and  cash  award  for  an 
improvement  in  the  method  of  winding 
wire  at  the  Hingham  shipyard. 


Smith  College,  class  of  1892,  of  which 
Miss  Jessica  L.  Langworthy  was  a 
member,  gave  a  membership  in  her 
memory  to  the  Smith  College  Student 
Aid  Society.  Miss  Langworthy  was  for- 
merly head  of  the  Boys'  School,  and  for 
many  years  the  tutorial  guide  of  the 
Harvard  Class. 


Leona  Guerin,  who  left  Perkins  in 
June,  has  knit  twenty  pairs  of  mittens 
and  ten  pairs  of  gloves  for  the  Red 
Cross,  and  is  now  knitting  scarves  for 

the  Navy. 


The  Bulletin  of  the  Training  School 
at  Vineland,  New  Jersey,  for  February, 
contained  excerpts  from  the  Annual  Re- 
port of  the  Director  of  Perkins. 


—  2  — 


THE  FIRST  SIGHT  SAVING  CLASS 


By  Edward  E.  Allen,  D.  Sc. 
Director  Emeritus,  Perkins  Institution 


Y 


"OU  ASK  me  for  an  account  of  the  starting  of 
the  Boston  sight-saving  class;  also  for  the 
philosophy  which  shaped  its  conduct. 
As  you  know,  our  trustees  sent  me  abroad  in 
1909  to  inspect  European  care  of  the  young  blind. 
In  London  Sir  Francis  Campbell  arranged  for  me 
to  attend  a  clinic  held  to  determine  to  which  special 
school  center  each  of  a  small  army  of  atypical 
children  belonged  —  blind,  deaf,  cardiac,  etc.  It  was 
there  I  first  learned  of  separate  schooling  for  the 
partially  seeing.  No  such  "myopic"  classes  were  then  in  session ;  any- 
way I  visited  none,  but  came  away  understanding  little  more  than 
that  these  successfully  used  blackboards  instead  of  books. 

That  I  was  interested  goes  without  saying;  for  I  had  long  been 
troubled  to  know  how  to  deal  with  such  pupils.  Returning  home  I 
reported  my  discovery  to  our  State  Commission  for  the  Blind.  We 
voted  that  our  chairman  see  the  Boston  Superintendent  of  Schools 
about  opening  a  trial  class  for  the  city's  "semi-sighted."  Nothing 
resulting  from  our  appeal,  I  bided  my  time  until  Dr.  Dyer,  the  new 
head,  should  come.  Then,  when  his  friend,  Principal  Van  Cleve  of 
the  New  York  Institute  for  the  Blind,  visited  me,  we  called  upon  him 
and  came  away  confident  that  a  class  would  be  started,  and  that 
Perkins  might  be  called  upon  to  assist. 

In  anticipation  Miss  Helen  Smith,  a  former  teacher  of  ours,  was 
brought  to  Watertown  and  set  to  work  collecting  sundry  material  and 
writing  with  black  crayons  a  lot  of  primary  reading  on  large  sheets 
of  paper.  Presently  she  was  appointed  teacher,  laboriously  gathered 
her  little  group  and  on  April  6th,  1913  opened  with  six  girls,  of 
various  grades  of  advancement,  in  an  empty  schoolhouse  of  the  Rox- 
bury  district. 

Most  pioneering  is  attended  with  difficulties.  Miss  Smith  tells 
of  hers  in  No.  22  of  the  Sight-Saving  Class  Exchange,  issued  by  our 
National  Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Blindness.  However,  she  put 
the  little  enterprize  through  and,  when  her  pupilage  exceeded  12,  was 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 
—  3  — 


SIGHT-SAVING  VS.  VISUAL  AID 

SIGHT-SAVING  classes  for  children  of  partial  vision  must  not  be 
confused  with  the  visual-aid  class  opened  at  Perkins  about  a  year 
ago,  and  described  in  an  earlier  issue  of  the  LANTERN.  Sight- 
saving-  classes  are  for  children  whose  sight  range  is  from  20/70  to 
20/200  on  the  Snellen  chart.  The  maximum  vision  for  admission  to  a 
school  for  the  blind  is  20/200,  but  opthalmologists  are  now  permitting 
pupils  in  the  upper  range  of  vision  to  use  what  sight  they  have,  and  to 
read  ink  print,  preferably  in  large  letters,  if  possible.  The  visual-aid 
class  is  planned  to  assist  that  group  of  children.  This  year  in  the  class 
in  the  Lower  School  there  are  eight  boys  and  girls  of  the  fourth,  fifth, 
and  sixth  grades.  Children  in  the  lower  grades  with  sufficient  visual 
acuity  to  see  ink  print  are  taught  their  letters.  In  the  Upper  School 
these  children  are  permitted  to  read  from  print. 

WRESTLING  TEAM 

WRESTLING  has  become  a  major  sport  at  Perkins.  Eight 
boys  of  the  Upper  School  with  Herbert  Sabin  as  captain,  and 
Jack  Hart  as  manager  have  carried  out  a  strenuous  schedule. 
In  January  the  team  had  two  matches  with  the  team  of  Needham  High 
School,  winning  one  and  losing  the  other.  On  February  12,  the  team 
went  to  Andover  Academy  where  they  won  a  victory.  The  following 
Saturday  they  won  again  over  the  team  at  Tabor  Academy  at  Marion. 
Tables  were  reversed  at  the  meet  with  Exeter  at  Exeter  on  Saturday, 
March  5.  The  team  is  looking  forward  to  a  meet  with  the  Maryland 
School  for  the  Blind  which  is  sending  a  team  to  Perkins  on  March  11. 


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Top  row:  Edmond  Ber- 
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Francis  Delaney,  Herbert 
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Bottom  row :  Norman 
Hamer,  William  Gallagher, 
John  Flynn.  Smithdas  is 
a  deaf-blind  pupil  from 
Pittsburgh,  Pa. 


I 


BROADCAST 

The  Perkins  chorus  is  to 
TOadcast  from  the  Chapel 
ver  Stations  WBZ,  Boston, 
.nd  WBZA,  Springfield 
dial  1030)  on  Monday  eve- 
dngs  from  7:30  to  7:45. 
•rograms  have  been  ar- 
anged  for  March  13,  20 
nd  27  and  may  continue 
fter  the  Spring  Vacation 
rhich  ends  April  12. 


PERKINS'  PARACHUTE 

SOMEWHERE  in  one  of  the  theaters  of  war  a  paratrooper  or  an 
aviator  will  land  safely  on  the  ground  because  of  a  parachute.  He 
will  owe  this  safety,  although  he  may  never  know  it,  to  the  boys 
and  girls  of  Perkins.  As  their  objective  in  the  Fourth  War  Bond 
Drive  the  pupils  of  Perkins  set  out  to  sell  among  themselves  enough 
war  stamps  to  buy  this  parachute.  They  not  only  succeeded  in  doing 
this  but  also  were  able  to  provide  a  motor  scooter  and  a  life  raft.  One 
hundred  per  cent  participation  by  the  pupils  was  attained  with  a  total 
of  $432.60  raised.  This  entitled  the  school  to  Minute-man  flags,  which 
are  now  proudly  flying.  In  this  drive  only  pupils  participated.  Un- 
official reports  of  the  staff,  however,  reveal  that  enough  bonds  were 
bought  to  buy  two  jeeps.  Early  in  the  campaign  on  February  4  three 
veterans  wounded  in  action  spoke  to  the  school.  The  high  spot  of  the 
campaign  was  reached  when  a  jeep  came  to  the  school  on  February 
25  and  the  pupils  had  the  fun  of  driving  around  the  grounds 
chauff  eured  by  a  WAC. 


STAFF  WAR  ACTIVITY 

PERKINS'  CONTRIBUTION  to  the  war  is  not  confined  to  raising 
money.  The  School  opthalmologist  is  with  the  Army  in  North 
Africa,  the  physician  on  the  seas  with  the  Navy  and  the  Upper 
School  dentist  is  with  the  Air  Corps.  One  former  secretary  is  in  Eng- 
land for  the  Red  Cross  and  another  is  a  Wave  in  this  country.  Three 
men  teachers  are  on  leave  for  important  war  work  while  several 
members    of   the   maintenance   staff    are    in    the    armed    services. 


Eighteen  sons  of  the  staff  are  in  the  army  or  navy.  There  has  been 
one  casualty  and  one,  John  Forkin,  has  been  reported  a  prisoner,  being 
taken  while  a  member  of  the  Fifth  Army  in  Italy. 

Here  at  home  there  is  also  intensive  activity.  Many  staff  mem- 
bers are  blood  donors  while  two  work  an  evening  a  week  at  the  Blood 
Center.  Five  serve  as  nurses  aides  at  a  Boston  Hospital.  Three  give 
time  to  the  Red  Cross  Canteen.  Several  work  at  surgical  dressings 
and  others  pack  garments  for  war  relief  societies.  The  social  worker 
has  been  loaned  for  two  half  days  a  week  to  serve  at  the  Army  Induc- 
tion center.  Innumerable  staff  members,  and  pupils  also,  knit,  one 
person  has  made  fifty-three  garments  this  year.  Two  staff  wives  give 
practically  full  time  to  the  Red  Cross.  Four  wives  of  service  men  are 
on  the  teaching  staff. 

OTHER  DRIVES 

RECORD  should  be  made  of  the  fact  that  during  the  Greater 
Boston  War  Fund  Drive  the  staff  achieved  almost  one  hundred 
per  cent  contribution  with  a  total  of  $1,110.76.  In  March,  an 
effort  is  being  made  to  have  every  member  participate  in  the  drive 
for  funds  for  the  American  Red  Cross.  As  a  means  of  supplementing 
the  individual  contributions  for  the  Red  Cross,  members  of  the  staff 
are  giving  an  amateur  show  on  Friday  evening,  March  10,  with  talent 
that  will  surprise  and  entertain  the  pupils.  This  is  a  reverse  of  a 
similar  night  of  entertainment  presented  by  the  pupils  on  the  evening 
of  February  18  where  for  admission  a  war  stamp  had  to  be  purchased. 

MUSIC  RECITALS 

ADMISSION  was  charged  to  the  annual  recitals  of  the  pupils  in 
the  Music  Department  this  year  for  the  first  time.     Each 
person  admitted  had  to  buy  a  war  stamp.    The  two  concerts, 
one  for  the  intermediate  pupils  on  February  8,  and  one  for  the  ad- 
vanced pupils  on  February  15  were  both  of  high  quality  with  a  varied 
program  of  instrumental  and  vocal  selections. 

OTHER  MUSICAL  VENTURES 

RECORD  should  not,  perhaps,  be  made  that  some  of  the  boys 
(not  of  the  Music  Department)   have  been  winning  prizes  in 
local  moving-picture  houses  for  imitation  of  one  whom  a  local 
journalist  calls  Frank  "Swoonatra." 

—  6  — 


BOOK  REVIEWS 


Education  and  Health  of  the  Par- 
tially-Seeing Child,  by  Winifred  Hath- 
away.   Columbia  University  Press,  1943. 

A  timely  book  and  one  greatly  needed 
right  now.  Fifty  thousand  children  in 
our  schools  today  have  partial  sight. 
and  facilities  for  special  instruction  are 
provided  for  only  9,000  in  631  classes  in 
31  states.  Here  is  a  field  that  calls  for 
expansion,  and  this  book  tells  why  and 
how  most  adequately. 

Considering  that  the  first  classes  for 
partially-seeing  children  were  started 
in  Boston  and  in  Cleveland  in  1913,  it 
is  surprising  that  greater  progress  has 
not  been  made.  These  two  pioneer 
classes  so  close  in  origin  differed  in 
method.  The  Boston  class  followed  the 
segregated  method  —  the  pupils  carried 
on  all  their  work  in  a  special  room.  The 
Cleveland  class  instituted  the  coopera- 
tive plan  —  only  close  eye  work  was 
done  in  the  special  room  and  stress  was 
placed  on  joining  classes  of  the  fully 
sighted  for  other  work. 

The  advantages  and  disadvantages  of 
the  two  plans  are  discussed  by  Mrs. 
Hathaway,  and  full  instruction  is  given 
on  the  many  aspects  involved  in  setting 
up  this  type  of  special  education.  To 
educators  this  will  be  a  handbook  long 
desired,  and  to  have  it  written  by  a  per- 
son with  the  wide  experience  of  Mrs. 
Hathaway  gives  it  authority.  Every 
person  responsible  for  the  education  of 
children  should  read  it. 

Perhaps  it  will  be  more  valuable  in 
the  hands  of  social  workers,  public 
health  nurses,  and  others  who  work  in 
the  field  where  children  with  defective 
vision  are  to  be  found.  Rounding  up 
children  who  deviate  is  often  more 
difficult  than  providing  for  their  special 
need.  Communities  should  be  made 
more  conscious  of  these  boys  and  girls 
who,  with  the  relatively  simple  pro- 
cedure of  instruction  outlined  in  this 
book,  can  receive  education  under  con- 
ditions that  minimize  their  handicap. 

— G.  F. 


The  Visually  Handicapped  in  India, 

by  Ras  Mohun  Haider.    Thacker  &  Co., 
Ltd.,  London  and  Bombay,  1943. 

This  book  is  a  campaign  document  for 
the  cause  of  the  neglected  blind  of 
India.  It  is  alive  with  the  spirit  of  a 
crusader  who  has  seen  what  can  be 
done  for  the  blind  by  visiting  western 
nations  and  is  burning  with  the  desire 
to  arouse  his  country-men  to  similar 
efforts.  Not  discouraged  at  the  immen- 
sity of  the  task  —  estimates  of  the 
blind  in  India  range  from  one-half  mil- 
lion to  one  and  one-half  million  — 
Principal  Haider  describes  in  detail  the 
methods  of  prevention  and  education 
which  he  has  observed  in  the  United 
States,  makes  recommendations  for 
similar  procedures  in  India. 

While  the  book  will  be  primarily 
helpful  to  those  planning  to  meet  the 
needs  of  the  blind  in  India,  the  account 
of  existing  work  in  that  country  will  be 
of  interest  to  the  blind  in  this  country 
especially  a  very  interesting  chapter 
describing  the  eight  braille  codes  now 
in  use  in  India  followed  by  a  plea  for 
one  Uniform  Indian  Braille  Code  for 
the  whole  of  India. 

On  section  consists  of  a  series  of 
chapters  taken  from  Principal  Haider's 
master's  thesis  for  Boston  University, 
upon  Education  as  Guidance  for  Blind 
Pupils.  This  part  may  be  considered 
his  philosophy  of  education  for  the 
blind.  Appendix  I  gives  a  directory  of 
the  activities  for  the  blind  in  India,  ar- 
ranged by  provinces. 

Principal  Haider's  friends  at  Perkins 
will  be  happy  to  see  that  he  has  made 
such  effective  use  of  the  material  he 
collected  here,  and  will  wish  him  suc- 
cess in  arousing  the  Indian  public  from 
the  lethargy  mentioned  by  Major  Sir 
Clutha  Mackenzie  in  his  forword. 

-hS.  P.  H 


—  7  — 


THE  FIRST  SIGHT  SAVING  CLASS 

(Continued  from  Page  3) 

given  an  assistant,  Miss  Lilley,  another  teacher  of  ours.  I  visited  the 
class  often,  sometimes  supplying  needed  materials. 

In  1917  Boston  opened  a  second  center  and  in  1919  a  third,  under 
resourceful  teachers  of  its  own  selection;  and  it  now  has  sixteen  of 
them. 

As  Miss  Smith  and  I  had  successfully  taught  blind  pupils  before 
the  day  of  braille  textbooks,  she  proposed  to  teach  these  low  vision 
children  also  orally,  including  of  course  much  blackboard  writing, 
learning  through  doing  and  making,  the  reading  of  sheets  of  large 
script,  gymnastics  and  games,  all  stressed  in  that  order.  Indeed,  her 
main  reliance  remained  upon  them  even  after  books  in  clear  type 
arrived  from  Cleveland. 

She  daily  led  her  special  charges  to  concentrate  and  grow  strong 
where  other  pupils  are  commonly  weak  —  in  intensive  listening  and 
thinking  —  and  so  to  excell  in  these  saving  characteristics.  This  was 
the  more  practical  because  her  pupils  were  few  in  number:  she  could 
and  did  know  them  individually  and  taught  each  according  to  his 
needs.  Success  came  as  a  matter  of  course.  Yes,  she  followed  in 
general  the  common  school  curriculum  and  her  pupils,  when  ready, 
graduated  at  the  closing  exercises  of  their  main  school. 

Now  it  is  my  conviction  that  our  American  teaching  by  the 
"reading  method"  is  commonly  overdone  —  excessive  reliance  being 
placed  on  the  printed  word  at  the  expense  of  personal  effort ;  also  that 
whenever  a  handicap  spurs  to  special  effort,  it  is  no  longer  a  hindrance 
but  becomes  a  help. 

Sight-Saving  classes  are  rightly  so  called.  Their  pupils  should  be 
habituated  at  school  to  avoiding  all  eye  strain,  and  to  acquiring  there 
other  interests  than  reading,  even  hobbies  both  indoor  and  outdoor. 
In  Zurich,  Switzerland,  they  draw  in  outline  and  in  color;  and  go  on 
excursions.  In  England  some  learn  folk  dancing:  some  to  play  on 
the  violin. 

The  Master  of  a  center  of  low  vision  pupils  in  London  told  me  in 
1937  that  though  these  were  not  allowed  to  read  printed  books,  they 
had  just  excelled  in  a  general  test  set  for  ordinary  pupils  of  corres- 
ponding grades  —  which  showed  his  superior  methods  of  instruction. 

I  have  often  visited  such  classes.  When  addressing  them  I  do 
not  forget  to  stress  the  fact  that  keeping  their  eyesight  is  vitally 
more  important  than  getting  a  scholastic  education. 


r.  -£t.   i? 


The  Lantern 


THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  XIII.  NO.  4  JUNE  15.  1944 

Our  War  Blinded 

THE  ANNOUNCEMENT  that  the  Army  has  selected  a  place  for 
the  establishment  of  the  center  for  the  adjustment  and  retrain- 
ing of  blinded  service  men  is  encouraging.  Now  we  may  hope 
that  an  adequate  program  for  this  important  and  delicate  task  will 
soon  be  in  full  operation.  The  announcement,  recently  made  by  the 
Secretary  of  War,  that  there  have  been  only  seventy-three  cases  of 
total  blindness,  seventy  in  the  Army  and  three  in  the  Navy,  is  also 
encouraging.  This  will  allay  the  rumors  that  at  this  hospital,  or  in 
fact  at  almost  any  Army  or  Naval  hospital,  there  are  hundreds  of 
cases  of  blindness. 

While  it  is  still  hoped  that  the  number  of  persons  blinded  in  the 
war  will  be  smaller  than  we  feared,  nothing  must  be  left  undone  that 
will  assure  those,  who  have  given  their  sight  in  the  service  of  the 
country,  of  every  opportunity  for  retraining,  rehabilitation  and 
restoration  to  normal,  civilian  life.  Generous  pensions  are  not  enough ; 
glittering  promises  of  jobs  will  not  suffice.  The  really  important  and 
most  telling  factors  are  the  allaying  of  fear  and  the  assuring  that  life 
in  a  darkened  world  is  worth  living. 

America  did  not  have,  as  the  British  did,  an  organization,  St. 
Dunstan's,  ready  to  take  up  the  task  when  this  war  began.  We  had 
to  seek  special  legislation,  and  then  decide  the  agency  to  carry  on 
the  work.  Legislation  placed  it  with  the  Veterans  Administration  but 
this  work  had  to  begin  before  the  men  were  veterans  so  the  Army 
agreed  to  begin  training  in  the  hospitals  and  to  assume  responsibility 
for  the  personal  and  social  adjustment.  The  new  Center  is  for  this 
purpose.  Schools  for  the  blind  stand  ready  to  help  because  America 
is  going  to  demand  for  its  war  blinded  nothing  short  of  the  best. 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown,  Massachusetts 
Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President.  Gabriel  Farrell,  Director 


^ay&^f  7&Si/i+£(! 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Miss  Genevieve  M.  Haven,  teacher  of 
English  in  the  Upper  School,  served  on 
a  panel  discussing  Basic  English  at  a 
conference  in  Somerville  on  May  13. 


Two  Library  Associations  held  their 
meetings  at  Perkins  this  spring.  On 
April  26,  The  Charles  River  Library 
Club  had  its  meeting.  On  the  evening 
of  May  22,  the  Special  Libraries  Asso- 
ciation held  a  meeting.  The  Director 
addressed  both  meetings. 


A  Botany  Course  comprising  ten 
lectures,  given  by  Mr.  Nelson  Coon, 
Superintendent  of  Buildings  and 
Grounds,  was  taken  by  eighteen  staff 
members.  Part  of  the  Course  was  a 
tour  of  inspection  of  the  many  flower- 
ing shrubs  in  bloom  on  the  grounds. 


A  bronze  tablet  designating  the  Girls' 
Reading  Room  as  a  memorial  to  Julia 
E.  Burnham,  a  graduate  of  Perkins  and 
teacher  in  the  Girls'  Upper  School  for 
forty-five  years,  was  dedicated  at  the 
time  of  the  Alumnae  Association 
Meeting  on  June  3. 


"Western  Star"  by  Stephen  Vincent 
Benet,  was  presented  in  Dwight  Hall 
on  May  31  by  forty-six  pupils  who  are 
taking  speech  work  under  Mrs.  S.  F. 
Waterhouse. 


Wayne  Moody,  a  senior,  offered  a 
program  of  readings  on  June  9,  with 
musical  background  by  Edward  W. 
Jenkins  of  the  music  faculty  and  as- 
sisted by  Norman  Hamer,  tenor,  a 
member  of  the  Junior  Class. 


A  May  Party  was  held  by  the  girls  on 
Saturday,  May  29,  with  games  in  the 
afternoon,  fortune  telling,  rides  in  the 
dump  truck,  and  a  picnic  supper.  A 
good  time  was  had  by  all. 


The  final  outdoor  meet  was  held  by 
the  girls'  cottage  teams  on  May  19, 
resulting  in  the  following  scores:  Oliver 
15,  Brooks   10,   May   5.     This   brought 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


The  American  Association  of  Instruc- 
tors of  the  Blind  is  planning  to  hold 
its  biennial  convention  at  the  Arkansas 
School  for  the  Blind  in  Little  Rock, 
June  26-30.  The  Director  and  Principal 
are  planning  to  attend. 


Scholarship  aid  to  the  extent  of 
$200.00  a  year  has  been  offered  to  grad- 
uates of  Perkins  planning  to  attend 
institutions  of  higher  learning  by  the 
Howe  Memorial  Beneficiary  Fund. 


The  Perkins  Alumnae  Association  at 
its  meeting  on  June  3rd  voted  to  set  up 
a  scholarship  fund  of  $1,200.00,  the  in- 
come from  which  will  be  granted  to 
girls  who  are  graduatec  of  Perkins  to 
assist  them  in  advanced  studies. 


Cecila  Nadeau,  Perkins  '42,  later  a 
student  of  Nashua,  (N.  H.)  Business 
College  has  received  a  position  as  Edi- 
phone  Operator  in  the  office  of  the 
University  of  New  Hampshire. 


Adelaide  Feleciano,  Perkins  '40,  will 
graduate  from  Emmanuel  College  this 
month  and  Mary  Fay  Bresnahan, 
Perkins  '40  will  receive  her  degree  from 
Regis  College. 


Wilma  True,  Perkins  '39,  who  was 
graduated  from  the  University  of  Maine 
last  year,  is  finishing  a  one  year  course 
of  study  in  the  Boston  University 
School  of  Social  Work. 


Mrs.  George  H.  Monks,  member  of 
the  Ladies  Visiting  Committee  for  the 
Kindergarten,  died  April  22.  Mrs 
Monks  had  been  actively  interested  in 
the  Kindergarten  from  the  early  days 
in  Jamaica  Plain  and  continued  that 
interest  throughout  her  life. 

Brooks  out  on  top  again  for  the  year, 
winning  a  new  cup,  which  was  presented 
at  the  Victory  Banquet  on  June  7. 


—  2 


ENGLAND'S  WAR  BLINDED 

By  Gabriel  Farrell 

Most  of  this  article  is  taken  from  "Help  for  the  Blinded  Soldier," 
published  in  the  April  issue  of  Hj'geia,  the  health  magazine  of  The 
American   Medical   Association. 

AMONG  ALL  the  troops  of  the  British  Empire  in  the  last  war, 
there  were  slightly  under  3000  cases  of  blindness.  "With  prac- 
tically no  exception,"  wrote  Sir  Arthur  Pearson,  founder  of  St. 
Dunstan's  in  his  book  Victory  Over  Blindness,  "all  the  soldiers  and 
sailors  of  the  British  Imperial  Forces  blinded  in  the  war  came  under 
my  care  in  order  to  learn  how  to  be  blind."  At  the  outset  of  his  work 
Sir  Arthur  determined  that  the  sole  objective  would  be  to  restore 
blinded  men  to  the  positions  in  life  from  which  they  had  come.  As  a 
center  for  this  work,  Sir  Arthur  was  fortunate  in  securing-  the  magni- 
ficent mansion  of  the  American  banker,  Otto  Kahn,  situated  in  the 
Inner  Circle  of  Regent's  Park  in  London.  "I  wanted,"  said  Sir  Arthur, 
"delightful  surroundings,"  anjl  he  found  them  in  this  estate  with 
fifteen  acres  of  gardens  and  grounds  larger  than  any  in  London  save 
Buckingham  Palace.  As  the  work  grew,  other  buildings  in  the  city 
were  occupied  and  later  convalescent  homes  were  opened  at  Brighton 
and  St.  Leonard's-on-the-Sea. 

When  World  War  II  broke  out  England  was  fortunate  in  having 
already  functioning  this  center  for  the  retraining  of  blind  men.  For- 
tunate also  were  they  in  the  present  leadership  of  Lt.  Col.  Sir  Ian 
Fraser,  M.  P.  Sir  Ian  is  a  product  of  St.  Dunstan's.  When  only 
eighteen,  he  was  blinded  in  the  Battle  of  the  Somme.  After  com- 
pleting his  training  at  St.  Dunstan's,  he  qualified  as  a  lawyer  and 
entered  Parliament  in  his  early  twenties.  For  several  years  a  governor 
of  the  British  Broadcasting  Corporation,  he  was  able  to  press  the 
cause  of  disabled  veterans  upon  British  opinion  and  obtained  many 
reforms  for  them  in  Parliament.  Sir  Ian  was  in  this  country  about  a 
year  ago  and  at  that  time  offered  the  United  States  Government  the 
facilities  of  St.  Dunstan's  for  the  care  and  treatment  of  any  blinded 
members  of  our  Armed  Forces  in  England,  Egypt,  India  or  South 
Africa.  Sir  Ian  said,  "We  shall  place  them  as  honored  guests  and  do 
as  much  as  we  can  for  them."  Already  two  Americans  have  been 
guests  at  St.  Dunstan's. 

Those  who  go  to  St.  Dunstan's  now  will  not  be  received  at  the 
beautiful  mansion  in  Regent's  Park  as  in  World  War  I  because  the 
house  was  given  up  several  years  ago,  nor  at  the  administrative  head- 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 
—  3  — 


THE  ARMY  CENTER 

ANNOUNCEMENT  has  been  made  by  the  Army  of  the  selection 
of  the  Avon  School,  at  Avon,  Connecticut,  for  a  Center  for 
blinded  members  of  the  Army  and  the  Navy.  Avon  Old  Farms, 
as  the  school  is  called,  is  architecturally  one  of  the  most  interesting 
groups  of  school  buildings  in  the  country.  Twenty-five  buildings, 
made  of  stone  in  the  Cotswold  type  of  architecture,  are  located  in  the 
heart  of  three  thousand  acres  of  grounds.  The  Army  will  take 
possession  of  all  of  the  buildings,  but  only  two  hundred  acres  of  land. 
The  Center  will  be  under  the  command  of  Colonel  Frederic  Thorne, 
one  of  the  Army's  foremost  Ophthalmologists. 

Early  in  the  summer  it  is  planned  to  transfer  a  number  of  men 
now  at  the  Valley  Forge  General  Hospital  to  Avon  for  personal  and 
social  adjustment.  An  adequate  staff  of  instructors,  some  from  the 
Army  and  others  civilians,  is  being  assembled.  The  primary  purpose 
of  the  Center  is  to  teach  the  blinded  men  how  to  live  in  a  darkened 
world  and  after  adjustment  has  been  attained,  they  will  be  discharged 
from  the  Army  and  transferred  to  the  care  of  the  Veterans  Admin- 
istration, which  will  provide  all  necessary  vocational  training,  place 
them  in  jobs,  enroll  them  in  colleges,  or  return  them  to  their  homes. 
The  Center  will  have  facilities  for  two  hundred  men. 

RETIREMENTS 

TWO  MEMBERS  of  the  Music  Department  are  affected  this 
year  by  the  Perkins  Retirement  Plan.  Miss  Mabel  A.  Starbird, 
who  was  eligible  for  retirement  a  year  ago,  and  continued  to 
carry  on  her  work  during  the  present  year,  has  completed  thirty-three 
years  of  service  to  Perkins.  She  will  be  remembered  because  of  fine 
work  that  she  has  done  with  the  Girls'  Glee  Club.  Miss  Naomi  K. 
Gring  is  retiring  after  thirty-seven  years  as  teacher  of  piano  in  the 
Girls'  Lower  School.  She  is  to  return  to  her  home  in  Maryland  and 
has  agreed  to  assist  in  the  Maryland  School  for  the  Blind  for  the 
duration. 

BASIC  ENGLISH 

FOLLOWING  a  talk  by  Professor  I.  A.  Richards  on  Basic  English, 
a  Committee  was  appointed  to  study  the  possible  use  of  Basic 
English  among  braille  readers.     A  number  of  experiments  are 
under  way  which  may  lead  to  interesting  results.     The  Basic  word 
list  has  been  put  into  braille  and  is  being  used  in  connection  with  the 

—  4  — 


book,  "Words  at  Work,"  which  Miss  Haven,  Chairman  of  the  Com- 
mittee, is  using  in  the  ninth  grade.  Mr.  Marchisio  is  using  the  book, 
"Basic  for  Business"  in  some  of  his  commercial  classes.  Many  teach- 
ers feel  that  some  of  the  Basic  Texts  put  into  braille  would  be  helpful 
with  beginning  braille  classes,  while  others  see  an  unusual  opportunity 
for  teaching  ink  print  to  those  with  sufficient  sight  to  permit  its  use 
through  the  illustrated  text  books  now  available  in  Basic.  Miss 
Harlow,  a  member  of  the  Committee,  is  planning  to  take  a  course  in 
Basic  English  at  the  Hyannis  State  Teachers  College  this  summer. 
The  Committee  has  recommended  a  list  of  Basic  books  to  be  put  into 
braille  by  the  Howe  Memorial  Press. 

SCHOLARSHIP  MARKS 

CONSIDERABLE  stress  has  been  placed  this  year  upon  high 
scholarship.  Teachers  are  requested  to  report  the  academic 
standing  of  pupils  regularly  and  each  month  the  Prncipal  has 
posted  an  Honor  List.  This  list  is  made  up  of  the  ten  highest  rank- 
ing pupils  in  scholarship.  These  grades  cover  all  the  courses  in  school 
and  indicate  the  pupils  who  have  outstanding  ability  and  who  are 
working  diligently  to  make  the  most  of  their  academic  training. 

ATHLETIC  ACTIVITIES 

ATHLETIC  ACTIVITIES  have  not  been  overlooked  during  the 
spring.  Following  the  close  of  the  successful  wrestling  season, 
the  Track  Team  went  into  training  and  over  the  week-end  of 
May  27,  journeyed  to  Baltimore  for  a  meet  with  the  Maryland  School, 
which  resulted  in  a  victory  for  Maryland.  On  June  3,  the  track  team 
from  the  Pennsylvania  School  for  the  Blind,  visited  Perkins  and  this 
meet  was  won  by  Pennsylvania. 

LOWER  SCHOOL  PLAY 

THE  LOWER  SCHOOL  playgrounds  have  been  alive  with  acti- 
vity all  spring.  The  playground,  made  colorful  by  sun-suits 
provided  for  all  the  children,  contains  a  considerable  amount 
of  apparatus  but  the  two  most-used  media  of  play  are  wooden  logs, 
about  five  inches  in  diameter  and  six  feet  long,  made  of  light  pine 
and  therefore  easily  lifted,  and  wooden  boxes  about  twenty-four  inches 
square  and  twelve  inches  deep.  The  boxes  are  painted  bright  green 
and  red.  Railroads,  cities,  forts,  ships,  and  jeeps,  displaying  imagina- 
tion and  strategy,  are  made  out  of  these  logs  and  boxes. 

(We  had  planned  to  print  a  picture  of  some  of  these  marvelous  constructions  but  in  view  of 
the  poor  prints  in  the  last  issue,   we   are   omitting  pictures  until   this   run  of  paper  is  used  up.) 

—  5  — 


GRADUATION,  JUNE  15 

GRADUATION  EXERCISES  will  be  held  in  Dwight  Hall  at 
2:00  o'clock  on  Thursday,  June  15.  The  Commencement 
address  will  be  given  by  the  Most  Reverend  Richard  J.  Cushing, 
D.  D.,  L.  L.  D.,  Administrator  of  the  Archdiocese  of  Boston,  and  the 
Invocation  will  be  oifered  by  the  Rev.  Edgar  W.  Anderson,  Rector  of 
the  Church  of  the  Good  Shepherd,  Watertown.  Mr.  Robert  H.  Hallo- 
well,  President  of  the  Corporation,  will  award  diplomas,  signifying 
graduation  from  high  school,  to  Chiararose  Larato,  Margaret  E.  Teb- 
betts,  Selma  L.  Tirocchi,  John  J.  Hart,  and  Wayne  S.  Moody.  A 
special  certificate  will  be  given  to  Dorothy  Reynolds,  who  has  com- 
pleted the  work  of  the  Manual  Training  Department  and  Bernice 
Bauman  of  New  Jersey,  will  receive  a  certificate  indicating  com- 
pletion of  the  Pianoforte  Normal  Course. 


Ralph  Savio,  who  came  to  Perkins  in  1941  as  a  special  student, 
will  receive  a  certificate  from  the  Piano  Tuning  Department.  During 
the  past  year,  in  addition  to  his  work  at  Perkins,  he  attended  the 
Nylin  Institute  of  Physio-Therapy,  where  he  was  certified  as  a 
masseur,  and  he  has  also  carried  on  special  studies  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  Lawrence  High  School,  the  city  in  which  he  lives,  and  has 
passed  examinations  which  entitle  him  to  receive  later  in  June  a 
diploma  as  a  graduate  of  that  school. 


John  Di  Francesco  completes  this  month  his  work  at  the  New 
England  Conservatory  of  Music  and  will  receive  a  B.  A.  Degree.  He 
is  widely  known  as  a  baritone  soloist  for  the  Chorus  and  for  his  work 
as  Director  of  the  Guild  Choristers,  sponsored  by  the  Catholic  Guild 
for  the  Blind.  John  entered  the  Kindergarten  of  Perkins  and  has 
continued  to  live  at  the  school  while  attending  the  Conservatory. 


Selma  Tirocchi,  -Margaret  Hayman,  Melina  Herron,  and  Faye 
George  completed  the  requirements  of  the  American  Red  Cross  Home 
Nursing  Course  and  received  certificates  from  that  organization. 
Lelia  Jensen,  a  National  Scholarship  pupil  from  Montana,  Marion 
Knoll,  Scholarship  pupil  from  Michigan,  and  Jacqueline  Woodward, 
Scholarship  pupil  from  Florida,  have  received  certificates  as  proficient 
Ediphonists  from  the  Ediphone  Company. 


The  Senior  Class  colors  are:  Red,  White  and  Blue.  The 
Class  flower  is :  Red  Rose.  The  Class  motto  is :  Perge  modo  (Keep  on 
to  the  end.) 

—  6  — 


FROM  OUR  MAIL 


"We  have  just  enjoyed  your  excellent 
choir's  fine  music  over  our  radio  and 
congratulate  you."  —  E.  L.  B.,  Milford, 
N.  H. 


"Just  a  few  words  in  praise  of  your 
fine  chorus  work.  It  is  GREAT,  in 
interpretation,  enunciation,  expres- 
sion ..."  —  A.  W.  L.,  Springfield,  Vt. 


"Your  program  gave  Mrs.  T.  and  me 
great  pleasure.  It  carried  a  spiritual 
message  we  all  need  in  these  trying 
days."  —  C. W. T.   (U.S.  Senator)  N.H. 


"I  listened  with  pleasure  to  the  beau- 
tiful broadcast  of  the  Perkins  Chorus 
last  evening  and  hope  we  are  going  to 
have  more  of  them."  —  E.  S.  P.,  Boston, 
Mass. 


"It  was  delightful  to  note  the  fine 
balance  of  the  four  sections,  the  rich- 
ness of  tone,  the  precision  of  expres- 
sion, the  brilliant  color,  and  the 
warmth  .  .  .  "  —  fW.  A.  M.,  Providence, 
R.  I. 


"Their  singing  is  excellent,  and  the 
precision  of  their  attack  and  the  choral 
effects  are  really  very  remarkable.  They 
can  stand  comparison  with  any  choral 
group  I  have  ever  heard  on  the  air." 
P.M.  N.,  New  York. 


"I  want  to  tell  you  what  joy  such 
music  as  that  sung  by  your  young  fresh 
voices  means  to  all  of  us  .  .  .  With  so 
much  misnamed  music  that  is  utterly 
unbearable  to  real  music  lovers,  it  was 
a  revelation  and  a  joy  to  hear  anything 
so  fine."  —  K.  L.  C,  Milton,  Mass. 


"Even  though  most  of  us  don't  know 
much  about  music,  we  thought  the 
program  was  pretty  darn  good.  It  is 
good  for  a  person's  ears  to  be  able  to 
listen  to  good  music  for  one  time  during 
the  week  after  listening  to  boogy  woogy 
day  in  and  day  out."  —  J.J.  (U.S. 
Army)  Portsmouth,  N.  H. 


PUBLICATIpNS 


Clarence  Hawkes,  L.  L.  D.,  Perkins  '90, 
the  well-known  author,  who  has  pro- 
duced over  fifty  books,  has  had  pub- 
lished a  volume  entitled,  "The  Service 
Man's  Friend."  This  is  an  inspirational 
book,  composed  of  articles  which  were 
prepared  by  Dr.  Hawkes  for  eight  New 
England  newspapers  and  four  broad- 
casting stations.  They  represent  Dr. 
Hawkes'  contribution  to  the  war  effort 
and  will  undoubtedly  be  of  inspiration 
to  all  who  read  them. 


Ruth  R.  Hayden,  A.  B.,  M.  A.,  Perkins 
'13,  is  the  author  of  "Erma  at  Perkins," 
a  book  which  tells  in  fictional  form  the 
story  of  a  girl  all  the  way  through  her 
educational  career  at  Perkins.  The 
education  of  this  girl  began  at  the 
Kindergarten  in  Jamaica  Plain,  she 
then  went  to  the  Institution  at  South 
Boston,  and  just  before  her  last  year, 
came  to  the  new  plant  in  Watertown. 
Because  of  this  the  life  in  all  three 
locations  of  Perkins  is  described  in  an 
interesting  and  informative  way. 


Hygeia,  the  health  magazine  of  the 
American  Medical  Association,  carries 
in  its  April  number  an  article  entitled 
"Help  for  the  War  Blinded  Soldier,"  by 
Gabriel  Parrell.  This  gives  an  account 
of  the  work  for  the  American  blinded 
soldiers  in  the  last  war  and  recom- 
mendations for  the  program  for  the 
blinded  service  men  of  this  war. 


The  April  number  of  the  Journal  of 
Exceptional  Children  carried  a  photo- 
graph of  Dr.  Edward  E.  Allen  on  the 
cover  and  a  tribute  to  his  leadership  in 
the  field  of  the  blind.  It  also  contained 
an  article  on  the  Harvard-Perkins 
Course  by  the  Director. 


The  Director  was  asked  to  review 
Mrs.  Hathaway's  book,  "The  Education 
and  Health  of  the  Partially  Seeing 
Child,"  by  the  Harvard  Educational 
Review  and  The  Survey  Magazine. 


—  7  — 


ENGLAND'S  WAR  BLINDED 

9  (Continued  from  Page  3) 

quarters  which  were  retained  in  the  Park  until  they  were  bombed  prac- 
tically out  of  existence.  Neither  will  they  live  in  the  training  center 
at  Brighton.  When  this  war  broke  out,  preparations  were  made  to 
receive  blinded  men  at  a  fine  new  building  on  the  sunny  cliffs  near 
Sussex.  Additional  hospital  wards  and  temporary  workshops  were 
built  on  the  extensive  grounds,  but  when  the  bombs  began  to  fall  on 
that  area,  the  disabled  men  were  moved  to  quiet  hotels  and  pleasant 
homes  in  the  West  country. 

England  has  also  made  provision  for  civilians  who  have  lost 
their  sight  as  a  result  of  air  raids  or  while  on  civilian  defense  duty. 
The  National  Institute  for  the  Blind,  has  opened  three  centers  called 
Houses  of  Recovery.  These  are  not  hospitals  but  homes  where,  in  an 
atmosphere  of  healthy  encouragement,  persons  are  helped  to  recover 
from  the  shock  of  loss  of  sight.  The  training  in  the  houses  is  ele- 
mentary. Advanced  training  in  occupations  or  professions  can  be  ar- 
ranged for  people  so  desiring  after  they  return  to  their  own  homes. 

The  first  of  the  three  centers  is  Longmeadow  in  Goring,  the 
charming  home  of  the  Chairman  of  the  National  Institute  for  the 
Blind,  Captain  Sir  Beachcroft  Towse,  V.C.,  a  blinded  veteran  of  the 
South  African  War.  Sir  Beachcroft  has  taken  personal  charge  of  this 
center  doing  much  to  invigorate  the  program  and  to  inspire  those  who 
have  lost  their  sight.  Because  this  place  is  near  London  and  also  be- 
cause of  its  restful  seclusion  on  the  banks  of  the  Thames,  elderly  peo- 
ple jprefer  it.  The  younger  people  go  to  an  estate  in  Torquay  known  as 
American  Lodge  because  it  was  given  by  the  British  War  Relief 
Society  of  the  U.  S.  A.  The  young  people  are  sent  there  because  it 
has  "all  the  amenities  of  life  at  a  seashore  resort."  The  third  center 
is  Oldbury  Grange  near  Bridge  North  in  the  Shropshire  hills.  This 
home  is  where  "those  who  love  a  country  life  find  ideal  conditions, 
with  chickens  and  pigs,  and  the  sounds  and  scents  of  the  countryside 
to  charm  them  to  renewed  contentment." 

According  to  the  latest  figures  available,  there  are  about  sixty 
blinded  civilians  in  the  three  Houses  of  Recovery  and  there  have  been 
over  one  hundred  all  told.  About  one  hundred  are  now  in  residence 
at  St.  Dunstan's  in  their  present  home  at  Church  Stretton  near 
Shrewsbury  and  there  have  been  about  two  hundred  cases  of  blindness 
in  the  armed  services  making  something  over  three  hundred  so  far 
in  England  during  this  war. 

—  8  — 


The  Latltern 


THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  XIV.  NO.  1  iv-lSiil  SEPTEMBER    15,1944 


A  Class  Apart 


CONSIDERABLE  CONCERN  is  being  expressed  over  the  extent 
of  special  legislation  for  the  blind.  Interest  in  adequate  provi- 
sions for  the  war-blinded  focussed  attention  on  the  many  bills 
introduced  into  Congress  for  the  benefit  of  the  sightless.  Prior  to  the 
Social  Security  Act  practically  all  national  legislation  pertaining  to 
blindness  was  for  the  benefit  of  institutions  rather  than  for  individ- 
uals. Since  then  there  has  been  an  increasing  trend  toward  bills 
which  afford  direct  benefit  to  blinded  persons.  These  range  from  an 
amendment  to  the  Income  Tax  Law,  which  permits  blind  persons  to 
claim  reductions  up  to  $500  for  personal  services,  to  the  Social 
Security  Act  which  provides  $25,000,000  a  year  for  needy  blind 
persons. 

Motivation  for  this  legislation  reaches  from  the  feeling  that 
society  is  under  obligation  because  blindness,  largely  preventable,  has 
been  allowed  to  prevail,  to  an  attempt  on  the  part  of  the  blind  to 
secure  economic  parity  with  the  seeing.  While  all  who  have  the  in- 
terest of  the  blind  at  heart  want  them  to  have  every  aid  and  oppor- 
tunity, many  blind  people  are  becoming  concerned  lest  this  zeal  build 
them  into  a  special  class  apart  from  seeing  people. 

Formerly  the  blind  asked  no  special  consideration  beyond 
adequate  training  to  overcome  the  loss  of  sight.  Has  this  aim  been 
lost  in  the  complexity  of  modern  life,  or  can  the  blind  with  good 
training  still  stand  on  their  own  feet  ?  We  will  not  venture  an  answer 
but  we  think  the  whole  matter  needs  consideration  and  clarification 
by  the  blind  themselves,  rather  than  by  workers  for  the  blind. 


JzOsO^U ^a/vhj^ 


L Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown.  Massachusetts 
Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President.  Gabriel  Farrell,  Director 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


National  Scholarships  have  been 
awarded  to  Arrietta  McClung  and 
Calvin  Wooten  of  Alabama. 


James  Champ,  eight  years  old,  of 
Kansas  and  Carolyn  Edmundson,  elev- 
en years  old,  of  West  Virginia  are 
new  pupils  in  the  Deaf-Blind  Depart- 
ment. 


Norman  Hamer,  Francis  Cordeau, 
and  Herbert  Sabin  were  employed  this 
summer  at  Camp  Indian  Acres  at  Fry- 
burg,  Maine. 


Francis  Delaney  and  Richard  Crane 
operated  a  vending  stand  at  the  Pew- 
Gorton  Fish  Pier  in  Gloucester. 


Ettore  Bosati  and  Thomas  Cotter 
worked  on  the  Regis  College  farm  this 
summer.  Ettore  continues  until  Oc- 
tober 1   to  help  with  the  harvest. 


Several  Perkins'  boys  were  able  to 
take  part  in  some  of  the  training 
courses  at  the  'Springfield  Trade  School 
this  summer. 


Eleven  boys  were  able  to  go  to  camp 
this  summer  through  the  generosity  of 
the  Boston  Committee  for  the  Blind. 
Fifteen  girls  attended  Camp  Allen, 
Bedford,  New  Hampshire.  Several 
former  Perkins  pupils  were  also  there. 


The  Director,  the  Principal,  and 
Miss  Winget  represented  Perkins  at 
the  Convention  of  the  American  As- 
sociation of  Instructors  of  the  Blind 
at  Little  Rock,  Arkansas,  June  26  -  30. 


The  Director  has  been  appointed 
Chairman  of  the  A.A.I.B.  on  the  Re- 
training of  the  War  Blinded.  During 
the  summer  he  visited  the  Valley  Forge 
General  Hospital  and  the  Old  Farms 
Convalescent  Hospital  where  blinded 
soldiers  are  under  care  and  training. 


Alice  M.  Carpenter,  B.  A.  Hastings 
College,  M.  A.  University  of  Colorado, 
member  of  the  Harvard  Class  '36  -  '37, 
formerly  head  of  the  Ming  Sum  School 
for  the  Blind,  Canton,  China,  to  teach 
in  the  Deaf-Blind  Department. 


Marion  Brown  Newcomb,  B.  A.  Colby 
College,  M.  A.  Boston  University,  for- 
merly Dean  of  Women  at  Southern 
Union  College,  to  be  Matron  of  Tomp- 
kins Cottage  land  !to  teach  in  the 
Upper  School. 


Leroy  Victor  Cleveland,  B.  A.,  Th.  B_ 

formerly  teacher  at  Henniker  High 
School,  graduate  student  at  the  School 
of  Education  at  Harvard,  to  teach 
science. 


Edward  Jacobs,  B.  A.  Illinois  Wesley- 
an  University,  Harvard  Class  '41,  form- 
er teacher  in  the  Baltimore  schools, 
to  be  Master  of  Bridgman  Cottage  and 
teach  in  Upper  School. 


E.  Jane  Smith,  A.  B.  Massachusetts 
State  College,  Harvard  Class  '43  -  '44, 
to  be  Psychometrist  in  the  Department 
of  Personnel. 


Vesta  V.  V.  Coon,  B.  A.  Syracuse 
University,  to  teach  in  the  Commercial 
Department. 


Helen  Dunne,  B.  S.  Regis  College,  to 
teach  Home  Economics  and  to  assist 
in  Bennett  Cottage. 


Albert    R.    Raymond    and    Paul    L. 

Bauguss,  who  have  been  teaching  in 
the  Music  Department  on  part  time, 
are  to  give  more  time  this  year  to  take 
up  the  work  of  the  music  teachers 
who  were  retired. 


Mrs.  Mary  Hunt  has  become  Matron 
of  Potter  Cottage.  Miss  Eva  Jordan, 
who  was  in  Potter,  has  become  Matron 
of  Bridgman   Cottage. 


Miss  Stella  L.  Eldridge  is  matron  of 
Oliver  Cottage. 


—  2  — 


LEGISLATION  FOR  THE  BLIND 

FROM  THE  EARLIEST  times  blindness  has  stirred  the  compas- 
sion  of   charitable   people   and   many   organizations    have   been 

established  to  ameliorate  the  conditions  of  those  so  afflicted. 
Perhaps  the  outstanding  factor  in  the  relation  of  society  to  blindness 
in  the  United  States  has  been  the  change  in  attitude  from  that  con- 
noted by  the  terms  compassion,  charity  and  affliction  to  one  where 
socially  minded  people  claim  that  assistance  to  the  blind  is  their 
rightful  due  and  everything  possible  should  be  done  to  give  them 
parity  with  seeing  people.  Once  this  was  done  by  associations  to 
promote  the  interests  of  the  blind,  but  more  recently  there  has  been 
a  trend  toward  special  legislation  for  the  direct  benefit  of  individuals. 

While  special  legislation  to  provide  assistance  for  the  blind  was 
enacted  in  Indiana  in  1840,  in  New  York  City  in  1866,  and  in  Ohio  in 
1896,  all  of  which  has  since  been  repealed,  it  was  not  until  after  1900 
that  this  form  of  aid  was  generally  accepted.  In  1903  Illinois  passed 
a  law  providing  aid  to  the  blind  which  is  still  in  existence  and  in  1907 
Massachusetts  established  the  first  state  commission  for  the  blind. 
The  legislation  which  enabled  these  forms  of  assisting  the  blind  was 
state  and  not  federal. 

The  first  Federal  legislation  for  the  blind  was  in  1879  when 
$10,000  annually  was  provided  for  the  American  Printing  House  for 
the  Blind,  but  that  was  to  provide  text  books  for  schools  and  was  not 
for  individuals.  Since  then,  this  appropriation  has  been  increased 
until  it  now  totals  $125,000  a  year.  In  1931  the  Pratt-Smoot  bill 
made  Federal  funds  available  for  free  reading  matter  for  the  adult 
blind.  This  legislation  has  been  extended  to  include  books  on  records 
as  well  as  embossed  books  and  in  1944  it  was  further  amended  so  that 
the  machines  for  reproducing  records  could  be  kept  in  repair  at  gov- 
ernment expense  and  the  total  sum  available  annually  under  this  act 
is  now  $500,000. 

The  outstanding  Federal  legislation  for  the  blind  was  the  inclu- 
sion in  the  Social  Security  Act  passed  in  1935  of  Title  X  which 
matches  state  appropriations  for  aid  to  the  needy  blind.  This  supple- 
mented the  plans  of  the  twenty-nine  states  already  having  programs 
and  caused  the  creation  of  state  departments  for  the  blind  in  all 
states.  Under  this  legislation  about  75,000  persons  are  now  receiving 
aid  which  totals  $25,000,000  a  year.  This  averages  about  $28  per 
month  and  is  paid  in  all  states  except  Delaware  and  Alaska.    Nevada, 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 
—  3  — 


DL1 


ANOTHER  YEAR  BEGINS 

EACH  SEPTEMBER  sees  the  beginning  of  another 
year  —  this  year  for  Perkins,  the  one-hundred 
and  fourteenth.  Classes  were  resumed  on  Wed- 
nesday, September  13,  the  pupils  having  returned  on 
Tuesday  and  the  staff  on  Monday  for  the  opening  talk 
by  the  Director  on  that  evening.  At  that  time  the 
Director  outlined  the  plans  for  the  coming  year,  intro- 
duced new  members  of  the  staff,  and  called  for  a  loyal 
support  of  the  program  for  the  year  so  that  many  de- 
privations brought  about  by  the  war  may  be  compen- 
sated for  by  the  "little  extra"  which  brings  success. 

Although  the  school  enrollment  is  about  the  same 
as  last  year,  it  was  necessary  to  open  Bridgman  Cot- 
tage on  the  boy's  side  of  the  Upper  School  which  has 
been  closed  for  two  years.  This  was  due  to  the  large 
ratio  of  boys  over  girls  in  the  Lower  School  where 
there  are  enrolled  seventy-two  boys  and  forty-seven 
girls.  To  ease  the  pressure  of  boys  in  the  Lower 
School,  the  sixth  grade  and  some  other  of  the  older 
boys  were  brought  from  the  Lower  to  the  Upper 
School  to  live  in  Bridgman.  The  total  enrollment  at 
the  opening  of  school  is  two  hundred  and  thirty-nine. 


GARDENING  TOOLS 

TO  ENCOURAGE  blind  people  to  take  up  garden- 
ing and  to  enable  them  to  work  effectively  in 
Victory  Gardens,  Dr.  Hugh  Findlay,  professor  of 
Landscape  Architecture  in  Columbia  University,  has 
devised  attachments  to  garden  tools  that  will  enable 
the  sightless  to  hoe  a  straight  line  and  cultivate  a 
garden  plot.  These  attachments  to  the  hoe,  rake,  and 
spade  were  brought  to  Perkins  and  tried  out  and  were 
also  experimented  with  at  the  Old  Farms  Convalescent 
Hospital  for  blinded  soldiers  at  Avon,  Connecticut.  It 
is  Professor  Findlay's  hope  that  they  will  help  blind 
people  in  successful  gardening  and  if  there  is  a  suffi- 
cient demand,  steps  will  be  taken  to  market  them. 


I 


M 


S.  S.  MICHAEL  ANAGNOS 

ICHAEL  ANAGNOS  is  the  name  of  a  Liberty 
Ship  launched  at  South  Portland,  Maine, 
September  15.  This  honor  to  the  second 
Director  of  Perkins  Institution  is  in  recognition  of 
war  bond  sales  by  the  Greek  Division.  Michael  Anag- 
nos  assisted  Dr.  Samuel  Gridley  Howe,  the  first  Direc- 
tor of  Perkins,  when  he  was  administering  relief  in 
Crete  in  1867.  A  graduate  of  the  University  of 
Athens,  he  came  to  America  with  Dr.  Howe  and  in 
1876  became  the  second  Director. 

Mr.  Anagnos  established  the  Howe  Memorial  Press 
and  in  1887  founded  the  Kindergarten.  In  1906,  while 
on  a  journey  to  his  native  land,  he  passed  away.  In 
his  will  he  left  money  to  establish  a  school  for  boys  in 
his  native  village  in  Greece.  Throughout  his  life  in 
America  Mr.  Anagnos  maintained  contact  with  his 
fellow  countrymen.  The  selection  of  his  name  for  a 
Liberty  Ship  is  recognition  of  the  esteem  in  which  he 
was  held.  At  the  launching,  Perkins  was  represented 
by  the  Director  and  Mrs.  Farrell  and  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Coon.  Dr.  Farrell  was  included  in  the  list  of  speakers 
and  made  an  address  on  the  life  of  Michael  Anagnos. 


COMMUNITY  COOPERATION 

THE  BURSAR,  J.  Stephenson  Hemphill,  has  been 
appointed  chairman  of  the  Watertown  Committee 
of  the  Greater  Boston  United  War  Fund.  This  is 
a  high  honor  which  carries  with  it  much  hard  work 
especially  during  the  fall  months  when  the  campaign 
is  underway.  Perkins  appreciates  this  recognition  of 
the  community's  respect  for  its  bursar  and  is  glad  to 
make  available  the  time  that  the  work  requires.  This 
is  but  another  illustration  of  the  fine  spirit  of 
cooperation  which  exists  between  the  town  and  the 
Institution.  The  town  officials  have  always  been  mind- 
ful of  the  needs  of  Perkins  and  ready  to  do  any- 
thing that  is  needed  and  helpful.     For  example,  when 


the  traffic  became  so  heavy  on  North  Beacon  Street  that  crossing  the 
road  became  hazardous  for  our  pupils,  the  town  placed  a  stop-go  light 
with  a  bell  to  ring  when  crossing  is  safe  near  the  main  gate.  Also, 
the  bell  which  rings  during  the  period  for  crossing  at  Watertown 
Square  was  placed  there  for  the  benefit  of  Perkins  people. 

Perkins  people  have  also  made  their  contribution  to  the  town. 
Maurice  J.  Carroll,  chief  engineer,  is  now  a  member  of  the  Ration 
Board  and  for  several  years  was  a  member  of  the  Water  Department. 
Charles  P.  Eaton,  a  graduate  of  Perkins,  is  chairman  of  the  Town 
Planning  Board.  Mr.  Hemphill,  Mr.  Sherman,  and  Dr.  Farrell  are  all 
members  of  the  Town  Meeting,  the  body  which  controls  the  affairs  of 
the  town. 

SUMMER  BETTERMENTS 

DURING  THE  SUMMER,  it  has  been  possible  to  carry  out  a 
limited  program  of  improvements  which  has  not  been  possible 
for  two  years.  A  considerable  amount  of  piping  had  to  be  re- 
placed in  the  heating  system  and  one  of  the  refrigerators  had  to  have 
new  insulation.  Most  noticeable  are  the  repainting  of  the  Library, 
Dwight  Hall  in  the  Upper  School,  and  the  hall  in  the  Lower  School. 
The  walls  of  the  swimming  pool  were  repainted  and  all  of  the  windows 
replaced  with  glass  brick.  The  gymnasium  was  also  repainted,  the 
ceiling  covered  with  acoustical  tile  and  new  lighting  installed. 

HOME  TEACHERS 

THE  HOME  TEACHERS  of  the  blind  of  the  eastern  area  held 
their  annual  conference  at  the  Hotel  Lenox,  Boston,  September 
12-15.  Miss  Ethel  I.  Parker,  Massachusetts  home  teacher  and 
former  student  at  Perkins,  was  chairman  of  the  committee  which 
planned  the  program.  At  the  banquet  on  Thursday,  September  14 
tribute  was  paid  to  Walter  G.  Holmes,  and  to  Dr.  Edward  E.  Allen, 
director  emeritus  of  Perkins. 

VICTORY  GARDENS 

A  NUMBER  of  people  both  blind  and  sighted  have  had  Victory 
Gardens  on  the  Perkins'  grounds  this  summer.     Some  seven- 
teen members  of  the  staff  and  neighbors  were  assigned  plots 
and  they  are  now  enjoying  a  considerable  harvest. 

—  6  — 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Matthew  Di  Martino,  Perkins  '29  and 
formerly  teacher  of  Physical  Education, 
is  in  charge  of  recreation  at  the  Army 
Center  for  Blinded  Soldiers  at  Avon, 
Conn. 


The  Newton  Trade  School,  in  co- 
operation with  the  Department  of  Re- 
habilitation, has  given  machine  train- 
ing to  forty  visually  handicapped 
persons.  Several  from  Perkins  have 
had  the  advantage  of  this  training. 


Marion  Knoll,  who  completed  the 
Ediphone  course  in  June,  has  been  en- 
gaged to  work  in  the  Perkins  adminis- 
tration offices. 


Cecile  Nadeau,  Perkins  '43,  is  em- 
ployed as  Ediphone  operator  in  the 
office  of  the  University  of  New  Hamp- 
shire. 


Josef  G.  Cauffman,  Superintendent 
of  the  Michigan  School  for  the  Blind, 
has  been  elected  Principal  of  the 
Pennsylvania  Institution  for  the  In- 
struction of  the  Blind. 


Francis  M.  Andrews,  former  Princi- 
pal of  Perkins  and  now  Superintendent 
of  the  Maryland  School  for  the  Blind, 
was  elected  Chairman  of  the  Executive 
Committee  of  the  A.A.I.B. 


MARRIAGES 

Bradford  W.  Newcomb,  teacher  at 
Perkins,  to  Marion  B.  Brown,  former 
Dean  of  Women  at  Southern  Union 
College. 

Sally  Tyler,  secretary  to  the  Princi- 
pal, to  Allan  Vickers,  Instructor  at 
Middlebury  College,  where  they  will 
live. 

Patricia  Robinson,  Perkins  '43,  to 
Bruce  L.  Rose,  U.  S.  N.  R.  Patricia 
was  attending  the  State  Teacher's 
College  at  Hyannis. 

Viola  Patterson,  former  pupil  at 
Perkins,  to  George  Ellsworth,  formerly 
employed   at   Perkins. 


Jack  Hart,  Perkins  '44,  has  entered 
Bates  College.  During  the  summer  he 
was  swimming  instructor  at  Loon  Pond 
Camp. 


Ralph  Savio,  who  completed  his 
work  at  Perkins  in  June,  has  been  ad- 
mitted  to   Harvard   University. 


Albert  Gayzagian,  who  attended  Per- 
kins from  Kindergarten  through  tlie 
8th  Grade  and  then  transferred  to  the 
Watertown  High  School,  from  which 
he  was  graduated  in  June,  has  entered 
Harvard. 


Wayne  Moody,  Perkins  '44,  has 
broadcast  several  times  —  once  over 
WBZ  when  he  recited  a  poem,  sup- 
ported by  the  350th  Infantry  Band. 


Wilma  True,  Perkins  '39,  graduate 
of  the  University  of  Maine,  who  last 
year  attended  the  Boston  University 
School  of  Social  Work,  has  taken  a 
position   as   Home   Teacher   in   Maine. 


Fay  Bresnahan,  Perkins  '40,  was 
graduated  from  Regis  College  in  June 
and  is  now  attending  the  Boston 
College   School   of   Social   Work. 


Roland  Moreau,  who  is  employed  at 
the  Rivet  Tool  and  Grinder  Company 
in  Brighton,  is  taking  courses  in  ma- 
chine tool  operation  at  the  Wentworth 
Institute. 


Allan    Gillis    completed    training  at 

the  Newton  Trade  School  on  July  21 

and   is   now   doing   assembly   work  at 

Trimount  Manufacturing  Company  in 
Roxbury. 


Ima  Brown,  former  special  pupil  in 
Ediphone  work  has  a  position  in  the 
Auburn  office  of  the  Maine  State  De- 
partment of  Health  and  Welfare. 


—  7  — 


LEGISLATION  FOR  THE  BLINDED 

(Continued  from  Page  3) 

Missouri,    and   Pennsylvania   administer   aid   to    the   blind   without 
Federal  assistance. 

The  Randolph-Sheppard  Act  passed  in  1936  authorized  the 
opening  of  vending  stands  in  Federal  buildings  and  in  1938  the 
Wagner-O'Day  Act  made  it  mandatory  for  government  departments 
to  buy  articles  made  in  workshops  for  the  blind  at  a  fair  market  price. 
The  former  has  enabled  many  blind  people  to  set  up  vending  stands 
and  the  latter  has  provided  well  paid  employment  in  shops  in  thirty- 
two  states.  During  1943,  the  blind  were  included  in  two  important 
pieces  of  legislation  covering  all  forms  of  disability.  The  Clark- Walsh 
bill  sets  up  a  program  for  the  retraining  of  disabled  veterans  including 
the  blind.  The  Barden-Lafollette  bill  greatly  increases  facilities  for 
rehabilitating  blind  persons.  In  1944  an  amendment  was  attached  to 
the  Income  Tax  Law  which  permits  a  blind  person  to  claim  reduction 
up  to  $500  for  special  personal  expenses  inherent  to  blindness. 

This  is  but  a  summary  of  the  laws  passed  by  the  Congress.  In- 
numerable bills  are  introduced  in  every  session  of  Congress,  many  of 
which  never  get  beyond  committees.  In  the  last  session  there  were 
introduced  nearly  one  hundred  bills  pertaining  to  the  blind.  In  com- 
mittee now  is  a  bill  introduced  by  Senator  Wagner  which  will  vitally 
change  the  Social  Security  Act.  Title  X  will  be  deleted  and  the  blind 
will  be  included  in  a  general  relief  program  if  they  are  not  covered  by 
the  section  which  makes  provision  for  all  disabilities  while  employed. 
These  many  forms  of  legislation  show  the  change  that  has  taken 
place  during  this  century.  Intensified  in  the  last  ten  years,  attention 
has  been  focused  on  the  blind  as  on  no  other  physical  disability. 

An  entirely  different  approach  to  the  problem  is  now  being  advo- 
cated by  Dr.  Robert  B.  Irwin  of  the  American  Foundation  for  the 
Blind.  He  would  have  included  in  the  revision  of  the  Social  Security 
Act  a  form  of  insurance  against  blindness  operated  similarly  to  the 
Old  Age  and  Survivors  Insurance  plan.  Small  premiums  on  all  em- 
ployees and  employers  would  build  up  a  fund  out  of  which  would  be 
paid  allowances  if  a  person  loses  his  sight.  To  provide  for  those  not 
employed,  Dr.  Irwin  says  it  would  be  poetic  justice  to  place  a  tax  on 
electric  light  bulbs.  This  plan  has  the  advantage  of  not  being  legis- 
lation for  the  blind  but  legislation  for  the  seeing  if  sight  is  lost. 

G.  F. 


*^iri&MAj 


The  Lantern 


THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 

Pill 


VOLUME  XIV.  NO.  2  DECEMBER   15.  1944 

A  Sound  Body 

((  K  SOUND  MIND  in  a  sound  body"  is  an  old  saying  which  should 
/-\  never  be  forgotten  by  educators  of  youth.  Too  often  they 
become  so  concerned  with  the  development  of  the  mind  that 
they  lose  sight  of  the  fact  that  the  achievement  of  a  sound  body  comes 
through  careful  attention  to  its  needs  and  correction  of  its  weaknesses. 
Especially  is  this  true  in  a  group  which  starts  with  a  major  disability 
which  in  most  cases  is  beyond  correction  and  where  compensations 
must  be  developed.  Unfortunately  that  commonly  held  opinion  that 
nature  generously  provides  compensation  to  make  up  for  a  lost  sense 
is  not  true.  Achievement  by  handicapped  youth  comes  through  good 
guidance  by  wise  teaching  and  hard  work  on  their  own  part. 

Schools  for  the  blind  must  therefore  be  as  interested  in  the 
development  of  the  physical  assets  of  their  pupils  as  in  their  mental 
aptitudes.  This  we  try  to  do  at  Perkins,  some  times  to  the  point  that 
one  wonders  whether  we  are  not  almost  as  much  hospital  as  school. 
Good  health  we  feel  is  essential  to  good  habits.  Good  habits  can  only 
be  established  by  knowing  how,  and  as  teachers  we  must  know  and 
convey  to  our  pupils  the  how.  This  is  the  basis  of  our  program  of 
medical  care,  our  attention  to  posture  and  poise,  our  justification  for 
time  spent  in  sports  and  recreation.  In  competitive  sports  is  found 
the  spirit  to  achieve,  in  dances  the  value  of  grace  and  in  simpler  games 
the  fun  of  working  together. 

These  are  all  aspects  of  a  sound  body.  It  should  be  as  robust  as 
physique  will  permit  and  as  fit  as  physical  education  can  make  it.  Nor 
should  the  mind  be  over-looked.  "For  as  a  man  thinketh,  so  is  he." 
And  the  achievements  of  our  own  people  are  ample  evidence  that  one 
can  rise  above  physical  disability.  But  a  sound  body  helps,  and  the 
ideal  "a  sound  mind  in  a  sound  body"  must  be  our  objective. 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown  72,  Massachusetts 
Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President  Gabriel  Parrell,  Director 


^cW<t*<S  -7&AA*£? 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Organ  recitals  are  being  given  in 
Dwight  Hall  on  the  second  Sunday 
afternoon  of  each  month  at  4  o'clock 
by  Miss  Rachel  Quant  of  the  Music 
Department.  The  program  on  Decem- 
ber 10  featured  Christmas  music.  The 
next  recital  will  be  on  January  14. 


The  Sixth  War  Loan  campaign  was 
waged  at  Perkins  in  a  vigorous  way, 
culminating  in  an  auction  held  in 
Dwight  Hall  Friday  afternoon,  Decem- 
ber 8.  Stamps  and  bonds  valued  at 
$2,085.30  were  sold. 


A  square  dance  was  held  by  the  staff 
on  the  evening  of  November  27.  More 
are  to  be  held  during  the  winter 
months  and  a  series  of  "coffees"  to  be 
served  in  cottages  in  rotation  is 
planned  by  a  committee. 


The  local  chapter  of  the  American 
Guild  of  Organists  held  its  annual 
meeting  at  Perkins  on  the  evening  of 
December  14.  A  program  of  Christmas 
music  was  given  by  the  Perkins  choir. 


Edward  W.  Jenkins,  Perkins  '22,  of 
the  music  faculty  has  prepared  for 
publication  an  anthem  setting  of  the 
canticle  Benedicite,  omnia  opera  Do- 
mini. 


The  Perkins  Boy  Scout  Troop  won 
the  swimming  trophy  in  the  meet  held 
with  the  Arlington  Troop  on  November 
17. 


The  Perkins  Girl  Scout  Troop  held 
its  Investiture  ceremony  on  Thursday 
evening,  December  7  at  which  time 
two  new  members  were  received. 


Christmas  holidays  begin  after  the 
concert  on  December  19  and  classes  will 
resume  on  Thursday,  January  4.  Dur- 
ing the  vacation  Eliot  and  Fisher  Cot- 
tages will  be  open. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Mrs.  Mary  Knapp  Burtt,  Perkins  '09, 
Wellesley  College  15,  who  since  her 
graduation  has  been  working  for  the 
blind  in  China,  is  reported  recently  to 
have  flown  "over  the  Hump,"  arriving 
in  India  where  she  was  at  last  report 
awaiting  a  boat  to  come  to  this  coun- 
try. 


Dr.  Merle  E.  Frampton,  Principal  of 
the  New  York  Institute  for  the  Blind, 
has  been  granted  leave  of  absence  for 
the  duration  and  has  received  a  com- 
mission as  Lieutenant  Commander  in 
the  United  States  Naval  Reserve.  He 
is  to  assist  the  chief  of  re-habilitation 
in  planning  programs  for  the  disabled. 


Helen  A.  Strickland,  Harvard  Class 
1937-38  has  published  in  the  Outlook 
for  the  Blind,  November,  1944,  a  prac- 
tical and  interesting  paper  advising 
Home  Teachers  how  to  build  on  the 
interests  of  their  pupils.  She  is  now 
the  Supervisor  of  Home  Teachers  in 
Connecticut. 


Aleides  Lugue,  a  member  of  the 
Harvard  Class  of  1928-29,  has  been 
appointed  Director  of  the  Institute  for 
the  Blind,  Bogota,  Columbia,  South 
America. 


Robert  H.  Barnhard,  Harvard  Class 
of  1939-40,  has  been  appointed  a  field 
representative  of  the  Veterans  Admin- 
istration to  assist  in  the  guidance  and 
placement  of  blinded  service  men. 


Angelo  Maschio,  Perkins  '33,  Boston 
University  '40,  is  now  on  the  editorial 
staff  of  the  Newark,  Ohio,  Advocate 
and  also  does  assignments  for  the  As- 
sociated Press. 


R.  Lawrence  Thompson,  Perkins  '34, 
Harvard  '38,  has  entered  the  Harvard 
Graduate  School  to  study  for  a  doctor's 
degree  in  guidance  and  placement. 


PHYSICAL  EDUCATION  AT  PERKINS 
By  Allan  W.  Sherman 

DURING  the  Fall  Season,  the  sports  program  has  been  very 
successful.  Our  athletics-for-all  plan  seems  to  be  developing 
satisfactorily,  and  its  excellent  results  show  improvements  in 
physical  development  as  reflected  in  the  general  health  of  the  Upper 
School.  Competition  in  team  games,  both  on  the  boys'  side  and  on  the 
girls',  has  been  keen. 

This  program  has  three  purposes.  Our  students  need  to  have  a 
program  that  will  counteract  the  tendency  toward  sedentary  occupa- 
tions and  provide  opportunities  for  the  development  of  freedom  of 
movement  and  self-confidence  which  comes  through  sports.  Further, 
team  games  develop  the  spirit  of  cooperation,  loyalty,  and  control  of 
self.  Lastly,  but  perhaps  most  important,  is  the  recreational  value  of 
some  parts  of  our  sports  program  in  the  development  of  skills  which 
have  a  carry-over  value  in  later  life  and  the  development  of  a  desire 
for  physical  activity  to  promote  the  general  well-being  of  the  students. 
To  say  that  we  have  accomplished  these  three  purposes  would  be  too 
optimistic,  but  we  can  say  that  we  are  reasonably  on  the  way  now. 

During  the  regular  class  day,  both  boys  and  girls  have  two  gym 
classes  scheduled  each  week.  These  classes  have  been  organized  in 
small  homogeneous  groups  so  that  the  instructors  have  been  able  to 
work  closely  with  the  pupils  and  to  develop  necessary  skills.  Our 
athletic  equipment  consisting  of  a  well-equipped  gymnasium,  swim- 
ming pool,  and  athletic  fields  gives  us  ample  opportunity  for  develop- 
ment of  pupils'  abilities.  In  addition  to  the  regular  gymnasium  work 
carried  on  during  the  school  day,  we  have  classes  in  health  informa- 
tion at  three  grade  levels  which  adequately  reinforce  the  other  aspects 
of  the  athletic  program. 

A  competitive  sports  program  is  carried  on  in  the  afternoon  at 
the  conclusion  of  the  regular  school  day.  During  the  Fall  Season,  the 
boys  had  two  intra-mural  football  teams,  each  team  composed  of  ten 
men  plus  substitutes,  and  the  competition  was  excellent  between  them. 
Although  one  team,  the  Blues,  held  the  edge  over  their  rivals,  the 
Whites,  in  every  game,  nevertheless  the  scores  in  most  of  the  games 
indicated  that  there  was  rather  close  competition  all  the  way.  This 
modified  game  of  touch  football  seems  to  meet  our  needs  here  quite 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 

—  3  — 


1 

1 IP5S1 

'■  | 

AUTUMN  ATHLETICS 

ATHLETICS  loom  large  during-  the  autumn 
months  on  both  the  boys  and  the  girls 
sides  of  the  Upper  School.  In  the  annual 
field  meet  held  by  the  girls  on  the  afternoon  of 
October  25,  Brooks  Cottage  again  emerged  the 
winner,  Oliver  losing  that  honor  by  being  out- 
pulled  in  the  last  event,  the  tug-of-war.  From 
the  opening  of  school  until  the  final  game  on 
November  17  the  boys  engaged  in  football  con- 
tests which  resulted  in  a  final  victory  of  the 
Blues  over  the  Whites  which  was  celebrated  at 
a  banquet  in  Bridgman  Cottage  on  the  evening  of 
December  9.  In  between  these  contests  both  boys  and  girls  raked 
leaves  in  the  fall  clean-up  of  the  grounds  which  they_have  carried  on 
since  the  beginning  of  the  war.  As  the  winter  approaches  the  girls 
will  turn  their  attention  to  dancing  and  indoor  sports  while  the  boys 
will  take  up  wrestling  for  which  meets  have  already  been  arranged 
with  several  boarding  schools  and  high  schools  nearby. 

THE  CHRISTMAS  CONCERTS 

FOR  THE  FIRST  TIME  in  many  years  there  will  not  be  a  concert 
of  Christmas  music  in  Boston.  This  decision  was  forced  by  the 
fact  that  an  organization  with  a  higher  priority  had  engaged 
Jordan  Hall  for  the  Sunday  afternoon  that  Perkins  wished.  This 
situation  has  provided  an  opportunity  to  hold  all  of  the  concerts  at 
the  school  where  more  and  more  people  have  wanted  to  come.  There 
will  be  three  concerts  held  in  Dwight  Hall  in  the  main  building  — 
Friday  evening,  December  15,  Sunday  afternoon,  December  17,  and 

Tuesday  evening,  De- 
cember 19.  At  all 
three  concerts  the 
same  program  will  be 
rendered  by  the  choirs 
of  the  Lower  and  Up- 
per School. 


J'-di 


XV     »^, 


'*       & 


V  «jif  | 


The  Library  of  Congrea 
of  those  interested  in  farmi; 
ment  of  Agriculture  bulleti: 
desiring  such  a  periodical 
Director,  Books  for  the  Adi 
D.  C,  stating  whether  thej 
Book  records  or  embossed  ir. 


Kl#-  -   (fwy 


THE  HOWE  FAMILY 

FORTUNATE  is  the  institution  which  has  the 
interest  of  a  single  family  spanning  its  entire 
existence  of  over  a  hundred  years.  Since  Dr. 
Samuel  Gridley  Howe  started  the  first  class  in  his 
father's  house  on  Pearl  Street,  Boston  in  1831, 
members  of  his  family  have  been  intimately  asso- 
ciated with  Perkins  even  up  to  the  present  day. 
Of  the  immediate  family  of  Dr.  Howe  there  is  only 
one  surviving  member,  Mrs.  Maud  Howe  Elliott. 
Although  now  ninety  years  old  the  interest  of 
Mrs.  Elliott  has  not  abated  for  as  she  said  in  a 
recent  letter  "I  was  born  at  the  old  Perkins  and 
my  life  has  always  been  full  of  what  I  learned  there."  At  the  recep- 
tion given  in  her  honor  at  the  Art  Museum  in  Newport  on  November 
9th  the  Director  presented  her  with  letters  written  in  braille  by  the 
pupils  of  the  Upper  School  which  she  greatly  appreciated  and  also 
assured  her  that  her  recent  book,  "This  Was  My  Newport"  will  be 
brailled  for  the  benefit  of  the  blind. 

CHILDREN  OF  THE  SILENT  NIGHT 

A  LITTLE  CALENDAR  similar  to  the  one  sent  out  in  1940  has 
been  mailed  to  the  many  friends  of  the  deaf -blind  to  whom  the 
annual  appeal  is  made.  Already  a  very  favorable  response  is 
being  made  to  the  appeal  which  was  sent  out  at  the  end  of  November 
and  many  have  expressed  appreciation  of  the  calendar.  The  Deaf- 
Blind  Department  this  year  has  eleven  pupils,  admitting  in  September 
James  Champ,  a  seven  year  old  boy  from  Kansas  and  in  October 
Carolyn  Edmundson,  an  eight  year  old  girl  from  West  Virginia.  The 
teaching  staff  has  been 
strengthened  by  two 
teachers  with  long  ex- 
perience Miss  Alice  M. 
Carpenter  and  Miss 
Madge  Dolph. 


ing  a  periodical  for  the  use 
i  up-to-the-minute  Depart- 
agricultural  fields.  Persons 
Mr.  E.  P.  Rogei-s,  Adting 
'f  Congress,  Washington  25, 
iical  should  be  on  Talking 


ELECTION  RETURNS 

INTEREST  in  the  election  ran  high  at  Perkins  and  in  the  returns  it 
was  learned  that  one  more  Perkins  graduate  has  entered  public 
life.  James  E.  Hannon,  Perkins  '29,  and  graduate  of  the  Boston 
University  School  of  Law,  was  elected  to  the  House  of  Representatives 
from  the  4th  District  which  includes  the  town  of  Lee  where  he  has 
been  practicing  law.  Another  former  Perkins  pupil  is  a  member  of 
the  Massachusetts  House  of  Representatives.  Richard  L.  Hull  at- 
tended Perkins  for  ten  years  and  then  went  to  the  Rockport  High 
School  and  later  was  graduated  from  Clark  University.  He  was 
elected  to  the  House  in  1942.  Mention  might  also  be  made  of  William 
E.  Powers,  Perkins  '32,  and  a  graduate  of  Boston  University  School 
of  Law,  who  since  1938  has  been  judge  of  probate  for  Cumberland 
County  and  a  member  of  the  Rhode  Island  Legislature. 

THE  WAR  FUND  DRIVE 

THE  UNITED  WAR  FUND  DRIVE  was  successfully  carried  out 
both  at  Perkins  and  in  the  town  of  Watertown.  Interest  in  the 
community  drive  centered  in  the  fact  that  Mr.  Hemphill,  the 
Bursar,  was  Chairman  of  the  Town  Committee.  Under  his  able  plan- 
ning and  direction  the  town's  contribution  exceeded  that  of  last  year 
and  the  town  raised  129%  of  its  quota.  Perkins  increased  its  contri- 
bution this  year  with  a  total  of  $1,130.59.  It  was  one  of  two  groups 
in  Watertown  to  receive  the  Award  of  Merit. 

FOUR  SHIPS 

IN  THE  LAST  ISSUE  reference  was  made  to  the  launching  of  the 
Liberty  Ship  Michael  Anagnos  at  South  Portland,  Maine  the  day 
following  the  hurricane.  Since  then  it  has  been  learned  that  three 
other  Liberty  Ships  have  names  associated  with  Perkins  —  the 
Samuel  Gridley  Howe,  named  for  the  first  director;  the  Julia  Ward 
Howe,  wife  of  Dr.  Howe  and  author  of  The  Battle  Hymn  of  the  Repub- 
lic; and  Laura  Bridgman,  the  first  deaf -blind-mute  ever  to  be  taught 
the  use  of  language  who  came  to  Perkins  in  1837. 

THE  ELECTORAL  COLLEGE 

DESPITE  the  high  interest  in  the  election,  there  is  apparently 
still  need  of  education.    One  boy  asked,  "Do  you  know  what 
the  Electoral  College  is  ?"    In  reply  another  asked,  "Is  it  where 
they  train  electricians  ?" 

—  6  — 


PUBLICATIONS 


This  Was  My  Newport  by  Maud 
Howe  Elliott,  The  Mythology  Company, 
Cambridge  1944.  An  account  of  New- 
port from  the  earliest  days,  touching 
what  is  called  the  social  invasion  and 
containing  sections  on  the  Naval  and 
Military  experiences  of  that  town. 
Written  by  the  youngest  daughter  of 
Julia  Ward  Howe  and  Samuel  Gridley 
Howe,  this  is  one  of  the  most  interest- 
ing of  Mrs.  Elliott's  many  books  and 
was  written  as  she  approached  her 
90th  birthday.  It  will  be  published  in 
braille  shortly. 


A  Sounding  Trumpet  by  Louise  Hall 
Tharp,  Robert  M.  McBride  &  Com- 
pany, New  York,  1944.  A  delightful 
life  written  for  youth  of  Julia  Ward 
Howe,  featuring  the  story  of  The  Battle 
Hymn  of  the  Republic.  It  tells  how 
young  Julia  Ward  met  Samuel  Gridley 
Howe  on  a  visit  to  Perkins  with  Henry 
Wadsworth  Longfellow  and  Charles 
Sumner.  After  their  marriage  Mrs. 
Howe  lived  at  the  Institution  and  the 
book  contains  an  interesting  account 
of  many  events  at  Perkins. 


It  Was  Not  My  Own  Idea  by  Robin- 
son Pierce,  American  Foundation  for 
the  Blind,  Inc.,  New  York,  1944.  This 
book  presents  a  valuable  documenta- 
tion of  a  blind  man's  dauntless  spirit 
and  it  has  been  published  so  that  it 
will  serve  as  an  inspiration  for  those 
who  must  face  blindness  on  the  thresh- 
old of  adult  life. 


How  is  Johnny  Doing?  by  Samuel  P. 
Hayes,  appearing  in  the  October,  1944 
issue  of  the  Outlook  for  the  Blind, 
is  a  popular  presentation  of  the  appli- 
cation of  Percentile  Tables  of  the 
Stanford  Achievement  Tests. 


Light,  published  by  Braille  Institute 
of  America,  Inc.,  Los  Angeles,  in  its 
October  number  reprinted  the  article 
on  "Legislation  for  the  Blind"  from 
the  last  issue  of  THE  LANTERN. 


PERKIN'S  WAR  ROLL 


Rosanna  D.  Thorndike,  trustee,  after 
service  and  internment  in  France  and 
return  to  this  country  has  been  ac- 
cepted by  the  American  Red  Cross  for 
service  overseas  and  expects  to  resume 
work  in  France. 


Henry  H.  Faxon,  M.  D.,  trustee,  after 
service  with  the  Sixth  General  Hospital 
in  Italy  has  been  invalided  back  to 
this  country  and  is  now  at  the  Fitz- 
simmons  General  Hospital  at  Denver, 
Colorado. 


John  P.  Chase,  trustee,  is  now  over- 
seas with  headquarters  in  England 
serving  in  a  civilian  capacity. 


Trygve  Gundersen,  M.  D.,  ophthal- 
mologist, is  in  the  Army  Medical  Corps 
and  after  service  in  North  Africa  has 
gone  on  to  Italy. 


Robert  S.  Palmer,  M.  D.,  school 
physician,  is  in  the  Navy  and  at  last 
reports  in  charge  of  a  Naval  Hospital 
in  France. 


Mark  D.  Elliott,  D.  D.  S.,  school  den- 
tist, is  in  the  Army  Air  Corps  attached 
to   a   hospital   near   Indianapolis. 


Alysan  C.  Hooper,  secretary  to  the 
Director,  is  a  recreation  worker  with 
the  American  Red  Cross  in  England. 


Alice  R.  Cornelison,  Upper  School 
teacher,  is  American  Red  Cross  work- 
er at  Old  Farms  Convalescent  Hospital, 
Avon,  Conn. 


C.  Jane  Lawrence,  Upper  School 
teacher,  has  been  accepted  for  training 
for  overseas  duty  by  the  American  Red 
Cross. 


Naomi  Johnson,  former  secretary  to 
the  Bursar,  is  a  Lieutenant  (JG)  in 
the  WAVES  now  stationed  at  Fargo 
Barracks,  Boston. 


—  7  — 


PHYSICAL  EDUCATION  AT  PERKINS 

(Continued  from  Paee  3) 

satisfactorily,  and  we  had  no  injuries  during  the  season.  Those  boys 
who  were  not  playing  football  on  one  of  the  teams  entered  into  com- 
petition in  cross-country  walks  and  in  bowling  contests. 

During  December  the  boys  have  continued  their  intra-mural 
sports  program  in  wrestling  competition.  Soon  they  will  begin  their 
work  for  varsity  wrestling  which  is  one  of  the  sports  in  which  we  can 
compete  with  outside  schools  without  any  special  concessions  being 
made  to  the  visually  handicapped  boy.  Last  year  the  wrestling  team 
was  quite  successful,  and  we  already  have  a  good  schedule  for  this 
year,  including  matches  with  Andover,  Exeter,  and  Tabor  Academies, 
Browne  and  Nichols  School,  and  Weymouth  and  Needham  High 
Schools.  These  matches  provide  opportunities  for  meeting  other  boys 
and  for  taking  trips  to  other  schools  distant  from  Watertown  —  help- 
ful social  experiences. 

The  girls  have  continued  their  house  competition  which  always 
produces  fine  spirit  and  good  competitive  work.  The  Girls'  Field  Day 
was  held  on  October  25th  with  Brooks  Cottage  winning  over  the 
others.  These  house  competitive  matches  will  be  held  during  the 
winter  months  and  also  in  the  spring. 

In  addition  to  field  meets,  the  girls  have  an  organized  swimming 
program  developed  in  accordance  with  a  plan  developed  by  the 
American  Red  Cross  and  our  objective  here  is  to  have  every  girl  in 
school  know  how  to  swim.  The  swimming  program  is  balanced  with 
social  and  folk  dancing,  walking,  bowling,  and  other  games.  There 
are  two  girls'  athletic  clubs,  the  Girls'  Athletic  Association  composed 
of  senior  high  pupils  who  are  elected  to  membership,  and  the  Outing 
Club,  composed  largely  of  junior  high  girls  who  are  interested  in 
sports  and  who  are  also  elected  to  membership  in  the  organization. 
Not  all  girls  are  members  of  these  clubs  as  only  those  who  have  a  very 
deep  interest  in  athletics  and  sports  events  are  elected  to  membership. 

Both  boys  and  girls  have  benefited  greatly  by  the  program  of 
social  dancing  developed  by  Miss  Rodgers.  Teaching  groups  have  been 
organized  and  both  boys  and  girls  have  made  real  improvement  in 
this  way.  Both  boys  and  girls  have  been  given  individual  instruction 
whenever  such  attention  seemed  advisable.  Recent  social  events  have 
indicated  the  value  of  this  training  as  a  most  desirable  feature  of  our 
athletic  and  social  program  and  a  feature  which  has  great  carry-over 
recreational  value. 

—  8  — 


km    i  d5  ebbw 

The  Lantern 


\  p  ' 


THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  XIV.  NO.  3  MARCH  15.  1945 

i "  .       .1 

A  Quarter  of  a  Century 

A  QUARTER  OF  A  CENTURY  of  teacher  training  is  now  on  the 
record.  In  1920  a  growing  expression  of  need  for  a  means 
whereby  teachers  of  the  blind  could  receive  training  on  a  pro- 
fessional level  crystalized  in  action.  Dr.  Edward  E.  Allen,  then 
director  of  Perkins,  laid  the  foundation  on  which  year  by  year  a  sub- 
stantial structure  of  accomplishment  has  been  built. 

With  the  years  this  program  has  grown  in  effectiveness.  Not 
only  have  the  accomplishments  of  the  past  been  revealed  but  new  ways 
have  been  blazed  and  steps  taken  to  keep  this  special  field  abreast  with 
advances  in  general  education.  Sponsorship  by  the  Graduate  School 
of  Education  has  kept  instruction  here  in  contact  with  the  best  as 
developed  at  Harvard. 

Through  the  years,  the  Harvard  Course  has  been  far-reaching  in 
its  influence.  Students  have  come  from  practically  every  state  in  the 
nation  and  graduates  are  found  on  faculties  of  many  of  our  schools. 
The  records  show  that  students  have  come  from  nineteen  foreign 
countries,  and  in  many  lands,  centers  for  the  blind  are  affectionately 
called  "Little  Perkinses.''  Since  Christmas  time,  we  have  heard  from 
former  Harvard  Class  members  in  Egypt,  India,  China,  Mexico,  Cuba, 
and  Venezuela.  But,  in  these  days,  our  thoughts  reach  out  to  many 
from  whom  no  report  comes  —  Greece,  Turkey,  Norway,  Thailand, 
the  Philippines,  and  Japan. 

Twenty-five  years  of  continuous  instruction,  320  students  trained 
in  modern  and  progressive  ways  of  education,  extension  of  our  in- 
fluence throughout  the  country  and  in  many  lands  —  that's  on  the 
record.  But  off  the  record  looms  the  personal  leadership  and  inspira- 
tion of  the  founder  and  still  its  leader  —  Edward  Ellis  Allen. 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown  72,  Massachusetts 
Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President  Gabriel  Farrell,  Director 


^t^^T^-^u^7 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Dr.  Samuel  P.  Hayes,  Jr.  spoke  in 
Chapel  on  January  12  telling  of  his 
experiences  in  England  during  the 
robot  bombing  and  of  entering  France 
shortly  after  D-day. 


Shirley  Smith  has  joined  the  Per- 
kins' Staff  as  physiotherapist.  Miss 
Smith  is  a  graduate  of  the  University 
of  New  Hampshire,  a  member  of  the 
Harvard  Class,  1942-43,  and  later  took 
the  Physical-Therapy  Course  of  the 
Harvard  Medical  School. 


Posture  Week  was  held  during  the 
last  week  of  February  with  a  program 
emphasizing  the  need  of  poise  and 
posture.  A  mass  meeting  was  held  to 
start  the  week  and  a  careful  check 
was  made  and  prizes  were  awarded  to 
the  ten  best   pupils. 


Silver  dollars  were  distributed  to 
every  member  of  the  school  on  Lin- 
coln's birthday,  carrying  out  the  pro- 
vision of  the  will  of  Stephen  Blaisdell. 
a  graduate  of  Perkins,  who  left  a  be- 
quest to  the  trustees  on  the  condition 
that  "they  are  to  pay  to  each  pupil 
of  the  Perkins  Institution  for  the  Blind 
and  the  Kindergarten,  the  sum  of  one 
dollar  on  or  before  the  12th  day  of 
February  of  each  year,  the  birthday 
of  Abraham  Lincoln." 


Recent  visitors  to  the  school  have 
been  Mrs.  Winifred  Hathaway  of  the 
National  Society  for  the  Prevention  of 
Blindness;  Miss  Kathern  Gruber  of 
the  American  Foundation  for  the 
Blind;  Mr.  Morris  Frank  of  the  Seeing 
Eye,  Inc.;  Mrs.  Ross  Thomas,  formerly 
of  the  school  for  the  blind  in  Dadar, 
India;  Miss  Borghild  Dahl,  author  of 
I  WANTED  TO  SEE;  Lt.  Col.  M.  E. 
Randolph,  in  charge  of  the  program 
for  the  blind,  Office  of  the  Surgeon 
General;  and  Dr.  Albert  E.  Croft,  ha 
charge  of  the  blind  at  the  Veterans' 
Administration. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Juan  D.  Escobar,  Harvard  Class 
1931-2,  is  the  acting  head  of  the  school 
for    the   blind    in    Santiago,   Chili. 


Sayed  A.  Fattah,  Harvard  Class 
1937-8,  is  with  the  Department  of  Edu- 
cation in  Egypt  in  charge  of  schools 
for  the  blind  in   that  country. 


Ras  Mohun  Haider,  Harvard  Class 
of  1930-1,  has  been  granted  the  degree 
of  Ph.  D  in  Sociology  by  the  Univer- 
sity of  Bombay,  Bombay,  India.  Dr. 
Haider  reports  a  second  book  ready  for 
publication. 


Oliverio  Sanchez,  a  special  student 
at  Perkins  in  1925-6,  is  editor  of 
LUCES,  a  magazine  about  work  for 
the  blind  in  Cuba.  The  January  1945 
issue  has  a  story  about  James  E.  Han- 
non,  Perkins  graduate,  who  was  elected 
to  the  Massachusetts  Legislature. 


Aleides  Lugue,  Harvard  Class,  1928-9, 
has  recently  been  appointed  Director 
of  the  Institution  for  the  Blind,  Bo- 
gota, Columbia,  S.  A.  In  writing,  he 
expresses  himself  as  being  a  product 
of  Perkins  and  remembers  Perkins 
with  gratitude  in  his  heart. 


Eugenia  Cortes,  Harvard  Class  1929- 
30,  is  in  charge  of  the  blind  in  a  school 
for  the  handicapped  in  Mexico,  City. 
Assisting  her  and  acting  as  teacher 
of  the  Second  Grade  is  Lilia  Gonzalez, 
who  spent  two  years  at  Perkins  and 
was  a  member  of  the  Harvard  Class 
in   1942-3. 


Soledad  Rodriguez  Pastor,  Harvard 
Class  1928-9,  has  recently  been  pro- 
moted from  teacher  in  the  Institute 
for  Blind  Children  in  Santurce,  Porto 
Rico  to  Chief  of  the  Office  of  the 
Handicapped  in  the  Division  of  Public 
Welfare  of  the  Insular  Health  Depart- 
ment. 


THE  HARVARD-PERKINS  COURSE 

Twenty-five  Years  of  Teacher  Training 


T 


HE  HARVARD-PERKINS  course  for  the 
training  of  teachers  of  the  blind  grew  out 
of  a  recognized  need  for  providing  pro- 
fessional training  for  those  who  wished  to  enter 
this  specialized  field.  The  course  is  a  coopera- 
tive undertaking  between  Perkins  Institution 
and  Massachusetts  School  for  the  Blind,  and 
Harvard  University.  For  a  quarter  of  a  cen- 
tury the  work  has  been  under  the  active  direc- 
tion of  Dr.  Edward  E.  Allen,  former  director  of 
Perkins  and  now  director  emeritus. 
In  February  1925,  after  four  years  as  an  extension  course,  the 
permanent  value  of  this  training  course  was  recognized.  Consequently, 
it  became  a  regular  graduate  course  with  a  full  sem'ester  of  credit 
counting  toward  the  degree  of  master  of  education,  or  of  doctor  of  edu- 
cation when  taken  by  duly  accredited  college  graduates.  Similar 
credit  has  been  granted  by  many  other  colleges  to  students  enrolled 
in  the  course. 

During  the  first  twenty  years  the  Harvard  Course  consisted  of 
the  series  of  lectures  given  during  the  first  half  of  the  academic  year. 
Most  of  these  lectures  have  been  given  through  the  years  by  Dr.  Allen, 
assisted  by  specialists  in  the  field  who  represent  wide  interests  such 
as  the  work  of  the  Division  of  the  Blind,  the  program  for  the  preven- 
tion of  blindness,  sight-saving  classes,  workshops,  and  industrial 
activities.  In  the  same  year  that  the  Harvard  Course  became  a  regu- 
lar half -course  with  credit,  a  supplementary  course  was  added  to  fill 
the  second  half  of  the  academic  year.  This  course  was  called  the 
Special  Methods  Course  because  it  was  designed  to  apply  the  theories 
and  principles  enunciated  by  Dr.  Allen  in  his  course  to  actual  teach- 
ing in  the  schoolroom. 

In  1941  Dr.  Samuel  P.  Hayes,  who  for  over  twenty  years  had 
been  visiting  psychologist  for  Perkins,  as  well  as  for  the  school  for 
the  blind  in  Philadelphia,  and  the  American  Foundation  for  the  Blind, 
took  over  the  general  supervision  of  both  the  Harvard  Course  and  the 
Special  Methods  Course.  At  that  time  it  was  decided  to  make  certain 
definite  changes  in  the  plan  of  teacher  training. 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 

—  3  — 


THE  ANNUAL  REPORT 

THE  113TH  ANNUAL  REPORT  has  come  off  the  press.  This  year 
it  has  been  printed  by  the  Industrial  School  for  Crippled  Children 
as  a  cooperative  enterprise  of  two  schools  helping  the  handi- 
capped. Perhaps  the  most  obvious  difference  between  this  Annual 
Report  and  previous  ones  is  in  the  illustrations.  Because  of  the  scarcity 
of  films,  not  many  suitable  and  current  pictures  were  at  hand.  It  was, 
therefore,  decided  to  bring-  out  and  to  use  a  series  of  famous  pictures 
of  outstanding  men  through  the  ages  and  from  •  several  countries 
who  have  been  prominent  in  the  annals  of  the  blind.  The  list  includes 
Belisarius,  famous  Byzantine  General  of  the  sixth  century ;  John  Mil- 
ton, the  English  poet;  Valentine  Hauy,  of  France,  often  called  the 
"father  of  the  blind" ;  Johann  Wilhelm  Klein,  leader  of  work  for  the 
blind  in  Austria ;  and  William  Hickling  Prescott,  famed  blind  Ameri- 
can historian. 

THE  PERKINS'  MUSEUM 

RECENT  REFERENCES  to  the  Perkins'  Museum  have  been  to 
current  exhibits  and  the  use  of  its  contents  as  part  of  objective 
teaching.  In  addition  to  the  articles  used  in  that  way,  there  is  a 
wealth  of  material  which  has  been  constantly  accumulating  since  the 
museum  began  under  Michael  Anagnos,  the  second  director.  In  the 
upper  galleries,  there  are  cases  containing  devices  and  appliances 
gathered  from  many  countries  and  which  represent,  without  ques- 
tion, the  greatest  collection  of  material  of  this  type  in  the  world.  For 
a  number  of  years  Director  Mell,  of  the  Imperial  and  Royal  Institu- 
tion for  the  Blind  in  Vienna,  Austria,  regularly  sent  materials  which 
he  secured  in  Europe.  Through  other  agencies,  materials  have  come 
from  Asia  and  Africa.  And,  here  in  this  country,  Perkins  has  been 
alert  in  securing  articles  of  educational  and  historical  value. 

One  of  the  most  valuable  and  unusual  collections  in  the  museum 
is  that  of  pictures  pertaining  to  the  blind.  These  are  bound  in  large 
leather  volumes  nearly  three  by  four  feet  in  size.  Each  of  the  pic- 
tures used  in  the  Annual  Report  was  selected  from  a  volume  contain- 
ing many  other  reproductions  of  these  individuals.  One  of  the  most 
interesting  volumes  is  that  containing  illustrations  of  "Christ  Healing 
the  Blind"  of  which  there  are  many,  both  engravings  and  in  color. 
Another  volume  entitled  "Blind  Musicians"  has  many  quaint  pictures 
in  that  field. 

—  4  — 


WAR  PROJECTS 

A  PROMINENT  CORPORATION,  experimenting  with  lining  for 
shoes  for  use  in  the  tropics,  needed  small  pieces  of  fabric  made 
of  special  yarns  and  according  to  unusual  specifications.  Hear- 
ing of  the  proficiency  of  the  Perkins  Weaving  Department,  they  came 
here  for  help.  Several  samples  were  woven,  each  according  to  the 
results  of  research,  until  a  satisfactory  fabric  was  produced.  Most 
of  the  weaving  was  done  by  one  of  the  deaf-blind  boys.  Another  cor- 
poration producing  a  device  for  testing  the  degree  of  surface  finish  of 
metals  where  touch  is  a  vital  factor  thought  that  the  blind  might  be 
able  to  contribute.    Tests  made  at  Perkins  proved  that  this  was  true. 


CABMELLA 

and 

GLORIA 

of    the 

Deaf-Blind 

Department 


CHILDREN  OF  THE  SILENT  NIGHT 

A  MOST  GENEROUS  response  is  being  made  to  the  annual  appeal 
for  the  deaf-blind.  A  calendar,  similar  to  the  one  printed  two 
years  ago,  was  sent  out  to  several  thousand  friends  of  the 
Children  of  the  Silent  Night.  Many  expressed  appreciation  at  receiv- 
ing this  little  calendar  again  and  financially,  at  the  present  time,  the 
response  has  been  twice  that  of  last  year  and  higher  than  any  pre- 
vious year  since  1937  when  the  first  appeal  was  made  and  large  gifts 
were  sought  for  a  capital  fund.  Special  gratification  is  felt  for  those 
who  give  each  year  without  fail  and  for  the  fact  that  contributions 
come  from  every  part  of  the  country. 


NATIONAL  SCHOLARSHIPS 

FOUR  SCHOLARSHIPS,  offering  a  year  of  residence  and  study  at 
Perkins,  have  been  offered  to  outstanding  graduates  of  other 
schools  for  the  blind  throughout  the  country.  Letters,  stating 
the  terms  of  the  scholarships,  have  been  sent  to  the  heads  of  the 
schools  and  opportunity  to  apply  extends  until  May  1.  Nearly  twenty 
young  people  have  enjoyed  the  benefits  of  these  scholarships  the  last 
five  years  and  all  have  profited  by  their  year  of  residence  in  this  cen- 
tury-old school  and  the  opportunity  to  study  advance  courses.  Perkins 
is  glad  to  be  able  to  share  its  facilities  with  young  people  from  other 
parts  of  the  country  and  looks  forward  to  extending  this  service. 

THE  HARVARD  CLASS 

SIX  MEMBERS  make  up  the  Harvard  Class  this  year,  and  while  it 
is  smaller  than  usual,  there  is  gratification  in  being  able  to  as- 
semble a  class  in  these  difficult  times.  This  small  group  was 
supplemented  by  new  teachers  on  the  Perkins'  Staff  and  by  a  number 
of  sight-saving  teachers  who  were  especially  invited  to  attend  and 
who  responded  favorably.  Included  in  the  class  was  a  young  woman, 
a  teacher  in  the  Louisiana  School  for  the  Blind,  who  was  released  from 
her  duties  to  spend  a  year  in  study  under  a  special  plan  which  was 
offered  by  Perkins  last  year  and  is  being '  off ered  again  this  year. 

THE  SPRING  CONCERT 

(enpHE  HIGHWAYMAN"  the  poem  by  Alfred  Noyes  and  set  to 
I  music  by  Deems  Taylor,  is  to  be  presented  by  the  Music  De- 
partment on  Wednesday  evening,  May  9.  This  is  a  dramatic 
cantata  for  mixed  voices  and  will  be  rendered  by  the  full  chorus  of 
the  Upper  School.  The  baritone  solo  will  be  taken  by  John  Di  Fran- 
cesco, Perkins,  1939.  This  is  to  be  a  public  performance  with  tickets 
sold  for  admission  to  benefit  the  Perkins'  Athletic  Association. 

POLITICAL  ACTIVITY 

PERKINS'  PARTICIPATION  in  the  political  life  of  Watertown 
seems  to  be  on  the  increase.    The  Director  is  a  candidate  to  be  a 
member  of  the  Town  Meeting ;  the  Principal  for  the  School  Com- 
mittee, and  the  Bursar,  for  the  Public  Library  Committee.    The  Chief 
Engineer  is  one  of  the  leading  officers  of  the  Ration  Board. 

—  6  — 


PUBLICATIONS 


The  Outlook  for  the  Blind,  January 
1945,  had  three  articles  by  Perkins' 
people:  Dr.  Allen's  usual  column; 
"From  the  City  of  Rams,"  by  Alice  M. 
Carpenter;  and  "Winter  Sports  and 
Recreational  Activities  at  Perkins,"  by 
Allan  W.  Sherman. 


Mary  G,  Knapp  Burtt,  Perkins  1909, 
Wellesley  1915,  tells  the  interesting 
story  of  her  school  in  China,  The  Sun 
Laap  School  for  the  Blind,  in  the  Jan- 
uary 1945  Bulletin  of  Institutions  for 
the  Chinese  Blind,  Inc. 


M.  Albertina  Eastman,  Perkins  '27, 
teacher  of  speech  correction  in  the 
Lower  School,  had  a  children's  story 
in  THE  INSTRUCTOR  for  December, 
and  a  poem  in  the  December  issue 
of    THE    GRADE    TEACHER. 


"America  Mine"  and  other  selections 
by  Merrill  Maynard,  Perkins  '38,  have 
been  published  by  Boston  Book  Fellows. 
This  is  a  sixteen  page  pamphlet  of 
poems,  attractively  printed,  which  the 
author  submits  "for  the  joy  of  sharing 
its  delicate  delight  with  friends." 


Elwyn  H.  Fowler,  Perkins,  1889,  has 
written  and  published  a  beautiful  tri- 
bute to  his  late  wife,  Mary  Howard 
Fowler.  He  tells  of  her  association 
with  Sir  Francis  Campbell  in  the 
founding  of  the  Royal  Normal  College 
for  the  Blind  in  London,  of  her  valued 
contribution  to  the  Committee  on 
Types,  and  her  leadership  in  the  es- 
tablishment of  the  Memorial  Homes 
in  Worcester.  Characterized  by  re- 
straint, touched  with  affection,  and  a 
modesty,  typical  of  both  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Fowler,  it  tells  a  story  of  splendid 
service  and  devotion.  The  booklet  has 
been  embossed  in  braille,  and  any 
person  wishing  a  copy  of  the  braille 
edition  may  secure  one  by  writing  to 
The  Howe  Memorial  Press,  Perkins  In- 
stitution, Watertown   72,  Mass. 


>ERKINS  COURSE 

om  Paee  3) 

was  to  be  continued  as  before,  a 
i  education  of  the  blind  given  at 
1  and  supplemented  as  in  the  past 
During  the  second  half  year  the 
•mitted  to  select  any  course  offered 
on  at  Harvard  as  approved  by  the 
cation  and  the  director  of  Perkins, 
the  class  to  come  into  direct  con- 
imbridge  and  to  have  that  associa- 

Ivantages  of  the  Harvard-Perkins 
i  taking  the  course  shall  reside  at 
This  gives  the  students  the  ex- 
:hool  for  the  blind  and  a  chance  to 
needed.  These  are  best  attained 
;  children  themselves.  It  also  in- 
•ogram  through  the  cottage  system 
;he  blind  at  Perkins  so  distinctive, 
•kins  Course  has  been  far  spread. 
its  existence,  students  have  come 
:  country,  and  are  now  distributed 
ring  in  many  schools  for  the  blind. 
s  in  this  special  field.  In  addition, 
om  nineteen  countries  throughout 
war  their  friends  at  Perkins  often 
len  and  women,  many  of  whom  are 
,var.  Most  of  them  apparently  are 
3ver  they  may  be. 
)  help  again  the  "Little  Perkinses" 
'or  in  many  distant  places  there  are 
Perkins  to  take  their  training.  All 
ithing  of  the  spirit  of  this  century- 
jar  imprint  of  the  founder  of  this 
>out  the  high  standards  that  must 
le  need  for  adequate  professional 
ertake  the  responsible  task  of  giv- 
ot  see. 

8  — 


The  Lantern 

i       I 

THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  XIV.  NO.  4  JUNE  15.  1945 


Eye  Minded 

IN  THE  FIELD  of  the  blind,  as  in  all  other  areas,  the  only  cer- 
tainty is  change.    If  we  are  to  continue  to  give  up-to-the-minute 
service  we  must  be  alert  to  the  conditions  which  make  change 
necessary.    Methods  adequate  at  one  time  become  outmoded  if  under- 
lying changes  occur.    Are  there  fundamental  changes  in  our  fields  ? 

Are  the  children  coming  to  our  schools  now  the  same  as  those  of 
the  last  generation?  Obviously  not,  but  the  attitudes  and  perhaps 
standards  of  all  children  have  changed.  Blind  children  are  but  a 
cross-section  of  all  boys  and  girls.  Schools  for  the  blind  have  the 
same  wide  range  of  racial  background,  mental  ability  and  social  atti- 
tudes as  other  schools.  But  are  we  as  alert  in  meeting  the  demands 
of  present  day  trends  ? 

Schools  for  the  blind  do  have  special  areas  of  change  not  found 
in  other  schools.  Chief  among  these  is  the  extent  of  vision  among  the 
pupils.  It  is  definitely  true  that  there  is  more  sight  now  than  a  gen- 
eration ago,  even  in  schools  which  adhere  to  the  standard  definition 
of  blindness  as  Perkins  tries  to  do.  If  our  pupils  were  divided  into  the 
three  common  divisions,  totally  blind,  light  perception,  and  useful 
vision,  it  would  be  found  that  there  are  now  fewer  in  the  first  group 
and  more  in  the  third  group  than  formerly. 

This  fact  alone  calls  for  a  new  and  broader  outlook.  There  is  a 
tendency  to  hold  to  the  practices  and  programs  instituted  for  children 
who  could  not  see  at  all.  While  their  rights  must  always  be  main- 
tained, new  ways  of  teaching  must  be  developed  wnich  are  visual  and 
not  tactual.  We  can  no  longer  claim  to  be  solely  finger  reading  schools 
but  must  become  eye  minded. 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown  72,  Massachusetts 
Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President  Gabriel  Farrell,  Director 


^aJhu-J t&a/tj^ 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Ruth  E.  Marsden,  Assistant  Book- 
keeper, resigned  June  1  to  begin  train- 
ing for  overseas  work  in  the  American 
Red  Cross. 


Mira  J.  Clark,  Perkins  nurse  for  three 
and  a  half  years,  entered  the  Army  in 
March.  After  training  at  Fort  Devens. 
she  was  commissioned  a  2nd  Lieutenant 
and  assigned  to  an  Army  Post  in 
Maine. 


A  Track  Meet  with  the  Watertown 
High  School  was  held  on  Tuesday,  May 
22,  resulting  in  a  very  decided  victory 
for  Perkins.  The  Perkins  Track  Team 
visited  Exeter  Academy  on  April  19  for 
an  informal  meet  and  went  to  Over- 
brook  June  1  for  a  meet  which  resulted 
in  a  very  decided  defeat. 


The  Upper  School  Girls'  Spring  Meet 
resulted  in  a  victory  for  May  Cottage. 
For  the  year's  total,  however,  Oliver 
Cottage  led  with  a  score  of  108,  Brooks 
96,  May  81,  and  Fisher  74.  The  Victory 
Banquet  was  served  in  Oliver  Cottage 
on  Tuesday,  June  5. 


The  Boys'  Octet  visited  Old  Farms 
Convalescent  Hospital,  the  center  for 
blinded  soldiers  at  Avon,  Connecticut, 
on  Wednesday,  May  2,  and  gave  a 
program  under  the  auspices  of  the  Red 
Cross.  On  Sunday,  May  27,  the  Octet 
sang  at  Tabor  Academy  where  they  en- 
joyed an  afternoon  of  sailing. 


Recent  speakers  at  Chapel  have  been 
Captain    Lawrence    Marshall,    USMC. 
who  told  of  his  experiences  and  how 
landings  are  made  in  the  Pacific;  Mrs. 
Mary  Knapp  Burtt,  Perkins  '09,  Wel- 
lesley  '15,  who  described  bombings  in 
China  and  her  flight  "over  the  hump" 
to  Calcutta  on  her  way  to  this  coun- 
;ry;     The    Rev.    Clement    W.    Welsh, 
Chaplain  of  Kenyon  College,  who  re- 
tted the  war  experiences  of  that  in- 
'tution  in  Ohio. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Doris  Riopal,  Perkins  '42,  is  now  a 
switchboard  operator  at  the  New  Bed- 
ford Hospital  with  a  station  of  five 
trunk  lines  and  one  hundred  exten- 
sions. 


Helen  C.  Gray,  postgraduate  student 
in  the  Commercial  Department,  1937- 
38.  now  Mrs.  Nawaa,  is  employed  as  a 
Dictaphone  operator  in  the  office  of  the 
Bureau  of  Conservation  of  Sight  and 
Work  with  the  Blind  in  Honolulu. 


The    Surgeon    General    of    the    War 

Department  has  recently  appointed  a 
group  of  Honorary  Civilian  Advisory 
Consultants  to  the  Army's  blind  pro- 
gram. Among  the  members  are  Peter 
J.  Salmon,  Perkins  '14,  Industrial  Home 
for  the  Blind,  Brooklyn,  New  York; 
The  Rev.  Thomas  J.  Carroll,  Catholic 
Guild  for  the  Blind,  and  Gabriel  Far- 
rell,  Director  of  Perkins. 


Dr.  Robert  B.  Irwin,  Director  of  the 
American  Foundation  for  the  Blind,  is 
to  receive  on  June  23  a  well-deserved 
honor  through  the  Alumni  Association 
of  the  University  of  Washington,  from 
which  he  is  a  graduate.  He  has  been 
selected  for  the  "Alumnus  Summa 
Laude  Dignatus."  This  is  the  highest 
honor  that  is  within  the  power  of  the 
Alumni  Association  to  give. 


Merle  E.  Tracy,  Perkins  '96,  died  in 
the  Bellevue  Hospital  in  New  York  on 
March  4,  at  the  age  of  65.  At  the 
time  of  his  death  he  was  engaged  in 
editorial  work  on  an  encyclopedia.  He 
was  the  author  of  Our  Country,  Our 
People,  and  Theirs  and  New  World 
Challenge  to  Democracy.  From  1924 
until  1934,  he  published  a  column 
"M.  E.  Tracy  Says"  in  the  Scripps- 
Howard  newspapers  with  an  estimated 
ten  million  readers.  In  1936  he  bought 
the  magazine  Current  History  from  the 
New  York  Times  and  was  its  editor  and 
publisher  until  1939. 


ON  VISITING  THE  KEATS  ROOM 

By  Robert  J.  Smithdas 

AFTER  VISITING  the  home  of  Mr.  H.  W.  L.  Dana,  formerly 
Professor  of  Comparative  Literature  at  Harvard,  special  ar- 
rangements were  made  for  me  to  go  to  the  Keats  Room  of  the 
Houghton  Library  at  Harvard  University.  I  had  always  appreciated 
the  works  of  John  Keats  which  I  had  known  for  a  long  time;  it  was 
with  an  increased  pleasure  that  I  at  last  found  it  possible  further  to 
enjoy  him  through  contact  with  his  own  writings.  So  on  February  8, 
1945,  I  had  the  opportunity  of  examining  this  greatest  of  all  Keats 
collections.  , 

Professor  Dana  introduced  me  to  Mr.  William  McCarthy,  Assis- 
tant Librarian,  and  to  Miss  Mabel  A.  E.  Steele,  curator  of  the  Keats 
Collection  —  both  of  whom  received  us  graciously.  The  room  was 
beautifully  furnished  in  Georgian  style,  panelled  in  black  walnut  with 
built-in  bookcases  on  either  side.  Facing  the  double  doors  of  the 
entrance  was  a  marble  fireplace,  above  which  a  niche  in  the  moulded 
mantelling  of  fine  wood  held  the  life-mask  of  the  poet.  The  atmosphere 
was  one  of  a  fine  private  library. 

Miss  Steele  permitted  me  to  hold  several  of  the  rare  old  manu- 
scripts, among  which  were  the  first  draft  of  "On  First  Looking  into 
Chapman's  Homer"  with  its  many  corrections ;  an  autographed  copy 
of  "Endymion"  presented  by  the  poet  to  Percy  Bysshe  Shelley,  and  a 
letter  of  invitation  from  Shelley  to  Keats,  inviting  him  to  Pisa.  The 
papers  were  yellow  and  worn  with  time,  carefully  preserved  in  bound 
leather  cases. 

Standing  there,  surrounded  by  so  much  of  the  past  that  had 
come  to  be  a  heritage  of  the  present,  memories  of  the  life  of  Keats 
began  to,  renew  themselves  in  my  thoughts.  The  struggles  and  priva- 
tions of  his  short  existence,  his  obscure  death  and  unprecedented  rise 
to  fame  appeared  more  vividly  than  ever  before.  The  passage  of  the 
years  alone  had  elevated  him  to  greatness  and  recognition  as  one  of 
the  most  poetical  of  poets.  A  desire  to  express  the  strong  emotions 
of  a  moment  came  to  me,  forming  itself  into  the  opening  lines  of  a 
poem.  Later  in  the  evening  I  finished  the  final  draft  of  what  I  hoped 
might  be  a  sincere  homage  to  one  who  so  richly  deserved  honor  and 
commemoration  among  men. 

("Continued  on  Page  8) 
—  3  — 


CHANGING  FRONTS 

CHANGING  FRONTS  in  the  Field  of  the  Blind  was  the  theme 
of  an  all-day  program  sponsored  by  Perkins  Institution  and  the 
Massachusetts  Council  of  Organizations  for  the  Blind  and  held 
at  Perkins  on  Saturday,  May  26.  At  the  morning  session,  with  Arthur 
F.  Sullivan,  Perkins  '14,  President  of  the  Massachusetts  Council  and 
Director  of  the  Massachusetts  Division  of  the  Blind,  presiding,  Dr. 
Gabriel  Farrell  spoke  on  Changes  on  the  Educational  Front  and  Dr. 
Robert  B.  Irwin,  on  Changes  on  the  Economic  Front,  stressing  parti- 
cularly the  new  approach  to  financial  assistance  as  a  handicap  allow- 
ance and  outlining  proposed  amendments  to  that  portion  of  the  Social 
Security  Act  pertaining  to  the  blind. 

During  the  afternoon  session,  at  which  Robert  H.  Hallowell, 
President  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Perkins,  presided,  the  program 
was  devoted  to  Changes  on  the  Medical  Front.  Dr.  Theodore  L.  Terry 
described  the  new  eye  disease  which  causes  blindness  in  prematurely 
born  children.  Dr.  Hugo  B.  C.  Riemer  told  of  the  recent  discovery 
that  many  cases  of  blindness,  classified  as  congenital  cataracts,  are 
now  known  to  be  due  to  the  mother  having  German  measles  before 
the  child  was  born.  Major  Thomas  J.  Cavanaugh  related  his  ex- 
periences in  the  eye  section  of  hospitals  in  North  Africa  and  Italy. 

SUMMER  SCHOOL 

TWENTY  MOTHERS  with  their  blind  babies,  from  one  to  five 
years  of  age,  are  to  attend  a  Summer  School  to  be  held  in  Brad- 
lee  Cottage  during  the  last  two  weeks  of  June.  All  of  these 
children  are  from  the  group  prematurely  born,  and  the  school  has 
been  planned  to  give  opportunity  to  observe  these  children  so  that 
plans  for  their  guidance  may  be  developed  and,  also,  to  give  instruc- 
tion and  assistance  to  their  mothers.  A  nursery  school  for  the 
children  will  be  directed  by  Mrs.  Louise  Wood,  of  the  Boston  Nursery 
for  Blind  Babies.  Dr.  Ethel  C.  Dunham,  authority  on  premature 
children,  Children's  Bureau,  Washington,  D.  C,  Miss  Harriet  B.  Tot- 
man,  pre-school  worker  in  Ohio,  and  Miss  Gertrude  Van  den  Boek, 
pre-school  worker  in  New  York,  will  hold  conferences  with  the 
mothers.  Miss  Virginia  Beal  will  advise  on  feeding  and  diet.  The 
program  is  being  planned  by  Mrs.  Eunice  W.  Wilson,  Massachusetts 
Eye  and  Ear  Infirmary,  Miss  Katharine  F.  Fiske,  Boston  Nursery  for 
Blind  Babies,  and  Miss  Frances  E.  Marshall,  Social  Worker  at  Perkins. 
Miss  Marshall  will  be  in  charge  of  the  summer  school  program. 

—  4  — 


THE  SHOTWELL  AWARD 

DR.  EDWARD  E.  ALLEN,  Director-Emeritus  of  Perkins,  was 
highly  honored  at  a  luncheon  given  in  his  honor  at  the  Hotel 
Statler,  Boston,  on  Saturday,  June  9.  At  that  time,  the  Shot- 
well  Memorial  Award  was  presented  to  him  —  a  gold  medal  presented 
by  Robert  I.  Bramhall,  former  Director  of  the  Division  of  the  Blind, 
and  an  illuminated  scroll,  presented  by  Fred  V.  Walsh,  Perkins  '00. 
At  the  same  time,  beautiful  flowers  were  presented  to  Mrs.  Allen  by 
Miss  Mary  E.  French,  Perkins  '89.  Tributes  to  the  leadership  of 
Dr.     Allen     in     , 5     been     held     in 


the  field  of  the 
blind  were  paid 
by  representa- 
tives of  the 
many  organi- 
zations with 
which  he  has 
been  connect- 
ed. 

The  Shot- 
well  Award  is 
usually  made 
at  the  Bien- 
nial Conven- 
tion of  the 
American  As- 
sociation of 
Workers  for 
the  Blind.  As 
this  conven- 
tion, which 
was     to     have 


ullp  "Nnb  of  Irautg 

Albertina  Eastman 
The  soul  may  hunger  and  die 
For  lack  of  a  lovely  thing: 
The  blue  of  the  summer  sky, 
The  curve  of  a  sea-gull's  wing, 
The  shine  of  the  moon  on  the 
The  sunset's  glow, 
The  tall,  dark  trunk  of  a  tree, 
Whiteness  of  snow. 

In  sunlight,  my  soul  once  fed 
On  beauty  the  sight  perceives, 
In  darkness,  now  its  bread 
Another  sense  receives. 

But  nourishing  fare  it  is  — 
Good  for  a  famished  soul: 
A  baby's  rose-bud  kiss, 
The  mighty  ocean's  roll, 
The  shape  of  a  bowl  or  vase, 
The  tinkle  of  ice  in  a  glass, 
The  texture  of  silk  or  lace, 
The  cool,  young  blades  of  grass. 

On  morsels  such  as  these 
My  soul  has  been  sustained, 
Has  found  a  quiet  peace 
In  loveliness  retained. 


August,  has 
been  cancelled, 
the  presenta- 
tion was  made 
at  this  lunch- 
eon in  recogni- 
tion of  Dr. 
Allen's  sixty 
years  of  lead- 
ership in  the 
field  of  the 
blind  —  first  a 
teacher  at 
Perkins,  then 
Principal  and 
rebuilder  of 
Overbrook,  fol- 
lowed by  twen- 
ty-four years 
as  Director 
and  rebuilder 
of  Perkins. 


THE  HELEN  KELLER  AWARD 

THE  HELEN  KELLER  Gold  Medal  for  Literary  Excellence, 
offered  by  the  Jewish  Braille  Institute  of  America,  has  been 
awarded  to  Miss  Albertina  Eastman,  teacher  of  speech  correc- 
tion at  Perkins.  Miss  Eastman  was  also  awarded  first  prize  in  the 
Poetry  Literary  Competition  of  the  Jewish  Braille  Institute  for  her 
poem  entitled,  "The  Need  of  Beauty."  The  gold  medal  was  presented 
on   Friday,   June   1,   by  Professor  John   Holmes,   of   Tufts   College. 

—  5  — 


Miss  Eastman  was  graduated  from  Perkins  in  1927,  from  the  Water- 
town  High  School  in  1928,  and  holds  a  Degree  of  B.  S.  from  Boston 
University. 

GRADUATION  —  JUNE  14 

THE  HON.  JULIUS  E.  WARREN,  Commissioner  of  Education, 
made  the  address  at  the  Graduation  Exercises  held  in  Dwight 
Hall  on  Thursday,  June  14,  at  two  o'clock.  The  invocation  was 
offered  by  the  Rev.  Paul  J.  Myers,  of  the  Phillips  Congregational 
Church.  Mr.  Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President  of  the  Corporation, 
awarded  diplomas  signifying  graduation  from  high  school  to  Norman 
F.  Hamer,  Harriet  E.  Murby,  Edward  B.  Murphy,  Ettore  Rosati,  Her- 
bert Sabin,  Robert  J.  Smithclas,  Mary  L.  Tobey,  Bernice  B.  Zagunis, 
and  George  E.  Zermas.  A  Manual  Training  Certificate  was  awarded 
to  Helena  Moran  and  Elizabeth  Murby  was  awarded  a  certificate  for 
Ediphone  proficiency. 

RETIRING  from  the  staff  this  year  are  Elwyn  H.  Fowler  and 
Julian  H.  Mabey  whose  combined  services  to  the  school  total 
89  years.  For  fifty-five  years,  Mr.  Mabey  has  directed  the  work 
of  the  Boys'  Manual  Training  Department.  At  the  South  Boston 
School,  he  was  in  charge  of  all  of  the  boys.  Mr.  Fowler  has  been  at 
Perkins  for  thirty-four  years  as  teacher  of  piano  tuning.  He  was 
graduated  from  Perkins  in  1889.  For  twenty  years,  prior  to  coming 
to  Perkins,  he  was  in  independent  practice  as  a  piano  tuner,  and  one 
of  his  large  contracts  was  the  servicing  of  the  pianos  in  the  public 
schools  of  Worcester.  As  head  of  the  Tuning  Department  at  Perkins, 
he  managed  and  supervised  the  servicing  of  all  of  the  pianos  in  the 
Boston  Public  School  System.  While  both  of  these  men  were  assigned 
to  definite  fields,  they  were,  primarily,  teachers  of  boys,  and  over  a 
thousand  former  students  of  Perkins  look  back  and,  indeed,  come  back 
to  them  for  counsel  and  encouragement. 


ANTHONY  J.  CIRELLA,  Perkins  '40,  received  his  degree  at  the 
New  England  Conservatory  of  Music  on  June  12,  where  he 
majored  in  organ.  In  1942-43,  he  won  the  Oliver  Ditson 
Scholarship  and  the  following  two  years  he  held  the  Ida  Converse 
Scholarship.  In  1942  and  1943  he  won  the  Philip  Allen  Awards  for 
musical  composition.  In  the  summers  of  1943  and  1944,  he  was  a 
student  at  the  Pius  X  School  of  Liturgical  Music  in  New  York  City 
and  plans  to  attend  that  school  again  this  summer.  He  is  organist 
and  choir  master  at  St.  John's  Catholic  Church  in  Roxbury. 

—  6  — 


PUBLICATIONS 


Dr.  Hugo  B.  Riemer,  Perkins  oph- 
thalmologist, has  a  paper  on  Glaucoma 
in  the  March,  1945,  Outlook  For  The 
Blind. 


Blindness  in  the  United  States,   the 

article  prepared  by  the  Director  of 
Perkins  for  the  Social  Work  Yearbook. 
1945,  is  now  available  as  a  reprint  upon 
application  to  the  Institution. 


Never  Surrender  by  Brassil  Fitz- 
gerald, published  by  Ginn  and  Com- 
pany, tells  the  story  in  dramatic  form 
of  free  men  in  action.  The  first  story 
is  of  Samuel  Gridley  Howe,  entitled 
"A  Yankee   Guerrilla." 


A  Class  Apart,  the  editorial  in  the 
September  15,  1944,  issue  of  The 
Lantern  was  reprinted  in  full  in  the 
April  15,  1945,  issue  of  The  New  Beacon, 
the  magazine  published  by  the  National 
Institute  for  the  Blind,  London. 


The    article    on    Legislation    for    the 

Blind,  printed  in  the  September  15. 
1944,  issue  of  The  Lantern  was  re- 
printed by  Light,  the  magazine  of  the 
Braille  Institute  of  America,  California, 
and  summarized  in  the  April  15  issue 
of  The  New  Beacon, 


Professor  Hugh  Findlay,  who  has  in- 
vented tools  for  blind  gardeners,  has 
an  article  "The  Blind  Can  Grow  Too" 
in  the  March,  1945  Outlook  For  The 
Blind  which  includes  a  letter  from  Ar- 
mand  Michaud,  Perkins  '29,  a  teacher 
of  French  at  Perkins  Institution. 


"The     War-Blinded     Soldier  —  How 

Can  I  Help  Him"  by  Enid  Griffis,  ap- 
pearing in  the  Ladies  Home  Journal 
is  now  available  as  a  reprint  through 
the  American  Foundation  for  the 
Blind.  This  gives  practical  and  well- 
grounded  advice  on  how  to  help  the 
returning  blinded  soldiers. 


COMMENTS 


I  continue  to  receive  The  Lantern 
regularly  from  which  I  learn  that 
Perkins  is  as  progressive  as  ever.  — 
Honorary  Editor,  The  Teacher  of  the 
Blind,  England,  April  4,  1945. 


It  was  an  auspicious  moment  when 
we  of  the  Eastern  School  received  the 
cordial  greeting  and  recognition  of  the 
greatest  institution  for  the  blind  in  the 
Western  World. — The  Palestine  Light- 
house, Inc.,  May  29,  1945. 


From  the  113th  Annual  Report  of  the 
Perkins  Institution  for  the  Blind,  we 
are  glad  to  reprint  this  history  of  that 
excellent  institution.  Here  many  of 
our  nation's  leading  blind  men  were 
educated  and  graduated.  It  is  not  nec- 
essary to  say  that  there  is  no  better 
institution  for  the  education  of  the 
blind  of  school  age  than  Perkins. — Edi- 
torial, The  Braille  Mirror,  May,  1945. 


Please  accept  our  hearty  thanks  for 
a  copy  of  your  One  Hundred  and  Thir- 
teenth Annual  Report  which  came  a 
few  days  ago  and  has  been  examined 
carefully.  The  record  of  your  work  is 
an  inspiration  to  others  of  us  who  are 
working  with  handicapped  children. 
You  are  to  be  congratulated  upon  the 
magnificent  record  you  are  making. 
—  The  Western  Pennsylvania  School 
for  the  Deaf,  March  16,  1945. 


"Institutes  for  blind  children  had 
just  been  established  in  Boston  and 
New  York  in  1831.  They  were  not  suc- 
cessful because  they  were  only  the 
well-meant  attempts  of  humanitarian 
people  to  do  something  without  practi- 
cal experience  or  adequate  methods  of 
teaching  for  the  proper  treatment  of 
the  blind."  —  American-German  Re- 
view, April,  1945. 


ON  VISITING  THE  KEATS  ROOM 

(Continued  from  Paee  3) 
I  was  greatly  pleased  when  I  was  asked  for  a  copy  of  that  sonnet 
and  one  that  I  had  written  after  reading  Shelley's  Adonais  to  be 
placed  in  the  Keats  Collection  at  the  Houghton  Library. 

SONNET 
(On  visiting  the  Keats  Room) 

Here  in  the  new-old  life  of  Fame's  sweet  gaze, 

In  close  communion  with  long  silent  years  — 

Among  rich  garners  of  great  hopes  and  fears, 

Hovers  a  spirit  of  now  forgotten  days. 

The  touch  of  Time  hath  stain'd  these  frail  displays, 

The  mystic  runes  are  faded  and  remov'd,  — 

And  that  fair  art  of  which  he  once  had  lov'd 

The  guileless  beauty,  like  a  rose  decays;  — 

The  piercing  light  hath  shatter'd  through  the  haze 

Of  the  Norn  Mother's  magic  web  of  skill: 

And  he  is  deck'd  in  splendor,  whilst  the  rays 

Of  the  glorious  ascension  now  do  fill 

The  passionless  air  with  motion,  like  a  thrill; 

—  He  is  not  dead!  his  voice  is  lingering  still! 

SONNET 

(After  reading  Shelley's  "Adonais") 
I  read  of  Adonais,  and  how  he  died 
A  youthful  swain  —  sequester'd  by  the  years; 
Of  how  his  star  had  risen  and  descried 
The  far  flung  fame  that  only  genius  bears; 
And  how,  —  through  all  the  Grecian  isles,  —  flow'd  the  tears 
Of  gods  and  men  and  beasts  as  one  allied  — 
And  gentle  echo  sate  among  the  meres 
And  wept  in  silence,  pale  and  starry  ey'd;  — 
Then  felt  I  like  some  mariner  who  steers 
His  bark  before  a  mighty  wind  or  tide  — 
When  of  a  sudden  the  storm-cloud  disappears 
And  leaves  the  ruffled  seas  serene  and  wide: 
Bright,  pure  and  boundless;  and  at  his  side 
The  land-lock'd  haven  in  the  distance  nears. 


ROBERT  J.  SMITHDAS,  of  the  graduating  class,  is  the  fifth 
deaf-blind  pupil  to  receive  a  diploma  at  Perkins.  He  has  been 
at  Perkins  for  two  and  a  half  years,  coming  from  the  Western 
Pennsylvania  School  for  the  Blind  in  Pittsburgh.  An  excellent 
student,  graduating  with  very  high  record,  he  has  also  been  one 
of  the  ablest  members  of  the  Perkins  Wrestling  Team.  His  outstand- 
ing literary  ability  has  led  to  some  interesting  experiences.  On 
Memorial  Day,  Robert,  with  his  teacher,  Miss  Carpenter,  joined  the 
grandson  of  Henry  Wadsworth  Longfellow  in  placing  flowers  on  the 
grave  of  the  distinguished  poet  at  Mt.  Auburn  Cemetery. 


The  iaritern 


THE  PERKINS 


VOLUME  XV.  NO.  1 


INSTITUTION 


SEPTEMBER  15.  194  5 


International  Relations 

THE  ARRIVAL  AT  PERKINS  of  Jimmy  Osborn,  the  ten  year 
old  blind  pianist  the  Ninth  Air  Force  sent  to  this  country  for 
an  education,  focussed  wide  attention  on  the  international 
renown  of  this  century  old  school  and  the  service  we  have  rendered 
through  the  years  to  the  blind  in  this  and  many  other  countries. 
While  most  of  the  foreign  students  at  Perkins  in  recent  years  have 
come  to  attend  the  Harvard  course  there  have  been  many  who  have 
been  enrolled  as  pupils  within  the  school's  program. 

In  addition  to  the  boy  from  England  we  have  as  a  pupil  this  year 
the  son  of  a  member  of  the  House  of  Deputies  and  Treasurer  of  one 
of  the  states  of  Mexico  and  we  have  application  for  another  from 
that  country.  During  the  summer  we  had  conferences  with  the 
Minister  of  Finance  of  Afghanistan  regarding  the  education  of  his 
son  who  has  lost  his  sight  and  who  came  to  Perkins  for  advice  on 
recommendation  of  the  State  Department.  One  of  the  four  National 
Scholarships  for  this  year  was  given  to  a  girl  from  Hawaii  who  while 
not  a  foreigner  does  represent  a  non- Yankee  strain.  And  we  have  in 
the  Harvard  class  for  this  year  a  young  woman  from  Puerto  Rico  and 
hope  to  have  one  from  China. 

It  has  often  been  said  that  knowledge  of  Perkins  by  many  people 
is  in  reverse  ratio  of  their  distance  away.  Many  living  within  the 
shadow  of  the  tower  know  so  little  of  our  work  while  the  mere 
mention  of  Perkins  in  distant  lands  arouses  immediate  response  and 
recognition  of  the  place  Perkins  holds  in  the  field  of  the  blind.  This 
wide  reach  of  our  renown  must  make  us  alert  to  deepen  our  roots  in 
sound  processes  so  that  we  may  continue  to  hold  high  the  standards 
that  have  given  Perkins  international  prestige. 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown  72,  Massachusetts 
Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President 


JzcLQ^f  ^aJVtJ^ 


Gabriel  Farretj,,  Director 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


A  full  account  of  the  summer  school 
for  mothers  and  their  blind  babies 
held  at  Perkins,  June  17  -  30  may  be 
found  in  the  September  number  of  the 
Outlook  for  the   Blind. 


Dr.  Samuel  P.  Hayes,  psychologist 
and  in  charge  of  the  Harvard  Class, 
has  been  appointed  Lecturer  on  the 
Blind  on  the  staff  of  the  Graduate 
School  of  Education  at  Harvard. 


Richard  Crane,  Perkins  '46,  complet- 
ed during  the  early  summer  a  training 
course  on  vending  stand  operation  at 
Washington  and  for  the  remainder  of 
the  summer  substituted  during  vaca- 
tion periods  at  vending  stands  in  his 
home  state,  Rhode  Island. 


The  Director  was  invited  to  attend 
a  conference  to  study  the  problems  of 
child  victims  of  the  war  to  be  held  in 
Zurich,  Switzerland,  September  10  -  29. 
Because  of  difficulties  in  being  away  in 
September  and  problems  of  transpor- 
tation he  was  unable  to  accept. 


A  calendar  for  1946  depicting  herbs 
and  edible  shrubs  of  the  Massachu- 
setts coast  has  been  prepared  and  pub- 
lished by  Nelson  Coon,  Perkins  super- 
intendent of  buildings  and  grounds. 
Illustrations  in  color  are  by  Frances 
McGaw  of  the  Manual  Training  staff. 


Alice  M.  Carpenter,  formerly  head  of 
the  school  for  the  blind  in  Canton, 
China,  and  last  year  a  teacher  in  the 
deaf-blind  department  at  Perkins  is 
spending  this  year  assisting  the  Pres- 
byterian Board  of  Missions  in  clearing 
up  matters  in  connection  with  their 
work  for  the  blind  in  China.  She  plans 
to  return  to  Perkins  next  year. 


A  booklet  of  thirty-two  pages  with 
pictures  and  text  on  every  page  de- 
scribing Perkins  and  its  activities  has 
just  been  published. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Carl  King,  Perkins  '41.  is  planning 
to  enter  the  New  England  Conservatory 
of  Music  this  fall. 


Samuel  Genensky  of  New  Bedford, 
who  attended  Perkins  several  years 
ago,  plans  to  enter  the  University  of 
Wisconsin  in  September. 


Frances  L.  Martin  and  Guido  J.  Mar- 
chisio,  Perkins  '33,  teachers  in  the 
Upper  School  last  year,  were  married 
June  24  and  have  taken  positions  at 
the  Utah  School  for  the  Blind. 


Florence  E.  Murphy  and  Clarence 
Sheinutt,  teachers  of  physical  educa- 
tion last  year  were  married  on  August 
29.  They  are  to  be  at  the  Pennsylvania 
Institution  for  the  Blind  this  year. 


Frederick  Hayashi,  Perkins  '43,  was 
graduated  from  the  music  course  at 
Moody  Bible  Institute  in  Chicago  on 
August  2.  He  plans  to  return  to  his 
home  in  Honolulu. 


Mrs.  Mary  Knapp  Burtt,  Perkins  '09, 
Wellesley  '15,  head  of  a  school  for 
blind  children  in  China  is  to  be  on  the 
Staff  at  Perkins  pending  her  return  to 
that  country. 


Lawrence  Thompson,  Perkins  '34, 
Harvard,  A.  B.  '38,  received  the  degree 
Master  of  Education  at  Harvard  on 
June  28.  Mr.  Thompson  is  now  con- 
nected with  the  Florida  Commission 
for  the  Blind  with  headquarters  in 
Tamj,a. 


Announcement  has  been  received  of 
the  marriage  of  Virginia  Marion  Foley 
Perkins  '39  to  Mr.  Lloyd  Warner  Mit- 
chell on  August  25,  1945.  Mrs.  Mitchell 
plans  to  return  with  her  husband  to 
the  Maryland  School  for  the  Blind 
where  they  are  both  employed. 


POST-GRADUATE  STUDY 

Opportunities  Offered  at  Perkins 

WHILE  PERKINS  is  primarily  planned  to  give  instruction 
from  kindergarten  through  graduation  from  high  school,  it 
has  always  offered  opportunity  for  post-graduate  study. 
Originally  this  began  with  the  desire  of  Perkins  graduates  to  supple- 
ment studies  begun  in  high  school,  to  gain  better  preparation  before 
going  on  to  higher  education  or  to  continue  in  those  fields  where  in- 
struction of  professional  standing  is  offered.  More  recently  interest 
in  post-graduate  study  at  Perkins  has  been  manifested  by  persons 
who  have  received  their  secondary  education  elsewhere  or  whose 
schooling  was  completed  before  blindness  came  to  them. 

The  scholarships  offered  now  for  five  years  to  outstanding  grad- 
uates of  other  schools  have  revealed  a  national  contribution  that 
Perkins  can  make  to  youth.  Twenty  young  people  from  seventeen 
states  have  gained  by  the  additional  year  of  instruction  beyond  what 
their  own  schools  gave  them.  Their  own  schools  are  good  schools 
but  Perkins  has  facilities  because  of  its  endowment,  exceeding  most 
schools  and  flexibility  because  of  its  private  control,  which  enables 
it  to  take  advantage  of  all  advances  on  the  educational  front. 

An  interesting  group  turning  to  Perkins  in  increasing  numbers 
is  made  up  of  those  who  have  lost  their  sight  after  schooling  was  com- 
pleted. In  the  school  this  year  will  be  a  man  of  wide  business  ex- 
perience, who  in  return  for  instruction  in  the  new  tools  that  he  needs 
since  his  sight  failed  is  going  to  contribute  his  skill  in  the  field  of 
salesmanship  by  conducting  courses  for  our  pupils.  Application  has 
been  received  for  and  we  hope  to  accept  a  young  man  from  Mexico 
whose  studies  in  mechanical  engineering  have  been  interrupted  by  loss 
of  sight.  Another  pupil  this  year  is  a  young  woman  whose  career  as 
a  hospital  dietician  has  been  closed  by  visual  difficulty  and  whom  we 
are  going  to  help  find  a  new  field  of  work.  There  are  many  of  this 
type  who  can  be  assisted  under  the  Federal  Rehabilitation  Program. 

A  third  group  which  Perkins  has  been  able  to  help  is  represented 
by  a  young  man  enrolled  for  this  year  who  was  graduated  (although 
totally  blind)  from  a  private  secondary  school  and  has  been  accepted 
by  a  New  England  college.  He  feels  that  he  will  be  better  equipped 
for  his  college  work  with  a  year  of  intensive  training  in  braille  and  a 

COontinued  on  Page  8) 
—  3  — 


THE  115th  YEAR 

THE  NEW  SCHOOL  YEAR  begins  at  Perkins  on  the  day  follow- 
ing Labor  Day  when  the  matrons  return,  assemble  domestic 
staffs,  and  open  the  cottages.  This  year  began  early  as  Labor 
Day  was  on  September  3.  On  Monday,  September  10,  the  teaching 
staff  returned  for  the  annual  opening  meeting  held  on  that  evening 
when  the  Director  introduced  new  members  and  outlined  plans  for 
the  year.  On  the  following  day  the  pupils  came  back  and  with  chapel 
on  Wednesday  morning  the  new  year  was  fully  under  way.  The  115th 
year  began  with  a  full  staff  and  more  pupils  than  last  year.  Most  of 
the  new  pupils  are  young  and  they  have  taxed  the  capacity  of  the 
Kindergarten  cottages.  There  are  also  more  new  advanced  pupils 
than  previously  and  pupils  have  come  from  more  places  than  in 
former  years.  In  addition  to  the  usual  New  England  states,  Alabama, 
Georgia,  Hawaii,  Louisiana,  Maryland,  Michigan,  Pennsylvania,  and 
Texas  are  represented  with  pupils  also  from  England  and  Mexico. 
Another  fact  which  may  be  interesting,  if  not  significant,  is  that  more 
children  are  coming  to  Perkins  from  better  homes. 


JIMMY  OSBORN 

JIMMY  OSBORN,  the  ten-year-old  English  boy  who  so  captivated 
the  members  of  the  Ninth  Air  Force  that  they  raised  a  fund  to 
send  him  to  America  for  his  education,  arrived  in  New  York  on 
the  Clipper  Friday  morning,  July  20.  Accompanied  by  Captain  John 
O'Connell  of  Holyoke,  public  relations  officer  of  the  air  force,  Jimmy 
was  given  a  tremendous  welcome  at  the  airport  in  New  York  and  at 
Boston  the  following  morning  where  he  arrived  by  plane.    Newspaper 

reporters  and 
photographers  were 
overwhelming  nor 
did  they  desist 
when  he  arrived  at 
Perkins  after 
driving  from  the 
airport  in  the  car  of 
the  Mayor  of  Bos- 
ton with  Jimmy 
operating  the  siren 
and  horn  simultan- 


eously.  On  Thurs- 
day evening,  July 
26,  Jimmy  played  in 

the  March  of  Time  ^fl 

broadcast  which 
dramatized  his 
story  and  how  the 
Air  Corps  boys  be- 
came interested  in 
him.  After  this 
event  Jimmy  spent 
the  remainder  of 
the  summer  at  a  home  provided  by  his  sponsor.  He  began  the  school 
year  at  Perkins  and  plans  for  his  education  are  being  worked  out. 
Jimmy  has  unique  musical  ability,  a  most  winning  personality  and 
an  alert  and  keen  mind. 

ADVANCED  STUDENTS 

FOUR  YOUNG  PEOPLE  have  again  come  to  Perkins  on  scholar- 
ships offered  annually  to  outstanding  graduates  of  schools  for 
the  blind  throughout  the  country.  They  are  Clarice  W.  Rothe 
from  Maryland,  who  will  take  a  general  course;  Hideko  Shemokawa 
from  Hawaii,  who  plans  to  specialize  in  commercial  work  and  music; 
Rose  E.  Misceo  from  Pennsylvania,  who  will  take  advanced  music 
courses  and  Donald  Walkout  from  Michigan  who  will  study  in  the 
literary  department.  All  four  live  at  the  school  and  share  in  the 
cottage  activities  which  form  such  an  important  part  of  Perkins' 
program  of  schooling  and  socialization.  Seven  persons  are  already 
enrolled  in  the  Harvard  Class  and  several  applications  are  under  con- 
sideration. Those  accepted  are  from  Massachusetts,  New  Jersey, 
Ohio,  New  Mexico  and  Puerto  Rico. 


SUMMER  BETTERMENTS 

WORKMEN  WERE  BUSY  during  the  summer  carrying  out 
the  program  of  improvements  planned  in  the  spring.     The 
manual  training  rooms  of  the  Upper  School,  the  Board  Room 
and  the  ceiling  in  the  Museum  were  painted.    Ceilings  in  Potter  Cot- 
tage were  covered  with  acoustical  tile.     The  third  and  last  large 
refrigerator  in  the  Store  was  rebuilt  and  extensive  repairs  were  made 

—  5  — 


in  the  heating  plant.     The  usual  decorating  and  refurbishing  of  all 
the  buildings  made  them  ready  and  attractive  when  school  opened. 

From  the  school  point  of  view  the  most  important  betterment  is 
the  new  science  laboratory.  After  careful  study  plans  were  drawn 
for  the  complete  reorganization  and  equipment  of  the  laboratory. 
New  desks  and  tables  specially  designed  have  been  installed  and  every 
modern  facility  for  the  teaching  of  science  in  the  several  areas  taught 
at  Perkins  is  to  be  found  in  the  new  laboratory. 

MAGNIFYING  DEVICE 

THE  OFFICE  of  Scientific  Research  and  Development  (which 
developed  the  atomic  bomb)  has  underwritten  a  project  to  study 
and  develop  a  magnifying  device  to  make  reading  of  ink  print 
possible  for  people  with  partial  vision.  Perkins  has  been  interested 
in  promoting  this  study  as  a  possible  means  of  avoiding  the  neces- 
sity of  putting  text  books  into  large  type.  The  project  has  been 
assigned  to  the  Dartmouth  Eye  Institute  connected  with  Dartmouth 
College  with  provision  for  cooperation  with  the  University  of  Roches- 
ter in  the  development  of  the  device.  Work  began  on  the  project 
June  15. 

THE  WAR  BLINDED 

MAJOR  TRYGVE  GUNDERSEN,  M.C.  A.U.S..  ophthalmologist 
of  Perkins  before  entering  the  army,  has  been  placed  in 
charge  of  the  program  for  the  war  blinded  with  headquarters 
in  Washington.  Major  Gundersen  recently  returned  from  hospital 
duty  in  the  European  theatre.  After  a  brief  tour  of  duty  at  Valley 
Forge  General  Hospital,  Phoenixville,  Pennsylvania,  the  eastern 
center  for  eye  casualties  Major  Gundersen  went  to  the  Dibble  General 
Hospital,  Menlo  Park,  California,  the  western  center.  The  work  in 
both  of  these  centers  will  come  under  his  direction  as  well  as  the 
program  at  Old  Farms  Convalescent  Hospital,  Avon,  Connecticut. 

V-J  DAY 

PERKINS  was  practically  deserted  on  V-J  Day  so  that  it  was  not 
possible  to  celebrate  and  hold  a  service  similar  to  the  one  held 
on  V-E  Day.  But  the  groundsmen,  who  have  formed  a  bell- 
ringing  team,  climbed  the  tower  and  the  Wheelwright  Bells  rang  fast 
and  joyously.  An  unknown,  unbeknownst,  borrowed  one  of  the  three 
bells  in  the  Lower  School  Courtyard  but  as  mysteriously  as  it  went 
it  came  back  the  next  day. 

—  6  — 


FROM  OUR  MAIL 


Kyriaki  Nicholai,  former  Perkins 
pupil  and  now  at  School  for  the  Blind, 
Athens,  Greece  writes: 

"Our  school  has  been  functioning  all 
through  the  dark  years  of  slavery  with 
only  the  spirit  of  our  pupils.  We  had, 
naturally,  many  hardships  to  meet. 
Nevertheless,  we  have  kept  up  our 
work.  Now  that  the  war  is  over  for 
us,  our  pupils  are  coming  back,  along 
with  many  new  ones.  I  have  been 
teaching  English  from  the  beginning  of 
the  war  with  the  help  of  some  books 
found  here — you  Americans  cannot 
imagine  our  hardships.  War  is  a  ter- 
rible thing  I  assure  you.  I  can  never 
stop  being  grateful  for  the  scholarship 
which  you  gave  me. 


Lt.  Mira  Clark,  former  Perkins  nurse, 
now  in  an  Army  hospital  in  Calcutta, 
India,  writes: 

"Am  settled  in  Calcutta  and  think 
I'll  like  it.  So  far  I  have  been  very 
busy.  The  seriously  ill  patients  have 
a  special  nurse  and  I  was  lucky  enough 
to  draw  that  job.  Apart  from  learning 
to  use  a  lot  of  new  gadgets,  I'm  busy 
every  minute  and  time  just  flies.  This 
is  the  largest  hospital  I  have  ever  been 
in  and  seems  very  well  equipped  .  .  . 
Spent  two  weeks  at  Karachi,  where  we 
landed,  while  waiting  for  new  orders. 
That  is  the  choice  city  of  India.  I  had 
a  wonderful  time  there,  apart  from 
working  six  hours  a  day. 


Alysan  Hooper,  former  secretary  and 
now  in  Europe  with  the  Red  Cross 
writes:  "Atomic  bombs  and  a  cornered 
Japan  have  rather  changed  the  world 
picture  in  short  order.  Our  V-J  cele- 
brating was  very  mild.  Partly,  I  think, 
because  everyone  here  is  so  lethargic 
now,  so  deeply  entrenched  in  boredom 
and  waiting — and  then  there  is  the 
mountainous  problem  of  shipping 
which  has  a  very  sobering  effect — until 
that  best  V  Day  (Voyage  Day)  and 
home  when  we  will  know  that  the  thing 
is  really  over." 


STAFF  APPOINTMENTS 


Edward  J.  Waterhouse,  teacher  of 
mathematics  and  on  leave  of  absence 
has  returned.  During  the  war  he  did 
secret  mathematical  work  in  connec- 
tion with  the  planning  of  the  jet  pro- 
pulsion plane  at  General  Electric. 


Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ben  Smith  are  also 
returning  and  will  teach  in  the  Lower 
School.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smith  have  been 
at  ,the  Washington  School  for  the 
Blind  since  they  left  Perkins. 


Mr.  and  Mrs.  Walter  Carr  will  return 
this  year.  Mrs.  Carr  will  reassume  her 
duties  in  the  Music  Department  and 
Mr.  Carr  will  give  instruction  in  wood- 
working and  poultry  raising. 

Orin  Stone,  B.  S.,  B.D.,  M.  A.  in  Edu- 
cation from  St.  Lawrence  University 
and  M.  A.  from  Boston  University, 
former  principal  of  the  Connecticut 
School  for  the  Blind,  will  teach  Social 
Science  and  History. 


Miss  Dorothy  Bischoff,  Brooklyn  Col- 
lege and  the  Harvard  Class,  will  re- 
turn to  Perkins  to  teach  in  the  Lower 
School.  She  has  been  teaching  for  the 
past  three  years  in  the  Lavelle  School 
for  the  Blind  in  New  York. 


Arlene  Eccles,  Framingham  Teachers 
College  '36  will  teach  Home  Economics. 
She  has  taught  in  Northfield,  Lebanon, 
N.  H.,  and  at  Fannie  Farmers  School. 


Philip  G.  Worrick  of  Hingham,  Bos- 
ton University  '44,  B.  S.,  is  to  teach 
Physical  Education.  Mr.  Worrick  has 
been  an  assistant  at  Boston  University 
and  Northeastern  University. 


Beatrice  Pinkham  of  Quincy  and 
Gertrude  Seibert  of  Hyde  Park,  Sar- 
gent '45,  will  teach  Physical  Education. 


Marjorie  Ritchie  of  East  Bridgewater, 
Mass.,  and  Jean  Harrison  of  Bucksport, 
Maine  have  been  appointed  as  secretar- 
ies. Both  are  graduates  of  the  Fisher 
School  class  of  '45. 


—  7  — 


POST-GRADUATE  STUDY 

(Continued  from  Paee  3) 

wider  knowledge  of  the  special  appliances  prepared  for  the  blind. 
Within  a  few  years  two  other  young  people  came  to  Perkins  on  the 
same  basis.  One  is  now  in  Harvard  and  the  other  in  Wheaton  College. 
This  is  a  plan  which  has  been  proposed  to  the  army  for  blinded 
soldiers  who  have  completed  high  school  and  who  now  want  to  enter 
college  under  the  GI  "bill  of  rights"  or  veteran  placement. 

In  addition  to  training  in  the  tools  and  skills  the  blind  need  and 
ranging  through  all  areas  of  instruction  Perkins  conducts  post-grad- 
uate programs  of  a  professional  character.  These  train  adequately 
for  life  work.  Outstanding  is  the  three-year  course  in  pianoforte 
tuning  and  repairing.  Many  young  men  trained  in  this  field  are  lead- 
ing successful  and  well  compensated  lives.  The  late  Sir  Charles  W. 
Lindsay  used  to  say  that  he  left  Perkns  with  nothing  but  a  piano 
tuners  kit  but  that  was  the  basis  of  the  great  fortune  he  accumulated 
and  distributed  in  his  will  to  many  charities  including  Perkins.  For 
over  sixty  years  the  servicing  of  the  pianos  in  the  Boston  Public 
Schools  has  been  directed  by  the  Perkins  tuning  department. 

Another  field  where  professional  training  is  given  is  in  preparing 
blind  persons  to  become  teachers  of  piano.  This  is  a  two  year  course 
and  for  practice  seeing  children  near  the  school  receive  instruction. 
In  the  music  department  every  opportunity  is  available  for  advanced 
instruction  either  in  school  courses  or  in  cooperation  with  the  Con- 
servatory of  Music.  More  recently  advanced  instruction  in  commercial 
subjects  has  become  professional  in  character.  Through  post-grad- 
uate courses  pupils  are  now  fully  qualified  for  office  work  in  typing, 
ediphoning  and  telephone  service.  Poultry  raising,  which  is  being 
revived  this  year,  has  professional  possibilities  and  there  is  hardly  a 
department  which  has  not  something  to  offer  the  student  seeking  ad- 
vanced work. 

In  advancing  these  opportunities  for  post-graduate  study  Perkins 
wishes  only  to  share  its  unique  facilities  and  its  century  of  experience 
with  blind  youth  seeking  to  equip  themselves  for  service.  Perkins  is 
seeking,  as  the  Harvard  report  on  General  Education  says  all  educa- 
tion must,  two  things :  "help  young  persons  fulfill  the  unique,  particu- 
lar functions  in  life  which  it  is  in  them  to  fulfill,  and  fit  them  so  far 
as  it  can  for  those  common  spheres  which,  as  citizens  and  heirs  of  a 
joint  culture,  they  will  share  with  others." 


The 


THE  PERKINS 


VOLUME  XV.  NO.  2 


alifttern 


INSTITUTION 


DECEMBER  15,  1945 


What's  in  a  Name 

THERE  SEEMS  to  be  a  growing  distaste  for  the  word  "blind"  as 
part  of  the  name  for  our  special  schools.  While  many  pupils  are 
not  blind  in  the  common  interpretation  of  that  word  most  of 
them  fall  within  the  technical  definition  of  blindness.  Some  schools 
are  accepting  pupils  not  legally  blind  but  who  are  visually  handicapped 
and  the  elimination  of  the  word  "blind"  broadens  the  scope  of  the 
school.  One  institution  states  it  is  for  "Children  with  Impaired 
Vision,"  which  gives  plenty  of  scope.  Another  is  renamed  "Braille 
and  Sight-saving  School"  thereby  featuring  its  methods  rather  than 
its  pupils  while  a  dual  school  refers  to  itself  as  an  "Aural  and  Vision 
Center"  which  seems,  on  the  blind  side,  to  stress  that  which  it  lacks. 

Much  of  the  distaste  arises  from  the  fact  that  people  are  reading 
into  the  term  "blind"  connotations  which  they  dislike,  associations  to 
which  they  object  such  as  mendicancy,  mannerisms  and  a  disability 
to  which  they  react  unfavorably.  Our  inclination  is  to  stick  to  the 
old  word  and  not  lose  sight  of  the  fact  that  we  were  created  to  help 
the  blind.  For  them  we  exist.  Instead  of  changing  names  let  us 
resolve  to  make  the  term  "blind"  stand  for  attributes  which  we  can 
uphold  and  support.  Let  us  strengthen  our  programs  of  education 
and  assistance  so  that  the  blind  can  become  assured  and  attractive 
and  examples  of  achievement  and  success  which  the  world  can  admire 
and  applaud.  Blindness  and  all  its  tragic  consequences  we  must 
strive  to  prevent,  but  let  us  make  the  "blind"  so  worthy  that  we  can 
be  proud  of  that  term  as  applied  either  to  individuals  or  to  schools. 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown  72,  Massachusetts 
Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President 


Gabriel  Parrell,  Director 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


The  Director  lectured  on  the  modern 
trends  in  the  education  of  blind  chil- 
dren at  Columbia  University  on  Oct- 
ober 30  in  a  series  of  lectures  on  the 
blind.  Dr.  Samuel  P.  Hayes  gave  .an- 
other lecture  in  the  series  on  psycholo- 
gical tests  on  November  13. 


James  C.  Kent,  who  lost  his  sight 
while  a  prisoner  in  the  Philippines, 
has  entered  the  Harvard  Class.  Mr. 
Kent  is  a  graduate  of  Murray  Teachers 
College,  Kentucky,  and  was  a  director 
of  physical  education.  He  came  to 
Perkins  from  Old  Farms  Convalescent 
Hospital. 


A  Salesmanship  Club  has  been  or- 
ganized by  the  boys  who  are  studying 
this  subject  under  Mr.  William  Mc- 
Greal,  formerly  director  and  sales 
manager  of  the  Remington  Rand  Cash 
Register  Company  in  this  country  and 
later  in  Great  Britain. 


J.  Stephenson  Hemphill,  Bursar,  is 
chairman  of  the  New  England  group  of 
the  Educational  Buyers  Association 
and  presided  at  the  semi-annual  meet- 
ing at  Middlebury  College  in  October. 


Maxwell  Rappaport,  several  times 
champion  wrestler  in  his  class  in  New 
England,  is  coaching  the  boys'  wrest- 
ling team  and  an  active  schedule  has 
been  arranged. 


Walter  Houston  of  the  American  Red 
Cross  meets  with  the  boys  and  girls 
several  times  a  week  for  instruction  in 
swimming. 


Recent  visitors  have  been  Dr.  Milton 
T.  Stauffer  of  the  John  Milton  Society 
for  the  Blind,  Mrs.  G.  Pisart  of  Bel- 
gium, now  at  the  Lighthouse  in  New 
York,  Mrs.  K.  S.  Wang,  wife  of  the 
Chinese  Consul,  Miss  Carol  Hughes  of 
the  Coronet  magazine,  and  Bishop 
Roberts  of  Shanghai. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


M.  C.  Migel,  for  twenty-three  years 
President  of  the  American  Foundation 
for  the  Blind,  retired  from  that  office 
at  the  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Founda- 
tion, held  on  November  30,  but  has 
been  elected  Chairman  of  the  Board. 
For  over  fifty  years,  Mr.  Migel  has 
served  the  blind  generously. 


William  Ziegler,  Jr.,  has  been  elected 
President  of  the  American  Foundation 
for  the  Blind.  He  has  been  active  in 
the  Foundation  affairs  as  Treasurer 
but  is  perhaps  best  known  through  the 
Ziegler  Magazine,  founded  by  his 
mother. 


Miss  Alysan  Hooper,  formerly  secre- 
tary to  the  Director,  has  returned  from 
two  years  of  work  with  the  American 
Red  Cross  in  England  and  Germany. 
She  was  in  charge  of  the  Red  Cross 
in  the  27th  Evacuation  Hospital. 


Dr.  Trygve  Gundersen,  ophthalmolo- 
gist at  Perkins,  has  returned  from 
services  in  the  Army  in  Africa  and 
Italy.  Prior  to  his  discharge,  he  was 
in  charge  of  the  program  for  the  blind 
with  headquarters  in  Washington. 


The  Reverend  Frederic  C.  Lawrence 
has  been  elected  President  of  the 
Protestant  Guild  for  the  Blind  which 
is  formulating  a  program  to  assist  the 
sightless  and  provide  instruction  for 
Protestant  children  at  Perkins. 

Joseph  Butler,  Perkins  '34,  has 
opened  a  Vending  Stand  in  conjunction 
with  a  sighted  friend  in  Madonough 
Square  in  Lynn,  Massachusetts.  The 
stand  is  located  near  the  General 
Electric  Plant. 


Dr.  Robert  B.  Palmer,  former  school 
physician,  has  been  released  by  the 
Navy  after  service  in  Europe  and,  more 
recently,  the  Brooklyn  Navy  Yard. 


2  — 


THE  U.  S.  S.  WASP 
A  Trip  to  Remember 

OVER  TWO  HUNDRED  Perkins  pupils,  all  but  the  three  lowest 
grades,  were  the  guests  of  the  Commanding  Officer  and  the 
crew  of  the  U.  S.  S.  Wasp,  the  battle-scarred  carrier  from  the 
Pacific,  when  it  came  to  Boston  for  Navy  Week.  The  morning  of 
October  25  was  given  over  entirely  to  our  boys  and  girls  who  had  the 
full  run  of  the  ship  before  the  public  was  admitted  later  in  the  day. 
Every  provision  for  entertainment  and  for  exploration  of  the  ship 
was  arranged  in  advance.  Small  models  of  the  carrier  were  distrib- 
uted so  that  the  pupils  could  get  first  of  all  a  good  idea  of  the  type 
and  the  character  of  the  ship.  Then  they  were  taken  to  the  several 
decks,  to  the  planes,  to  the  turrets  and  to  the  exhibits  where  the  rails 
shutting  off  the  general  public  were  removed  so  that  eager  fingers 
could  explore  bombs,  K-rations,  life  rafts,  and  many  other  accessories. 

Captain  Switzer,  the  commanding  officer,  was  at  hand  to  greet 
his  visitors  and  at  first  appalled  but  later  understanding  sailors 
escorted  pupils  over  the  ship.  The  boys  soon  found  their  way  about 
but  for  some  strange  reason  the  girls  became  unusually  inept  at 
getting  around  and  each  required  a  sailor  to  help  her  over  the  ropes 
and  around  the  turrets.  It  was  an  experience  long  to  be  remembered 
and  upon  their  return  to  school  many  letters  of  thanks  and  apprecia- 
tion were  sent  to  the  ship.  Following  are  a  few  with  the  reply  re- 
ceived from  Captain  Switzer. 


"We,  the  girls  of  Oliver  Cottage,  want  to  tell  you  how  much  we 
enjoyed  our  visit  to  the  'Wasp'  this  morning. 

It  was  a  great  experience  for  us  to  see  first  hand  this  carrier  that 
had  figured  so  prominently  in  the  Pacific,  and  had  made 
such  a  splendid  record.  Everything  was  so  new  and 
interesting  to  us  that  we  left  feeling  that  we  had 
gained  a  great  deal  of  knowledge. 

This  was  a  day 
to  which  we  can 
all  look  back  with 
many  pleasant 
memories.  Many 
thanks  to  you  and 
the  members  of  the 
crew." 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 


DEAF-BLIND  PROGRESS 

ON  THE  SAME  DAY,  two  photographs  appeared  in  a  Boston 
newspaper.  One  picture,  Juanita  Morgan  and  Leonard  Dowdy, 
present  deaf-blind  pupils  of  Perkins,  was  run  in  connection 
with  the  story  telling  of  the  appeal  for  the  Children  of  the  Silent 
Night  sent  out  to  many  friends  throughout  the  country.  The  other 
was  of  Dr.  Helen  Keller  and  her  companion,  Miss  Polly  Thompson, 
and  was  run  in  connection  with  the  story  relating  the  visits  Dr. 
Keller  was  making  to  servicemen  in  the  Army  and  Navy  Hospitals 
in  the  vicinity  of  Boston  as  part  of  a  tour  throughout  the  country 
to  bring  cheer  and  courage  to  those  who  are  disabled.  It  was  a 
strange  coincidence  that  should  have  caused  the  two  pictures  to 
appear  simultaneously  for  they  represent  the  beginning  and  culmina- 
tion of  the  education  of  the  deaf -blind. 

Juanita  Morgan  is  one  of  the  youngest  pupils  in  the  department,  a 
charming  and  responsive  child  who  lost  her  sight  and  hearing  at  the 
age  of  seven  months  and  whose  speech  has  been  developed  since 
coming  to  Perkins  five  years  ago.  Leonard  Dowdy,  now  a  youth  of 
eighteen,  came  to  Perkins  in  1932.  He  was  the  first  pupil  at  Perkins 
to  be  taught  the  new  method  of  vibration  and  oral  speech.  In  many 
ways,  he  has  been  the  yardstick  by  which  progress  has  been  measured 
in  succeeding  pupils.  It  is  a  long  reach  from  these  children  on  the 
threshold  of  training  to  Helen  Keller  who  stands  on  a  high  pinnacle 
of  achievement  over  her  multiple  handicaps,  and  who  is  recognized 
as  one  of  the  outstanding  women  of  her  generation. 

From  Perkins  in  1886  Ann  Sullivan  went  to  Alabama  to  bring 
light  and  learning  to  the  little  child  who  had  become  totally  deaf  and 
blind  at  the  age  of  nineteen  months.  Miss  Sullivan,  a  Perkins  grad- 
uate, later  Mrs. 
John  Macy,  brought 
Helen  to  Perkins  in 
October,  1889,  and 
she  remained  at  the 
institution  until  Sep- 
tember 1893. 

The  two  pictures 
have  another  unique 
significance  in  that 
they  reveal  vividly 
the  different  methods 


Photo 
Boston  Traveler 


of  instruction.  The 
picture  of  Miss  Keller 
shows  Miss  Thomp- 
son spelling  into  her 
hand,  using  the 
method  prevalent  at 
the  time  of  her 
schooling.  The  pic- 
of  the  two  present 
pupils  shows  the 
hands  placed  on  the 
face  to  feel  with 
their  fingers  the  vibrations  now  used  as  the  medium  of  speech. 


Photo 
Boston  Travt 


THOMAS  STRINGER 

THOMAS  STRINGER,  one  of  the  notable  deaf-blind  pupils  of 
Perkins  in  the  '90's,  passed  away  on  October  11,  1945,  at  Fulton, 
New  York,  where  he  had  made  his  home  with  Mr.  Lee  Edgarton 
since  he  left  Perkins  in  1913.  Tommy  came  to  Perkins  while  Helen 
Keller  was  living  at  the  school  and  his  coming  was  made  possible  by 
the  fact  that  money  was  being  raised  at  the  time  to  replace  Miss 
Keller's  beloved  dog  which  had  been  shot.  She  requested  that  the 
money  be  used  to  give  little  Tommy  the  opportunity  to  come  to  the 
school  where  she  and  many  other  deaf-blind  pupils  had  found  new 
life.  From  the  time  he  entered  in  April,  1891,  "a  mere  lump  of 
breathing  clay,"  Tommy  grew  and  developed  and  became  exceedingly 
proficient  in  woodwork.  This  skill  he  used  through  the  remainder  of 
his  life  in  the  making  of  crates  for  the  fruits  and  vegetables  grown 
on  the  farm  where  he  made  his  home. 


THE  ADULT  DEAF-BLIND 

THE  HELEN  KELLER  Committee  on  the  deaf-blind,  which  is 
to  be  a  permanent  Advisory  Committee  to  the  American  Founda- 
tion for  the  Blind,  has  been  formulated  to  prepare  and  implement 
a  program  to  assist  the  adult  deaf-blind  in  this  country.  A  Field 
Worker  has  been  engaged,  and  this  group  of  people,  often  called  "the 
most  neglected  in  the  world,"  will  now  receive  the  attention  their 
double  handicap  deserves.  Miss  Keller  has  been  tremendously  eager 
to  have  this  special  work  undertaken,  and  because  of  that,  her  name 

—  5  — 


has  been  applied  to  the  committee.  The  Foundation's  Field  Worker 
will  act  as  a  consultant  who  will  urge  upon  local  agencies  the  con- 
sideration of  special  needs  of  persons  who  are  both  deaf  and  blind. 
The  first  step  will  be  to  compile  an  up-to-date  authentic  list  of  the 
deaf-blind  people  in  this  country  and  then  to  learn  of  their  economic 
and  social  needs  so  that  the  most  effective  program  may  be  formu- 
lated. 

CHRISTMAS  CONCERTS 

THREE  CONCERTS  of  Christmas  music,  by  the  Upper  and 
Lower  School  Choirs,  have  been  planned  for  this  year,  and  all 
will  be  held  in  Dwight  Hall.  On  Friday  evening,  December  14, 
Sunday  afternoon,  December  16,  and  Tuesday  evening,  December  18, 
an  interesting  program  of  ancient  and  traditional  carols  will  be  given 
as  planned  by  John  F.  Hartwell,  Director  of  Music,  and  assisted  by 
Miss  Eleanor  W.  Thayer,  Director  of  the  Lower  School  Choir,  with 
Miss  Louise  E.  Seymour  accompanist  on  the  piano  and  Mrs.  Marjorie 
Johnston  Carr  on  the  organ.  Perkins  will  close  for  the  Christmas 
holidays  after  the  concert  on  Tuesday  evening  and  will  reopen  on 
Wednesday,  January  2.  Part  of  the  program  will  be  broadcast  on 
Christmas  morning  at  9.30  over  the  New  England  Regional  network. 

A  NEW  TREASURER 

AT  THE  ANNUAL  MEETING  of  the  Corporation  held  on 
Monday,  November  5,  officers  were  elected  for  the  coming  year 
—  President,  Robert  H.  Hallowell,  for  the  fifteenth  time; 
Vice-President,  G.  Peabody  Gardner;  Secretary,  Gabriel  Farrell; 
Treasurer,  John  P.  Chase.  Mr.  Chase  succeeds,  as  Treasurer,  Roger 
Amory,  who  for  ten  years,  with  fidelity  and  personal  interest,  carried 
on  the  duties  of  this  office.  Francis  C.  Rogerson,  who  has  been 
Assistant  Treasurer  for  five  years,  resigned  because  of  ill  health. 
Mr.  Chase  is  president  of  an  investment  firm,  treasurer  of  Wellesley 
College,  and  coach  of  the  Harvard  Hockey  Team. 

YOUTHFUL  INTELLIGENCE 

During  the  administering  of  an  Intelligence  Test  one  of  our 
youthful  prodigies  was  asked,  "How  old  are  you?"  to  which  he  replied, 
"Why,  I  am  not  old  at  all.    I  am  young!" 

—  6  — 


FROM  OUR  MAIL 


"This  letter  is  being  written  on 
behalf  of  Mohammed  El  Ala'i  to  in- 
quire about  institutions  in  the  United 
States  where  he  might  study  ways  of 
assisting  the  blind  in  Egypt  ...  He 
has  been  interviewed  by  Mrs.  Zahia 
Marzouk  who  was  some  twelve  years 
ago  a  student  in  your  institution,  (Har- 
vard Class,  1932-33).  Mrs.  Marzouk  is 
a  high  official  in  the  Ministry  of  Social 
Welfare."  — W.  Wendell  Cleland,  The 
American  University  at  Cairo. 


"The  school  where  I  am  supposed  to 
teach  is  at  present  leased  to  the  U.  S. 
Navy.  By  next  June,  the  school  will 
open  for  handicapped  children  .  .  . 
We  have  the  school  building  intact  but 
not  a  single  piece  of  furniture  or 
school  material  is  left.  I  hope  you  will 
remember  us  in  our  dire  need."' — 
Esperanza  Tejada,  (Harvard  Class  '40), 
Rizal,  Philippines. 


"We  have  recently  received  a  request 
from  the  American  Embassy  in  San- 
tiago, Chile  about  helping  a  young 
Chilean  boy  who  is  blind  in  securing 
further  education  ...  I  am  writing  to 
ask  whether  it  may  be  possible  for  your 
institution  to  offer  any  assistance."  — 
American  Republics  Section,  U.  S.  Office 
of  Education. 


"Now  that  normal  relations  are  re- 
established between  our  countries,  we 
are  again  considering  the  exchange  of 
publications  which  deal  with  the  sub- 
jects concerning  the  blind  as  we  did 
before  the  war."  —  Association  Valentin 
Haiiy  for  the  Blind,  Paris,  France. 


"I  wish  to  know  about  an  American 
Hymn  Book  with  words  to  sing;  also, 
about  books  used  by  the  American 
home  teacher  ...  I  am  being  very 
tiresome;  however,  forgive  me  because 
we  in  Portugal  are  instructionless 
people." — Carlos  Luiz,  Lisbon,  Portugal. 


PUBLICATIONS 


Lights  Out  by  Baynard  Kendrick — 
A  novel,  graphically  portraying  the  ex- 
periences of  a  youth  blinded  in  France 
and  carrying  him  through  hospitaliza- 
tion at  Valley  Forge  and  adjustment 
at  Old  Farms.  Through  a  year  of 
residence  at  Old  Farms  Mr.  Kendrick 
obtained  a  deep  insight  into  the 
problems  confronting  the  war  blinded. 


Still  My  World  by  Leonard  M.  Foulk 
and  "C.  W." — Sergeant  Foulk's  story  of 
his  blindness  on  the  Island  of  Attu  in 
the  Pacific,  his  hospitalization  at 
Letterman  General  Hospital,  and  the 
freedom  he  found  through  a  guide  dog. 


Green  Peace  by  Marjorie  Hayes — A 
mingling  of  fact  and  fiction,  telling  the 
story  of  the  Howe  family  and  their 
life  at  Perkins  Institution,  beginning 
with  John  Brown  and  concluding  with 
an  account  of  the  writing  of  "The 
Battle  Hymn  of  the  Republic." 


Gardening  For  The  Blind  by  Nelson 
Coon,  Professor  Hugh  Findlay,  and 
Rev.  Marinus  James  illustrating  Pro- 
fessor Findlay's  tools  for  the  blind  ap- 
peared in  the  November  issue  of  the 
AMERICAN  HOME  magazine. 


Creative  Writing  For  The  Blind  by 

Jessie  Whitney  Mayshark,  a  teacher  in 
the  Lower  School,  in  EDUCATION  for 
February,  1945,  develops  this  art  as 
one  in  which  the  blind  may  engage. 


"New  Light  on  Congenital  Malforma- 
tion" by  Dr.  Hugo  B.  C.  Riemer, 
ophthalmologist  at  Perkins,  was  printed 
in  the  OUTLOOK  FOR  THE  BLIND 
for  November.  This  paper  was  read  at 
the  meeting  held  at  Perkins  in  May. 


Washington  reports  "the  piano  in- 
dustry needs  10,000  trained  tuner 
technicians." 


—  7  — 


THE  U.  S.  S.  WASP 

(Continued  from  Paee  3) 

"We,  the  boys  of  Eliot  Cottage  would  like  to  thank  you  for  letting 
us  visit  the  'Wasp.'    We  enjoyed  every  minute  of  it. 

We  were  surprised  to  learn  that  a  carrier  was  so  large.  We  had 
no  idea  it  could  carry  so  many  planes.  We  enjoyed  examining  the 
planes  on  the  flight  deck.  We  were  amazed  at  their  size.  Some  of 
us  saw  the  wonderful  radar  equipment. 

We  wish  to  thank  our  guides  who  showed  us  the  ship.  They 
were  very  nice  to  us.  Please  thank  the  cook  for  the  ice  cream  and 
the  cookies.    They  were  really  good. 

We  hope  we  shall  have  another  chance  to  visit  the  'Wasp.'  " 


"The  boys  of  Tompkins  Cottage  wish  to  express  their  sincerest- 
thanks  for  the  privilege  you  gave  us  of  visiting  your  ship.    It  was 
an  experience  we  will  long  remember. 

The  boys  made  a  few  comments  about  what  interested  them 
(most.  The  size  of  the  'Wasp'  made  a  great  impression  on  many  of 
them.  The  cleanliness  and  order  of  the  ship  met  the  approval  of 
the  orderly  fellows.  The  displays  on  the  hangar  deck  helped  to 
clarify  some  of  the  things  we  have  heard  so  much  about  during  the 
war.  The  flight  deck  and  the  planes  made  for  much  discussion  among 
the  fellows.  However,  the  thing  that  made  the  greatest  hit  of  all 
was  the  very  fine  dance  band.  We'd  give  anything  to  have  them  play 
at  one  of  our  dances. 

We  thank  you  very  much,  sir,  and  would  like  to  have  you  express 
our  thanks  to  your  men  for  their  friendliness  and  help." 


"I  cannot  begin  to  express  the  'Wasp'  crew's  appreciation  of  the 
letters  written  by  the  children  at  your  school  after  their  visit  to  our 
ship.  It  was  a  great  pleasure  to  us  all  that  they  were  able  to  be  our 
guests;  and  the  sincerity  and  enthusiasm  of  their  thanks  have  made 
a  deep  impression.  At  present  the  letters  are  framed  and  on  display 
in  the  Crew's  Reading  and  Writing  Room. 

If  the  'Wasp'  puts  in  at  Boston  again,  I  hope  it  will  be  possible 
;for  you  to  come  on  board  with  any  of  the  children  who  missed  the 
first  visit  or  those  that  might  be  interested  in  making  a  second  trip." 

Yours  sincerely, 

W.  G.  SWITZER 

—  8  — 


t 

■ 

The  fLantern 

THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  XV.,  NO.  3  MARCH  15.  1946 


Our  New  Citizens 

OVER  A  THOUSAND  young  men  have  become  citizens  of  the 
community  of  those  who  live  in  a  darkened  world.  They  have 
taken  up  their  citizenship  at  an  age  when  responsibilities  are 
assumed,  and  they  have  come  into  this  community  without  the 
previous  advantage  of  having  been  members  during  the  formative 
growing  years  of  their  lives.  As  a  result,  those  who  have  lived  in 
this  world  for  a  long  time  and  those  who  have  been  interested  in  its 
inhabitants  are  eager  to  know  how  our  new  citizens  will  assume  their 
responsibilities  and  what  contribution  they  will  make  to  the  com- 
munity life. 

These  new  citizens  have  a  lot  to  contribute  to  our  world ;  they  also 
have  a  lot  to  learn,  and  in  the  learning,  all  of  us  want  to  make  our 
contribution.  They  represent  a  cross  section  of  American  life,  socially, 
economically,  morally,  and  intellectually.  They  are,  however,  bound 
together  by  a  common  experience.  They  have  been  members  of  the 
armed  services,  subject  to  routine,  discipline  and  morale.  They  were 
the  1-A's  of  their  generation. 

Now  these  young  men  would  be  listed  as  4-F's.  They  are  described 
by  some  as  handicapped,  disabled,  or  rehabilitation  cases,  but  our 
world  interprets  these  terms  differently  from  the  world  of  light. 
Being  handicapped  has  been  accepted  as  meaning  that  we  have  to  do 
a  little  more  than  the  next  fellow.  We  must  see  that  our  new  citizens 
learn  that  obstacles  are  things  to  be  overcome  and  that  through  good 
training  and  right  attitude  they  can  be  overcome.  If  these  young  men 
assume  their  citizenship  responsibilities  in  that  way,  they  will  bring 
strength  to  our  world. 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown  72,  Massachusetts 
Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President  Gabriel  Farrell,  Director 


^a^d/  7&AA+>£? 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 

The  Annual  Staff  Party  in  the  form 
of  a  Kindergarten  was  given  by  the 
Lower  School  on  Friday  evening,  March 
8.  The  staff  had  a  very  pleasant 
Square  Dance  Party  on  the  evening  of 
February  18. 


The  senior  girls  invited  the  junior 
girls  to  join  with  them  in  presenting  a 
musical  program  on  March  1  to  raise 
money  to  defray  graduation  expenses. 
The  plan  to  have  the  juniors  join  with 
the  seniors  was  proposed  and  approved 
by  the  Student  Council. 


Dr.  Trygve  Gundersen,  having  been 
released  from  the  army,  has  resumed 
his  work  as  the  school  ophthalmologist. 
He  is  continuing  to  give  part  time  to 
the  Veterans'  Administration  as  con- 
sultant in  ophthalmology. 


Mrs.  Marjorie  B.  Morey,  formerly  a 
teacher  in  the  Primary  Department 
and  more  recently  a  WAC  serving  in 
the  program  for  the  blind  at  Valley 
Forge  General  Hospital,  rejoined  the 
teaching  staff  in  February,  taking  over 
a  part  of  the  fifth  grade. 


Miss  Pauline  M.  Moor,  formerly  in 
charge  of  the  Center  for  Child  Care 
in  Waterbury,  Connecticut,  has  been 
engaged  as  Field  Worker  among  pre- 
school blind  children,  working  especially 
among  those  who  attended  the  summer 
school  held  at  Perkins  last  June. 


Giuliano  Cabbia,  the  eight  and  a  half 
year  old  Italian  blind  boy  sent  to  this 
country  by  the  88th  Division  for  an  eye 
operation  at  Johns  Hopkins  Hospital, 
has  been  a  visitor  at  Perkins.  The 
operations  have  not  improved  his 
vision,  and  plans  are  now  being  made 
for  his  future  education.  He  is  an 
accomplished  accordion  player  and  is 
fast  acquiring  the  English  language. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Clifford  F.  Hall,  Perkins  '36,  is  pro- 
prietor of  Harvey's  Music  Parlor  in  St. 
Johnsbury,  Vermont  according  to  an 
attractive  calendar  for  1946. 


Ruth  Cox,  Perkins  '39,  is  writing 
children's  stories  and  has  had  several 
published  in  the  Christian  Science 
Monitor. 


Frederick  Hayashi,  Perkins  '43,  writes, 
"Piano  tuning  is  mighty  good  in  Hawaii. 
The  training  at  Perkins  is  coming  in 
handier  all  the  time." 


Lloyd  H.  McLaughlin,  Perkins  '22, 
Boston  University  '27,  is  now  working 
in  the  office  of  the  Cambridge  Work- 
shop of  the  Massachusetts  Division  of 
the  Blind. 


Ralph  Savio,  who  completed  his  work 
at  Perkins  two  years  ago  is  now  at 
Harvard,  where  he  is  studying  Oriental 
Philosophy.  He  was  recently  married 
and  is  living  in  Cambridge. 


Norman  S.  Case,  Jr.,  Perkins  '36, 
Brown  '40,  Yale  School  of  Law  '43,  is 
now  living  in  Washington  where  he  is 
associated  in  a  legal  capacity  with  the 
Federal  Communications  Commission. 
He  has  recently  announced  his  mar- 
riage. 


William  E.  Powers,  Perkins  '32,  Bos- 
ton University  Law  School  '35,  deputy 
Democratic  floor  leader  of  the  Rhode 
Island  Legislature  and  chairman  of  the 
insurance  committee,  was  recently 
referred  to  as  "one  of  the  finest  speak- 
ers and  most  able  members." 


Former  students  as  far  back  as  South 
Boston  days  will  learn  with  regret  of 
the  passing  away  on  January  31  of 
John  J.  Carroll  who,  prior  to  his  re- 
tirement in  1938,  was  for  over  fifty 
years  Chief  Engineer. 


—  2  — 


CANDIDATES  FOR  CITIZENSHIP 
World  War  Contributes  Over  A  Thousand 

TO  KNOW  MANY  of  the  young  men  who  have  lost  their  sight  in 
the  service  of  their  country  is  a  rare  privilege.  Most  of  them 
have  a  fine  spirit  and  a  good  determination.  I  like  to  think  of 
one  young  man  whom  I  met  at  Valley  Forge  on  a  day  when  he  had 
just  learned  from  the  surgeon  that  an  operation  to  attach  the  retina 
had  not  been  successful  and  that  he  would  probably  have  no  sight.  He 
was  in  a  low  mood  that  day,  and  I  had  an  opportunity  to  tell  him  a 
little  about  many  of  our  people  and  I  think  I  was  able  to  give  him 
some  cheer  and  hope.  Returning  to  the  hospital  several  weeks  later,  I 
inquired  about  this  young  man  and  found  that  he  was  confined  to  his 
room.  When  I  went  to  his  room,  there  were  signs,  "Do  Not  Touch 
The  Bed,"  and  I  learned  that  he  had  had  another  operation  the  effects 
of  which  might  be  offset  by  the  slightest  jar.  In  talking  with  him,  he 
told  me  he  had  to  remain  perfectly  still  for  twelve  weeks,  but  he  said 
hopefully,  "Half  of  the  time  is  gone.  I  hope  that  this  time  the  opera- 
tion is  going  to  be  a  success." 

Of  course  there  are,  in  this  large  group,  others  without  the  same 
ambition  and  expectation.  They  range  from  one  young  man  who, 
when  I  asked  what  he  did  before  entering  the  Army,  replied, 
"Nothing,"  and  when  I  asked  what  he  was  going  to  do  when  he  got 
out  of  the  Army,  said,  "The  same  thing."  He  revealed  a  great  deal 
of  determination  in  expressing  that  goal  for  life,  and  I  think  it  is 
probably  true  that  that  is  about  all  he  has  accomplished  or  ever  will. 
At  the  other  extreme,  I  recall  a  young  man  who  had  not  only  lost  his 
sight  but  also  part  of  one  arm  to  the  remainder  of  which  was  attached 
a  device  which  he  used  most  effectively.  He  had  already  made  his 
plans  to  continue  graduate  study  at  one  of  our  great  universities,  and 
I  feel  sure  he  will  attain  success  in  his  studies. 

The  young  man  with  part  of  his  arm  gone  represents  a  consider- 
able group  among  our  new  citizens,  those  who  have  lost  their  limbs 
as  well  as  sight.  There  are  some  who  have  lost  either  both  arms  and 
one  leg  or  both  legs  and  part  of  one  arm.  In  so  far  as  I  can  ascertain, 
there  are  no  "basket  cases"  among  the  blind  —  that  is,  those  who  have 
lost  both  arms  and  both  legs.  It  is  remarkable  how  effective  the 
prosthetic  devices  are  which  can  be  applied  to  either  arms  or  limbs 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 
—  3  — 


WORLD  STUDIES 

REALIZING  THE  NEED  of  knowing  more  about  the  nations 
with  whom  our  country  is  allied  and  with  whom  there  must  be 
continued  associations,  a  committee  of  faculty  and  students 
prepared  a  plan  covering-  the  year  whereby  these  nations  could  be 
studied  and  through  study,  better  understood.  Through  the  fall  and 
early  winter,  interesting  programs  covering  China,  India,  and  Russia 
have  been  presented,  and  plans  have  been  made  to  study  the  Latin 
American  countries  during  the  spring  term.  Mrs.  Ellen  Lin,  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Harvard  Class  from  China,  talked  to  the  school  about  her 
country  and  set  up  a  very  interesting  exhibit  of  Chinese  material. 
Gayatri  Devi,  a  native  of  India,  presented  the  story  of  her  country 
to  the  assembled  school  and  exhibits  of  Indian  material  were  ar- 
ranged. To  present  the  story  of  Russia,  Roman  Mochernuk,  a  grad- 
uate student  at  Perkins  whose  parents  are  Russian,  gave  an  interest- 
ing talk  and  was  supported  in  his  presentation  by  a  Russian  dance  by 
girls  in  costume,  arranged  by  Miss  Beatrice  Pinkham,  and  a  round- 
table  discussion  by  the  students  concerning  the  problems  which  must 
be  understood  in  the  relationship  between  this  country  and  Russia. 
Throughout  the  year,  in  addition  to  the  exhibits,  there  has  been  a 
great  deal  of  classroom  study  and  assigned  reading.  All  of  these 
programs  have  contributed  to  a  better  understanding  of  the  various 
countries  and  have  been  a  valuable  project  of  common  work  for  the 
whole  school. 

TEACHERS  ATTEND  SCHOOL 

ANOTHER  EDUCATIONAL  adventure  being  carried  on  this 
year  is  a  planned  series  of  adult  education  courses  for  the  benefit 
of  the  staff.  A  staff  committee  outlined  a  number  of  possible 
courses  which  could  be  given  here  at  Perkins,  and  from  this  group, 
selections  were  made.  Where  the  enrollment  was  large  enough, 
courses  were  organized  and  are  being  carried  on  through  the  winter 
term.  Three  classes  are  now  being  conducted  one  night  a  week.  A 
course  in  music  appreciation  is  being  led  by  Mr.  Edward  W.  Jenkins, 
graduate  of  Perkins,  the  New  England  Conservatory  of  Music,  and 
the  Fontainbleau  Conservatory  in  France.  Through  selections  played 
by  Mrs.  Jenkins  and  records,  Mr.  Jenkins  discusses  the  fundamentals 
of  the  music  involved  and  points  out  the  principles  for  appreciation. 
A  course  in  artistic  expression,  featuring  painting,  sculpturing,  and 
other  forms  of  art  is  being  conducted  by  Miss  Frances  L.  McGaw, 

—  4  — 


graduate  of  the  Massachusetts  School  of  Art  and  art  classes  at  the 
Chicago  Art  Institute.  A  course  in  metal  work  is  being  carried  on 
by  Mr.  John  B.  Butler,  an  outstanding  teacher  of  practical  arts  and 
the  author  of  books  on  metal  crafts  and  inventor  of  devices  used  in 
this  craft  throughout  the  country.  More  than  fifty  members  of  the 
staff  are  participating  in  this  program  which  will  conclude  with  an 
exhibition  of  work  and  entertainment  in  the  Lower  School  Hall  on 
Monday  evening,  April  9. 

THE  COMING  CONVENTION 

PERKINS  AWAITS  with  anticipation  the  convention  of  the 
American  Association  of  Instructors  of  the  Blind  to  be  held  here 
June  24-28.  This  was  originally  planned  for  1942  but  was  given 
up  because  of  the  war,  and  plans  are  now  being  made  to  make  this  a 
post-war  gathering  of  importance  and  value.  Many  delegates  from 
schools  throughout  the  country  are  expected  to  attend,  and  Perkins 
wishes  to  assure  them  of  traditional  New  England  hospitality.  Since 
many  may  want  to  stay  beyond  the  four  days  of  the  convention,  ar- 
rangements are  being  made  so  that  some  of  the  cottages  will  be  open 
for  a  period  after  the  convention  to  give  visitors  an  opportunity  to 
remain  here  while  sight-seeing  in  New  England. 

Instead  of  having  the  convention  members  divided  up  into  small 
cottage  groups,  arrangements  have  been  made  to  serve  all  of  the 
meals  in  the  adjoining  Lower  School  Hall  and  Gymnasium.  In  this 
way,  there  will  be  the  value  of  group  assembly  and  the  usual  festivities 
which  go  on  at  convention  meal  time.  A  feature  of  interest  will  be 
the  fact  that  half  of  the  floor  of  Symphony  Hall  has  been  secured  for 
the  Pops  Concert  on  Thursday  night,  June  27.  Attending  the  Pops 
with  a  program  by  members  of  the  Boston  Symphony  Orchestra  is 
considered  one  of  the  experiences  which  visitors  to  New  England 
should  not  miss. 

CHILDREN  OF  THE  SILENT  NIGHT 

THE  ANNUAL  APPEAL  for  the  work  with  deaf -blind  children 
was  sent  out  late  in  November,  and  the  response  this  year  has 
been  greater  than  ever  before.    At  the  present  time,  over  twelve 
hundred   contributions,   totalling   about   fourteen   thousand   dollars, 
have  been  received.    As  so  large  a  number  came  in  immediately  after 

—  5  — 


the  appeal  went  out  and  due,  also,  to  the  shortage  of  help,  the  usual 
personal  acknowledgments  which  are  sent  to  contributors  were  con- 
siderably delayed,  and  it  is  hoped  that  those  who  did  not  receive  them 
until  late  will  understand  and  accept  this  situation  which  was  re- 
gretted. 

FAMILY  TRUSTEESHIPS 

RICHARD  SALTONSTALL  was  elected  a  trustee  at  the  December 
meeting  of  the  Board.  This  revives  a  family  membership 
which  goes  back  to  1884.  Leverett  Saltonstall,  the  grand- 
father of  the  new  Trustee,  served  on  the  Board  from  1884  to  1895. 
He  was  succeeded  by  his  son,  Richard  M.  Saltonstall,  who  served  until 
1922  when  he  was  succeeded  by  his  son,  the  present  U.  S.  Senator 
Leverett  Saltonstall,  brother  of  the  new  Trustee,  who  served  from 
1922  until  his  election  as  Governor  in  1938.  The  new  Trustee's  great- 
grandfather on  the  maternal  side,  Peter  C.  Brooks,  was  President  of 
the  Board  from  1840  to  1846. 

Robert  H.  Hallowell,  the  present  President,  succeeded  his  father, 
Colonel  N.  P.  Hallowell,  who  began  his  service  as  member  of  the 
Board  of  Trustees  in  1898.  G.  Peabody  Gardner,  Vice-President,  also 
succeeded  his  father,  who  began  his  services  in  1895.  Ralph  Lowell 
was  elected  in  1927  to  succeed  his  uncle,  James  Arnold  Lowell,  who 
was  elected  to  the  Board  in  1908.  Miss  R.  D.  Thorndike,  who  was  a 
Trustee  until  she  resigned  to  go  abroad  in  the  service  of  the  Red  Cross 
and  who  is  now  attached  to  the  American  Embassy  in  Paris,  succeeded 
her  father,  Albert  Thorndike,  former  Treasurer,  who  in  1911  suc- 
ceeded his  father,  S.  Lothrop  Thorndike,  who  became  a  member  of 
the  Board  in  1887. 

SPEAKING  OF  NAMES 

THE  SEEING  EYE  is  an  organization  for  which  all  are  usually 
glad  to  say  a  good  word,  but  our  friendship  was  put  to  a  severe 
strain  when  a  radio  program  asked,  "What  was  the  name  of  the 
first  seeing-eye  dog?",  promising  an  award  for  the  correct  answer. 
Immediately  Perkins  was  deluged  with  several  hundred  telephone 
calls.  In  one  hour  there  were  fifty-five.  Some  had  been  asked  the 
question,  but  most  were  trying  to  secure  the  information  in  advance. 
Many  promised  that,  if  Perkins  would  tell  them  the  answer,  they 
would  split  the  reward,  but,  as  yet,  Perkins  has  not  had  a  cut  on  the 
winnings. 

—  6  — 


FROM  OUR  MAIL 

"I  cannot  resist  telling  you  how 
much  I  admired  what  you  wrote  on 
the  cover  of  the  December  LANTERN. 
Your  statement  entitled  'What's  in  a 
Name'  is  vitally  needed  at  the  present 
time  when  everyone  seems  to  be  trying 
to  avoid  using  the  word  'blind.' " 

D.  H.  L.,  Woodstock,  Conn. 


PUBLICATIONS 


"I  enjoy  getting  the  LANTERN  from 
time  to  time,  and  reading  recently 
what  you  had  to  say  about  retaining 
the  word  'blind.'  I  think  you  are  right. 
Things  have  to  be  redeemed,  rather 
than  put  away." 

W.  A.  L.,  Springfield,  Massachusetts 


"I  wanted  to  write  and  tell  you  how 
much  I  admired  (and  envied)  your 
editorial  in  the  LANTERN.  It  is  just 
about  the  most  meat  I  have  ever  seen 
packed  in  few  words." 

— R.  W.  M.,  Sewickley,  Penna. 


"I  read  your  December  LANTERN 
editorial  to  an  able  young  blind  man 
who  has  just  joined  our  staff.  He  ap- 
plauded it  vigorously  and  I  entirely 
agree  with  what  you  say." 

W.  M.  E.,  London,  England 


"I  have  your  December  15,  1945, 
LANTERN  in  which  you  discuss  on  the 
front  page  the  re-naming  of  schools 
for  the  blind.  *  *  *  Our  decision  to 
change  our  name  did  not  grow  out  of 
any  feeling  on  our  part  that  the  word 
'blind'  was  distasteful.  We  had  simply 
run  into  a  stone  wall  often  times  in 
our  field  work  in  trying  to  interest 
parents  to  send  their  sight  saving 
children  to  our  school.  *  *  *  Our  School 
is  willing  to  go  with  you  and  other 
schools  in  strengthening  our  programs 
of  educating  and  assistance  in  such  a 
manner  that  the  word  'blind'  will  have 
a   better  connotation   than    ever." 

J.  C  L.,  Fairbault,  Minnesota 


"Wings  For  Ruth,"  by  Rosan  Clarke, 
published  by  W.  A.  Wilde,  Boston,  is  a 
story  for  children  relating  the  experi- 
ences that  a  child  attending  Perkins 
has.  The  author,  writing  under  a  pen 
name,  is  a  teacher  in  the  Lower  School. 


Tools  For  The  Blind   And   How  To 

Use  Them  is  the  title  of  an  illustrated 
booklet  published  by  Professor  Hugh 
Findlay,  inventor  of  special  gardening 
tools  for  the  blind  which  have  been 
described  previously  in  this  publication 
and  which  are  being  more  and  more 
widely  used  by  blind  persons. 


Vocational  Aptitude  Tests  For  The 
Blind,  by  Samuel  P.  Hayes,  Ph.  D., 
published  as  number  13  in  the  series 
of  Perkins  Publications,  tells  of  the 
work  which  has  been  done  in  the  past 
in  trying  out  and  adapting  vocational 
tests  for  the  blind  and  presents  a  most 
comprehensive  survey  of  that  field. 


"That  Word  'Blind'"  is  the  title  of 
an  article  by  Capt.  Robert  Steptoe  in 
the  SATURDAY  EVENING  POST  for 
December  22,  1945.  Captain  Steptoe,  a 
Bostonian  who  lost  his  sight  through 
the  explosion  of  a  land  mine  in  France, 
presents  one  of  the  most  interesting 
documents  of  the  experience  of  the  war 
blinded. 


The  Blind  In  Cleveland,  1906-1943,  a 

chronicle  by  Eva  Brewer  Palmer,  for 
thirty  years  the  head  of  Grasselli  House 
wherein  centers  the  activities  of 
the  Cleveland  Society  of  the  Blind, 
tells  an  interesting  story  of  the  devel- 
opment of  that  organization  and  its 
many  forms  of  helpfulness  to  the  blind 
in  Cleveland.  It  is  interesting  to  note 
how  much  of  this  work  was  inspired 
by  the  life  and  writings  of  Samuel 
Gridley  Howe,  the  first  Director  of 
Perkins. 


—  7  — 


CANDIDATES  FOR  CITIZENSHIP 

(Continued  from  Page  3) 

and  how  efficiently  the  men  who  are  disabled  in  that  way  get  about 
and  use  these  devices. 

Loss  of  limbs  as  well  as  sight  is  due,  largely,  to  the  explosion  of 
land  mines  and  booby  traps  which  was  one  of  the  largest  causes  of 
blindness  in  the  war,  especially  in  the  early  stages  of  the  European 
and  Asiatic  landings.  This  form  of  injury  also  caused  a  great  deal 
of  facial  disfigurement.  The  Army  surgeons  have  done  marvelous 
work  through  plastic  surgery  in  removing  the  effects  of  these  injuries 
and  making  the  men,  as  some  of  them  have  said,  better  looking  than 
they  were  before.  Another  piece  of  very  effective  work  has  been  the 
new  eyes  which  have  been  made  of  plastic  and  which  can  be  made  to 
look  exactly  like  the  original  eyes,  or,  if  some  prefer,  even  more  attrac- 
tive. 

Most  of  our  new  citizens  have  been  through  a  program  of  training 
provided  by  the  Army  and  the  Navy.  There  is  nothing  to  be  gained 
at  this  time  in  commenting  on  these  programs.  Each,  in  its  way, 
developed  certain  techniques  of  value,  and  from  them  perhaps  we  can 
learn  a  good  deal  as  their  studies  are  completed.  The  Navy  group 
was  sufficiently  small  to  be  handled  largely  on  an  individual  basis  as 
there  are  only  a  few  more  than  150  sailors  and  marines  who  lost  their 
sight.  The  blinded  men  of  the  Army,  comprising  a  group  of  slightly 
under  a  thousand,  necessitated  perhaps  more  group  activity,  and  this 
form  of  training  was  accentuated,  particularly  at  Old  Farms.  At 
Valley  Forge  a  highly  developed  technique  for  the  use  of  canes  was 
perfected,  while  at  Old  Farms  stress  was  placed  upon  sense  of  obstacles 
called  by  them  and  publicized  unwisely  as  "facial  vision." 

Of  the  approximately  twelve  hundred  men  who  lost  their  sight 
in  the  war,  over  half  are  now  out  of  the  Army  and  Navy  and  have 
become  citizens  of  the  civilian  community  of  the  blind.  These  new 
men  must  find  their  places  in  that  community  or,  better  still,  be  able 
to  make  places  in  the  seeing  world  in  which  all  must  live  and  into 
which  all  strive  to  integrate  themselves  to  the  measure  of  their 
ability.  The  older  citizens  of  our  community  know  that  there  is  need 
for  guidance,  help  and  encouragement  if  those  who  are  without  sight 
are  to  succeed  in  finding  their  rightful  places  in  the  complex  life  of 
today.  We  must  assure  these  new  citizens  that  we  want  to  give  them 
encouragement  and  assistance  and,  above  all,  a  very  hearty  welcome 
to  our  world.  —  G.  F. 

—  8  — 


The  ILaritern 


THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  XV..  NO.  4  JUNE  15.  1946 

The  A.  A.  I.  B.  Convention 

PERKINS  WELCOMES,  during  the  last  week  of  June,  the  bi- 
ennial convention  of  the  A.  A.  I.  B.     To  those  active  in  work  for 

the  blind  and  to  a  general  public  which  has  become  accustomed 
to  alphabetical  nomenclature,  these  four  letters  stand  for  a  strong 
grouping  of  men  and  women  who  are  giving  their  lives  to  the  ed- 
ucation of  blind  youth.  To  the  world  at  large,  however,  we  may 
need  to  say  that  our  guests  are  the  members  of  the  American  As- 
sociation of  Instructors  of  the  Blind,  founded  in  1853. 

While  there  are  innumerable  organizations  of  blind  people  and 
of  those  interested  in  the  visually  handicapped,  there  are  two  out- 
standing and  widely  representative  groups,  both  well  known  by  the 
initials  of  long  names.  The  other  organization,  comparable  to  the 
A.  A.  I.  B.,  is  the  A.  A.  W.  B.  This,  to  be  interpreted,  stands  for 
American  Association  of  Workers  for  the  Blind,  which  as  an  organiza- 
tion, differs  from  the  Instructors  in  that  the  former  is  made  up,  pri- 
marily, of  those  who  work  with  the  adult  blind. 

Perkins  has  not  been  the  host  to  the  A.  A.  I.  B.  since  1924  when 
a  very  memorable  convention  was  held  here.  At  that  time,  the  plan 
was  to  have  the  visitors  see  a  school  in  action.  Many  of  the  pupils 
stayed,  and  the  routine  of  the  school  carried  on  in  order  that  the 
visitors  might  see  how  Perkins  operated.  At  this  convention  only 
about  fifty  pupils  who  are  members  of  the  chorus  will  remain  but 
nearly  the  entire  staff  will  be  at  hand  to  assist  in  the  program. 
Perkins  hopes  that  our  visitors  will  be  helped  by  the  convention  pro- 
gram, but  we  want  to  assure  them,  above  all  else,  of  a  very  hearty 
welcome  to  this  century  old  school. 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown  72,  Massachusetts 
Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President  Gabriel  Farrell,  Director 


^ctS^u^f  7?k>Vu^ 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


The  Girls'  Glee  Club  and  Boys'  Octet 
gave  a  joint  concert  at  Tabor  Academy 
on  the  evening  of  May  24  which  fol- 
lowed a  very  pleasant  afternoon  of 
sailing. 


Watertown  High  School  Track  Team 
defeated  the  Perkins  Track  Team  in  a 
spirited  meet  held  at  Perkins  on  May 
13.    The  final  score  was  46 Vz   to  25%. 


A  "Pops"  Concert  was  held  in  Dwight 
Hall  on  the  evenings  of  June  6  and  7 
with  an  excellent  program  by  members 
of  the  Music  Department. 


Rose  DiDominicis,  teacher  in  the 
Deaf-Blind  Department,  and  Robert 
Vivian,  former  Perkins  student,  were 
united  in  marriage  on  May  11  and  are 
making  their  home  in  Somerville. 


The  Girls  of  Glover  Cottage  recently 
enjoyed  an  afternoon  at  the  circus. 
The  other  three  Lower  School  Cottages 
spent  a  very  pleasant  day  at  the  beach. 


Dr.  Balboni  has  taken  the  place  of 
Dr.  Kinsey  as  school  physician  for  the 
remainder  of  the  year. 


May  and  Oliver  Cottages  held  their 
annual  picnics  at  Norumbega  Park  on 
May  25  and  June  1,  respectively,  the 
Girls  of  Brooks  Cottage  enjoyed  theirs 
at  the  Perkins  Pond. 


Several  staff  members  were  awarded 
certificates  by  the  Red  Cross  for  volun- 
teer work  done  during  the  war. 


The  track  teams  of  Overbrook  and 
New  York  came  to  Perkins  on  June  1 
and  8  and  returned  with  victories. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Rose  Maria  Sala,  Harvard  Class  '41, 
has  an  interesting  article  on  the  Har- 
vard Course  in  the  current  issue  of 
Luoes,  published  by  the  Society  for 
the  Blind,  Inc.,  in  Cuba. 


OHverio  Sanchez,  Harvard  Class  '27, 
Director  of  the  Society  for  the  Blind  in 
Havana,  Cuba,  writes  that  the  gov- 
ernment has  given  a  substantial  sum  of 
money  for  the  construction  of  a  homo. 


Warren  Bledsoe,  Harvard  Class  '39, 
is  making  a  survey  of  the  blinded  vet- 
erans of  the  First  World  War  in  the 
hospitals  of  the  Veteran's  Administra- 
tion. 


Guy  J.  Marchisio,  Perkins  graduate 
and  former  teacher,  now  principal  of 
the  Department  of  the  Blind  at  the 
Utah  Schools  for  the  Deaf  and  Blind, 
has  introduced  a  sight-saving  edition  of 
the  school  paper,  The  Utah  Eagle. 


Francis  M.  Andrews,  former  principal 
of  Perkins  and  now  Superintendent  of 
the  Maryland  School  for  the  Blind,  is 
Chairman  of  the  Executive  Committee 
of  the  American  Association  of  In- 
structors of  the  Blind  and  is  arranging 
the  program  for  the  convention. 


Mrs.  William  Brattle  Oliver  has  been 
appointed  executive  secretary  of  the 
recently  organized  Protestant  Guild 
for  the  Blind.  She  was  formerly  orga- 
nizer and  first  president  of  the  Boston 
Council  of  Church  Women. 


John  DiFranceSco,  Perkins  '39,  now 
studying  in  New  York  came  to  Boston 
to  sing  solos  for  the  concert  of  the 
Catholic  Guild  Choristers  in  Jordan 
Hall  on  May  1  and  that  of  the  Perkins 
Chorus  at  the  school  on  May  3. 


Mrs.  Mercedes  Carmona  DeVerdiales, 

Harvard  Class  '29,  head  of  the  schooi 
for  the  blind  in  Puerto  Rico,  has  coma 
to  this  country  to  attend  the  A.  A.  I.  B. 
Convention  and  spent  several  days  at 
Perkins  in  May. 


—  2  — 


The  American  Association  of  Instructors  for  the  Blind  — 
Its  Origination  and  Its  Aims 

Joseph  G.  Cauffman 

IT  IS  PECULIARLY  fitting  that  as  members  and  friends  of  the 
American  Association  of  Instructors  of  the  Blind  preparing  to 
visit  Perkins  for  the  Thirty-eighth  Biennial  Convention,  we  review 
briefly  the  history  of  that  organization,  its  aims,  and  purposes.     To 
quote  from  "The  Mentor",  July  1892,  an  article  covering  the  early 
history  of  the  Association: 

"On  August  16,  1853,  delegates  from  fourteen  differ- 
ent Institutions,  representing  as  many  states,  met  in  accord- 
ance with  previous  arrangement  at  the  New  York  Insti- 
tution, and  effected  the  organization  of  the  body  which 
has  since  been  so  potent  a  factor  in  advancing  the  inter- 
ests of  the  blind.  This  was  a  notable  event.  It  was  the 
first  meeting  of  the  kind  ever  held  on  the  American  con- 
tinent. It  was  presided  over  by  Dr.  Samuel  G.  Howe. 
The  immediate  object  of  this  meeting  was  to  discuss 
the  propriety  of  petitioning  Congress  to  grant  a  subsidy 
for  a  permanent  printing  fund  for  the  use  of  the  blind, 
and  although  other  questions  were  considered,  they  seem 
of  small  importance  in  comparison  with  this.  The  agita- 
tion on  this  subject  begun  then  did  not  cease  until  March 
1879,  when  an  act  was  passed  by  the  Congress  of  the  United 
States  setting  apart,  as  a  perpetual  fund,  $250,000,  the 
interest  of  which  is  annually  used  in  providing  books  and 
apparatus  suitable  for  instructing  the  blind  .  .  . 

"The  second  convention  was  not  held  until 
August  1871.  It  met  at  the  Indiana  Institution 
in  Indianapolis,  pursuant  to  circular  issued  by 
W.  H.  Churchman,  superintendent,  in  which  the 
immediate  object  of  the  meeting  was  declared  to 
be  the  adoption  of  a  uniform  system  of  print- 
ing for  the  blind  .  .  . 

"The  next  convention  assembled  on  August 
20,  1872,  at  the  Perkins  Institution  for  the  Blind. 
At   this   meeting   the   question  of   systems   of 
(Continued  on  Page  8) 
—  3  — 


Delegates    will    enter 
here  to  register 


CONVENTION  HIGH-LIGHTS 

THE  PROGRAM  for  the  biennial  convention  of  the  A.  A.  I.  B. 
opens  on  Monday  night,  June  24,  with  a  special  meeting  in 
Dwight  Hall.  At  this  time,  addresses  of  welcome  will  be  given 
and  the  address  of  the  president,  W.  G.  Scarberry  of  the  Ohio  School, 
will  hgihlight  the  program.  Following  this  program,  there  will  be 
a  reception.  On  the  following  morning,  at  the  opening  session,  new 
superintendents  will  be  introduced  by  the  president  and  a  notable 
talk  will  be  given  by  Dr.  Edward  E.  Allen,  Director  Emeritus  of 
Perkins.  On  Tuesday  evening,  June  25,  there  will  be  an  open 
meeting  to  which  persons  interested  in  the  education  of  the  blind 
will  be  welcome.  In  addition  to  a  musical  program,  there  will  be 
two  main  addresses.  The  first  will  be  given  by  Dr.  Donald  D.  Dur- 
rell,  Dean  of  the  School  of  Education  of  Boston  University,  who  will 
set  forth  the  objectives  of  general  education.  The  second  will  be 
given  by  Col.  E.  A.  Baker,  head  of  the  Canadian  National  Institute 
for  the  Blind,  who  will  speak  on  the  special  objectives  within  the 
field  of  the  blind.  Colonel  Baker,  head  of  the  Canadian  National  In- 
stitute for  the  Blind,  lost  his  sight  in  World  War  I,  and  has  had 
charge  of  the  retraining  of  the  blinded  Canadian  soldiers  of  World 
War  II.  On  Thursday  evening,  June  27,  a  large  section  of  the  floor 
of  Symphony  Hall  has  been  engaged  for  a  "Pops"  Concert. 


THE  MAGNIFYING  DEVICE 

PROGRESS  IS  BEING  made  on  the  development  of  a  magnify- 
ing device  for  the  partially  seeing  according  to  a  report  made  to 
the  Committee  on  Sensory  Devices,  O.S.R.D.  at  a  meeting  held  in 
New  York  on  Monday,  April  29.     This  project  which  was  assigned  to 

the  Dartmouth  Eye  In- 
stitute about  a  year 
ago,  has  now  reached 
the  stage  where  actual 
work  on  the  device  is 
under  way.  A  very  com- 
prehensive study  of  de- 
vices was  made  by  V.  J. 
Ellerbrock,  and  this  was 
presented  to  the  com- 
mittee and  accepted  by 
—  4  — 

Delegates  will  live  In 
Upper  School  Cottages 


Delegates  will 
eat  in  Lower  School 

it.  The  development  of 
a  device  is  now  under 
the  direction  of  Dr. 
Kenneth  N.  Ogle  of 
Dartmouth  in  coopera- 
tion with  Dr.  Brian 
O'Brien  of  the  Univer- 
sity of  Rochester.  A 
device  of  unusual  clar- 
ity, developed  by  Dr. 
O'Brien,  was  tried  out 
at  Perkins  in  April  on 
some  of  the  pupils  with  considerable  vision  and,  also,  on  the  pupils 
in  the  Watertown  Sight-Saving  Class.  While  the  final  solution  of  this 
problem  is  not  yet  in  sight,  definite  steps  are  now  under  way  which 
should  lead  to  a  device  which  ought  to  be  practical  and  helpful. 

THE  WORLD  REPAINTED 

THE  LARGE  GLOBE  which  stands  in  the  lobby  of  the  Admin- 
istration Building  has  been  repainted  and  now  presents  a  very 
colorful  appearance.  For  a  time  all  the  continents  stood  forth 
in  a  white  first  coat  and  it  was  suggested  that  it  ought  to  remain  in 
that  way  so  that  each  part  of  the  world  could  be  colored  as  peace  con- 
ferences and  U  N  determined  boundaries.  It  was  finally  decided  to 
restore  the  world  to  the  condition  it  was  in  at  the  time  the  globe  was 
made  in  1837  and  with  the  help  of  authorities  at  Harvard  these 
boundaries  were  laid  out.  Dr.  Howe,  in  an  early  report,  described 
the  globe,  which  is  six  feet  in  diameter  and  made  of  700  pieces 
of  wood  glued  together  as  "beautiful,  durable  and  the  most  perfect 
article  of  its  kind  in  the  world."  As  now  decorated,  it  is  at  least 
colorful. 

NATIONAL  SCHOLARSHIPS 

FOUR  YOUNG  PEOPLE  have  again  been  awarded  scholarships 
which  will  provide  them  with  a  year  of  graduate  study  at  Per- 
kins Institution  during  the  coming  year.  Many  applications 
were  received  this  year  from  young  people  graduating  from  their 
respective  schools  in  June.  From  the  list,  the  following  were  select- 
ed and  will  be  expected  here  next  year :  Kathryn  Hearn,  Alabama ; 
Tina  Lou  Daniels,  Utah ;  William  Coppage,  Virginia ;  and  Joe  Salazar, 
New  Mexico. 

—  5  — 


GRADUATION,  JUNE  19,  1946 

GRADUATION  this  year  is  to  be  held  on  Wednesday,  June  19. 
This  is  a  little  later  than  usual  but  the  date  was  pushed  ahead 
to  shorten  the  gap  between  the  closing  of  school  and  the  be- 
ginning of  the  convention,  as  many  of  the  teachers  are  remaining 
for  the  convention.  At  the  graduating  exercises,  which  will  be  held 
at  two  o'clock  in  Dwight  Hall,  diplomas  will  be  awarded  to  four 
boys  and  three  girls  by  Mr.  Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President  of 
the  Corporation.  The  invocation  will  be  offered  by  the  Rev.  Edson 
G.  Waterhouse  of  the  Methodist  Church,  Watertown,  and  the  Com- 
mencement address  will  be  made  by  the  Rev.  Carl  Heath  Kopf  of 
the  Mt.  Vernon  Church,  Boston.  The  chorus  will  sing  "Rising  Tide" 
and  "The  Silent  Sea"  and  there  will  be  a  solo  by  Thomas  Cotter. 


THE  DANCES  usually  held  by  the  boys  and  girls  on  the  night 
before  and  the  night  of  graduation  were  held  this  year  on 
May  17  and  May  18.  It  was  felt  that  there  were  too  many 
events  around  graduation  day  and  that  more  enjoyment  could  be 
felt  if  the  dances  were  held  earlier,  and  this  proved  to  be  true  as 
both  dances  were  very  successful  occasions.  In  the  place  of  these 
two  dances,  a  reception  will  be  held  following  the  graduation  ex- 
ercises on  June  19.  At  that  time  the  many  people  attending  the 
exercises,  including  friends  and  parents,  will  have  an  opportunity 
to  meet  the  graduates  and  officers  of  the  school. 


CERTIFICATES  of  efficiency  have  been  awarded  by  the  Edi- 
phone  company  after  tests  to  the  following  members  of  the 
Commercial  Department:  Fay  George,  Ethel  Murray,  Clarice 
Rothe,  Hideko  Shimokawa,  and  Jane  Waska.  Winfield  Lewis  will 
receive  his  certificate  as  a  pianoforte  tuner  at  the  graduation  exer- 
cises. 


FAYE  GEORGE  of  the  graduating  class  will  enter  Middlebury 
College  in  September.  She  has  been  awarded  the  first  scholarship 
from  the  Alumnae  Fund. 


THE  SENIOR  CLASS  has  chosen  red  and  white  as  their  class 
colors,  and  the  red  rose  as  their  class  flower. 


THE  CLASS  MOTTO  IS :     Out  of  the  harbor  into  the  sea. 

—  6  — 


FROM  OUR  MAIL 


Coronet,  May  issue,  has  an  article 
entitled  "A  School  for  the  Children  of 
Darkness,"  by  Carol  Hughes.  While 
appreciating  the  lightsome  manner  in 
which  the  writer  tells  'the  story  of 
Perkins,  we  must  disclaim  her  state- 
ment, "Perkin's  roster  of  graduates  in- 
cludes almost  every  blind  person  of 
renown  in  America."  Reactions  to  the 
article  have  been  many  and  varied. 


"The  May  issue  of  CORONET  gave 
an  interesting  account  of  your  estab- 
lishment. However,  it  did  not  mention 
the  iron  fence  imprisoning  your  'in- 
mates'. If  it  was  low  ...  it  would 
serve  the  same  purpose  without  tha 
pupils  appearing  to  themselves  and 
others  as  prisoners  behind  bars." — Ohio 


'The  article  in  the  May  issue  of 
CORONET  gave  me  a  great  deal  of 
hope  and  inspiration.  I  am  the  mother 
of  a  boy,  blind  from  birth,  who  will  be 
five  years  old  this  May  1  .  .  .  thus  I 
turn  hopefully  to  you.  Is  there  any 
method  by  which  I  may  have  my  son 
enrolled  in  your  school?" — Michigan 


"To  illustrate  cleared  reprint  of 
CORONET  May,  1946,  article,  "A 
school  for  the  Children  of  Darkness," 
in  Far  Eastern  periodicals  serviced  by 
United  States  State  Department,  we 
should  appreciate  selections,  pictures  of 
your  school  and  children  in  action." 
— New  York 


"I  am  preparing  a  paper  on  the  sub- 
ject of  the  amazing  work  being  done 
for  blind  children  in  your  institution. 
This  month's  CORONET  magazine 
just  barely  touches  the  secret  or  the 
facts." — California 


"I  read  of  your  school  for  blind 
children  in  this  month's  CORONET. 
Will  you  please  accept  this  contribu- 
tion for  your  very  worthy  cause." 

— New  York 


"Our  New  Citizens"  is  the  title  of  an 
article  about  the  war  blinded  written 
by  the  Director  for  the  Home  Teachers' 
Magazine  which  is  published  in  braille. 


PUBLICATIONS 


'Our  attention  has  been  called  to  an 
issue  of  THE  LANTERN,  dated  March 
15,  to  an  article  by  you  which  states," 
.  .  .  "At  Old  Farms,  stress  was  placed 
upon  a  sense  of  obstacles  called  by 
them  and  publicized  unwisely  as  'facial 
Vision.'  "I  just  want  to  point  out  for 
your  information  that  we  have  not 
placed  particular  stress  on  the  so-call- 
ed 'facial  vision.'  It  ranks  very  low  on 
a  list  of  some  fifteen  orientation  tech- 
niques. As  we  have  stressed,  it  is  use- 
ful to  some  men  some  of  the  time. 
Any  publicizing  of  this  particular  item 
was  done  over  our  protest  rather  than 
by  us." — Connecticut 


"Your  interesting  LANTERN  turns 
up  here  regularly  in  distant  Dhra  Dun, 
an  extremely  pleasant  valley  in  the 
Himalayan  Foothills  .  .  .  what  espe- 
cially inspired  me  to  write  today  was 
the  opening  subject  in  THE  LANTERN. 
December,  1945,  and  I  send  my  hearty 
congratulations  and  enthusiastic  ap- 
proval of  your  support  of  the  good  old 
honest  word,  'blind'." 

— Sir  Clutha  MacKenzie,  India 


THE    ATLANTIC    MONTHLY,    May 

issue,  has  an  article  entitled  "New  Aids 
to  the  Blind,"  by  Paul  J.  Zahl.  This 
tells  of  the  work  being  done  by  the 
Committee  on  Sensory  Devices,  OSRD. 
The  conclusions  set  forth,  however,  do 
not  bear  out  the  hope  expressed  in  the 
title  although  .valuable  information  re- 
garding research  underway  is  described. 


THE  ATLANTIC  MONTHLY,  June 
issue,  contains  in  its  letters  to  the  Edi- 
tor a  reply  by  the  Director  of  Perkins  to 
the  article  in  the  May  issue  by  Dr. 
Zahl,  on  "New  Aids  to  the  Blind." 


"I  read  your  article,  'Our  New  Citi- 
zens,' and  it  is  needless  to  say  that  I 
find  it  most  refreshing.  You  had  the 
courage  to  say  what  a  good  many  of 
us  have  felt  but  hesitated  to  say." 

— New  Hampshire 


—  7  — 


The  American  Association  of  Instructors  for  the  Blind 

(Continued  from  Page  3) 

writing  music  for  the  blind  received  attention.  Superintend- 
ent Wait,  of  New  York,  explained  the  outlines  of  a  system 
which  he  had  devised,  based  upon  the  New  York  system  of 
point  writing  and  printing.  After  discussion  the  convention 
passed  a  resolution  requestioning  Mr.  Wait  and  all  others 
having  tangible  systems  of  musical  notation  for  the  blind  to 
report  the  same  to  the  several  institutions  at  the  earliest 
practicable  moment.  It  was  also  the  opinion  of  the  members 
of  this  Convention,  expressed  in  resolutions,  that  in  schools 
for  the  blind  the  apparatus  and  methods  employed  should 
vary  as  little  as  possible  from  those  used  in  the  most  ap- 
proved schools  for  the  seeing,  and  that  the  discipline  should 
conform  to  that  in  schools  for  the  seeing.  The  subjects  of 
maps  for  the  blind,  the  establishment  of  industrial  schools, 
and  systems  of  printing  also  received  consideration." 

As  will  be  seen,  Perkins  has  played  an  important  role  in  the 
affairs  of  the  Association  throughout  its  long  years  of  service.  The 
aim  of  the  organization,  and  its  accomplishments  may  be  summarized 
from  its  committees  as  follows : 

1.  To  provide  a  professional  organization  for  edu- 
cators of  the  blind,  where  through  the  discussion  of  com- 
mon problems,  improvements  in  methods  and  facilities  may 
be  brought  about. 

2.  The  Association  has  fathered  the  Printing  House 
and  been  active  in  the  affairs  of  the  American  Foundation 
for  the  Blind,  Inc. 

3.  It  has  provided  means  of  teacher  certification  and 
through  its  printed  Proceedings  it  has  contributed  to  the 
literature  of  its  special  field. 

4.  It  has  earnestly  endeavored  to  encourage  and  pro- 
mote helpful  legislation  which  would  benefit  the  blind,  as 
well  as  conducted  research  for  its  professional  membership. 

5.  Membership  is  by  schools  and  organizations;  indi- 
vidual memberships  are  classified  as  associate,  honorary, 
and  corresponding. 

It  is  hoped  and  expected  that  this  Convention  will  go  down  in  the 
Association's  history  as  another  great  conference  at  Perkins. 

—  8  — 


The  iLaf  tern 


THE  PERKINS  I.  r  i  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  XVI.,  NO.  1  SEPTEMBER  15.  1946 

Appreciation  Acknowledged 

A  WARM  WELCOME  indeed  was  extended  to  our  friends  who 
attended  the  biennial  convention  of  the  American  Association 
of  Instructors  of  the  Blind  held  at  Perkins  the  last  week  in 
June.  Evidence  of  this  is  not  only  on  the  record  of  the  Weather 
Bureau  which  records  the  time  as  one  of  the  hottest  weeks  in  the 
history  of  New  England  but  also  in  the  receipt  of  many  letters  of 
appreciation  of  our  hospitality  received  during  the  summer.  We  are 
grateful  for  these  letters  which  refer  to  the  convention  as  "tops", 
"best  ever",  "interesting",  "enlightening"  and  other  terms  in  the 
superlative,  and  hereby  wish  to  acknowledge  our  appreciation. 

Perkins  is  grateful  for  this  appreciation  and  for  the  pleasure 
of  entertaining  the  leaders  in  our  field  of  education.  We  cannot, 
however,  take  all  the  credit  for  the  outstanding  success  of  the  con- 
vention. Much  belongs  to  the  officers  of  the  Association  and  es- 
pecially to  the  members  of  the  Executive  Committee,  under  the 
chairmanship  of  Francis  M.  Andrews  of  the  Maryland  School  who 
formulated  the  program.  Credit  for  the  fine  spirit  which  prevailed 
may  well  go  to  those  present  for  it  was  their  fine  attitude  and  keen 
interest  that  made  the  convention  click. 

We  want,  however,  to  express  appreciation  to  those  from  outside 
our  field  who  came  to  keep  us  abreast  with  modern  education, 
especially  Dean  Durrell  of  the  Boston  University  School  of  Education 
who  spoke  at  the  Open  Meeting,  and  also  to  the  conference  leaders 
from  Boston  University,  Wheelock  College  and  Harvard  University. 
And  thanks,  too,  to  Col.  E.  A.  Baker  of  the  Canadian  National  Insti- 
tute for  the  Blind,  who  at  the  Open  Meeting  brought  a  telling  message 
from  the  field  of  the  adult  blind  for  which  we  are  preparing  the 
young  blind. 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown  72,  Massachusetts 
Robert  H.  Hallowell,  President  Gabriel  Farrell,  Director 


^a^uy/  t&aa*^ 


// 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


National  scholarships  have  been 
awarded  to  Tina  Lou  Daniels  of  Utah, 
Joe  Salazar  of  New  Mexico,  Kathryn 
Hearn  of  Alabama,  and  Vega  Lui 
Suarez  of  Cuba. 


1/  Edward  J.  Waterhouse,  teacher  of 
mathematics  in  the  Upper  School,  will 
devote  half  of  his  time  this  year  to 
the  management  of  the  Howe  Memorial 
Press.  David  Abraham,  former  teacher 
of  the  Manual  Training  Department, 
will  be  the  chief  engineer  of  the  Press. 


James  Osborn,  the  blind  boy  sent 
from  England  by  the  Ninth  Air  Force 
a  year  ago,  spent  a  very  happy  sum- 
mer at  Camp  Wonalancet  in  New 
Hampshire. 


A  parchment  scroll  beautifully  illu- 
minated expressing  thanks  for  being  at 
Perkins  last  winter  was  received  from 
Guiliano  Cabbia,  a  blind  boy  who  was 
sent  to  this  country  by  the  Eighty- 
eighth  Division  for  surgical  care,  and 
later  returned  to  his  home  in  Italy. 


Summer  visitors  included  Mrs.  Emma 
C.  de  Jiminez  Lanier  of  Havana;  Miss 
Asta  Meidell  of  Oslo,  Norway;  Ernesto 
O.  Miranda  of  Puerto  Rico,  and  Prof. 
M.  V.  Orlov  of  Moscow,  Russia. 

With  deep  regret  we  report  the  death 
of  Mrs.  Martha  Fox  Smith  in  Ohio  on 
July  17.  Mrs.  Smith  came  to  the  Har- 
vard Class  following  her  graduation 
from  Smith  College  in  1938.  With 
the  exception  of  one  year  which  she 
and  Mr.  Smith  spent  at  the  Washing- 
ton State  School  Mrs.  Smith  has 
taught  in  the  Lower  School  where  she 
was  one  of  our  most  valued  teachers. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 

Entering  College  this  year  are  Faye 
George,  Perkins  '46,  who  goes  to  Mid- 
dlebury  and  Roman  Mocheruk,  Perkins 
'45,  who  enters  Oberlin. 


The  "Towers"  is  the  title  of  a  new 
publication  of  the  Overbrook  School 
for  the  Blind,  which  is  the  new  name 
for  the  Pennsylvania  Institution  for 
the  Instruction  of  the  Blind. 


0 


Mrs.  Marion  H.  Grew,  a  member  of 
the  Harvard  Class  1934,  has  been  ap- 
pointed superintendent  of  the  Wash- 
ington State  School  for  the  Blind. 

Alp 


Frank  Johns  has  succeeded  Gordon 
Hicks  as  superintendent  of  the  Con- 
necticut Institution  for  the  Blind.  Mrs. 
Johns,  who  was  a  member  of  the 
Harvard  Class  1937,  has  been  ap- 
pointed the  matron. 


Rosa  Maria  Sala,  Harvard  Class  1941. 
has  an  article  in  the  Cuban  magazine. 
Carteles,  describing  a  proposed  plan  for 
a  new  school  for  the  blind  in  Cuba.  A 
large  picture  of  Perkins  is  printed  and 
the  proposed  plan  follows  closely  the 
Perkins  pattern. 


Donald  Morgan,  Harvard  Class  1935, 
who  has.  been  teaching  American  His- 
tory at  the  Mount  Holyoke  College, 
has  received  an  appointment  as  as- 
sistant professor.  He  is  a  graduate  of 
the  Washington  School  for  the  Blind, 
holds  degrees  from  the  Univ.  of  Wash- 
ington and  Harvard  University. 


CORA  L.  GLEASON 

(Fondly  known  as  "Mother  B") 
By  Edward  E.  Allen 

MRS.  GLEASON,  who  on  June  17  died  at  the  age  of  85,  told 
me  that  she,  when  only  16,  had  sought  employment  at  Perkins 
Institution  as  escape  from  an  unhappy  home;  that  Director 
Anagnos  had  exclaimed:  "Too  young!  too  young!",  yet  retained  her 
as  helper  in  the  Girls'  sewing  room,  where  she  could  be  also  inter- 
preter for  Laura  Bridgman.  Evidently  he  perceived  in  her  eager  per- 
sonality a  prize.  The  life  suited  her  there;  for,  a  few  years  after 
leaving  it  to  be  married,  she  returned,  a  widow,  again  seeking  asylum 
and  peace  of  mind.  From  then  on,  for  a  generation,  she  was  the 
popular,  beloved  matron  of  Brooks  family.  Her  girls  called  her 
"Mother  B.",  a  name  that  fitted  her  and  stuck  to  her. 

Her  house  became  the  lively  one.  In  the  early  days  of  few 
embossed  stories  to  read,  other  free-time  self-entertainment  was  en- 
couraged there — a  comb  orchestra,  parlor  games,  dramatic  plays, 
candy  making,  etc.  The  family  even  got  out  a  quarterly  paper,  The 
P.  I.  E.  (Perkins  Institution  Epitome),  for  which  every  member  had 
to  write  something. 

"Dear,  darling  Mother  B. !",  says  one  of  her  girls.  "It  would 
take  a  whole  book  to  do  her  justice,  a  book  to  which  each  of  us,  and 
we  came  to  be  many,  might  contribute  a  page.  She  was  our  mentor 
and  our  looking-glass."  Another  writes:  "Her  broad  understanding 
of  how  to  be  a  helpful  friend  to  young  people  was  the  secret  of  her 
success.  She  put  us  'on  our  own'  and  taught  us  how  to  take  respon- 
sibility. Indeed,  her  loving  interest  did  not  cease  when  we  left  the 
family  circle,  but  continued  throughout  the  years,  and  has  been  of 
inestimable  value  to  many  of  us.  Naturally  we  hold  for  her  a  deep 
sense  of  gratitude." 

A  student  of  social  work,  after  living  a  season  in  Brooks,  wrote 
this :  "She  is  a  wonderful  mother  to  her  house  daughters — wise 
enough  not  to  see  all  their  mischief,  absolutely  just,  possessing  humor 
enough  to  enjoy  their  pranks,  understanding  enough  to  know  that 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 
—  3  — 


n 


THE  116TH  YEAR 

CLASSES  MARKING  the  beginning  of  the  116th  year  start  on 
Thursday,  September  19.     On  the  day  before  the  pupils  return 

and  on  Tuesday  night  the  opening  meeting  of  the  staff  will  be 
held.  Perkins  begins  a  little  late  this  year  as  the  closing  of  school  was 
extended  an  extra  week  in  June.  The  enrollment  this  year  is  up 
from  last  year  with  265  pupils  expected.  Included  among  the  boys 
and  girls  from  the  New  England  states  will  be  pupils  from  Georgia, 
Hawaii,  Kansas,  Louisiana,  Missouri,  Montana,  New  Mexico,  Penn- 
sylvania, South  Carolina,  Texas,  Utah,  Cuba,  England  and  Mexico. 
Deaf-Blind  pupils  come  from  Alabama, 
Colorado,  Georgia,  Kansas,  Missouri, 
New  Jersey,  Washington  and  Wiscon- 
sin. The  Harvard  Class  has  members 
from  several  states  and  Chile,  Egypt. 
Norway  and  South  Africa. 

Boys  still  outnumber  the  girls  so  that 
only  three  of  the  four  girls'  cottages 
are  needed  at  the  upper  school.  Fisher 
Cottage  is  used  exclusively  by  the  pupils 
and  staff  of  the  Deaf-Blind  Department. 
The  boys'  cottages  are  returning  this 
year  to  the  old  plan  of  equal  distribution 
with  all  ages  of  the  Upper  School  repre- 
sented in  each  house.  For  four  years 
the  boys  have  been  divided  according 
to  age.  After  careful  consideration  it 
has  been  felt  that  better  cottage  spirit 
will  prevail  under  this  plan  whereby  a 
boy  remains  in  one  house  through  his  school  life. 

Miss  Elsie  H.  Simonds  who  has  completed  twenty-five  years 
as  head  of  the  girls  school  is  relinquishing  her  duties  as  supervisor 
of  girls  but  continues  with  a  full  program  of  teaching.  The  duties 
of  supervisor  will  be  taken  over  by  Miss  Alice  M.  Carpenter,  formerly 
principal  of  the  Ming  Sum  School  for  the  Blind  in  Canton,  China. 
Miss  Carpenter  was  a  member  of  the  Harvard  Class,  1935-36  and 
upon  her  release  from  internment  in  China  came  to  Perkins  and 
taught  during  the  year  1944-1945.  She  went  back  to  China  last  year 
and  returned  this  summer  to  take  up  her  new  duties  at  Perkins. 


PERKINS 


—  4 


STAFF  RETIREMENTS 

TWO  MEMBERS  of  the  staff  who  have  served  Perkins  for  many 
years  retired  at  the  end  of  last  year.  Miss  Mary  B.  Knowlton 
came  to  Perkins  shortly  after  her  graduation  from  Massachu- 
setts School  of  Art  in  1893.  Ever  since  she  has  taught  in  the  boys' 
Vocational  Department  and  in  more  recent  years  has  been  in  charge 
of  supplies.  Many  boys  have  received  from  her  not  only  art- 
istic skills  in  the  field  of  crafts  but  also  an  appreciation  of  values 
and  a  sense  of  thrift.  Miss  Lily  B.  Howard  has  for  many  years 
been    the    first    person    to    greet    visitors.      As    telephone    operator 

since  1924  she  has  always  been  cour- 
teous and  anxious  to  help.  She  was 
adopted  in  England  by  the  late  Mrs. 
Elwyn  H.  Fowler,  back  in  the  days 
when  Mrs.  Fowler  was  working  with 
Sir  Francis  Campbell  in  the  Royal  Nor- 
mal College  in  London. 

Miss  Sharlie  M.  Chandler  who  teaches 
in  the  girls'  Vocational  Department  and 
has  been  associated  with  Perkins  since 
1911  is  away  this  year  on  a  leave  of 
absence.  Three  war  substitutes  have 
withdrawn  from  the  staff  —  Dr.  Dera 
Kinsey,  who  served  as  school  physician ; 
Dr.  H.  B.  C.  Riemer,  opthalmologist 
and  Dr.  George  E.  Crowell,  dentist  for 
the  Upper  School.  Perkins  is  grateful 
for  their  services. 


THE  BABY  SCHOOL 

THE  LATE  OPENING  of  Perkins  made  it  possible  to  hold  the 
summer  school  for  blind  babies  and  their  mothers  during  the 
first  two  weeks  of  September.  On  Labor  Day  fourteen  mothers 
and  their  babies  ranging  from  one  to  five  years  of  age  assembled 
in  Bradlee  Cottage.  A  program  designed  for  the  guidance  of  the 
mothers  and  the  training  and  observation  of  the  children  made 
Perkins  an  active  and  interesting  place.  While  the  children  varied 
in  age,  ability  and  degree  of  vision  they  had  in  common  the  same 


—  5 


cause  of  visual  impairment.  They  were  all  premature  babies  whose 
sight  had  been  affected  by  the  newly  discovered  disease  called  rectro- 
lental  fibroplasia. 

VISITOR  FOR  BABIES 

THE  PROJECT  set  up  a  year  ago  last  June  to  study  the  problems 
pertaining  to  prematurely  born  children  with  visual  defects  in- 
cluded provision  for  a  person  to  visit  in  the  homes  and  help  the 
mothers  with  their  responsibilities  and  to  carry  over  the  start  made 
in  the  first  summer  session.  Miss  Pauline  Moor,  who  had  organized 
and  carried  on  the  Child  Center  in  Waterbury,  Conn.,  undertook  the 
work  of  home  visiting  in  February.  In  the  six  months  since  then  she 
has  made  regular  visits  to  homes  and  has  recently  made  a  report 
based  on  her  observations  of  thirty-nine  children  with  whom  she  has 
worked. 

VISUAL  AID 

WORK  IN  THE  FIELD  of  Visual  Aid  will  be  resumed  this 
year  in  the  Lower  School  under  the  leadership  of  Mrs.  Aline 
McDowell.  A  new  room  has  been  equipped  with  special 
lighting  and  approved  materials  have  been  secured.  Mrs.  McDowell 
took  courses  at  Columbia  University  this  summer  in  preparation  for 
this  work.  The  program  will  not  be  a  sight-saving  class  but  rather 
the  exploring  of  new  ways  of  assisting  pupils  with  useful  vision  to 
use  it  more  effectively. 

HOUSING  PROBLEMS 

PERKINS  TEACHERS  have  housing  problems  but  only  for  the 
summer.    Last  Spring  several  were  unable  to  find  living  quarters 
for  the  summer  so  Perkins  took  them  in,  turned  Bennett  Cottage 
into  a  cooperative  housing  project  and  all  lived  happily  until  school 
reopened  and  winter  quarters  were  again  available. 


A 


SMART  SCHOOL 

NEW  PUPIL,  not  long  ago  made  this  fortuitous  remark  upon 
entering  Perkins,  "it  is  a  smart  school  that  can  learn  me 
anything." 


FROM  OUR  MAIL 

Experanza  Tejada,  Harvard  Class  41, 
writes  from  the  Philippines:  "Classes 
have  not  resumed  in  the  School  for  the 
Deaf  and  the  Blind.  The  building  is 
inadequate  for  occupancy  and  the  chil- 
dren from  remote  places  are  not  in  a 
financial  position  to  come  to  Manila.  I 
wish  to  acknowledge  receipt  of  many 
packages  for  the  school  and  I  extend  to 
you  my  heart-felt  appreciation  for 
them.  They  are  at  present  in  storage 
and  will  be  opened  when  school  begins." 


Dr.  Alfred  Mell,  whose  father  pro- 
vided a  great  deal  of  material  for  the 
Perkins  Museum  and  was  head  of  the 
school  for  the  blind  in  Austria,  writes: 
"A  great  success  of  the  last  director 
of  the  Vienna  institution  was  that  the 
little  castle  of  the  prince  of  Liechten- 
stein was  bought  for  the  library  and 
museum;  but  during  the  combats  .  .  . 
the  castle  was  destroyed  and  in  it  burnt 
the  whole  special  reference  library.  .  .  . 
If  you  would  send  me  the  last  reports 
of  Perkins  I  shall  give  them  with  the 
older  reports  I  possess  to  the  institu- 
tion in  amends  of  the  lost  copies." 


NEW  STAFF  MEMBERS 


Marion  Hoskin,  Mt.  Holyoke  College 
'45,  Harvard  Class  '46,  to  teach  Grade  I. 


Mary  F.  Davies,  Wheelock  College  '45, 
formerly  teacher  in  Cornwell,  N.  Y.,  to 
be  teacher  of  Kindergarten. 


Muriel  Herrick,  Mass.  State  College, 
'45,  Harvard  Class  '46,  to  be  assistant 
in  Kindergarten. 


Caroline  Peters,  State  Teachers'  Col- 
lege, Wisconsin,  '22,  and  formerly 
teacher  in  Indiana,  to  teach  Grade  V. 


Bertha  Feinberg,  Univ.  of  Cincin- 
nati '45,  Harvard  Class  '46,  to  teach 
Grade  V. 


Anthony  Ackerman,  Bloomfield  Col- 
lege '45,  Harvard  Class  '46,  to  assist 
in  Lower  School  special  class. 


Genevieve  Caulfield,  who  although  a 
graduate  of  Overbrook,  has  been  closely 
associated  with  Perkins,  has  written  Dr. 
Allen  from  the  School  for  the  Blind 
in  Siam,  which  he  established  seven 
years  ago.  She  writes,  "The  school  is 
going  pretty  well,  considering  the  state 
of  the  world  .  .  .  The  materials  with 
which  Perkins  so  generously  supplied 
us  made  it  possible  for  us  to  carry  on 
our  work  .  .  .  Fortunately,  no  revolu- 
tion or  war  interfered  with  the  work- 
ing of  the  school ...  I  am  looking  after 
the  twins  of  my  Japanese  adopted 
daughter,  Haruko,  who  died  when  they 
were  born  ...  I  have  living  with  me  a 
Siamese  Princess,  a  lovely  girl,  who  is 
deeply  interested  in  doing  things  for 
others.  She  is  the  sister  of  the  ex 
Queen,  who  is  now  in  America.  So 
you  see,  I  have  a  very  interesting,  and, 
as  usual,  cosmopolitan  family." 

—  7 


Mrs.     Perley     C.     White,     who    has 

studies  at  the  New  England  Con- 
servatory and  Eastman  Conservatory, 
to  teach  piano  in  the  Lower  School. 


George  Faulkner,  who  has  a  diploma 
from  the  Conservatoire  Americaine, 
Fontainebleau,  France,  and  is  a  licen- 
tiate of  the  Trinity  College  of  Music, 
London,  to  teach  voice. 


Leo  V.  Gittzus,  who  holds  a  bach- 
elor's degree  from  State  Teachers'  Col- 
lege, Fitchburg,  '40,  and  a  master's 
degree  in  guidance  from  Boston  Uni- 
versity, to  teach  in  the  Vocational  De- 
partment and  be  master  of  Tompkins. 


James  P.  Hilly,  who  studied  at  Tufts 
College  and  was  graduated  in  1945 
from  the  Training  School  for  Teachers 
of  Mechanic  Arts  to  teach  in  the  Vo- 
cational Department. 


CORA  L.  GLEASON 

(Continued  from  Page  3) 

children  enjoy  big  pieces  of  pie  and  cake;  close-mouthed  with  regard 
to  troubles  and  faults ;  comforting  in  times  of  distress." 

Let  me  enlarge  upon  this  point.  She  frequently  did  what  any 
parent  would  do;  that  is,  coach  a  backward  pupil,  say,  in  spelling; 
or  set  matters  right  whenever  a  daughter  had  been  unjustly  or  too 
severely  punished  at  school.  It  is  known  that  she  saved  two  head- 
strong girls  from  expulsion.  If  anyone  knew  how  to  be  a  tactful 
champion,  Mother  B  knew.  Her  personality  was  charming.  Wher- 
ever she  went  she  made  friends.  Once,  when  an  older  girl  was  to 
undergo  an  eye  operation,  Mrs.  Gleason  visited  the  hospital  in  ad- 
vance, interested  the  surgeon  and  his  nurses  in  such  manner  that 
the  patient  commanded  unusual  attention ;  certainly  she  regained  her 
eyesight.  This  girl,  having  no  other  home,  insists  that  Mother  B. 
was  in  every  respect  all  that  a  real  mother  could  have  been;  in  fact, 
owes  her  graduation  diploma  and  after  school  success  to  her. 

While  foster-mothering  blind  girls  was  Mrs.  Gleason's  greatest 
privilege  (Principal  Van  Cleve  actually  borrowed  her  for  a  year  as 
pattern  for  his  housemothers  at  the  Bronx)  ;  another  joy  was  when, 
as  home  visitor  during  a  few  of  her  later  years,  she  motored  about 
northern  New  England,  hunting  up  every  past,  present,  and  future 
pupil  of  ours,  often  explaining  away  parental  misunderstandings, 
occasionally  showing  a  distressed  mother  how  to  train  her  blind 
baby;  commonly  meeting  the  village  doctor,  minister,  school  teacher, 
social  worker,  and  not  only  interesting  these  in  Perkins  but  even 
enlisting  for  it  new  and  understanding  friends.  Such,  indeed,  was 
her  loyalty  and  gratitude  to  her  institution  that  she  regarded  these 
extras  (and  others,  like  making  saleable,  year  after  year,  any  poorly 
finished  articles  sent  in  by  the  alumnae)  a  part  of  her  mission  to 
the  cause  of  blind  people,  just  as,  in  1932,  when  the  Boston  Lions 
Club  was  starting  a  summer  camp  for  blind  girls,  she  hired  a  near-by 
room  for  a  month  or  so,  and  shaped  things  at  the  camp  as  they 
should  be. 

After  her  retirement  she  remarked  in  my  hearing  that  her  half 
century  of  association  with  Perkins  had  been  so  precious  to  her  that 
she  could  never  adequately  repay  the  obligation. 


Perkins  Chorus 
Broadcast  .  IN  program  op 

CHRISTMAS   9.30   A.M.  CHRISTMAS   CAROLS 


WBZ  &  WBZA 


The  Lantern 


THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  XVI..  NO.  2  DECEMBER  15.  1946 

Prc-School  Blind  Children 

WHILE  Perkins  does  not  normally  consider  pre-school  blind 
children  as  within  its  area,  our  interest  in  this  field  has  been 
aroused  through  the  two  summer  schools  which  were  held 
here  for  mothers  and  their  blind  babies.  Within  the  last  decade  and 
more,  not  much  attention  has  centered  in  blind  children  of  preschool 
age.  This  was  due  to  the  conviction  that  the  number  of  these  children 
was  diminishing  to  a  point  where  organized  work  was  no  longer  need- 
ed. A  generation  ago  there  were  three  nurseries  for  blind  babies, 
but  with  the  decreased  number  of  blind  babies,  all  but  one  have  closed 
their  doors.  This  has  also  been  in  accord  with  the  modern  tendency 
to  substitute  home  care  or  foster  homes  for  the  institutional  care  of 
former  times. 

New  interest  in  these  children  has  been  created  by  the  conviction 
that  all  educational  programs  should  begin  earlier  in  the  child's  life, 
and  particularly  in  our  field  by  the  prediction  that  there  will  be  a 
large  number  of  infants  who  are  blind  because  of  premature  birth. 
These  facts  seem  to  have  stimulated  interest  in  these  children,  and 
there  are  signs  of  new  programs  for  their  benefit.  Some  schools  for 
the  blind  are  admitting  pre-school  children;  State  programs  are  in- 
cluding home  visitors;  summer  schools  for  blind  children  and  their 
mothers  are  being  started,  and  more  day  nurseries  are  being  opened. 
What  is  the  best  way  to  help  pre-school  blind  children?  This  is  a 
question  that  must  be  raised  at  this  time,  and  consideration  must 
be  given  to  principles  that  should  guide  this  new  interest.  These 
programs  should  be  centered  about  the  children  and  their  needs,  and 
not  on  what  schools  can  gain  by  their  presence  nor  the  sympathies 
that  can  be  stirred  so  easily  by  little  blind  children. 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown  72,  Massachusetts  Gabriel  Farrell,  Director 


JzaJh**/  7%vvrjt£g 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 

Alice  M.  Carpenter,  supervisor  of 
girls,  has  been  awarded  the  honorary 
degree  of  Doctor  of  Pedagogy  by  Hast- 
ings College  of  which  she  is  a  graduate. 


Robert  Routh  a  blinded  veteran  from 
Memphis,  Tennessee,  has  come  to  Per- 
kins to  take  up-  the  study  of  piano 
tuning. 


Gene  Autry,  with  three  of  his  mu- 
sical cowboys,  came  to  the  school  and 
entertained  the  pupils  on  November  11. 


The  Director,  on  November  19,  spoke 
at  Columbia  University  on  "Modern 
Trends  in  the  Education  of  Blind  Chil- 
dren." 


Stores  for  the  sale  of  candy  are  being 
conducted  on  both  the  boys'  and  the 
girls'  sides  of  the  Upper  School.  The 
profits  on  the  boys'  side  go  to  the 
Athletic  Association,  and  on  the  girls' 
side,  to  the  Senior  Class. 


Linguaphone  Records,  for  teaching 
in  four  languages,  were  presented  to 
the  school  by  Max  Sherover,  President 
of  the  company,  who  visited  Perkins 
on  November  15. 


Eliot  Cottage  was  host  for  the  foot- 
ball teams  representing  the  four  cot- 
tages at  the  annual  Victory  Banquet 
held  on  Saturday,  November  23.  The 
Director's  Cup  was  awarded  to  this 
cottage  for  winning  the  fall  series  of 
football  games. 


Emmanuel  Kephakis  and  Theodharo- 
poulos  Pamoghiotis,  two  blind  scholar- 
ship pupils,  arrived  from  Greece  No- 
vember 7.  They  are  to  study  at  Perkins 
for  two  years.  The  first  is  a  graduate 
of  the  Academy  of  Music,  Athens,  and 
the  second  of  the  School  for  the  Blind 
near  Athens,  where  two  of  the  teachers 
are  graduates  of  the  Harvard  Class. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Edmund  Berube,  Perkins  '46,  is  mak- 
ing good  progress  in  his  freshman 
year  at  Brown  University. 


Roman  Mochernuk,  post  graduate 
1945-1946,  is  now  at  the  Conservatory 
of  Music,  Oberlin  College. 


Robert  Fried,  post  graduate  1945- 
1946,  is  taking  courses  in  journalism 
at  Boston  University. 


Stephen  Garabedian,  post  graduate 
1945-1946,  is  majoring  in  landscape 
gardening  at  Rhode  Island  State  Col- 
lege. 


Grace  Swanson,  Perkins  '39,  has  been 
appointed  home  teacher  for  the  New 
London  district,  in  Connecticut. 


Marion  Knoll,  former  post  graduate 
student  and  Ediphonist  in  the  Direc- 
tor's Office,  is  now  employed  in  the 
central  office  of  the  Michigan  State 
College,  where  Ediphone  transcribing 
is  done  for  fifty-six  different  depart- 
ments. 


"Tad"  Chapman,  deaf-blind  graduate 
of  Perkins  in  1938,  now  living  at  his 
home  in  North  Dakota,  was  a  recent 
visitor  to  the  school,  where  he  and 
Leonard  Dowdy  held  many  animated 
conversations  through  vibration. 


Edward  W.  Jenkins,  Perkins  '22,  im- 
provised on  the  organ  at  the  Church 
of  St.  John  the  Evangelist,  Boston,  on 
Sunday  evening,  November  17.  Start- 
ing with  a  fragment  of  plainsong,  im- 
provisation was  carried  out  in  sixteenth 
century  style. 


Rev.  John  J.  Connolly,  Pounder  and 
Director  of  the  Catholic  Guild,  has 
been  made  rector  of  St.  Bridget's  Par- 
ish, Framingham.  Rev.  Thomas  H. 
Carroll  has  become  the  Director. 


—  2  — 


TRAINING  FOR  THE  YOUNG  BLIND  CHILD 
By  Pauline  M.  Moor 

INTEREST  IN  HOW  A  CHILD  GROWS  and  develops  has  been  wide- 
spread since  the  child  first  became  an  object  of  scientific  study 
only  a  comparatively  few  years  ago.  The  psychiatrists  say  the 
growing  child  has  certain  fundamental  needs  which  must  be  fulfilled 
if  he  is  to  take  his  place  as  a  good  member  of  society.  Some  of  these 
needs  are  quite  obvious — the  necessity  for  food,  air,  warmth,  shelter, 
activity  and  rest.  Other  needs  are  less  tangible,  for  example,  the 
feeling  of  independence,  a  sense  of  power  over  some  object,  person, 
or  situation,  and  above  all,  the  need  for  the  feeling  that  he  belongs, 
is  wanted  and  appreciated.  All  of  these  when  woven  together  give 
him  security  without  which  he  has  no  real  personality. 

We  are  prone  to  forget  that  the  needs  of  the  handicapped  child 
differ  only  in  degree  and  are  usually  intensified.  The  young  child 
seems  to  thrive  best  amid  well-known  surroundings — his  own  toys, 
familiar  and  loved  persons  to  feed  him  and  tuck  him  into  bed.  Since 
the  feeling  that  one  is  loved  and  wanted  is  most  poignant  and  the 
family  unit  is  where  the  emotional  ties  are  the  strongest,  the  focus 
of  the  training  for  the  young  blind  child  should  be  on  the  child  in 
his  own  home. 

It  is  on  this  theory  that  we  feel  a  program  based  on  home  visit- 
ing best  meets  the  needs  of  the  pre-school  blind  child.     Some  advo- 
cate that  there  should  be  a  social  worker  functioning  with  the  family 
in  working  out  plans  for  the  child's  total  adjust- 
ment so  that  a  good  attitude  toward  the  child  will 
be  developed  and  an  environment  favorable  to  the 
child  created.   When  the  case  worker  feels  the  par- 
ents are  ready  for  concrete  suggestions  and  prac- 
tical help  in  the  developmental  and  training  areas, 
the   services   of   the   preschool   teacher   should   be 
offered  as  a  part  of  the  total  case  work  plan  and 
not  as  an  isolated  teaching  service. 

Parents  raise  many  questions  with  the  teacher. 
A  frequent  one  is  how  the  child  with  a  severe  visual 
loss  can  be  motivated  to  walk  when  he  seems  content 
to  sit  in  his  play  pen.  It  is  understandable  that 
this  and  similar  types  of  behavior  should  loom  as 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 
—  3  — 

Mother  and  blind  son 
at  Perkins  summer  school 


CORPORATION  MEETING 

THE  PERKINS  CORPORATION  at  its  annual  meeting  on  Mon- 
day, November  4th,  elected  two  new  officers.  Dr.  Reginald  Fitz 
was  chosen  to  succeed  Robert  H.  Hallowell  as  President  and  Ralph 
Lowell  succeeds  G.  Peabody  Gardner  as  Vice-President.  John  P. 
Chase  was  re-elected  Treasurer,  and  the  Director  was  re-elected  Sec- 
retary. One  new  Trustee,  David  Cheever,  Jr.,  was  added  to  the  list 
of  those  chosen  by  the  Corporation. 
Mr.  Cheever  has  a  son  in  the  Lower 
School.  Mr.  Hallowell  has  been  Pres- 
ident of  the  Corporation  since  1930 
and  a  Trustee  since  1914.  He  will 
remain  on  the  Board  of  Trustees. 
Mr.  Gardner,  who  has  been  Vice- 
President  since  1930  and  a  Trustee 
since  1922,  is  withdrawing  from  the 
Board.  Both  of  these  officers  have 
given  notable  service  to  Perkins  and 
their  leadership  will  be  greatly 
missed. 

A  STUDY  OF  VISUAL  AIDS 

THE  NATIONAL  RESEARCH 
Council  through  its  Commit- 
tee on  Sensory  Devices  has 
approved  a  study  of  the  adaptation 
of  visual  aids  for  use  by  the  par- 
tially sighted  and  has  assigned  the 
contract  to  Perkins  Institution.  Dr. 
Walter  F.  Dearborn,  Director  of  the 
Psycho-Educational  Clinic  of  Har- 
vard University,  is  the  technical 
supervisor.  He  will  be  assisted  by  Dr.  Philip  Johnston,  Research  Con- 
sultant of  the  Massachusetts  Department  of  Public  Health  and  who 
was  active  in  the  development  and  validation  of  the  Massachusetts 
Vision  Test.  Miss  Jane  Smith,  psychometrist  and  research  assistant 
at  Perkins,  is  to  be  examiner  and  assistant  in  experimental  work. 
Other  research  assistants  are  to  be  engaged  as  the  program  develops. 
An  Advisory  Committee  made  up  of  ophthalmologists  and  leaders 
in  the  field  of  optics,  physics,  and  psychology  have  been  appointed  to 
plan  and  supervise  the  study,  which  supplements  the  several  projects 

—  4  — 


FROM    AROUND   1 

South    Carolina,    England,    Tex 

New  Mexico,   Georgit 

I  CI 


u 


now  under  way  for  the  development  of  magnifying  devices.  At- 
tempts to  use  some  of  these  devices  revealed  the  need  of  a  study  of 
the  problems  of  adaptation,  and  the  psychological  factors  involved 
in  the  use  of  remaining  vision  by  partially-sighted  persons.  The 
purpose  of  this  study  is  to  set  up  principles  to  guide  teachers  and 
others  in  the  choice  of  visual  aids  and  techniques  involved  in  their 
adequate  use. 

CHRISTMAS  CONCERTS 

NDER  the  able  leadership  of 
John  F.  Hartwell,  who  has 
directed  the  Perkins  Depart- 
ment of  Music  since  1932,  and  a 
teacher  since  1901,  three  concerts 
have  been  planned  for  this  Christ- 
mas season.  All  three  will  be  held 
in  Dwight  Hall  at  the  school — Sun- 
day afternoon,  December  15th,  Tues- 
day evening,  December  17th,-  and 
Thursday  evening,  December  19th. 
Included  in  the  program  of  ancient 
and  traditional  carols  will  be  an 
antiphonal  carol  A  Child's  Song  of 
Christmas,  by  John  J.  Duffy,  Per- 
kins, '19.  The  choirs  of  the  Upper 
and  Lower  Schools  will  be  assisted 
by  Kenneth  Morris,  '43,  as  baritone 
soloist.  Sharing  in  the  direction  of 
the  concerts  with  Mr.  Hartwell  will 
be  Eleanor  W.  Thayer,  leader  of  the 
children's  choir  and  Marjorie  Johns- 
ton Carr,  organist. 

CHILDREN  OF  THE  SILENT  NIGHT 

THE  ANNUAL  APPEAL  for  the  support  of  the  work  with  chil- 
dren who  are  deaf  and  blind  was  mailed  late  in  November.  Once 
again  an  attractive  desk  calendar,  this  year  picturing  eight  of 
the  ten  children  in  the  Department,  was  sent  out  to  nearly  eleven 
thousand  people.  This  appeal  is  mailed  nationally  as  the  Deaf-Blind 
Department  accepts  children  from  all  over  the  country  and  this  year 
has  children  from  Massachusetts,  New  Jersey,  Alabama,  Colorado, 
Minnesota,  Missouri,  Mississippi  and  Washington. 

—  5  — 


SOME    TO    PERKINS 

3hile,    Norway     Montana,    Cuba, 

waii,   Alabama,   India. 

lobe) 


MILESTONES 

MARY  EUNICE  FRENCH,  Perkins  '89,  42  years  home  teacher 
in  Rhode  Island  and  ten  times  elected  president  of  Perkins 
alumnae,  received  deserved  high  tribute  at  a  reception  given 

in  her  honor  in  Providence,  October  16 The  Hon.  William  E. 

Powers,  Perkins  '32,  Boston  University  Law  School  '36,  Judge  of 
Probate  and  state  representative,  made  the  presentation  of  a  Braille 

watch  to  Miss  French Mary  G.  Burtt,  Perkins  '09,  Wellesley 

'15,  at  Perkins  last  year,  has  returned  to  South  China  to  reopen  her 
school  for  blind  children.  Guide  dog  Ruby  went  with  her.  .  .  .  Roger 
Walker,  Perkins  '19,  whose  avocation  is  playing  the  carillon  and  whose 
vocation  is  tuning  pianos,  was  assigned  to  service  the  piano  of  Myra 
Hess,  during  her  performance  in  Boston.  This  meant  a  back  stage 
seat  while  she  played,  to  be  ready  to  correct  any  strings  out  of  tune. 
....  John  J.  Duffy,  Perkins  '19,  well-known  musician  of  Hartford, 
Connecticut,  has  had  two  songs  accepted  for  publication  by  a  leading 
music  publisher.     These  songs  have  been  rendered  by  the  Perkins 

choir Robert  Smithdas,  Perkins  '45,  both  deaf  and  blind,  has 

been  admitted  to  St.  John's  College,  Brooklyn.     October  issue  of 

Vogue  carried  an  article  by  him Faye  George,  Perkins  '46, 

has  been  elected  secretary  of  the  freshman  class  at  Middlebury 
College. 

THE  OWL  AND  THE  PUSSYCAT 

THREE  BEAUTIFUL  MEDALLIONS  in  stained  glass  telling 
the  story  of  the  Owl  and  the  Pussycat,  have  been  executed  and 
presented  to  the  Lower  School  by  Mrs.  Russell  G.  Ryan,  of 
Squantum.  They  are  to  be  inserted  in  one  of  the  oriel  windows  of 
the  kindergarten  room  at  Anagnos  Cottage.  Lovely  in  design,  and 
rich  in  color,  they  fulfil  the  function  of  ancient  stained  glass,  the 
telling  of  a  story.  Featured  in  the  first  medallion  is  the  owl  and 
about  him  are  the  honey  and  the  money.  In  the  second  are  the  owl 
and  the  pussycat  on  the  pea  green  boat,  while  the  third  pictures  the 
pussycat,  the  pig  and  the  ring,  as  well  as  the  mince  and  the  quince. 

PERKINS,  PLEASE 

PERKINS  is  the  name  of  a  new  exchange  of  the  telephone  system 
in  this  area.     Unfortunately  the  Institution  has  not  been  as- 
signed numbers  on  this  exchange  so  that  any  attempt  to  dial 
Perkins  on  PERkins  will  only  result  in  "Wrong  Number." 

—  6  — 


FROM  OUR  MAIL 


Asta  Meidell,  volunteer  worker  in  the 
Eastern  Division  of  the  Norwegian 
Foundation  for  the  Blind,  at  Oslo,  vis- 
ited Perkins  while  in  this  country. 


Mrs.  M.  Hyde,  J.  P.,  alderman  of 
Birmingham,  England,  visiting  this 
country  in  the  interests  of  child  wel- 
fare, spent  a  day  at  Perkins  in  October. 


Mrs.  Is  ma  el  Salas  of  Mexico  came 
to  Perkins  to  visit  her  son,  a  pupil  in 
the  Upper  School.  Her  husband  is 
treasurer  of  the  State  of  San  Luis 
Potosi. 


Professor  M.  D.  Orlov,  University  at 
Moscow,  Russia,  in  this  country  on  a 
special  mission,  visited  Perkins  because 
of  the  possibility  of  his  blind  son  com- 
ing to  this  country. 


Raymond  Buhrle,  Technician  for  St. 
Dunstan's  Hostel  for  Blinded  Soldiers 
in  England,  in  this  country  to  study 
devices  to  aid  the  blind,  came  to  Perkins 
to  discuss  projects  in  this  area.  He 
spoke  at  Upper  School  Assembly  on 
November  24th  and  visited  the  Howe 
Memorial  Press. 


Sven  Gasta  Sjoberg,  Director  of 
Music  in  the  School  for  the  Blind  in 
Sweden,  spent  two  weeks  at  Perkins 
observing  our  methods  of  instruction. 
While  at  Perkins  he  directed  the  chorus 
on  several  occasions,  talked  to  the  Har- 
vard Class  and  spoke  at  the  Upper 
School  Assembly. 


V.  H.  Vaughan,  Vice-Principal  of  the 
School  for  the  Blind  at  Worcester, 
South  Africa,  has  come  to  Perkins  to 
study  our  methods  of  instruction  and 
will  remain  for  the  rest  of  the  year. 
He  is  here  as  the  representative  of  the 
school  at  Worcester  and  with  the  en- 
dorsement of  the  Education  Depart- 
ment of  the  Union  of  South  Africa. 


PUBLICATIONS 


My  Eyes  Have  A  Cold  Nose,  by  Hector 
Chevigny,  Yale  University  Press. 

This  book  in  a  forthright  and  vigor- 
ous way  tells  the  story  of  its  authors 
encounter  with  the  world  when  he  lost 
his  sight  and  his  reactions  to  those 
to  whom  he  turned  for  help  as  a  blind 
man.  There  is  considerable  value  in 
reporting  the  attitude  of  the  seeing 
world  toward  a  blinded  person  and 
little  harm  in  prodding  some  of  the 
agencies  maintained  to  help  the  blind, 
but  perhaps  the  greatest  contribution 
of  the  book  may  be  in  focussing  atten- 
tion on  that  submerged  group  within 
the  blind — those  who  are  quietly  and 
effectively  making  their  way  without 
benefit  of  agencies  to  rehabilitate  or 
even  dogs  to  guide  them.  While  Mr. 
Chevigny  has  few  kind  words  for  work- 
ers for  the  blind  (except  those  at  the 
Seeing  Eye),  nor  a  very  high  opinion 
of  our  educational  structure,  he  does 
make  several  favorable  references  to 
"the  famous  blind  Sir  Francis  Camp- 
bell who  virtually  revolutionized  the 
education  of  blind  children  in  England 
and  profoundly  influenced  it  in  Amer- 
ica." May  we  point  out  the  origin  of 
his  influence?  Young  Mr.  Campbell 
with  six  other  teachers  of  Perkins  went 
to  England  in  1872  to  begin  the  work 
which  culminated  in  the  Royal  Normal 
College.  Perhaps  if  Mr.  Chevigny  had 
come  to  Perkins  first  he  might  have  had 
a  different  story  to  tell  but  it  would 
undoubtedly  not  be  so  striking. 

Warren  Bledsoe,  Harvard  Class,  1938- 
1939,  Consultant  on  blinded  service 
men  Veterans'  Administration,  is  the 
new  editor  of  The  Outlook  for  the 
Blind,  published  by  the  American 
Foundation  for  the  Blind. 


Maynard  A.  Merrill,  Perkins  '38,  is 
the  Founder  and  Director  of  the  Braille 
Poets  Guild.  He  is  the  author  of  a 
volume  of  verse  entitled  "America  Mine, 
and  Other  Selections." 


7  — 


TRAINING  FOR  THE  YOUNG  BLIND  CHILD 

(Continued  from  Page  3) 

"problems"  particularly  when  other  children  the  same  age  seem  more 
advanced.  At  the  same  time  it  is  equally  understandable  that  a  great 
deal  of  learning  on  the  part  of  blind  children  may  proceed  at  a  slower 
rate  when  we  consider  that  much  of  the  child's  early  adaptation  is 
based  on  visual  imitation.  Perhaps  the  most  important  contribution 
which  the  preschool  teacher  can  make  is  by  way  of  some  interpretation 
to  the  parents  of  the  child's  behavior.  The  teacher  is  able  to  give  this 
help  from  her  intimate  knowledge  of  a  large  number  of  children 
similarly  handicapped  whom  she  sees  in  the  clinic  and  home. 

There  are  many  methods  of  parent  education  and  child  guid- 
ance; the  service  of  the  preschool  teacher  is  but  one.  A  summer 
institute  for  mothers  and  their  visual  handicapped  children  who  are 
under  the  supervision  of  trained  nursery  school  teachers  where  more 
intensive  work  can  be  done,  is  another.  Whatever  the  method,  the 
goal  is  the  same:  preparing  the  visually  handicapped  child  for  a 
fine  adjustment  to  a  world  which  is  geared  to  the  sighted. 

# 

With  this  end  in  view,  participation  should  be  encouraged  in 
all  types  of  play  activity  and  association  with  seeing  children.  When 
possible,  arrangements  should  be  made  for  the  child  to  attend  a 
nursery  school  or  kindergarten  in  his  own  neighborhood  and  the 
preschool  teacher  can  be  helpful  in  preparing  both  the  child  and 
his  teacher  for  this  experience.  When  this  is  not  possible  the  pre- 
school teacher  should  outline  for  the  parents  forms  of  activities, 
games  and  toys  and  simple  training  processes  that  can  be  followed 
between  visits.  As  a  very  minimum  the  visually  handicapped  child 
should  be  given  every  opportunity  to  share  in  the  activities  and 
responsibilities  of  the  family  circle.  This  may  at  times  tax  the 
patience  of  parents  as  they  work  with  the  blind  child  but  it  should 
not  deter  them  from  expecting  him  in  time  to  reach  the  standards 
of  seeing  children.  An  observation  already  apparent  in  this  field 
is  that  the  child  with  a  visual  handicap  responds  to  the  same  prin- 
ciples and  techniques  of  guidance  which  have  been  shown  to  be 
beneficial  to  other  children  of  preschool  age.  Therefore,  the  approach 
is  in  terms  of  the  needs  of  any  preschool  child  with  only  the  deviations 
necessary  in  terms  of  the  severity  of  the  child's  handicap. 

—  8  — 


THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  XVI..  NO.  3  MARCH  15.  1947 

Books  For  The  Blind 

BOOKS  ARE  BRIDGES.  This  was  the  slogan  of  a  recent  Book 
Week.  They  open  the  way  to  all  parts  of  the  world  and  even  to 
parts  beyond.  They  lead  into  men's  minds  and  reveal  their 
thoughts  and  aspirations.  Bridges  of  this  type  are  needed  today  and 
the  blind  should  have  the  same  opportunities  to  explore  the  lands  and 
areas  which  bridges  make  available  to  the  seeing. 

Blind  people  need  these  bridges  perhaps  even  more  than  seeing 
people.  Many  of  them,  especially  the  older  people,  have  considerable 
leisure  time.  Others  lose  suddenly  the  ability  to  read  the  former  texts. 
The  young  blind  need  to  have  their  vistas  broadened  and  horizons 
extended  as  only  books  can  do.  Some  are  closely  confined,  and  reading 
provides  the  only  way  to  get  beyond  themselves.  The  least  the  seeing 
can  do  for  the  non-seeing  is  to  provide  the  bridges  that  lead  to  far 
lands,  both  in  the  world  of  reality  and  of  fantasy. 

Books  are  available  for  the  blind,  probably  more  generously  in 
this  country  than  anywhere  else  in  the  world.  They  come  in  three 
forms:  books  embossed  in  the  symbols  of  the  raised  dots  known  as 
Braille  for  facile  finger  readers ;  books  in  a  form  of  line-type  known 
as  Moon  for  those,  especially  older  people,  whose  fingers  are  not  so 
supple ;  and  on  phonograph  records  known  as  Talking  Books.  In  the 
former  both  classical  and  modern  books  are  available. 

The  Library  of  Congress,  acting  under  special  Act  of  Congress, 
is  the  center  from  which  these  books  come.  They  reach  sightless  peo- 
ple, however,  through  regional  libraries  scattered  throughout  the 
country.  Perkins  serves  the  New  England  area  and  is  happy  to  have 
the  privilege  of  providing  for  the  blind  opportunity  to  use  the  bridges 
which  widen  horizons  and  open  ways  leading  to  entertainment, 
enlightenment  and  comfort. 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  foe  thb  Blind. 
Watertown  72,  Massachusetts  Gabriel  Farrell,  Director 


^a^u^/  7&AAj*£p 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 

"Quiz  of  Two  Cities,"  a  program  spon- 
sored by  Station  WNAC  in  Boston,  and 
WEAN  in  Providence  featured  two 
groups  on  Friday  night,  January  4,  one 
representing  present  pupils  at  Perkins, 
and  the  other  former  pupils  living  in 
Providence.  The  present  pupils  with 
a  score  of  175  won  over  the  former  pu- 
pils whose  score  was  115. 


Perkins    Specialty    Company    is    the 

name  of  a  business  company  organized 
by  the  boys  to  provide  opportunities  for 
earning  spending  money.  The  most  re- 
cent project  is  a  contract  for  the  manu- 
facture of  two  hundred  small  wooden 
pet  boxes  for  the  Society  for  the  Pre- 
vention of  Cruelty  to  Animals. 


Three  victories,  one  tie  and  three  de- 
feats is  the  present  record  of  the  boys 
wrestling  team.  The  team  is  to  take 
part  in  the  wrestling  tournament  of  the 
Eastern  Athletic  Association  of  Schools 
for  the  Blind  to  be  held  in  Baltimore  on 
March  14  and  15. 


The  Girls'  Glee  Club  sang  at  the  great 
Birthday  Ball  held  at  the  Boston  Gar- 
den, Friday,  January  11,  under  the  aus- 
pices of  the  Infantile  Paralysis  Com- 
mission. 


The  Boys'  Trio  made  up  of  Francis 
Devino,  Francis  Cordeau  and  Robert 
McNally,  broadcast  over  Station  WEEI 
on  February  15  and  22. 


A  Pops  Concert  similar  to  the  one 
held  so  successfully  last  year  will  be 
offered  in  Dwight  Hall  on  the  evenings 
of  April  15,  17  and  18. 


With  regret  we  report  the  death  on 
January  23  of  Miss  Eleanor  F.  Parker, 
for  many  years  a  member  of  the  Ladies' 
Visiting  Committee  of  the  Kindergar- 
ten and  of  John  Montgomery  on  Febru- 
ary 19,  public  accountant,  who  audited 
Perkins'  accounts. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Perkins  Institution  received  a  citation 
from  the  Tub  Thumpers  Inc.,  an  organ- 
ization made  up  of  publicity  people,  at 
a  dinner  held  at  the  Copley  Plaza  Hotel, 
Boston,  February  21. 


The  Perkins  Alumnae  Association  is 

to  hold  a  benefit  card  party  in  Dwight 
Hall  on  May  2  at  eight  fifteen.  Re- 
freshments will  be  served,  and  the  pro- 
ceeds will  go  to  the  Alumnae  Scholar- 
ship Fund. 


Lenna  D.  Swinerton,  Perkins  '83, 
teacher  and  physio-therapist  at  Perkins 
from  1907  until  her  retirement  in  1933, 
left  $500  to  Perkins,  which  has  recently 
been  paid  to  the  Treasurer  by  the  exec- 
utrix under  her  will. 


The  National  Braille  Press  of  which 
Francis  B.  Ierardi,  Perkins  '08,  is  the 
managing  Director  has  acquired  a  new 
building  in  Boston  and  is  to  transfer 
its  publishing  activities  from  the  Per- 
kins Workshop  in  South  Boston. 


An  institute  on  eye  care  will  be  held 
on  Thursday  and  Friday,  March  27  and 
28  in  the  Outpatient  Amphitheatre  of 
the  Massachusetts  General  Hospital  in 
Boston,  under  the  direction  of  the  Divi- 
sion of  the  Blind  of  which  Arthur  F. 
Sullivan,  Perkins  '14  is  director,  and  the 
Social  Service  Department  of  the  Mas- 
sachusetts Eye  and  Ear  Infirmary. 


A  national  conference  on  the  blind 
pre-school  child  was  held  at  the  Russell 
Sage  Foundation  Building  in  New  York 
on  March  13,  14  and  15,  under  the  aus- 
pices of  the  American  Foundation  for 
the  Blind.  Perkins  speakers  were  Miss 
Frances  E.  Marshall,  on  Group  Work 
With  Parents  and  Dr.  Samuel  P.  Hayes 
on  Measuring  Mental  Development. 
The  Director  presided  over  the  panel 
discussion  on  Facilities  for  the  Educa- 
tion of  Blind  Pre-school  Children. 


—  2  — 


THE  HOWE  MEMORIAL  PRESS 

EARLY  EFFORTS  FOR  BOOKS 

By  Edward  J.  Waterhouse 

FOR  BLIND  PEOPLE,  1832  is  a  year  of  great  import,  for  it  was 
then  that  the  education  of  the  blind  took  a  decisive  turn.    Six 

children  were  taken  into  the  home  of  Samuel  Gridley  Howe  for 
instruction.  This,  of  itself,  was  not  particularly  significant.  Fifty 
years  previously  Valentin  Hauy  had  taught  French  boys,  and  a  num- 
ber of  schools  for  the  blind  existed  in  Europe.  Howe  had  visited  the 
European  institutions,  and  came  back  determined  to  strike  out  along 
a  new  path.  He  found  the  French  offered  only  intellectual  education 
to  a  selected  group,  while  the  English  trained  only  for  a  craft.  He 
wrote  at  the  time :  "We  should  depend  entirely  neither  upon  physical 
nor  intellectual  education,  nor  should  we  lay  down  any  general  rule 
to  be  observed  towards  all  pupils.  One  ought  to  be  even  more  observ- 
ant of  the  bent  of  a  blind  boy's  mind,  and  the  direction  of  his  talent, 
than  he  is  in  the  education  of  seeing  children." 

Howe's  plan  was  to  offer  a  general  education  to  all  his  pupils, 
and  only  as  a  last  resort  were  handicrafts  to  be  chosen  as  a  means  to 
a  livelihood,  for  he  felt  that  in  the  use  of  his  hands  a  blind  boy  gen- 
erally faced  unequal  competition  with  his  seeing  fellows.  He  had 
abundant  faith  that  the  blind  as  a  whole  could  learn  to  read  and  write. 
With  over  a  century  of  proof  behind  us,  it  is  difficult  for  us  to  realize 
that  this  was  ever  a  matter  of  doubt,  but  in  1832  the  only  evidence 
came  from  a  few  Europeans  who  might  prove  to  be  exceptional.  If  he 
had  failed  to  teach  his  first  pupils  to  read,  Perkins  would  probably 
have  developed  into  a  training  school  for  basket  makers. 

From  Europe  Dr.  Howe  brought  copies  of  the  four  books  which 
comprised  the  entire  library  for  the  blind  in  the  English  language. 
He  immediately  set  out  to  make  more  and  better  books.  At  his  own 
expense  he  experimented  with  various  kinds  of  type.  He  gave  some 
thought  to  a  sign  language,  but  decided  in  favor  of  type  which  was 
similar  to  the  Roman  letters  of  the  seeing.  From  a  press  constructed 
under  his  direction  came  first  "The  Acts  of  the  Apostles,"  followed 
by  various  textbooks.  These  were  more  compact  than  their  European 
counterparts,  occupying  only  half  as  much  space.  They  cost  only  one 
fourth  as  much,  and  this  proved  of  great  importance.  Dr.  Howe 
recognized  that  any  books  he  manufactured  must  be  made  available 
to  all  who  could  use  them.    Quite  apart  from  the  wasteful  expense  of 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 
—  3  — 


<#* 


THE  PROPOSED 
NEW  LIBRARY 


■BR     • 


NEW  LIBRARY  NEEDED 

LIBRARY  SHELVES  constantly  overflowing  and  new  books 
continually  inflowing,  make  it  necessary  to  consider  means  of 
adequately  housing  the  Perkins  Library.  Since  space  was  pro- 
vided in  the  new  buildings  in  Watertown  thirty  years  ago,  the  library 
has  increased  from  13,461  embossed  books  to  51,532  to  which  must  be 
added  5,790  Talking  Books  introduced  first  in  1934.  Expansion 
within  the  present  plant  has  reached  the  limit.  The  Trustees  are 
cognizant  of  this  situation.  Plans  have  been  prepared  for  a  new 
library,  and  consideration  is  being  given  to  its  erection  and  means  of 
financing  it. 

The  Perkins  Library  not  only  serves  the  school,  in  which  the 
circulation  last  year  was  3,626  textbooks  and  5,386  volumes  for  vol- 
untary reading,  but  is  also  the  center  for  the  distribution  of  books 
for  the  adult  blind,  which  sent  out  last  year  7,513  embossed  books 
and  17,827  Talking  Books.  1,884  Talking  Books  were  used  within 
the  school.  Circulation  of  all  types  of  books,  including  magazines,  for 
1946  totalled  45,024  volumes.  1,589  readers  outside  the  school  were 
served. 

The  new  library  would  not  only  provide  adequate  space  for  the 
housing  of  books,  but  more  efficient  facilities  for  the  service  of  distri- 
bution, particularly  outside  the  school.  In  addition,  space  would  be 
provided  for  more  adequate  teachers'  library  service,  which  is  greatly 
needed  to  enable  our  teachers  to  keep  abreast  of  changing  trends  in 
educational  programs.  Facilities  are  also  included  for  the  teacher 
training  program  known  as  the  Harvard  Class. 

—  4  — 


BOOKS  FOR  THE  ADULT  BLIND 

BOOKS  FOR  THE  ADULT  BLIND  are  received  constantly  from 
the  Library  of  Congress,  which  was  designated  as  the  federal 
agency  to  administer  the  Pratt-Smoot  Bill  passed  in  1931,  and 
appropriating  $125,000  a  year  for  embossed  books  for  distribution 
to  the  adult  blind.  This  legislation  has  been  extended  to  include 
Talking  Book  records,  and  more  recently  to  include  Talking  Book 
machines.  On  August  8,  1946  the  appropriation  was  increased  to 
$1,125,000  annually.  With  this  increased  appropriation  it  is  apparent 
that  there  will  be  more  books,  and  Perkins  as  one  of  the  distributing 
libraries  must  be  prepared  to  do  its  part. 

THE  ORIGINAL  LIBRARY 

THE  PRESENT  PROVISION  for  books  for  the  blind  is  a  far 
cry  from  the  original  Perkins  Library.  This  consisted  of  four 
books  which  Samuel  Gridley  Howe,  the  first  Director,  brought 
back  with  him  from  Europe  in  1831.  They  are  still  in  the  school's 
possession,  although  no  longer  in  use.  From  Edinburgh  he  brought 
the  Gospel  of  St.  John,  and  a  small  book  of  "Scripture  Statements 
with  Respect  to  Religious  Doctrines  and  Moral  Duty."  From  York, 
England,  he  brought  a  book  in  raised  diagrams  to  illustrate  a  con- 
temporary school  edition  of  Euclid.  The  largest  of  the  four  came 
from  Paris  entitled  "Extracts  from  the  Best  English  Authors."  This 
book  is  believed  to  be  the  first  one  embossed  for  the  use  of  the  blind 
in  the  English  language  and  is  dated  1818.  It  was  intended  to  help 
French  students  in  their  study  of  English.  Brutus'  speech  from 
Shakespeare's  "Julius  Caesar"  is  probably  the  only  extract  in  it  which 
would  be  read  today. 


EVIDENCE    OP 
OVERFLOWING 


BLINDIANA  LIBRARY 

FEW  PEOPLE  REALIZE  that  within  the  Perkins  library  is  the 
greatest  collection  of  material  on  the  blind  in  the  world.  The  only 
comparable  collection  in  Vienna  was  largely  destroyed  during  the 
war.  The  Perkins  collection  known  as  the  "Blindiana  Library"  was 
begun  by  Michael  Anagnos,  second  director  with  continued  expansion 
by  his  successors.  It  ranges  from  the  first  book  ever  printed  for  the 
blind  in  English,  which  is  invaluable,  to  a  comprehensive  news  clip- 
pings coverage  of  the  blinded  in  World  War  II.  There  are  books  in 
23  languages  and  practically  every  book  ever  published  about  or  by 
the  blind.  Research  workers  must  come  to  Perkins  to  cover  the  field 
adequately  and  the  new  library  has  facilities  planned  for  a  wider 
use  of  these  treasures. 

THE  HOWE  PRESS 

THE  HOWE  PRESS,  founded  by  Michael  Anagnos  in  1881, 
shares  in  the  Library  of  Congress  program,  as  it  is  one  of  the 
four  printing  presses  in  the  country  publishing  books  for  the 
blind.  The  Press,  which  also  produces  appliances  such  as  slates, 
writers,  and  games  for  the  blind,  is  now  in  a  state  of  transition  as  the 
making  of  appliances  is  being  moved  from  the  South  Boston  shop 
to  the  new  shop  set  up  in  Watertown  at  the  power  house.  New 
equipment  will  enable  the  Press  to  produce  more  material  than  in  the 
past.  An  entirely  new  model  of  a  Braille  Writer  has  been  developed, 
and  it  is  hoped  to  start  production  by  next  fall.  A  special  activity 
of  the  Press  has  been  the  making  of  embossed  maps,  and  out  of  the 
production  of  several  hundred  maps  has  grown  the  project  "Map  of 
the  Month,"  which  distributes  throughout  the  country  maps  featuring 
news  of  the  day. 

THE  MAGNIFYING  PROJECT 

THE  MAGNIFYING  DEVICES  developed  by  the  Dartmouth 
Eye  Institute  in  cooperation  with  the  University  of  Rochester, 
and  the  projection  devices  developed  at  The  Franklin  Institute 
in  Philadelphia  have  been  received  at  Perkins.  A  project  to  study  the 
effectiveness  of  these  devices,  is  under  way  at  Perkins  under  a  contract 
with  the  National  Research  Council  through  its  Committee  on  Sensory 
Aids.  The  aim  of  the  Perkins  project  is  to  see  if  partially  seeing 
people  can,  through  these  devices,  be  enabled  to  read  books  or  other 
reading  matter  in  ordinary  type.  With  the  new  devices  in  hand, 
definite  progress  along  these  lines  should  be  made  from  now  on. 

—  6  — 


FROM  OUR  MAIL 


"As  I  am  alone  all  day,  except  for  my 
singing  canary,  your  records  are  a 
source  of  inspiration  to  me."    L.  M.  L. 


"I  want  to  express  my  deep  apprecia- 
tion for  the  pleasure  and  profit  I  have 
received  from  the  use  of  the  machine 
and  records.  It  is  a  wonderful  boon  to 
the  blind."    E.  S.  T. 


"I  am  going  to  attend  school  in 
Omaha,  Nebraska  ...  I  will  therefore 
no  longer  be  using  your  library,  but  I 
do  want  to  thank  you  for  the  wonderful 
service  you  have  rendered."    C.  W.  G. 


"We  want  to  thank  you  for  the  won- 
derful services  rendered  through  the 
Talking  Books.  Mother  was  blind  three 
years  and  confined  to  her  chair  and  it 
helped  wile  away  many  an  hour."  C.  W. 


"What  these  books  have  meant  to  me, 
only  the  blind  can  understand.  The 
records  came  as  an  uplift  and  refresh- 
ment to  a  mind  found  waiting  a  difficult 
burden."    C.  S.  W. 


"I  am  returning  the  final  volume  in 
the  Moon  Type.  Miss  H.  is  nearly  eigh- 
ty-seven, and  is  unable  to  use  any  more 
of  her  precious  books  .  .  .  We  can  never 
be  grateful  enough  that  she  could  en- 
joy the  raised  type  books  for  almost 
forty  years."    A.  G.  B. 


"In  my  medical  work  in  Boston  I 
have  always  admired  the  work  of  the 
Perkins  Institution  .  .  .  Recently  one 
particular  case  came  to  my  attention, 
where  an  elderly  man  was  given  many 
hours  of  happiness  through  the  records 
that  he  received  from  Perkins  Institu- 
tion."   M.  M.,  M.  D. 


PUBLICATIONS 


"I  wish  I  could  properly  thank  all 
who  have  had  anything  to  do  with  it  for 
the  great  enjoyment  I  am  having  being 
able  again  to  'read'  and  to  have  such 
fine  reading."    E.  P.  G. 


The  Social  Work  Yearbook,  published 
by  the  Russell  Sage  Foundation,  ap- 
peared early  in  March.  The  article  on 
The  Blind  was  written  by  the  Director. 
This  summarized  the  activities  for  the 
blind  in  1947  as  well  as  giving  facts 
necessary  for  historical  background. 


Perkins  Institution  figured  promi- 
nently in  the  January  issue  of  The  Out- 
look for  the  Blind.  Armand  Michaud, 
Perkins  graduate  and  teacher,  had  an 
article  on  Jessica  L.  Langworthy,  for- 
mer principal  of  the  boys'  school,  and 
tutorial  assistant  of  the  Harvard  Course 
for  many  years. 


Edward  W.  Jenkins  also  a  Perkins 
graduate  and  teacher,  had  an  article 
entitled  "A  Wanderer  Through  the 
Glory,"  telling  of  the  life  of  Edwin  L. 
Gardiner,  Head  of  the  Music  Depart- 
ment of  Perkins  from  1890  to  1933, 
while  Edward  J.  Waterhouse,  teacher  of 
mathematics  had  an  article  on  "Braille 
and  Mathematics." 


Social  Security  Board  recommenda- 
tions for  amendments  to  the  Social  Se- 
curity Act  in  1947  include:  "We  recom- 
mend that  age  requirements  be  deleted 
in  Aid  to  the  Blind  ...  In  Aid  to  the 
Blind  many  states  have  a  minimum  age 
requirement  ranging  from  sixteen  to 
twenty-one  years.  The  effects  of  these 
requirements  may  be  to  deprive  needy 
blind  children  of  assistance  in  their  own 
homes,  since  these  children  are  not 
necessarily  eligible  for  Aid  to  Dependent 
Children  and  general  a'ssistance  may 
not  be  available.  One-  reason  for  the 
age  requirement  may  be  the  thought 
that  blind  children  would  be  taken  care 
of  in  schools  for  the  blind.  It  may  not 
be  necessary  to  place  the  children  in 
such  schools  when,  for  example,  appro- 
priate educational  facilities  are  avail- 
able locally."  Social  Security  Bulletin, 
December  1946,  page  13. 


—  7 


THE  HOWE  MEMORIAL  PRESS 

(Continued  from  Page  3) 

a  small  edition,  he  desired  to  see  blind  persons  everywhere  given  the 
benefits  he  was  able  to  bestow  on  his  own  few  pupils.  Consequently, 
he  could  not  use  the  institution  funds  in  his  printing  department. 
Money  raised  for  the  boys  and  girls  of  New  England  ought  not  to  be 
spent  on  the  blind  at  large.  He  made  it  his  personal  responsibility  to 
raise  a  special  fund,  and  in  this  he  was  only  partly  successful.  On 
several  occasions  during  his  long  term  as  director  the  press  stood 
idle  for  months  at  a  time  for  lack  of  money.  Had  he  not  succeeded  in 
reducing  the  cost  of  embossed  books  by  three  fourths  at  the  outset, 
the  whole  matter  of  a  library  for  the  blind  might  well  have  been  indefi- 
nitely delayed. 

Before  his  death  in  1876,  Dr.  Howe  had  issued  about  thirty  books. 
He  had  also  manufactured  embossed  globes  and  maps,  and  published 
embossed  music  in  the  braille  notation.  This  seemingly  small  con- 
tribution was  about  equal  to  the  combined  efforts  of  all  other  presses 
issuing  material  in  English.  The  man  who  had  seen  so  clearly  the 
immediate  importance  of  establishing  a  printing  department  in  his 
school,  who  designed  the  type  to  be  used  and  the  press  to  use  it,  who 
selected  the  titles  for  publication,  editing  some  and  writing  others 
himself,  who  spared  himself  no  effort  in  raising  funds  for  its  support, 
and  who  insisted  on  making  the  products  of  his  labor  available  to  all 
who  could  use  them,  surely  deserved  to  have  his  name  commemorated 
in  the  Howe  Memorial  Press. 

As  soon  as  Mr.  Anagnos  became  Director  of  Perkins,  he  began  a 
campaign  to  endow  the  Press,  and  by  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the 
school's  opening,  more  than  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  were  in 
the  treasury.  Since  that  time  this  fund  has  been  more  than  doubled 
in  amount,  though  not  in  value.  With  the  passing  of  time  new  prod- 
ucts have  been  needed.  As  braille  became  more  widely  used,  the 
demand  grew  for  braille  slates,  writers  and  shorthand  writers. 
Arithmetic  slates,  geometrical  instruments,  thermometers  and 
barometers  with  raised  markings,  and  a  variety  of  games  for  the 
blind  have  all  been  maufactured,  and  are  in  demand.  As  in  Howe's 
time,  these  products  find  wide  distribution,  not  only  in  our  own  coun- 
try but  in  other  lands.  As  in  his  time  also,  maps  are  manufactured, 
including  the  Braille  Map-of-the-Month  which  is  distributed  free  to 
all  schools  and  braille  readers  who  can  use  it. 

—  8  — 


The  Lantern 


THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  XVI..  NO.  4  JUNE  15.  19  4  7 

The  Forgotten  Blind 

WITH  so  much  attention  being  focused  on  special  provision 
and  financial  assistance  for  the  blind,  is  there  not  danger 
that  the  general  public  will  think  that  all  people  without  sight 
are  dependent  for  their  welfare  and  their  happiness  on  the  efforts  of 
others  ?  Is  it  not  possible  that  the  many  visually  handicapped  people 
who  are  quietly  but  effectively  carrying  on  by  their  own  abilities  and 
resources  and  asking  no  favors  are  becoming  the  forgotten  blind? 
Should  not  more  emphasis  be  placed  on  this  group  because  we  like  to 
feel  that  they  represent  the  solid  bulk  of  our  blind  citizens  ? 

These  questions  have  cropped  up  in  our  minds  since  attending 
a  meeting  of  deaf  people.  There  we  heard  of  a  club  of  deaf-mutes 
who  would  not  ask  for  exemption  from  taxation  for  their  clubhouse 
because  they  would  have  to  declare  themselves  a  charitable  organiza- 
tion and  of  a  state  which  offered  to  remit  poll  taxes  to  deaf  people, 
but  which  was  refused  as  the  deafened  citizens  wanted  to  meet  their 
full  obligations  of  citizenship.  These  incidents  are,  in  our  mind, 
evidences  of  determination  to  measure  up  to  full  responsibility  despite 
a  handicap  and  are  in  accord  with  principles  of  American  democracy. 
In  a  democracy  all  people  are  not  equal  despite  the  Declaration 
of  Independence.  Those  who  are  poorly  endowed  must  therefore  work 
the  harder  to  achieve.  The  will  to  achieve  is  perhaps  the  essential 
factor.  Indubitably  there  are  many  who  need  guidance  and  help  and 
in  our  field  this  takes  many  forms.  We  would  not  decry  these  efforts 
nor  deny  many  of  the  blind  all  the  assistance  that  they  need  and 
should  have.  But  do  not  let  us  put  so  much  stress  on  this  aspect  of 
our  program  that  those  who  are  able  to  carry  on  independently  are 
forgotten.  We  ought  more  widely  to  proclaim  our  women  and  men 
of  achievement. 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  thi  Blind. 
Watertown  72,  Massachusetts  Gabriel  Farrjell,  Director 


^aJhu</  7&jvl*<££ 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Jimmy  Osborn,  the  little  English  boy 
sent  to  this  country  for  an  education 
by  the  Ninth  Air  Force  and  now  in  the 
Lower  School,  has  been  made  happy 
this  spring  by  the  arrival  in  this  coun- 
try of  his  father,  mother  and  sister. 


The  Red  Sox  baseball  team  has  now 
very  ardent  rooters  in  the  Upper  School. 
Thirty-five  girls  attended  the  game 
with  the  St.  Louis  Cardinals  on  Fri- 
day, May  16,  and  thirty-five  boys  went 
to  the  game  with  the  Detroit  Tigers 
on  Tuesday,  May  20.  While  at  the 
game  the  girls  met  John  Kiernan  of 
INFORMATION  PLEASE. 


James  Byrnes  of  the  Upper  School 
received  second  prize  in  a  nation-wide 
short  story  contest  conducted  by  the 
New  York  Association  for  the  Blind. 


Twenty -one  boys  of  the  Upper  School 
spent  Sunday  afternoon,  May  26,  at 
the  yards  of  the  Boston  &  Maine  Rail- 
way where  they  inspected  Diesel  en- 
gines and  other  railroad  equipment. 
Following  that  they  gave  a  program 
at  the  YMCA  and  had  supper  as  the 
guests  of  Mr.  George  Ellis,  an  official 
of  the  railroad  company. 


The  Lower  School  Girl  Scout  Troop 
presented  a  Swedish  Dance  at  the  In- 
ternational Folk  Festival  held  in  the 
Watertown  High  School  on  Wednesday 
evening,  May  28. 


Perkins  was  represented  by  seven 
boys  and  coach  in  the  track  meet  held 
by  the  Athletic  Association  of  Schools 
for  the  Blind  held  at  Overbrook, 
Pennsylvania  on  Saturday  afternoon, 
May  17.   Score  not  mentioned. 


The  Greek  boys  now  in  residence  at 
Perkins  presented  a  musical  program 
in  Dwight  Hall  on  Tuesday  evening, 
June  3. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Donald  Southern,  who  left  Perkins 
in  1943  to  accept  war  work  in  industry, 
has  now  set  up  a  machine  shop  in 
Watertown,  where  he  is  doing  business. 


Fay  Bresnahan,  Perkins  1940,  grad- 
uate of  Regis  College  and  Boston  Col- 
lege School  of  Social  Work,  is  now 
Social  Worker  at  the  Beth  Israel  Hos- 
pital in  Boston. 


John  J.  di  Francesco,  Perkins  1940, 
now  studying  in  New  York  for  an 
operatic  career,  was  married  on  May 
11  to  Muriel  Marion  Cook,  also  a  stu- 
dent of  voice. 


R.  M.  Haider,  Harvard  Class,  1931-2, 
formerly  head  of  the  Dadar  School  for 
the  Blind  in  Bombay,  India,  is  now 
Assistant  Educational  Advisor  to  the 
Department  of  Education,  Government 
of  India,  with  offices  in  New  Delhi. 


Horatio  W.  Hendrick,  Perkins  1929, 
and  in  business  in  Plainfield,  New 
Hampshire,  was  married  on  April  21 
to  Miss  Alice  Lorraine  Palmer,  a 
school  teacher.  At  one  time  Mr.  Hen- 
drick was  an  instructor  at  the  Barnes 
School,  Henniker,  New  Hampshire. 


John  Morrison,  Perkins  1940,  a  grad- 
uate of  Notre  Dame  University,  and 
now  doing  graduate  work  there,  was 
selected  by  the  National  Research 
Council  to  make  a  study  on  the  "Value 
of  the  Magnetic  Wire  Sound  Recorder 
to  Blind  College  Students". 


Dr.  Edward  E.  Allen,  Director  Em- 
eritus and  Mrs.  Allen  went  to  England 
in  March  to  visit  their  daughter  and 
grandchildren.  He  writes  that  he  found 
England  pretty  cold,  but  "warm 
weather  does  creep  upon  us  over  here 
.  .  .  the  green  leaves  are  greener  than 
in  U.S.A.  —  altogether  a  very  lovely 
country;  but  hardly  equal  to  our  golden 
America!" 


—  2  — 


MEN  OF  ACHIEVEMENT 

Id  The  Halls  of  Legislation 

PERKINS  has  four  former  students  serving  in  the  halls  of  legis- 
lation, one  in  Rhode  Island  and  three  in  Massachusetts.     There 

may  be  others  in  other  parts  of  the  country  of  whom  we  have  no 
record.  There  have  undoubtedly  been  others  in  former  times.  These 
four  men  of  whom  we  write  are  young  men,  now  in  the  prime  of  life, 
serving  their  respective  states  in  a  very  capable  and  outstanding 
manner.  Each  one  has  made  a  place  for  himself  in  the  legislature 
in  which  he  serves,  and  all  have  served  more  than  one  term.  From 
a  political  point  of  view  this  is  perhaps  the  best  evidence  of  achieve- 
ment, re-election  term  after  term.  In  order  to  get  direct  information 
about  the  three  men  serving  in  the  House  of  Representatives  in  Massa- 
chusetts, we  visited  the  State  House  and  talked  with  them.  We  were 
not  only  impressed  with  the  places  they  occupy,  but  in  the  way  in 
which  members  of  the*  House  greeted  them,  revealing  friendship  and 
respect. 

We  were  not  able  to  go  to  Rhode  Island  to  see  the  Honorable 
William  E.  Powers  in  his  hall  of  legislation,  but  we  know  the  place 
that  he  holds  in  that  state.  Perhaps  the  best  record  of  his  popularity 
is  that  in  the  last  primaries  in  his  state,  he  was  a  candidate  for 
nomination  as  lieutenant  governor.  He  did  not  win  in  this  election, 
however,  but  time  will  tell  that  story.  Powers  was  elected  to  the 
Rhode  Island  legislature  in  1938,  and  a  recent  newspaper  account  re- 
ported that  "he  is  a  deputy  floor  leader,  and  one  of  the  finest  speakers 
and  ablest  members  of  the  legislature.  He  is  the  Chairman  of  the 
hard-working  Insurance  Committee".  Powers  entered  Perkins  in 
January  1929  after  an  accident  had  destroyed  his  sight,  and  remained 
until  graduation  in  June  1932.  As  an  exception  to  the  general  rule, 
he  was  permitted  to  enter  the  Boston  University  School  of  Law  with- 
out going  through  college.  He  was  graduated  third  from  the  top  of 
his  class  three  years  later.  He  was  admitted  to  the  Massachusetts 
Bar  in  1935,  and  in  1936  was  appointed  Judge  of  Probate  for  Cum- 
berland County  in  Rhode  Island. 

On  the  visit  to  the  State  House  we  first  met  the  Hon.  Richard 
Hull,  who  came  to  Perkins  in  September  1924  at  the  age  of  seven, 
and  remained  until  June  1933,  when  he  transferred  to  the  High  school 
in  Rockport  his  home  community.    After  graduation  there  he  went 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 
—  3  — 


MASSACHUSETTS  COUNCIL 

FEATURING  BLIND  MEN  who  have  achieved  success,  the  Massa- 
chusetts Council  of  Organizations  of  the  Blind  held  its  Annual 
Meeting-  at  Perkins  Institution  on  Monday,  May  26.  The  speakers 
were  the  Hon.  James  E.  Hannon,  Perkins  graduate  and  member  of 
the  Massachusetts  legislature,  Dr.  Donald  G.  Morgan,  associate  pro- 
fessor of  Political  Science  at  Mount  Holyoke  College,  and  William 
McGreal,  former  sales  manager  for  an  American  corporation  in 
Europe.  Officers  for  the  ensuing  year  elected  were:  President: 
Gabriel  Farrell;  First  Vice  President:  Fred  B.  Walsh;  Second  Vice 
President:  Mrs.  Edward  Dangel  and  Secretary-Treasurer:  Mrs.  Sum- 
ner Jacobs. 

The  meeting  began  at  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  when  an 
interesting  collection  of  devices  under  development  for  the  blind  by 
the  American  Foundation  for  the  Blind  was  exhibited.  At  four-thirty 
the  Perkins  Chorus  gave  a  concert,  and  later  a  picnic  supper  was  en- 
joyed by  those  present  in  the  court-yard  of  the  Howe  Building.  The 
business  meeting  was  held  at  seven  in  the  evening. 


PERKINS  '47 

THE  CLASS  GRADUATING  this  year  is  one  of  more  than  usual 
interest,  not  only  because  of  the  one  boy  among  seven  girls,  but 
because  so  many  of  these  pupils  have  had  their  entire  education 
at  Perkins.    The  sole  boy  in  the  class  entered  Perkins  in  1933  at  the 
age  of  eight  after  attending  one  year  of  public  school.  Four  of  the  girls 
began  their  schooling  in  the  kindergarten  or  the  first  grade,  and  have 
continued  together  ever  since,  forming  a  very  close  friendship.     The 
three  other  girls  entered  Perkins  in  1941,  1942  and  1943  respect- 
ively.   Since  the  spring  vacation  the  girls  of  the  Senior  Class  have 
been  living  together  in  Bennett  Cottage,  which  has  helped  to  cement 
the  friendships  which  have  been  developing  through  the  years.  As 
a  climax  for  the  year  six  of  the  girls  went  to  New  York  over  the 

week  end  of  May  30.  They  visited 
the  Statue  of  Liberty,  Radio  City 
and  other  points  of  interest.  They 
were  accompanied  by  Miss  Car- 
penter and  Miss  Pinkham. 

THESE   SENIORS   WENT  TO  NEW  YORK 
Marilyn  Roode,   Elana  Landi,   Lorraine   Gaudreau, 
Mary    Drake,    Priscilla    Blakely, 
Marjorie  Drinkwine 


THESE    SENIORS    STAYED    HOME 


Francis  Cordeau 


SOCIAL  GRACE 

THE  SENIOR  DANCES  were  held  this 
year  on  the  evening-  of  May  10  for  the 
girls,  and  on  the  evening  of  May  24  for 
the  boys.  These  were  very  happy  occasions, 
with  good  music,  plenty  of  partners  and  un- 
usually attractive  decorations  in  Dwight  Hall. 
Several  other  successful  dances  have  been  held 
this  year  by  both  the  boys  and  the  girls.  At 
Perkins,  the  boys  and  the  girls  in  the  school 
do  not  have  dances  together.  These  social  oc- 
casions are  used  as  opportunities  to  invite  see- 
ing boys  to  the  girls  dances  and  seeing  girls 
to  the  boys'  dances.  This  is  part  of  the  socialization  plan  to  give 
Perkins  pupils  opportunity  to  meet  seeing  people  of  their  own  ages 
and  to  develop  poise  and  social  grace. 


TRAVEL  TECHNIQUES 

OPPORTUNITY  is  being  provided  this  spring  for  Perkins  boys 
to  try  out  some  of  the  techniques  developed  at  the  Army 
Training  Center  for  Blinded  Soldiers  at  Valley  Forge  General 
Hospital.  At  that  center  considerable  stress  was  put  upon  the  right 
use  of  canes  by  the  blind,  and  a  special  technique  was  worked  out 
which  proved  helpful  to  many  persons.  Former  Sergeant  Gus  Frye, 
a  resident  of  Watertown  and  on  duty  during  the  war  at  Valley  Forge, 
comes  to  the  school  afternoons  and  Saturdays  to  give  training  to  the 
boys  in  the  use  of  the  cane.  While  Perkins  has  generally  felt  that  its 
pupils  could  get  about  effectively  with  canes,  it  nevertheless  is  ready 
to  give  to  its  pupils  opportunity  to  try  out  this  special  procedure. 


UNDER  SUSPICION 

DONALD  G.  MORGAN,  who  spoke  at  the  May  meeting  of  the 
Massachusetts  Council,  reports  that  while  traveling  in  London 
prior  to  the  war  he  was  investigated  by  Scotland  Yard  because 
of  mysterious  maps  which  he  left  in  a  taxi.    They  were  ones  which 
he  had  made  for  himself  for  guidance,  marking  out  the  places  he 
wished  to  visit,  and  they  were  in  Braille. 

—  5  — 


Margaret  Lally 


GRADUATION,  JUNE  12,  1947 

GRADUATION  EXERCISES  were  held  in  Dwight  Hall  on 
Thursday,  June  12,  at  two  o'clock.  Diplomas  were  presented 
to  the  eight  members  of  the  Senior  Class  and  certificates  were 
given  to  four  who  had  completed  requirements  in  their  respective 
departments.  The  diplomas  this  year  bore  for  the  first  time  the  sig- 
nature of  the  new  President,  Dr.  Reginald  Fitz.  An  address  of  personal 
interest  and  value  was  given  by  the  Rev'd  John  J.  Connolly,  now 
Pastor  of  St.  Bridget's  Church,  Framingham,  but  for  many  years 
the  Director  of  the  Catholic  Guild  for  the  Blind.  Father  Connolly 
is  a  member  of  the  Perkins  Board  of  Trustees  appointed  by  the 
Governor.  The  invocation  was  given  by  the  Rev'd  Walter  Sillen, 
Minister  of  the  Baptist  Church  in  Watertown. 


FOUR  GIRLS  of  the  Senior  Class  are  planning  to  attend  college: 
Priscilla  Blakeley,  Jackson  College ;  Lorraine  Gaudreau,  Syracuse 
University,  School  of  Journalism;  Marilyn  Roode,  Music  Courses 
at  Rivier  College,  Nashua,  N.  H.  and  Margaret  Lally,  New  England 
Conservatory  of  Music.  Mary  Drake  is  to  return  to  Perkins  for  post 
graduate  work,  while  Marjorie  Drinkwine  and  Elena  Landi  received 
certificates  as  proficient  Ediphone  operators  and  will  seek  employ- 
ment in  that  field.   Francis  Cordeau  is  to  open  a  vending  stand. 


CERTIFICATES  were  awarded  to  nine  members  of  the  Harvard 
Class  at  assembly  on  Monday  morning,  May  26.  Members  of  the 
class  this  year  come  from  a  wide  geographical  span.     In  this 
country,  Maine,  New  York,  Pennsylvania  and  Mississippi.     Abroad, 
India,  Norway,  Chili,  Cuba  and  South  Africa. 


NORMA  FARRAR,  Perkins  '46  and  post  graduate  student  this 
year  is  going  to  the  University  of  New  Hampshire.     Rose 
Miscio,  a  post  graduate  student  from  Pennsylvania,  received 
a  certificate  from  the  Pianoforte  Normal  Department.     Certificates 
as  pianotuners  were  awarded  to  Joseph  Piela  and  Bruno  Kiwior. 


THE  SENIOR  CLASS  color  is  red  and  gold  and  the  flower  is  the 
red  rose.  The  Motto  is  "All  that  we  send  into  the  lives  of  others 
comes  back  into  our  own." 

—  6  — 


PERKINS  VISITORS 


Sven  -  Vosta  Sjoberg,  Director  of 
Music  in  the  School  for  the  Blind  in 
Sweden,  who  visited  Perkins  in  the  fall, 
has  submitted  an  excellent  report  of 
his  visit  to  this  country  with  his  re- 
actions to  our  program  for  the  blind. 


Miss  Gudrun  Pollan,  teacher  from 
the  Daln  Public  School  for  the  Blind 
in  Norway,  and  who  has  been  in  the 
Harvard  Class  this  year  is  returning 
to  her  own  country  by  way  of  Seattle. 


Victor  Hugo  Vaughan,  Vice-Principal 
of  the  School  for  the  Blind,  Worcester, 
South  Africa  and  in  residence  at  Per- 
kins this  year,  is  making  an  extensive 
visit  to  other  centers  of  blind  work 
throughout  the  country. 


Dr.  George  B.  Fryer,  Head  of  the 
Institution  of  the  Chinese  Blind  in 
Shanghai,  and  his  daughter,  spent  a 
week  at  Perkins  in  May,  to  renew  old 
friendships  and  to  discuss  mutual 
problems. 


Dr.  Wallace  Kiang,  Executive  Secre- 
tary of  the  Chinese  Welfare  Council 
for  the  Blind  in  Shanghai,  was  also 
a  visitor  in  May.  He  is  studying  this 
year  at  Columbia  University. 


Maria  de  Madraiaga  and  Maria 
Tereze,  the  former  in  charge  of  nurses 
specializing  in  the  care  of  the  blind 
in  Spain,  visited  Perkins  for  a  few  days 
on  their  way  to  an  International  Con- 
gress of  Nurses  in  Atlantic  City. 


Dorina  M.  de  Goudea,  Regina  Diraga 
da  Silva  and  Neith  Moura,  teachers  in 
the  School  for  the  Blind  in  Brazil  and 
studying  at  Columbia  University,  visited 
Perkins  for  a  few  days  in  May. 


PUBLICATIONS 


Edward  J.  Waterhouse's  article  on 
the  Howe  Memorial  Press  in  the  last 
issue  of  the  LANTERN  is  to  be  re- 
printed in  one  of  the  publications  of 
the  New  York  Lighthouse  at  their  re- 
quest. 


The  Child,  published  by  the  Chil- 
dren's Bureau  of  the  Federal  Govern- 
ment, gives  in  the  May  issue,  an  ex- 
cellent account  of  the  National  Con- 
ference on  the  Pre-school  Child  held  in 
New  York— March  13  -  15,  1947. 


Nelson  Coon,  Superintendent  of 
Buildings  has  had  articles  recently  in 
four  of  the  country's  leading  horti- 
cultural magazines,  THE  HOME  GAR- 
DEN; GARDENER'S  CHRONICLE; 
HORTICULTURE  and  RURAL  NEW 
YORKER. 


The  Alabama  Institute  for  Deaf  and 
Blind  has  issued  a  valuable  and  at- 
tractive booklet  called  "A  Blind  Child 
in  the  Home"  with  the  subtitle — ','Sug- 
gestions  to  Parents"  which  states  its 
purpose. 


Public  Affairs  Pamphlet  No.  124,  re- 
cently published,  is  "What  do  you  know 
about  Blindness?"  by  Herbert  Yahraes. 
It  is  distributed  by  the  New  York  As- 
sociation for  the  Blind.  This  pamphlet 
of  thirty-two  pages  has  been  published 
to  inform  the  public  about  the  blind 
and  is  very  comprehensive  in  its  cover- 
age. It  defines  blindness,  states  the 
number  of  blind  persons,  and  refers 
to  certain  characteristics  of  blind  peo- 
ple. Common  causes  of  blindness  are 
reported,  suggestions  are  made  regard- 
ing the  needs  of  the  blind  child,  and 
considerable  informatioon  is  given 
about  the  facilities  and  opportunities 
available  to  the  blind.  Altogether  it  is 
a  very  helpful  handbook  for  those  who 
want  to  know  more  about  the  blind  in 
order  to  understand  and  to  help  them 
intelligently. 


—  7  — 


MEN  OF  ACHIEVEMENT 

(Continued  from  Page  3) 

to  Clark  University,  from  which  he  received  a  degree  in  1941,  after 
specializing  in  government  and  history.  He  continued  his  education 
by  attending  seminar  courses  at  Littauer  Center  of  Public  Adminis- 
tration at  Harvard  University.  Hull  was  elected  to  the  Massachusetts 
legislature  in  1942  after  being  defeated  in  1941.  He  represents  the 
17th  District  including  the  cities  of  Gloucester  and  Rockport.  At  the 
State  House  he  serves  on  the  Committee  on  Education,  the  Committee 
on  Power  and  Light,  and  has  been  Chairman  of  the  Recess  Commis- 
sion on  Education.  Coming  from  the  Gloucester  district,  one  of  his 
chief  interests  is  the  fishing  industry,  and  he  watches  closely  all 
legislation  concerning  fishing. 

The  Hon.  George  Green  represents  the  district  including  Rox- 
bury  which  is  a  part  of  Boston.  He  was  elected  in  1942  and  is  now 
serving  his  third  term.  He  is  serving  on  the  Legal  Affairs  Committee, 
being  the  ranking  member,  and  the  Committee  on  State  Administra- 
tion. Green's  special  concern,  coming  as  he  does  from  a  city  district, 
is  social  legislation.  He  came  to  Perkins  in  1913  after  losing  his 
sight  through  an  accident  at  the  age  of  thirteen.  He  left  in  1918, 
and  continued  his  secondary  education  at  the  Huntington  School  in 
Boston.  After  graduation  therefrom  he  attended  the  Northeastern 
School  of  Law  from  which  he  was  graduated  cum  laude.  He  practiced 
law  in  Boston  until  his  election  to  the  Legislature. 

The  Hon.  James  E.  Hannon,  the  third  member  of  the  Massachu- 
setts legislature  from  Perkins,  came  from  the  floor  to  greet  us,  guided 
by  his  Seeing  Eye  dog  Susie.  He  represents  the  4th  Berkshire  Dis- 
trict which  includes  ten  towns,  centering  in  Lee  where  he  makes  his 
home.  Hannon  is  a  member  of  the  Committee  on  Departmental  Rules 
and  Regulations  and  the  Committee  on  Conservation.  His  special 
interest  is  conservation,  because,  he  stated,  sixty  percent  of  the  state's 
forests  are  in  Berkshire  County.  Hannon  entered  Perkins  in  1918 
and  continued  through  graduation  in  1929.  After  that  he  went  to 
Boston  University  from  which  he  was  graduated,  and  where  he  was 
elected  to  Phi  Beta  Kappa  in  1933.  He  completed  his  law  school  work 
in  1935,  and  was  the  ranking  scholar  in  his  class.  He  was  one  of  the 
students  elected  to  the  editorial  staff  of  THE  SCHOOL  OF  REVIEW. 


The  ftaiitern 


THE  PERKINS 


VOLUME  XVII.,  NO.  1 


INSTITUTION 


SEPTEMBER  15.  1947 


Are  Residential  Schools  Doomed? 

TO  HEAR  some  of  our  experts  talk,  one  would  think  that  the 
residential  school  for  the  blind  has  outlived  its  usefulness  and 
stands  doomed.  And  to  our  confusion  they  quote  our  first 
Director  to  support  their  claims.  It  is  true  that  Dr.  Howe  back  in 
1866  warned  against  the  dangers  of  great  institutions,  and  stated 
that  the  "crucial  test  of  excellence"  would  be  "giving  instruction,  aid 
and  assistance  to  the  greatest  number  of  blind  persons,  while  keeping 
the  least  number  within  its  walls,  and  away  from  their  proper  homes." 
Though  educators  of  the  blind  generally  are  aware  of  the  dangers 
of  institutionalization  and  of  segregation  and  seek  within  their  means 
to  avoid  them,  we  doubt,  however,  if  the  solution  is  to  be  found  in 
transferring  our  task  to  public  day  schools.  Even  if  arrangements 
could  be  made  (and  they  cannot)  to  include  all  blind  children  in 
public  school  systems,  there  are  inherent  dangers.  Living  on  the 
fringe  of  activities  of  seeing  children,  as  has  been  observed  in  day 
classes,  may  develop  in  blind  children  a  frustration  more  harmful 
than  segregation.  There  is  also  the  question  as  to  whether  public 
schools  represent  all  the  parents  want  for  their  children.  There  is 
in  the  east  especially,  a  long  tradition  of  sending  children  "away  to 
school"  because  many  feel  that  adolescent  boys  and  girls  mature 
better  in  separate  schools  where  there  can  be  greater  concentration 
on  the  forces  that  prepare  for  life. 

However  that  may  be,  schools  for  the  blind  should  never  lose 
sight  of  Dr.  Howe's  "crucial  test",  and  should  remember  that  their 
task  is  to  prepare  blind  youth  for  a  seeing  world.  Any  criticism 
which  points  out  shortcomings  in  attaining  that  objective  are  well 
directed  and  should  be  valued. 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  thk  Blind. 
Watertown  72,  Massachusetts 


JpaJhuJ -j&jvij^ 


Gabriel  Farrjsll,  Director 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 

Paul  L.  Bauguss,  who  since  1935  has 
been  connected  with  the  Music  De- 
partment, has  been  appointed  director, 
succeeding  John  F.  Hartwell  who  re- 
tired after  forty  years  at  Perkins.  Mr. 
Bauguss  is  a  graduate  of  the  New 
England  Conservatory  of  Music  and 
has  studied  choral  directing  at  Tangle- 
wood.  While  working  at  Perkins  on 
a  part  time  basis,  he  was  instructor  of 
instruments  at  St.  Paul's  School,  Con- 
cord, New  Hampshire,  and  has  direct- 
ed orchestras  and  choral  groups. 


Ben  Smith,  who  has  been  master 
of  Potter  Cottage  and  teacher  of  the 
sixth  grade,  has  transferred  to  the 
Upper  School  where  he  will  be  acting 
director  of  physical  education  and 
master  of  Bridgman  Cottage. 


Shirley  A.  Drucker,  graduate  of  State 
Teachers  College,  Montclair,  New 
Jersey,  with  a  master's  degree  from 
Teachers  College,  Columbia  University, 
is  a  new  teacher  of  the  sixth  grade 
in  the  Lower  School. 


Janet  H.  Chick,  graduate  of  Sim- 
mons College,  has  been  engaged  as 
teacher  of  home  economics  in  the  Up- 
per School. 


Leo  Z.  Gittzus  of  the  Practical  Arts 
Department    and    Maurine    Nilsson   of 

the  Deaf-Blind  Department  were  mar- 
ried on  June  28.  Ben  Smith,  acting 
director  of  physical  education,  and 
Joan  Baum,  secretary  to  the  social 
worker,  were  married  on  August  17. 


With  deep  regret  we  announce  the 
death  of  Dr.  Anna  G.  Newell  who  last 
year  was  a  member  of  the  Harvard 
Class  and  taught  biology,  on  June  22, 
in  Bethlehem,  Pennsylvania,  and  of 
Miss  Ada  Crampton,  Head  of  Services 
for  the  Blind  in  Vermont,  on  July  7. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 

Virginia  Cole,  formerly  teacher  at 
Perkins,  has  been  appointed  Director 
of  Services  for  the  Blind  for  the  State 
of  Vermont,  succeeding  the  late  Miss 
Ada   Crampton. 


Guy  Marchisio,  Perkins  '33,  and 
graduate  of  Boston  University,  former- 
ly Principal  of  the  Blind  Department 
of  the  Utah  School,  has  accepted  a 
position  with  the  New  Jersey  State 
Commission  for  the  Blind. 


Faye  George,  Perkins  '46  and  a  stu- 
dent at  Middlebury  College,  where  she 
was  secretary  of  the  Freshman  Class 
last  year,  served  during  the  summer 
months  as  secretary  and  Ediphone 
operator  in  the  office  of  the  Services 
for  the  Blind  in  Montpelier,  Vermont. 


Ralph  Feliciano,  Perkins  '36  was 
graduated  from  Boston  College  in  June, 
receiving   the   B.   S.   degree. 


Martha  Gurry,  Perkins  '41,  will  oper- 
ate the  switchboard  at  Regis  College, 
replacing  Selma  Tirocchi,  Perkins  '44, 
who  is  entering  college  in  Seattle, 
Washington. 


Theodore  Leutz,  Perkins  '96,  and 
Edward  E.  Schuerer,  Perkins  '99,  asso- 
ciated with  the  Massachusetts  Division 
of  the  Blind  from  its  beginning  in  1906, 
have  recently  retired. 


The  Western  Conference  of  Home 
Teachers  at  a  recent  convention  passed 
a  resolution  expressing  appreciation  of 
the  Howe  Memorial  Press,  for  the 
Braille  Map  of  the  Month,  and  for 
the  games  and  other  devices  which 
are  made  and  sold  to  the  blind  at  cost. 


The  Perkins  Alumnae  Association  is 

to  hold  a  card  party  at  Perkins  on 
Friday,  October  17,  to  raise  money  for 
the  Perkins  Alumnae  Scholarship 
Fund.  Hand  made  articles  will  be 
sold. 


—  2 


WOMEN  OF  ACHIEVEMENT 

"The  Other  Side  "  Acclaims  Its  "Grads  " 

THE  OTHER  SIDE,  speaking  from  the  viewpoint  of  the  boys' 
side  of  the  school,  feels  that  it  has  produced  women  of  achieve- 
ment whose  contribution  to  society  should  be  acclaimed.  And, 
if  we  are  to  sustain  our  editorial  point  of  the  last  issue  of  THE 
LANTERN  that  we  should  tell  more  about  the  blind  who  have  suc- 
ceeded, "the  other  side"  should  have  its  turn.  That  the  men's  record 
of  four  members  in  the  legislature  reported  in  the  last  issue  cannot 
be  duplicated  is  perhaps  not  so  much  a  fault  of  the  school  as  society's 
failure  to  recognize  the  legal  talents  of  women  generally.  But  in 
many  fields,  "the  other  side"  can  claim  its  quota  of  women  who  have 
achieved  success. 

Let  us  begin  at  Perkins  where  graduates  of  both  sides  have  for 
many  years  made  their  influence  felt  both  in  policy  and  in  teaching. 
Illustrative  of  this  at  the  present  time  let  us  mention  two.  In  the 
Upper  School  Gertrude  S.  Harlow  has  quietly  and  effectively  helped 
many  students  as  a  teacher  of  English.  Perhaps  her  greatest  con- 
tribution has  been  with  pupils  who  lost  their  sight  while  in  the  midst 
of  schooling,  and  needed,  not  only  specialized  help  with  Braille  and 
other  tools,  but  the  example  of  what  can  be  accomplished,  which  Miss 
Harlow  so  well  exemplifies.  She  has  taught  at  Perkins  since  1920. 
Going  to  the  Lower  School,  let  us  tell  of  Margaret  McKenzie,  '11, 
who  is  truly  a  Perkins  product.  Entering  in  the  kindergarten,  she 
has  been  associated  with  Perkins  ever  since.  During  these  years 
Miss  McKenzie  has  taught  the  fundamental  hand  skills  to  children 
in  the  early  grades.  Many  fingers  have  been  made  nimble  and  the 
paths  of  many  sightless  children  have  been  lightened  by  her  innate 
love  and  understanding  of  children  who  cannot  see. 

Turning  to  the  field  of  adult  education,  Mary  Eunice  French,  '89, 
heads  the  list.  Her  great  achievement  as  a  home  teacher  in  Rhode 
Island  received  recognition  in  June,  when  Rhode  Island  College  of 
Education  awarded  her  the  honorary  degree  of  Master  of  Education. 
A  still  active  worker  in  this  field  is  Rose  Trainer,  '09,  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts Division  of  the  Blind,  who  has  done  an  outstanding  piece 
of  work  in  organizing  sales  of  articles  made  by  blind  persons  in  their 
homes.    A  more  recent  graduate  doing  successful  work  in  this  field 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 

—  3  — 


MARY    E.    FRENCH 
See    Page    7  C 


THE  117th  YEAR 

CLASSES  WERE  RESUMED  on  Wednesday,  Septem- 
ber 10  for  the  117th  year  of  continuous  instruction 
to  blind  children  by  Perkins  Institution.  With  the 
exception  of  Fisher  Cottage  where  the  deaf-blind  children 
live,  all  cottages  are  filled  to  capacity.  An  unusually  large 
number  of  pupils  completed  their  work  in  June  or  were 
sent  to  other  schools,  and  this  made  it  possible  to  accept 
practically  all  children  seeking  admission.  Once  again  in 
addition  to  the  New  England  area  Perkins  normally  serves, 
pupils  are  coming  from  several  other  parts  of  the  country. 
The  Harvard  Class  this  year  has  representatives  from 
Porto  Rico,  Haiti,  Chili,  Greece  and  one  is  expected  from 
Egypt. 

A  NEW  BRAILLE  WRITER 

THE  PERKINS  BRAILLER  was  exhibited  at  the  con- 
vention of  the  American  Association  of  Workers  for 
the  Blind  held  in  Baltimore  early  in  July,  and  has 
been  shown  to  the  officials  of  the  Veterans  Administration  and  the 
Federal  Security  Agency.  All  who  have  seen  this  newly  developed 
braille  writer  are  enthusiastic  about  its  possibilities.  Among  the 
new  features  is  a  unique  key  action  whereby  all  the  dots  in  the 
cells  will  be  absolutely  uniform  in  height  regardless  of  uneven  finger 
pressure.  Instead  of  the  conventional  moving  carriage,  the  paper 
remains  stationary  and  a  small  brailling  unit  travels  from  left  to 
right  across  the  page.  This  results  in  exceptional  quietness  and  free- 
dom from  vibration.  The  Brailler  is  a  compact  aluminum  unit  weigh- 
ing about  eight  and 
a  half  pounds.  Tool- 
ing for  the  produc- 
tion of  the  braille 
writer  is  under  way 
at  the  Howe  Mem- 
orial Press,  and  it  is 
hoped  that  machines 
will  be  ready  for  dis- 
tribution early  in 
1948. 


Tl 


pig   Honorary   Degree 
Ice    Sunday    Journal 


THE  MAGNIFYING  DEVICES 

THE  PROJECT  to  study  magnifying  devices,  which 
will  enable  the  partially  sighted  to  read  ordinary  ink 
print  books,  assigned  to  Perkins  by  the  National  Re- 
search Council,  was  completed  June  30.  Devices  developed 
at  the  Dartmouth  Eye  Institute  and  at  The  Franklin  In- 
stitute, as  well  as  other  devices,  were  studied.  The  conclu- 
sions reached  have  been  presented  in  a  report  which  has 
been  submitted  to  the  National  Research  Council.  During 
this  study  the  possibility  of  new  devices  was  explored  and 
a  small  projection  device  has  been  developed  which  Perkins 
hopes  to  complete  shortly.  This  study  was  under  the  di- 
rection of  Dr.  Walter  F.  Dearborn,  Head  of  the  Psycho- 
Educational  Clinic  of  Harvard  University,  and  Dr.  Philip 
L.  Johnson  of  the  Massachusetts  Division  of  Health,  as- 
sisted by  members  of  the  Perkins  staff. 

SUMMER  IMPROVEMENTS 


THE  OUTSTANDING  improvement  of  the  summer  to  the 
physical  plant  has  been  an  extension  to  the  Power  House  which 
makes  possible  more  space  for  the  Appliance  Department  of  the 
Howe  Memorial  Press.  With  this  new  space,  all  of  the  machine  work 
and  manufacturing  of  appliances  will  be  carried  on  at  Perkins.  Em- 
bossing and  printing  will  continue  for  the  time  being  at  South 
Boston.  Another  project  of  value  has  been  the  complete  moderniza- 
tion of  the  shower  rooms  attached  to  the  swimming  pool  and  gym- 
nasium. These  have 
had  new  plumbing, 
new  tiling  and  light- 
ing, which  makes 
them  modern  and 
sanitary.  Classrooms 
and  cottages  have  all 
been  refurnished  and 
were  ready  at  the 
opening  of  school 
this  fall. 


,ER 


TO  SCHOOLS  AT  HOME 

FIFTEEN  BOYS  and  girls  attending  Perkins  last  year  did  not 
return  this  year.  After  a  careful  survey  of  the  visual  activities 
of  all  pupils  they  were  found  to  have  enough  sight  to  warrant 
trial  in  public  school  classes  either  regular  or  sight-saving.  After 
careful  consideration  of  each  case  and  consultation  with  parents  and 
state  workers  arrangements  were  made  for  these  children  to  enter 
schools  in  their  home  communities.  They  will  be  kept  on  the  Perkins 
roll  for  a  year  so  that  if  the  trial  does  not  prove  successful  they  can 
be  returned.  Contact  will  be  kept  with  them  during  the  year  to  assist 
in  adjustment  and  to  give  special  help. 

LOWER  SCHOOL  PLANS 

NEW  PLANS  for  the  Lower  School  have  been  put  into  effect 
after  careful  study  last  year.  All  pupils  below  the  fourth 
grade  will  be  divided  into  two  equal  groups  and  assigned  to 
Anagnos  and  Bradlee  Cottages.  A  flexible  program  for  each  group 
will  enable  pupils  to  be  advanced  according  to  levels  of  achievement. 
Miss  Morse  will  be  in  charge  of  the  Bradlee  group  while  Miss  Davies 
will  supervise  the  group  in  Anagnos.  Pupils  in  the  primary  cottages, 
Potter  and  Glover,  will  be  arranged  according  to  grades  with  in- 
struction under  the  direction  of  Miss  Evans.  Under  these  plans  more 
supervision  will  be  provided  and  houses  will  be  more  self  contained. 

PRE-SCHOOL  INSTITUTE 

A  TWO  DAY  INSTITUTE  for  social  welfare  workers,  nurses 
and  the  mothers  of  pre-school  blind  children  was  held  at  the 
University  of  Vermont,  Burlington,  June  26  and  27.  Instead 
of  the  summer  schools  held  for  mothers  and  blind  babies  the  past 
two  years,  a  series  of  institutes  of  this  type  have  been  planned. 
Others  are  to  be  held  in  different  parts  of  New  England  during  the 
fall.  While  local  physicians  were  asked  to  take  part  in  the  Vermont 
institute,  a  group  of  workers  from  Perkins  and  the  Massachusetts 
Eye  and  Ear  Infirmary  carried  most  of  the  program. 

ftA  CARDINAL  RULE" 

IT  SHOULD  BE  a  cardinal  rule  in *the  education  of  the  blind  to 
keep  ever  in  view  the  fact  that  they  are  to  become  members  of 
general  society  and  not  a  society  of  blind  persons."     Samuel  G. 
Howe,  1849  Report  of  Perkins. 

—  6  — 


HONORS  LIST 


Mary  Eunice  French,  '89,  forty-two 
years  home  teacher  in  Rhode  Island, 
was  awarded  the  honorary  degree  of 
Master  of  Education  by  Rhode  Island 
College  of  Education  in  June. 


Peter  J.  Salmon,  '14,  received  on 
June  29,  the  Migel  Medal  awarded  an- 
nually for  outstanding  service  to  the 
blind  by  the  American  Foundation  for 
the  Blind.  On  that  evening  a  testi- 
monial dinner  was  given  in  New  York 
by  the  Trustees  of  the  Industrial  Home 
for  the  Blind  of  which  he  is  Director, 
in  recognition  of  thirty  years  of  service 
with  that  organization. 


Florence  E.  Birchard,  former  place- 
ment officer  in  the  Massachusetts  Divi- 
sion of  the  Blind,  received  in  July  the 
Shotwell  Medal  awarded  by  the 
American  Association  of  Workers  for 
the  Blind. 


John  Morrison,  '39,  graduate  of 
Notre  Dame,  received  the  degree  of 
Ph.  D.  from  that  university  in  June, 
and  an  appointment  as  instructor  in 
philosophy  in  the  Graduate  School. 


Francis  B.  Ierardi,  '08,  Director  of 
the  National  Braille  Press,  was  elected 
First  Vice-President  at  the  convention 
of  the  American  Association  of  Work- 
ers for  the  Blind. 


Edward  W.  Jenkins,  '22,  and  George 
Faulkner,  both  of  the  music  faculty, 
were  made  Fellows  by  Trinity  College, 
University  of  London,  after  examina- 
tions on  June  11. 


Dr.  Reginald  Fitz,  President  of  the 
Trustees,  was  awarded  the  honorary 
degree  of  Doctor  of  Laws  by  Hahne- 
mann Medical  College,  Philadelphia, 
in  June. 


PUBLICATIONS 


"Psychological  Tests  for  Use  of  Blind 

Adults  in  Vocational  Rehabilitation"  is 
the.  title  of  Publication  No.  19  in  the 
Rehabilitation  Series  published  by  the 
Office  of  Vocational  Rehabilitation, 
Federal  Security  Agency.  This  is  an 
excellent  compilation  and  description 
of  psychological  tests  divided  into  three 
parts:  I.  Evaluated  Tests;  II.  Brailled 
Achievement  Tests;  III.  Tests  for  the 
Sighted  Adapted  for  Use  with  the 
Blind.  Throughout  this  booklet  there 
are  many  references  to  the  develop- 
mental work  in  this  field  done  at 
Perkins  largely  under  the  leadership  of 
Dr.  Samuel  P.  Hayes  to  whom  generous 
recognition  is  given  in  the  foreword 
for  the  assistance  he  gave  in  the  pre- 
paration of  the  manuscript  and  making 
available  unpublished  experimental 
data.  This  booklet  is  a  logical  and 
helpful  follow-up  of  Perkins  Publica- 
tion No.  14  wherein  Dr.  Hayes  gave 
the  historical  background  and  evalua- 
tion of  many  tests  which  have  been 
tried  out  for  the  blind. 


Perkins  is  publishing  this  fall  the 
third  supplement  to  the  Catalog  of 
the  Special  Reference  Library  of  books 
relating  to  the  blind.  This  supplement 
lists  all  books  and  materials  added  to 
the  Blindiana  Library  since  1930,  and 
with  the  original  catalog  published  in 
1907  and  the  two  previous  supplements, 
lists  and  briefly  describes  the  vast 
amount  of  material  in  the  Special 
Reference  Library,  totaling  books  in 
nineteen  languages  and  thousands  of 
articles  and  newspaper  clippings.  This 
library  is  the  greatest  source  for  ma- 
terial on  the  blind  in  the  world,  and 
there  is  value  in  having  the  catalog 
complete  and  up-to-date.  This  sup- 
plement has  been  compiled  by  Miss 
Mary  Esther  Sawyer,  the  present  Li- 
brarian. 


—  7  — 


WOMEN  OF  ACHIEVEMENT 

(Continued  from  Page  3) 
is  Wilma  True,  '39,  who  became  the  first  home  teacher  in  Maine  in 
1945,  and  is  blazing  new  trails  in  the  effective  program  for  the  blind 
in  that  state.    A  graduate  of  Bates  College,  she  attended  the  course 
for  home  teachers  at  the  Overbrook  School  for  the  Blind. 

In  the  business  world  Perkins  women  have  succeeded  in  such 
large  numbers  that  it  is  difficult  to  make  selection.  There  is  Annie 
Mae  Kennedy,  '20,  an  Ediphone  operator  in  a  Boston  insurance  office ; 
Dorothy  Ingersoll,  '32,  who  after  a  few  years  in  the  offices  at  Perkins 
has  made  a  place  for  herself  as  an  Ediphonist  at  the  Walworth  Com- 
pany in  Boston;  Evelyn  Crossman,  '37,  who  after  completing  her 
training  at  Perkins  became  Ediphonist  at  the  Springfield  American 
Red  Cross  and  Marion  Knoll,  after  leaving  Perkins  in  1944,  now  takes 
dictation  from  several  professors  at  Michigan  State  College. 

In  the  mission  field,  Perkins  has  played  its  part.  Teaching  at 
Perkins  for  the  past  two  years  as  an  interlude  caused  by  the  war  was 
Mary  Burtt  Knapp,  '09,  who  after  her  graduation  from  Wellesley 
College  went  to  China  where  she  opened  a  school  for  the  blind. 
Although  not  a  Perkins  graduate,  but  one  who  attended  the  teacher 
training  course  in  1914  is  Genevieve  Caulfield,  who  first  went  to 
Japan,  and  since  1940  has  been  in  Siam,  where  according  to  a  recent 
letter  her  school  for  blind  children  has  survived  the  war.  Sister  Mary 
Alma,  '12,  who  after  several  years  as  stenographer  at  S.  S.  Pierce's 
became  a  nun  and  is  now  a  valued  teacher  at  the  Lavelle  School  in 
New  York  City. 

In  the  professional  field  there  is  Dr.  Muriel  Anderson,  '16,  suc- 
cessful osteopath  in  David  City,  Nebraska;  Geraldine  Hinckley,  '34, 
masseuse  in  Framingham ;  Mary  K.  Allen,  '08  of  Longmeadow,  lecturer 
on  current  events  and  an  extensive  traveler;  Ruth  Cox,  '39,  of  Bel- 
mont, writer  of  children's  stories  and  poems;  Madeline  Brooks  Nor- 
cross,  '20,  of  Waltham,  singer  and  lecturer,  and  Faye  Bresnahan, 
'40,  who  after  graduation  from  a  school  of  social  work  is  a  social 
worker  in  a  Boston  hospital. 

"And  what  shall  I  more  say?"  (as  the  writer  of  the  book  of  He- 
brews asked)  "for  the  time  would  fail  me  to  tell  of"  the  many  more 
that  might  be  mentioned.  "Wherefore  seeing  we  are  compassed  with 
so  great  a  crowd  of  witnesses",  "the  other  side"  can  well  be  proud  of 
its  women  of  achievement. 

—  8  — 


The  ILantern 


THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  XVII..  NO.  2  DECEMBER  15.  194  7 

Blind  Lead  Blind 

AN  INTERESTING  observation  as  one  studies  the  history  of 
work  for  the  blind,  and  one  which  should  be  more  widely 
heralded,  is  the  extent  of  the  leadership  of  blind  persons.  This 
is  as  it  should  be  for  there  are  many  areas  where  only  the  blind  can 
speak  with  authority.  Who  else  can  interpret  realistically,  living  in 
a  darkened  world?  It  is  true,  of  course,  that  seeing  people  have  also 
made  contributions  in  this  field,  but  too  often  what  they  write  about 
blindness  and  the  aids  they  develop  are  projected  from  the  seeing 
person's  point  of  view  and  need. 

The  transition  from  the  line  types  of  the  seeing  Hauy  and  Howe 
to  the  embossed  dots  of  the  blind  Braille  is  an  illustration  of  this. 
Dr.  Howe,  in  laying  the  foundations  for  the  education  of  the  blind 
in  America  depended  largely  on  two  blind  teachers  brought  from 
France  and  Scotland.  Sir  Francis  Campbell  opened  the  way  to  higher 
education.  Robert  B.  Irwin  was  the  first  to  try  psychological  tests 
for  the  blind. 

The  blind  have  also  led  where  the  seeing  feared  to  tread.  Piano 
tuning  for  the  blind  was  the  result  of  a  prank  of  blind  Claude  Montal 
in  the  Paris  School  in  1830.  He  and  a  fellow  student  took  apart  a 
piano  and  were  reprimanded.  Securing  an  old  piano  they  rebuilt  and 
tuned  it  and  convinced  the  seeing  school  authorities  that  here  was  a 
new  vocation  for  the  blind. 

Can  the  Blind  lead  the  Blind?  Indeed  they  have  done  so  and 
are  doing  so.  The  records  of  many  leaders  in  the  national  an  state 
fields  and  in  the  schools  prove  this.  Those  interested  in  the  visually 
handicapped  should  not  forget  this  as  programs  for  those  who  c.  not 
see  are  planned,  if  they  want  them  to  have  reality  and  to  succeed. 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  fob  the  Blind. 
Watertown  72,  Massachusetts  Gabriel  Farrell,  Director 


^a&t^/  7&AA*£p 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Tom  Breneman,  noted  broadcaster, 
visited  Perkins  on  October  28,  delight- 
ing the  assembled  school  with  his  line 
of  chatter. 


Perkins  pupils  attended  a  presenta- 
tion of  "The  Barretts  of  Wimpole 
Street"  by  the  Winchester  Players  on 
the  evening  of  November  5. 


Many  girls  of  the  Upper  School 
visited  the  Navy  Yard,  seeing  the  ships 
and  other  historical  features  at  that 
place,  on  Sunday  afternoon,  Novem- 
ber 9. 


Perkins  was  host  for  Play  Day,  over 
the  weekend  of  November  14,  to  five 
girls  from  each  school  in  New  York, 
Philadelphia,  Baltimore  and  Hartford. 
All  had  a  happy  time. 


The    annual    Football    Banquet    was 

held  in  Moulton  Cottage  on  the  eve- 
ning of  November  22,  marking  the 
closing  of  the  fall  football  tournament 
which  was  won  this  year  by  Eliot  and 
Bridgman   Cottages   in   a   tie. 


Contributions  to  the  Community 
Fund  were  made  practically  one  hun- 
dred percent  by  staff  and  pupils  of 
Perkins,  with  a  total  collection  of 
$853.40. 


A  bronze  plaque  of  Mrs.  John  Chip- 
man  Gray  by  Augustus  St.  Gauden  has 
been  placed  in  the  Lower  School  central 
lobby.  Mrs.  Gray  was  for  many  years 
President  of  the  Ladies  Visiting  Com- 
mittee to  the  Kindergarten.  The  plaque 
is  the  gift  of  Mrs.  Gray's  daughter, 
Mrs.  Henry  D.  Tudor. 


The  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Perkins 
Corporation  was  held  at  the  school  on 
Monday,  November  3,  with  the  election 
of  Dr.  Reginald  Fitz,  President,  Ralph 
Lowell,  Vice-President,  John  P.  Chase, 
Treasurer,  and  Gabriel  Farrell,  Secre- 
tary. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Willard  W.  McLeod,  Jr.,  a  post  grad- 
uate student,  1942-1943,  was  graduated 
from  Harvard  in  June,  and  now  has  a 
position  as  junior  engineer  in  electron- 
ics at  the  Raytheon  Manufacturing 
Company  in  Waltham. 


Martha  McLeod,  also  a  post  graduate 
student,  1942-1943,  was  graduated  from 
Wheelock  College  in  June,  and  now 
holds  a  position  as  a  kindergarten 
teacher  in  the  Springfield  schools. 


Lorraine  McNamara,  Perkins  '39,  en- 
tered the  Framingham  Normal  School 
this  fall,  and  is  enrolled  as  a  freshman. 


Norma  Farrer,  post  graduate  student 
last  year,  has  entered  the  University 
of  New  Hampshire. 


Donald  Walhout,  a  national  scholar- 
ship student  from  Michigan,  1944-1945, 
is  now  a  sophomore  at  Adrian  College, 
Michigan. 


John  di  Francesco,  Perkins  '40,  New 
England  Conservatory  of  Music,  '44,  is 
teaching  at  the  Lavelle  School  for  the 
Blind,  New  York,  directing  a  chorus 
under  the  auspices  of  the  Catholic 
Guild  for  the  Blind  in  Brooklyn,  and 
singing  regularly  over  the  radio  station 
WOV. 


Helen  Schultz  Hayes,  former  deaf- 
blind  student  at  Perkins,  now  married, 
lives  with  her  husband  on  a  dairy  farm 
in  Baudette,  Minnesota.  She  writes,  "I 
have  over  five  hundred  cans  of  vege- 
tables, fruits  and  pickles,  jellies  and 
jams    in    my    basement    closet." 


The  Alumnae  Association  held  a  very 
successful  game  party  in  Dwight  Hall 
on  October  17,  clearing  over  three  hun- 
dred dollars  for  the  Alumnae  Scholar- 
ship Fund. 


SAMUEL  PERKINS  HAYES 

Pioneer  in  Psychology  of  the  Blind 

AT  A  NATIONAL  conference  held  at  the  University  of  Michigan, 
November  17-19,  on  Psychological  Diagnosis  and  Counseling 
of  the  Adult  Blind  there  was  such  widespread  recognition  of 
the  work  of  Dr.  Samuel  P.  Hayes,  director  of  research  at  Perkins, 
that  it  seems  suitable  to  tell  something  of  him  and  the  important  work 
that  he  has  been  carrying  on  for  thirty  years  in  adapting  and  develop- 
ing tests  for  the  blind.  The  conference  at  Ann  Arbor  was  presented 
by  the  Institute  of  Human  Adjustment  of  the  University  in  coopera- 
tion with  the  Office  of  Vocational  Rehabilitation,  FSA  and  the 
Michigan  Division  for  the  Blind.  It  indicated  many  psychological 
needs  and  made  suggestions  of  how  to  meet  them.  In  one  area,  that 
which  included  tests  to  measure  intelligence  and  to  reveal  achieve- 
ment in  school  work,  it  was  pointed  out  an  adequate  program  prevails. 
This  represents  the  pioneering  work  begun  by  Dr.  Hayes  thirty  years 
ago  and  pursued  to  the  present  day. 

Close  students  in  the  field  of  the  blind  are  aware  of  Dr.  Hayes 
work  through  his  papers  at  many  of  the  conferences  of  the  past 
three  decades  and  through  his  articles  in  professional  publications. 
Dr.  Hayes  has  published  a  volume  entitled,  "Contributions  to  a  Psy- 
chology of  Blindness"  and  he  is  the  author  of  a  chapter  in  each  of  the 
two  volumes  entitled  "What  of  the  Blind?"  Two  other  publications 
showing  special  fields  of  research  are  "Sense  of  Obstacles"  published 
in  1935  and  "Aptitude  Tests  for  the  Blind"  published  in  1946. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  century  when  the  Binet  tests  had  been 
first  translated  into  English  by  Dr.  H.  H.  Goddard  of  the  Vineland 
Training  School,  workers  with  the  blind  became  interested  in  their 
use.  Robert  B.  Irwin,  then  Supervisor  of  the  Department  for  the 
Blind  in  the  Cleveland  Public  Schools,  arranged  the  tests  for  use  with 
blind  children.  Dr.  O.  H.  Burritt  of  the  school  at  Overbrook  became 
interested  and  asked  Dr.  Goddard  to  suggest  someone  in  the  field 
of  psychology  to  develop  this  area.  Dr.  Goddard  suggested  Dr.  Hayes, 
a  young  professor  of  psychology  at  Mt.  Holyoke  College,  who  had 
made  some  interesting  studies  in  color  blindness.  In  1916,  Dr.  Hayes 
spent  a  half  year  at  Overbrook,  became  consultant  in  psychology  at 
the  school  and  took  a  similar  position  at  Perkins.     This  part  time 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 
—  3  — 


THE  CHRISTMAS  CONCERTS 

THE  CONCERTS  of  Christmas  music  are  to  be  held  this  year 
on  Sunday  afternoon,  December  14  and  on  the  evenings  of  the 
following  Tuesday  and  Thursday,  the  last  being  planned  pri- 
marily for  the  parents  of  the  pupils  and  friends  of  the  staff.  The  pro- 
gram will  be  presented  by  the  choirs  of  the  Lower  and  Upper  School 
totalling  over  one  hundred  voices.  The  concerts  this  year  will  be  the 
first  under  the  direction  of  Paul  L.  Bauguss,  new  director  of  music. 
For  these  concerts  Mr.  Bauguss  has  arranged  a  program  ranging 
from  classical  anthems  by  G.  F.  Handel  and  Mendelssohn  to  a  modern 
chorus  "Noel  of  Workers  on  Holiday"  by  Francis  Devino,  a  Perkins 
senior,  with  words  by  Edward  W.  Jenkins  of  the  music  faculty.  There 
are  special  carols  for  the  children's  chorus  and  one  group  of  "old 
familiar  carols  you  like  to  hear  and  sing"  with  opportunity  for  the 
audiences  to  sing.  All  three  concerts  are  to  be  held  in  Dwight  Hall 
at  the  school. 

PROGRAMS  AT  PERKINS 

OPPORTUNITY  TO  HEAR  music  produced  by  others  than  them- 
selves has  been  provided  this  year  for  the  benefit  of  pupils  and 
staff  by  Mr.  Bauguss.  He  has  invited  a  number  of  musicians  and 
musical  groups  to  come  to  Perkins  to  present  programs  in  Dwight 
Hall.  During  the  fall  term  Mr.  Boris  Goldovsky  brought  the  entire 
New  England  Opera  Company  to  Perkins  on  the  evening  of  October 
14  when  they  presented  "The  Marriage  of  Figaro."  On  October  20 
Camille  Girouard,  baritone  soloist,  offered  a  delightful  program  and 
on  the  evening  of  November  14  Jules  Wolf  ers  and  his  string  orchestra 
gave  a  program  of  chamber  music.  On  the  afternoon  of  November 
25  Charles  Opper  and  his  jazz  orchestra  delighted  the  pupils  with 
popular  music. 

TEACHERS  IN  TRAINING 

PERKINS  IS  BEING  ASKED  more  and  more  by  colleges  and 
universities  to  accept  their  students  for  practice  teaching  and 
observation.  This  year  there  is  for  the  whole  year  a  young 
woman  from  Boston  University  School  of  Physical  Education  and 
there  will  be  two  in  the  field  of  Occupational  Therapy  from  Western 
Michigan  College  of  Education,  Kalamazoo,  Michigan  each  for  two 
months.    Last  year  and  for  a  time  this  year  there  have  been  young 


SAMUEL  GRIDLEY  HOWE  BUILDING  FROM  ACROSS  THE  CHARLES 

Photograph   By   Frank   Carnes    of    the   Watertown    Police   Department 

men  doing  their  field  work  from  Boston  University  School  of  Social 
Work.  A  young  woman  from  the  Bridgewater  State  College  was  in 
residence  here  last  year  and  arrangements  are  now  being  made  for 
a  student  to  come  from  the  University  of  New  Hampshire  next  year. 
Living  at  Perkins  this  year  is  a  graduate  student  at  Harvard  who 
is  coaching  the  Perkins  wrestling  team.  There  are  two  girls  from 
Wellesley  and  one  from  Regis  College  who  come  an  afternoon  a  week 
to  work  with  Dr.  Hayes  as  assigned  work  in  their  college  courses. 


VISITORS  FROM  SCHOOLS 

COLLEGES  AND  TRAINING  SCHOOLS  in  the  metropolitan  area 
and  beyond  have  long  been  interested  in  having  their  students 
visit  Perkins  as  a  part  of  training  requirements.     October  31 
Dr.  John  Yale  Crouter,  head  of  the  Rhode  Island  School  for  the  Deaf, 
brought  eighteen  teachers  to  visit  the  school  and  to  observe  work  in 
the  Deaf-blind  Department,  and  on  December  6  Prof.  O.  H.  Mowrer 

—  5  — 


brought  his  class  in  Educational  Psychology  to  the  school  for  a  talk 
by  the  Director  and  a  tour  of  class  rooms.  Other  colleges  which  have 
sent  delegations  this  year  are  Smith,  Wellesley,  Boston  University, 
Lesley  College,  the  School  of  Occupational  Therapy  and  Pine  Manor 
Junior  College.  The  nurses  training  classes  from  five  hospitals  have 
each  spent  an  afternoon  at  Perkins  so  far  this  year.  One  of  the  most 
interested  collegiate  groups  was  the  Educational  Buyers  Association 
who  spent  the  afternoon  of  October  23  at  Perkins  while  holding  its 
fall  meeting. 

THE  HARVARD  CLASS 

PERKINS  IS  MAKING  its  contribution  directly  to  the  field  of 
teaching  through  the  Harvard  Class.  This  program  is  now 
in  its  twenty-seventh  year  of  training  teachers  for  schools  for 
the  blind  in  cooperation  with  the  Graduate  School  of  Education  of 
Harvard  University.  The  class  this  year  is  not  as  large  as  pre-war 
classes  but  it  is  wide  in  its  geographical  spread.  Of  the  nine 
members,  four  come  from  British  Guiana,  Greece,  Haiti  and  Puerto 
Rico.  One  is  a  sight-saving  teacher  from  Fall  River,  another  a  worke? 
at  the  Veterans  Administration  office  in  Boston  while  the  others  come 
from  Yale  School  of  Music,  Westminster  College  in  Illinois  and 
Scripps  Gollege  in  California. 

CHILDREN  OF  THE  SILENT  NIGHT 

THE  ANNUAL  APPEAL  for  the  department  of  the  deaf-blind 
was  mailed  at  the  end  of  November.  Once  again  a  calendar  as 
a  year  round  reminder  of  our  Children  of  the  Silent  Night  was 
sent  out  to  friends  of  the  department.  Already  the  response  has  been 
gratifying  indicating  the  interest  people  have  in  these  doubly  handi- 
capped children.  There  are  eight  children  in  the  department  this 
year  necessarily  restricted  because  of  the  inability  to  secure  ade- 
quately trained  teachers  for  this  important  work. 

GRADES  VS.  BUNCHES 

IN  THE  LOWER  SCHOOL  grades  have  been  eliminated  before  the 
fourth  grade  and  the  children  divided  into  smaller  groups  where 
the  work  is  so  planned  that  children  can  be  advanced  according  to 
levels  of  achievement.  This  caused  at  first  a  little  uncertainty  of 
placement  as  indicated  by  one  boy  who  asked  another:  "Do  you  know 
what  grade  we  are  in?"  To  which  the  other  replied:  "We  are  not 
in  grades,  we  are  in  bunches !" 

—  6  — 


FROM  OUR  MAIL 


Recent  letters  included  one  addressed 
to  Mr.  Anagnos,  taking  him  to  task 
for  something  the  writer  had  recently 
read.  We  had  to  inform  the  writer  that 
Mr.  Anagnos  passed  away  in  1906. 


Another  came  addressed  to  The  New 
England  Asylum  for  the  Blind,  the 
name  under  which  Perkins  was  incor- 
porated in  1829,  but  which  gave  way  to 
our  present  name  in  late  years. 


PUBLICATIONS 


"I  am  sure  you  will  be  interested  in 
knowing  that  the  China  Press,  Shang- 
hai, November  6,  carried  an  interesting 
story  about  Perkins  and  one  of  its 
deaf-blind  pupils,  Carmela  Otero." 

H.  M.  B. 


The  Victorian  Association  of  Braille 
Writers  in  Australia  liked  the  editorial 
•'Books  are  Bridges"  in  the  March  15 
issue  of  THE  LANTERN  so  well,  that 
they  quoted  it  in  their  Annual  Report 
almost  word  by  word. 


"THE  LANTERN  has  reached  my 
desk.  Your  article  'Are  Residential 
Schools  Doomed?'  was  very  much  en- 
joyed and  is  certainly  timely.  There 
are  many  who  agree  with  this  posi- 
tion."   J.  G.  C. 


"I  cannot  find  words  to  tell  you  what 
distress  I  felt  in  reading  the  opening 
article  in  the  last  issue  of  THE  LAN- 
TERN ....  I  am  writing  to  try  to 
convey  to  you  as  best  I  can  my  strong 
urgent  feeling  on  behalf  of  our  resi- 
dential schools.  .  .  .  'By  their  fruits  ye 
shall  know  them'  "    M.  R.  B. 


"I  am  always  interested  in  reading 
THE  LANTERN  and  I  am  especially  in- 
terested in  your  front  page  editorial  of 
the  issue  of  September  15  on  the  subject 
'Are  Residential  Schools  Doomed?'  .  .  . 
There  seems  to  be  a  wave  of  this  criti- 
cism across  the  country. 

W.  G.  S. 


"The  Proper  Bostonians"  by  Cleve- 
land Amory,  published  by  D.  P.  Dutton 
&  Co.,  Inc.  has  much  of  interest  to 
Perkins.  It  acclaims  Thomas  Handasyd 
Perkins  whose  name  we  bear,  as  "the 
acknowledged  king  of  the  merchant 
princes."  "Offered  the  post  of  Secretary 
of  the  Navy  by  George  Washington, 
he  politely  refused  the  position  saying, 
with  no  exaggeration,  he  owned  a  larg- 
er fleet  of  vessels  than  that  possessed 
by  the  Navy,  and  believed  that  it  was 
more  important  to  continue  to  manage 
his  own  property". 


Col.  Perkins'  ships  were  the  training 
school  for  many  of  Boston's  first  fam- 
ilies. One  of  the  most  outstanding  of 
these  young  men  was  Robert  Bennet 
Forbes,  who  on  retirement  "built  him- 
self a  house  with  portholes  instead  of 
windows  on  the  top  floor".  Perhaps  it 
was  here  that  he  built  a  model  of  a 
schooner  named  by  him  "Julia"  after 
the  wife  of  Mr.  Anagnos,  and  presented 
to  Perkins  in  1884. 


Perkins  is  mentioned  in  the  book  in 
connection  with  Mrs.  Jack  Gardner. 
Mrs.  Gardner  was  preparing  to  open 
Fenway  Court  and  was  determined  that 
no  one  would  see  the  inside  of  the 
museum  until  the  opening  night.  Con- 
fronted with  the  necessity  of  testing 
the  acoustics  of  the  music  room,  she 
"got  in  touch  with  the  Director  of  the 
Perkins  Institute  for  the  Blind  .  .  and 
procured  a  full-size  audience  of  boys 
and   girls   for   an   afternoon    concert." 


The  occasion  was  marred  by  an  over 
careful  attendant  who  picked  up  all  the 
rubbers  of  the  children  and  arranged 
them  in  one  place.  "In  later  years  Mrs. 
Gardner  used  to  say  that  to  her  the 
most  vivid  thing  about  the  opening  of 
the  palace  was  the  time  she  spent  that 
afternoon  on  her  hands  and  knees  pair- 
ing rubbers  together  and  trying  them 
on  the  blind  children". 


—  7 


SAMUEL  PERKINS  HAYES 

(Continued  from  Page  3) 

arrangement  continued  until  1940  when  Dr.  Hayes  came  to  Perkins 
on  full  time  as  director  of  research. 

In  1916,  Dr.  Hayes  introduced  systematic  testing  in  Overbrook 
and  Perkins  and  in  eight  other  residential  schools.  After  the  tests 
had  been  administered  to  1600  subjects,  Dr.  Hayes  felt  that  he  was 
justified  in  standardizing  them  and  the  well  known  Hayes-Binet  Tests 
were  issued.  In  1923  he  prepared  a  provisional  manual  and  in  1930 
a  formal  guide  making  available  for  use  with  the  blind,  Terman's 
Stanford  Revision  of  the  Binet-Simon  Intelligence  Tests.  Since  then 
Dr.  Hayes  has  also  adapted  the  Weschler  Tests  which  he  now  finds 
better  for  advanced  pupils  and  for  the  adult  blind,  as  they  give  a 
more  favorable  indication  of  the  intelligence  of  young  people.  Dr. 
Hayes  has  also  tried  out  and  adapted  group  intelligence  tests  but 
feels  that  they  have  limited  use. 

Dr.  Hayes  has  also  been  interested  in  making  achievement  tests 
available  for  the  blind.  Believing  that  school  men  want  these  tests 
not  only  for  help  in  individual  appraisement  and  grade  placement 
but  also  to  know  how  a  class  of  blind  children  compares  with  a  sim- 
ilar grade  of  seeing  children,  Dr.  Hayes  has  concentrated  on  adapting 
standard  tests  rather  than  developing  special  tests  for  the  blind. 
Under  his  direction  all  ten  forms  of  the  Stanford  Achievement  Tests 
nave  oeen  put  into  braille  and  he  will  soon  have  available  the  five 
forms  of  the  Metropolitan  Tests.  He  has  also  adapted  the  Sones- 
Harry  and  the  Meyers-Ruck  tests  which  rate  the  abilities  of  high 
school  pupils. 

Dr.  Hayes  is  now  working  on  growth  scales  for  preschool  chil- 
dren and  has  introduced  at  Perkins,  the  Motor  Skills  Tests  developed 
at  Philadelphia.  He  has  also  arranged  for  the  group  use  in  braille 
of  the  Kuder  Preference  Record  which  indicates  fields  of  interest. 
These  new  developments  for  determining  interests,  motor  skills  and 
academic  achievement  added  to  the  fundamental  tests  of  intelligence 
give  a  well  rounded  battery  to  be  used  in  schools  and  with  blind  young 
people  in  programs  of  adjustment  and  guidance.  At  the  conference 
at  Ann  Arbor  when  this  well-authenticated  program  was  reported  all 
present  felt  that  here  was  one  area  where  pioneer  work  had  been 
done  effectively  with  a  well-rounded  program  available  for  wider  use. 

—  8  — 


The  Lantern 


THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


i 


VOLUME  XVII.,  NO.  3  MARCH  15.  1948 


The  Human  Eye 

THE  HUMAN  EYE  is  one  of  man's  most  precious  possessions. 
With  a  good  eye  man  can  read  the  finest  print  and  examine  the 
smallest  speck.  With  the  same  eye  he  can  view  the  grandeur 
of  the  distant  mountain  range  and  can  compass  the  beauty  of  an 
evening  sunset.  The  human  eye  has  a  wide  range  of  vision  and  can 
perceive  a  vast  variety  of  color.  Even  more  it  can  alert  its  possessor 
to  an  approaching  danger  and  it  can  bring  to  him  the  warmth  of  a 
friendly  smile.  We  take  for  granted  all  that  the  eye  can  do  and  sel- 
dom think  how  blessed  we  are.  Too  often  we  forget  how  precise  and 
delicate  the  instrument  of  man's  vision  is  and  we  fail  to  safeguard  it. 
We  overtax  or  neglect  it,  and  then — sight  begins  to  dim  or  suddenly 
darkness  closes  out  the  world  and  the  faces  we  love  to  see. 

While  it  is  true  that  some  eyes  are  inherently  defective,  most 
visual  defects  are  the  result  of  man's  neglect  of  this  precious  gift. 
But  in  these  modern  days  so  much  can  be  done  to  correct  impaired 
vision  or  to  better  the  faulty  eye  that  the  correction  is  almost  as 
wonderful  as  sight  itself.  New  skills  make  possible  eye  operations 
that  restore  lost  sight  and  remedies  are  constantly  being  discovered 
to  heal  the  tissues  and  to  clear  the  opacities  which  obscure  vision. 

Despite  all  this,  man  needs  to  value  more  fully  and  to  guard  more 
carefully  the  instrument  that  makes  sight  the  blessing  that  it  is.  A 
pledge  to  do  so  might,  with  profit,  be  ingrained  in  children  as  is  the 
pledge  to  the  flag — "I  promise  to  guard  with  every  care  my  eyes,  so 
that  I  may  see  all  things  clearly  and  thereby  think  wisely  and  act 
nobly."  True  vision,  both  physical  and  spiritual,  begins  by  seeing  all 
things  clearly. 

Perkins  Institution  and  Massa-  ^^/ rP^rr\>tJLS\      *f7l A/i mJ^A 

chusetts  School  for  the  Blind.  *    Cc^X/  /  GslrT*      r: 

Watertown  72,  Massachusetts  Gabriel  Farrexx,  Director 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 

The  annual  Pop  Concerts  were  held 
this  year  on  the  evenings  of  March  9, 
10  and  12.  Appreciative  audiences  en- 
joyed the  fine  program  of  music. 


Perkins  Institution  was  elected  an  in- 
stitutional member  of  the  New  England 
Association  of  Colleges  and  Secondary 
Schools  at  its  meeting  on  December  12. 


Robert  Brink,  talented  young  violin- 
ist of  Watertown,  gave  a  recital  on  the 
evening  of  February  27  in  Dwight 
Hall,  rendering  the  program  previously 
played  at  his  successful  recital  in  Town 
Hall,  New  York,  and  played  the  follow- 
ing Monday  night  in  Boston. 


Eighteen  girls  and  seven  staff  mem- 
bers were  the  guests  on  March  4,  of 
the  Boston  Kiwanis  Club  which  spon- 
sors the  Allen  Summer  Camp  for  Blind 
Girls.  All  of  the  girls  had  attended  the 
camp  and  the  lunch  proved  to  be  a 
happy  reunion,  for  other  campers  were 
also  guests. 


Morning  assembly  speakers  during  the 
winter  term  have  included  pupils  se- 
lected by  the  Boys'  and  Girls'  Councils 
on  Tuesday  mornings,  staff  members  on 
Thursday  mornings  until  February  5 
and  after  that  the  clergy  of  the 
churches  of  Watertown. 


Thirty  persons  from  the  neighborhood 
of  the  school  come  regularly  to  read 
to  fourteen  blind  teachers  and  advanced 
pupils.  As  there  is  a  good  deal  of  ma- 
terial not  in  braille  this  service  is 
valuable  and  more  readers  could  be 
used  to  advantage. 


Assisting  in  the  school  this  year  on 
part  time  are  Mrs.  Warner  Stenquist 
in  the  deaf  blind  department;  Mrs.  Joy 
Robinowitz  and  Mrs.  Isabel  Wheeler  in 
psychological  testing;  and  Mrs.  Mary 
Arnstein  in  the  kindergarten. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Dr.  Edward  E.  Allen,  director  emeri- 
tus, has  been  confined  to  his  apartment 
since  early  in  the  year  because  of  a 
fall.  He  has  been  getting  about  in  a 
wheelchair  which  he  calls  his  pony  but 
recently  has  begun  to  walk. 


John  Conley  who  left  Perkins  in  June 
1945,  is  successfully  engaged  in  poultry 
work   at   Great   Oaks   Farm,   Medfield, 

Mass. 


Joseph  M.  Butler,  Perkins  '34,  Boston 
College  '40  and  graduate  of  the  Law 
School  at  the  University  of  Vermont, 
has  passed  the  bar  examination  in  Ver- 
mont and  has  set  up  to  practice  law 
in  St.  Albans. 


Marjorie  Drinkwine,  Perkins  '47,  has 
passed  the  Connecticut  State  Service 
examination  with  a  rating  of  Typist- 
Grade  I.  This  qualifies  her  for  an  ap- 
pointment in  a  state  office  as  typist 
and  ediphone  operator. 


The  Eastern  Athletic  Association  of 

Schools  for  the  Blind,  made  up  of 
schools  from  Massachusetts  to  North 
Carolina,  is  planning  to  hold  its  annual 
track  meet  at  Perkins  Institution  on 
Saturday,  May  15.  The  meet  will  con- 
sist of  seven  events;  broad  and  high 
jumps,  hop,  step  and  jump,  three  con- 
secutive jumps,  shot  put,  fifty  and 
seventy-five  yard  dashes.  Each  team 
may  include  seven  members. 


Mrs.  Joseph  (Mable  Brown)   Spencer, 

who  passed  away  at  the  Memorial 
Home,  Worcester,  on  February  12,  was 
the  next  to  the  last  surviving  former 
pupil  who  knew  Dr.  Howe,  the  first 
Director.  Mrs.  Spencer  entered  Perkins 
in  1875  one  year  before  the  death  of 
Dr.  Howe  and  left  certified  as  a  teacher 
of  music  in  1883.  She  was  married  in 
1893  and  for  many  years  lived  near 
Perkins. 


I 


THE  OAK 

A  Study  of  Models  and  Methods 

By  Nelson  Coon 

N  A  BOOK  on  "museums"  a  recent  writer  has  this  to  say  of  seeing 
children: 

"It  has  become  increasingly  evident  that  what  the  children  touch 
becomes  a  part  of  their  personal  experience  more  completely  than 
anything  they  merely  look  at  ...  " 

Now  if  this  is  true  of  the  seeing,  how  much  more  so  must  it  be 
for  the  children  in  our  school  whose  education  must  perforce  be 
primarily  bookish.  Our  second  director,  Michael  Anagnos,  felt  very 
strongly  on  this  subject,  and  his  writings  are  full  of  comments  on 
the  value  of  tactual  education.  It  is  to  him  that  we  are  grateful  for 
the  great  foundation  purchases  which  have  made  our  Perkins  Museum 
possible. 

We  believe  with  Michael  Anagnos  when  he  wrote  in  1879  that: 

"This  mode  of  instruction  (the  tactual  method)  is  of  inestimable 
value.  It  bridges  over  the  chasm  from  the  known  to  the  unknown, 
from  the  concrete  to  the  abstract,  and  lays  a  solid  foundation  for 
the  mind  to  work  upon.  It  raises  the  attention  of  the  pupils  and 
excites  their  interest.  It  appeals  to  experience,  and  stimulates 
their  powers  of  observation  to  intense  activity.  It  feeds  the  mind 
with  real  food  and  raises  it  out  of  the  slough  of  inattention  and 
listless  inactivity." 

And  not  only  is  it  true  that  this  stimulation  through  the  sense 

of  touch  is  "educational"  but  its  value  is  greater  in  other  fields,  for 

it  was  the  French  philosopher,  Diderot,  who  wrote  after  considerable 

study  of  the  blind,  and  especially  after  association  with  a  famous 

blind  man,  LeNotre,  that 

"of  the  senses  the  eye  is  the  most  superficial     .     .     . 
.     touch   the   most  profound   and   philosophical." 

There  are,  in  other  words,  qualities  that  can  be  known  only 
through  the  sense  of  touch.  Textures  such  as  that  of  fur  or  tree  bark, 
of  polished  marble  or  plaster,  of  feathers  or  iron ;  these  are  the  things 
that  no  braille  can  explain,  nor  can  the  aesthetic  value  of  them  be 
judged  except  by  contact.  It  is  nature  that  has  inspired  man  to  great 
forms  of  artistic  expression,  from  sculpture  to  poetry,  but  it  must 
be  a  nature  known  and  experienced.  Pure,  hard,  cold  facts  can  well  be 
encompassed  in  even  our  braille  textbooks,  but  that  "something  more" 

(Continued  on  Page  tf> 
—  3- 


T 


MUSEUM  ACTIVITIES 

HE  PERKINS  MUSEUM  is  a  very  live  part  of 
the  school's  program  and  is  not,  as  many 
museums  are,  merely  a  collection  of  relics  and 
reminders  of  the  past.  The  past  is  on  record  and 
frequently  on  exhibition.  Evidence  of  this  is  to  be 
found  in  many  of  the  cases  which  have  been  attrac- 
tively reorganized  and  modernly  lighted  to  show  off 
to  advantage  many  aspects  of  our  historical, 
economical  and  physical  life.  What  keeps  the  Museum  most  alive 
are  the  monthly  exhibits  arranged  by  Mr.  Coon  and  Miss  McGaw. 
Each  month  a  special  field  is  selected,  a  bulletin  telling  of  it  prepared 
and  distributed  to  all  teachers  and  the  items  illustrating  the  subject 
are  arranged  in  one  of  the  alcoves.  During  the  month  every  class 
in  the  school  visits  the  Museum  to  broaden  their  knowledge  by  the 
special  exhibits. 

To  tell  how  this  works  a  portion  of  the  bulletin  for  January  ap- 
pears as  the  special  article  of  this  issue  of  The  Lantern.  In  addition 
to  what  has  been  printed  there  are  instructions  to  teachers  on  how 
to  use  the  materials  and  what  aspects  of  THE  OAK  apply  to  different 
school  subjects.  The  main  objective  is  to  integrate  these  exhibits 
with  class  room  work  as  well  as  to  widen  fields  of  interest. 

During  February  a  new  experiment  was  tried  with  a  visual 
exhibit.  This  was  the  splendid  collection  of  photographs  of  Venice 
which  LIFE  Magazine  loans  schools.  Many  of  the  pupils  could 
see    the    enlarged    pictures    and    to    the    others    teachers    told    the 

story  of  this  ancient 
city  as  revealed  in 
the  pictures.  The 
March  exhibit  is  The 
Making  of  Maple 
Syrup  with  trees  on 
the  ground  actually 
tapped  and  samples 
of  maple  syrup  and 
lumps  of  maple  sugar 
for  all  comers.  Taste, 
after  all,  is  one  of  the 
senses  of  learning. 


Girls  Ai  Angell 
Memorial  Hospital 


FIELD  TRIPS 

PERKINS  IS  NOT  CONTENT  with  learning 
through  the  museum  but  wants  also  to  provide 
actual  experiences  for  its  pupils.  This  is  ac- 
complished by  many  trips  to  places  of  interest.  Such 
a  trip  is  illustrated  by  the  picture  on  page  four. 
These  girls  of  the  seventh  grade  were  taken  by  their 
teacher  to  the  Angell  Memorial  Hospital  for  Animals 
in  Boston  to  see  the  care  provided  for  animals  and  to 
have  fun  with  the  animals.  This  year  Miss  Carpenter  is  taking 
the  members  of  the  Senior  class  to  have  dinner  at  some  of  the  famous 
restaurants  around  Boston.  Each  year  it  is  fun  to  take  some  of  the 
inlanders  for  their  first  experience  with  the  ocean  and  this  year  some 
of  the  southerners  have  had  their  fill  of  snow.  Before  leaving  Perkins 
all  of  the  foreign  students  and  the  national  scholarship  pupils  are 
taken  on  trips  to  visit  historical  sites  about  Boston. 


WRESTLING  CHAMPIONS 

THE  WRESTLING  TEAM  of  nine  boys  with  Mr.  Sherman,  prin- 
cipal, Mr.  Smith,  director  of  athletics  and  Mr.  Mottelson, 
wrestling  coach,  journeyed  to  Staunton,  Virginia  to  take  part 
in  the  tournament  of  the  Eastern  Athletic  Association  of  Schools  for 
the  Blind  on  Saturday,  February  21  and  brought  home  the  champion- 
ship. All  of  the  Perkins  boys  contributed  to  the  twenty-four  points 
scored  by  winning  one  first  place,  four  seconds,  three  thirds  and  one 
fourth.  Perkins  had  no  outstanding  wrestler,  but  a  well-rounded  team 
produced  an  unex- 
pected victory.  Other 
scores  were :  Over- 
brook  and  Virginia 
(tied  for  second 
place)  22  points, 
Maryland  20,  West 
Virginia  16  and  Ken- 
tucky 8.  On  the 
way  back  the  boys 
visited  Charlottes- 
ville, Washington  and 
other  historic  sites. 


The   Winners 
At  Virginia 


1 

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.                                   ..,.                                        ..:■..■                               ...                 .   .                                                                                      ..                             ■        ■      .■ 

m    m\  ~  w%~  m. 

PICTURE  FROM  VIENNA 

THE  PERKINS  MUSEUM'S  collection  of  pictures  of  blind  persons 
and  incidents  involving  the  blind,  which  is  the  greatest  in  the 
world,  has  been  enriched  by  the  receipt  of  a  steel  engraving 
from  Dr.  Alfred  Mell  of  Vienna.  The  engraving  pictures  the  incident 
at  the  Cafe  of  Sainte  Ovide  in  Paris  which  motivated  Valentin  Haiiy 
to  take  steps  leading  to  the  opening  of  the  first  school  for  the  blind 
in  the  world.  The  incident  took  place  in  1771  and  the  picture  shows 
the  blind  men  grotesquely  clad,  wearing  spectacles  of  cardboard,  and 
making  a  burlesque  attempt  to  play  on  musical  instruments  for  the 
amusement  and  laughter  of  bystanders  and  the  couples  at  the  cafe 
tables.  So  moved  was  Haiiy  that  he  resolved  to  teach  the  blind  to  be- 
come talented  musicians.  Many  of  the  pictures  in  the  Museum  have 
come  through  Dr.  Mell,  who  is  the  director  of  the  Army  Museum  of 
Austria,  and  his  late  father,  who  was  the  head  of  the  great  school  for 
the  blind  in  Vienna  before  the  war. 

MAP-OF-THE-MONTH 

THE  MAP-OF-THE-MONTH  published  by  the  Howe  Press  will 
make  its  one  hundredth  appearance  with  the  May  issue.  To 
mark  this  event  the  editors  have  announced  an  essay  contest 
open  to  all  high  school  blind  pupils.  The  subject  is  "What  the  braille 
map-of-the-month  teaches  me"  and  the  essay  is  limited  to  500  words. 
All  entries  must  be  in  before  May  1,  1948.  Every  month  an  embossed 
map  for  finger  readers  is  prepared  featuring  an  important  event  with 
an  accompanying  text  in  braille.  This  is  mailed  free  to  77  schools, 
23  libraries,  20  associations  and  440  individuals  in  this  country  and  to 
schools,  libraries  and  individuals  in  seventeen  foreign  countries.  The 
winner  of  the  essay  will  be  announced  in  the  June  LANTERN. 

REPORT  FROM  ITALY 

GIULIANO  CABBIA,  a  little  Italian  boy  who  was  at  Perkins  dur- 
ing the  spring  of  1946,  according  to  a  news  clipping  bearing  a 
Padua,  Italy  date  line,  had  a  part  in  the  welcome  given  in  Padua 
on  the  arrival  of  an  "American  Friendship  Train."  "GI  Joe"  as  the 
boy  is  called  was  sent  to  this  country  by  the  members  of  the  88th 
Division  for  an  operation  at  Johns  Hopkins  and  then  came  to  Perkins 
for  a  term  of  schooling  after  which  he  returned  to  his  home  in  Italy. 
The  clipping  states  that  Giuliano  has  just  played  the  lead  in  an  Italian 
film  production  of  his  own  story  entitled  "Cabbia,  Mascot  of  the  Blue 

Devils." 

—  6  — 


FROM  OUR  MAIL 


"We  are  now  in  preparation  to  estab- 
lish the  new  home  for  blind  people  and 
intend  to  have  a  little  farming  in  al- 
liance with  it.  It  is  intended  to  be  a 
place  of  residence,  workroom  and  school 
for  blind  people  of  different  ages.  We 
should  be  very  pleased  to  hear  about 
your  opinion  regarding  organizations  of 
such  a  home  as  you  have  had  so  long 
experience  in  the  assistance  of  the 
blind".  K.  J.  —  Iceland. 


"The    altered    circumstances    in    my 

country  induce  me  to  reform  the  train- 
ing of  the  children  in  my  institute,  es- 
pecially the  vocational  training.  As  your 
country  is  one  of  the  foremost  in  this 
respect  I  apply  to  you  for  some  informa- 
tion. .  .  .  Your  experience  of  so  many 
years  guarantees  me  a  reply  as  an  au- 
thority in  this  domain".  C.M.W.Z.  — 
Holland. 


"I  had  a  very  important  confer- 
ence in  Madrid  and  really  gave  to  the 
blind  teachers,  graduate  nurses,  student 
nurses  and  blind  relations,  a  whole  idea 
of  the  high,  wonderful,  sympathetic  and 
helpful  study  and  training  of  your  in- 
stitution."   M.B.B. — Spain. 


"Having  created  a  Braille  department 
for  the  blind  in  the  public  library  of 
the  province  of  Buenos  Aires,  which  is 
a  branch  of  this  department,  I  am 
asking  the  President  of  our  institution 
to  kindly  consider  the  possibility  of 
acquiring  through  your  famous  institu- 
tion some  material  for  this  new  branch 
of  our  library."  M.L. — Argentina. 


"I  am  now  an  associate  professor  of 
psychology  in  Kwansei  Gakuin  Univer- 
sity near  Kobe.  .  .  .  Every  year  I  lec- 
ture on  the  great  work  of  your  Perkins. 
Students  are  inspired  by  your  great 
achievement.  I  believe  your  kindness  to 
help  me  will  have  far  reaching  effect 
in  Japan."  K.Y. — Japan. 


PUBLICATIONS 


Touch  And  Go  is  the  name  of  the 
new  magazine  published  for  the  deaf- 
blind  by  the  American  Foundation  for 
the  Blind.  It  appears  in  braille  and 
multigraphed  form. 


The  Preschool  Blind  Child  is  the  title 
of  a  publication  containing  the  papers 
read  at  the  first  national  conference  on 
that  subject  held  in  New  York  in  Jan- 
uary 1947.  The  needs,  problems  and 
some  of  the  solutions  of  this  area  of 
education  are  to  be  found  in  this  at- 
tractive book  edited  by  Dr.  Berthold 
Lowenfeld  and  published  by  the  Amer- 
ican Foundation  for  the  Blind. 


A  careful  study  of  the  blind  in  Cali- 
fornia has  just  been  published  as  a 
state  document.  It  is  one  of  the  most 
comprehensive  studies  of  this  field  with- 
in a  state  ever  published.  It  analyzes 
the  blind  population,  examines  the  wel- 
fare program  and  makes  a  good  report 
of  the  educational  facilities. 


The  North  Carolina  School  for  the 
Blind  and  the  Deaf  in  its  recent  bi- 
annual report  has  an  interesting  ac- 
count of  its  "Century  of  Growth"  in 
which  reference  is  made  to  the  part 
played  by  Samuel  Gridley  Howe,  Perk- 
in's  first  director,  in  the  origin  of  the 
North  Carolina  School. 


We  the  Blind,  publication  of  the 
Pennsylvania  Federation  of  the  Blind, 
in  its  fall  issue,  reprinted  in  full  the 
editorial  of  the  March,  1947,  issue  of 
THE  LANTERN,  Books  are  Bridges,  and 
quoted  sections  of  the  account  of  the 
Perkins  Library. 


Magazine  Digest,  published  in  To- 
ronto, carries  in  its  March  issue  a  full 
account  of  the  Perkins  deaf-blind  de- 
partment, telling  of  the  methods  used 
and  the  pupils  now  under  instruction, 
who  are  called  "Children  of  the  Silent 
Night." 


—  7  — 


THE  OAK 

(Continued  from  Page  3) 
of  aesthetic  appreciation  which  we  must  give  our  pupils  if  they  are 
to  learn  to  live  happily  and  fully  in  this  world,  must  come  in  great 
measure  from  a  use  of  the  unimpaired  faculties  of  hearing  and  touch 
that  are  still  at  the  command  of  our  pupils. 

Many  of  the  things  in  our  museum  regarded  coldly,  have  a  purely 
factual  or  scientific  meaning  and  in  large  measures  it  is  up  to  the 
teacher,  to  so  present  them  as  to  add  something  that  will  spell  under- 
standing and  appreciation  of  not  only  the  thing  itself  but  of  its  mean- 
ing in  terms  other  than  scientific.  That  great  contemporary  of  Mr. 
Anagnos,  whose  writings  were  among  the  first  to  be  put  by  him  into 
braille,  Thomas  H.  Huxley,  has  this  to  say: 

"It  is  not  a  question  whether  one  order  of  study  or  another  should 
predominate.  It  is  a  question  of  what  topics  of  education  you  shall 
select  which  will  combine  all  the  needful  elements  (of  science  and 
art)  in  such  due  proportion  as  to  give  the  greatest  amount  of  food, 
support,  and  encouragement  to  those  faculties  which  enable  us  to 
appreciate  truth,  and  to  profit  by  those  sources  of  innocent  happi- 
ness which  are  open  to  us." 

and  (he  might  have  added)  to  the  blind  as  to  the  seeing. 

As  an  exemplification  of  what  we  mean  by  all  this  we  have  placed 
in  the  museum  case  this  month  a  little  selection  of  items  from  our 
botanical  section.  The  papier-mache  model  of  the  acorn  and  the  oak 
tree  are  a  part  of  our  very  fine  collection  of  Auzoux's  botanical  models 
bought  in  France,  by  Mr.  Anagnos,  in  1880  at  a  great  expense,  but 
an  expense  justified  by  their  value  for  those  pupils  who  cannot  ex- 
plore plants  with  a  microscope.  Other  parts  of  this  exhibit  are  acces- 
sions made  from  time  to  time  and  assembled  here  to  show  the  variety 
of  objects  which  can  be  produced  from  our  cases.  Parenthetically  it 
should  be  noted  that  the  Auzoux  models  are  so  carefully  selected  and 
designed  that  the  whole  ascending  ladder  of  the  plant  world  from 
fungi  to  composites  can  be  demonstrated  by  their  use. 

Following  is  a  list  of  the  items  we  have  selected: 

Acorn — natural  object  Leaf — magnified    cross    section 

Acorn — magnified   about   100   times         Winter  buds  of  oak — natural  object 

Oak  seedling — large  model  Tree  trunk — arranged  to  show  annual  rings 

Section  of  oak  tree  trunk — actual  Oak  leaves — dried 

Section  of  oak  trunk — dissected  model  Cork   oak   bark — natural   object 

Scaled  "shape  model"  of  white  oak  tree 

—  8  — 


The  Lantern 


THE  PERKINS 


VOLUME  XVII..  NO.  4 


INSTITUTION 


-.    I 


JUNE   15.  1948 


Greetings  to  a  Neighbor 

A  NEIGHBORING  SCHOOL  celebrated  last  month  its  100th 
anniversary.  The  Walter  E.  Fernald  School  for  the  Feeble- 
minded at  Waverly,  which  adjoins  Watertown,  is  more  than 
a  neighbor.  It  is  perhaps  a  half-brother,  for  it  hails  as  its  founder, 
Samuel  Gridley  Howe,  the  first  Director  of  Perkins  Institution.  The 
centenary  celebration  was  marked  by  holding  in  Boston  the  Seventy- 
second  Annual  Meeting  of  the  American  Association  on  Mental  De- 
ficiency, and  the  First  International  Congress  on  Mental  Deficiency. 

This  event  is  another  piece  of  evidence  of  the  wide  range  of  the 
concern  of  Dr.  Howe  for  human  needs.  After  he  had  opened  the  first 
school  for  the  blind  in  1831,  and  had  received  world-wide  acclaim  for 
his  accomplishments  with  Laura  Bridgman,  Dr.  Howe  became  interest- 
ed in  other  phases  of  human  deficiency.  In  the  early  1840's,  he  took 
into  Perkins  some  mentally  retarded  children  and  began  to  explore 
methods  of  training  comparable  with  their  simple  needs.  In  1848, 
through  a  grant  from  the  legislature,  a  building  adjacent  to  Perkins 
was  opened,  and  it  became  the  first  school  for  the  feeble-minded  in 
America. 

It  is  a  strange  fate  that  both  of  the  schools,  original  in  their 
respective  fields,  and  which  owe  their  greatness  to  Samuel  Gridley 
Howe,  should  bear  the  names  of  other  persons.  An  odd  circumstance 
of  fate  now  exists  in  that  the  present  directors  of  the  two  schools, 
though  unrelated,  bear  the  same  name.  At  this  centennial  time, 
blind  Director  Farrell  greets  heartily  feeble-minded  Director  Farrell, 
and  conveys  to  the  Fernald  School  the  best  of  wishes  from  Perkins 
Institution,  both  of  which  look  to  Samuel  Gridley  Howe  as  the  foun- 
tain-head of  their  greatness. 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown  72,  Massachusetts 


^cV&i^ T&A/xj^ 


Gabriel  Farrell,  Director 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Mary  H.  Ferguson  who  has  been  a 
teacher  at  Perkins  for  twenty-seven 
years  is  retiring  at  the  end  of  the  school 
year  under  the  Perkins  Retirement 
Plan.  A  party  in  her  honor  was  held 
in  Brooks  Cottage  on  May  20. 


The  five  brides,  staff  members  to  be 
married  at  the  close  of  the  school  year, 
were  entertained  at  a  tea  held  at  the 
Director's  house  on  Wednesday  after- 
noon, May  19. 


Bishop  Haworth  and  three  Chinese 
men  and  one  woman,  spent  Friday. 
May  7  at  Perkins.  Bishop  Haworth,  who 
is  the  English  Assistant  Bishop  at  Hong 
Kong,  spoke  at  morning  assembly. 


S.  W.  Hedger,  M.B.E.,  Executive  Di- 
rector of  the  Royal  Victorian  Institute 
for  the  Blind,  Melbourne,  Australia  is 
visiting  Institutions  for  the  Blind  in 
this  country  and  was  at  Perkins  during 
the  week  of  May  31. 


Fred  Lowery,  the  famed  whistler,  with 
his  singing  companion  Dorothy  Rae. 
came  to  Perkins  on  April  2  and  gave  a 
delightful  concert  at  both  the  Upper 
and  Lower  Schools.  Fred  Lowery  is  a 
graduate  of  the  Texas  School  for  the 
Blind. 


The  Perkins  Chorus  joined  with  the 
Glee  Club  and  the  Symphony  Orchestra 
of  the  Newton  High  School  in  a  concert 
held  in  the  High  School  Auditorium  on 
Sunday  afternoon.  May  23.  Over  two 
hundred  young  people  participated  in 
the  program. 

Victor  Raul  Haya  de  la  Torre,  said 
by  John  Gunther  to  be  the  outstanding 
man  in  Peru  and  a  candidate  for  presi- 
dent, spoke  at  a  morning  assembly  at 
Perkins  on  Thursday,  April  22,  giving  a 
very  interesting  account  of  his  country. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Evan  Rempel,  Perkins  '47,  now  at  the 
University  of  Montana,  ranks  among 
the  first  100  students  in  the  college,  of 
3300  students  enrolled. 

Edward  Murphy,  Perkins  '46,  has  re- 
ceived his  state  license  as  an  insurance 
broker  and  plans  to  set  up  business 
for  himself  in  Worcester. 

Edmond  E.  Berube,  Jr.,  Perkins  '46. 
has  been  named  to  the  Council  of  the 
Class  of  1950  at  Brown  University.  He 
is  a  candidate  for  a  Bachelor  of  Arts 
degree  at  Brown. 


William  F.  Gallagher,  Perkins  '43 
received  his  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts 
from  Holy  Cross  in  June.  During  the 
past  year  he  has  been  vice-president  of 
the  Senior  Class,  and  has  been  widely 
acclaimed  in  the  public  press  as  the 
cfficial  "mascot"  of  the  Holy  Cross 
basketball   team. 


Albert  Gayzagian  who  attended  Per- 
kins from  Kindergarten  until  he  was 
transferred  to  the  Watertown  High 
School,  from  which  he  was  graduated, 
received  his  B.  A.  degree  Magna  cum 
laude  from  Harvard  University  on  June 
10,  and  has  been  elected  to  membership 
in  Phi  Beta  Kappa.   . 


James  E.  Hannon,  Perkins  '29,  mem- 
ber of  the  Massachusetts  House  of  Rep- 
resentatives, on  April  21,  according  to 
the  BOSTON  HERALD,  took  over  the 
Speaker's  gavel  and  presided  over  the 
House.  According  to  the  news  item, 
"the  House  gave  Hannon  an  ovation". 


Mrs.  Mabel  Knowles  Gage,  who  had 

been  a  Trustee  of  Perkins  since  1933. 
died  on  Sunday,  May  16.  Throughout 
her  life,  Mrs.  Gage  showed  great  per- 
sonal interest  in  the  blind.  She  was 
one  of  the  early  Trustees  of  the  Ameri- 
can Foundation  for  the  Blind,  and  a 
valued  officer  of  the  National  Braille 
Press. 


—  2 


MAUD  HOWE  ELLIOTT 

The  End  of  Ad  Era 

THE  DEATH  OF  MAUD  HOWE  ELLIOTT  on  March  19  marked 
not  only  the  loss  of  a  great  and  distinguished  woman,  but  also 
the  close  of  a  remarkable  era.  The  youngest  daughter  of 
Samuel  Gridley  Howe,  the  first  Director  of  Perkins,  she  lived  to  be 
ninety-three  years  old — a  long  expanse  of  years  during  which  mo- 
mentous events  took  place.  In  all  of  them  Mrs.  Elliott  took  an  active 
and  alert  interest,  and  in  many  of  them  she  exercised  a  dominant 
part.  Her  many  books  tell  the  story  of  the  events  of  these  times,  and 
her  passing  away  marks  the  end  of  the  era  in  which  they  occurred. 

To  get  a  full  understanding  of  the  life  of  Mrs.  Elliott  one  must 
know  something  of  her  distinguished  parents.  Samuel  Gridley  Howe 
was  not  married  when  he  undertook  the  organization  of  the  first 
school  for  the  blind  in  this  country,  immediately  after  his  return 
from  participation  in  the  Greek  Revolution.  He  was  a  colorful  char- 
acter, interested  in  all  good  works,  and  was  one  of  that  group  of 
men  of  the  first  half  of  the  nineteenth  century,  who,  because  of  their 
activities  and  interests  were  called   "philanthropists." 

It  was  after  his  great  achievement  with  Laura  Bridgman,  first 
deaf-blind  mute  to  be  taught  the  use  of  language,  that  he  met  and 
was  married  to  Julia  Ward,  a  social  beauty  from  New  York.  Mrs. 
Howe  added  lustre  to  the  family  name  and  rose  to  be  one  of  the 
greatest  women  of  that  era,  always  engaged  in  great  causes  and  ever 
crusading  for  the  rights  of  people.  Many  of  the  causes  in  which 
she  was  interested  are  now  forgotten,  but  Julia  Ward  Howe  will 
always  be  remembered  as  the  author  of  "The  Battle  Hymn  of  the 
Republic." 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  Howe  had  six  children,  three  of  whom  retained 
life-long  interest  in  Perkins  Institution.  The  eldest  daughter,  Julia, 
accompanied  her  father  to  Greece  at  the  time  of  the  Cretan  Insurrec- 
tion in  1867.  On  this  mission  she  met  Michael  Anagnos,  the  young 
Greek  who  assisted  Dr.  Howe  and  who  came  back  to  Perkins  to  follow 
the  story-book  pattern  of  marrying  the  boss'  daughter  and  later  suc- 
ceeding him  to  become  the  second  Director  of  Perkins  in  1876. 

While  the  daughter  Laura  was  not  as  closely  associated  with  the 
affairs  of  Perkins  as  her  sister  Julia,  she  did  retain  a  constant  interest 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 
—  3  — 


NEW  LIBRARY  PLANS 

PLANS  HAVE  BEEN  PREPARED  for  securing  the  much  needed 
space  for  library  services  and  it  is  hoped  that  the  work  will  be 
completed  this  summer.  Instead  of  erecting  a  new  building 
especially  for  the  library  and  other  facilities  space  will  be  found 
through  extensions  and  rearrangements  within  the  Howe  Building. 
Two  new  extensions  providing  rooms  ninety  feet  long  and  eighteen 
feet  wide  with  windows  along  the  river  side,  will  be  built  over  the 
two  terraces  in  the  rear  of  Howe  Building  adjacent  to  the  library  on 
one  side  and  Dwight  Hall  on  the  other  side.  The  new  rooms  will  be 
entered  from  the  lobbies  just  outside  of  the  library  and  Dwight  Hall 
and  will  be  used  as  reading  and  study  rooms,  each  adequate  in  size 
to  accommodate  the  boys'  school  and  the  girls'  school. 

The  present  library  will  be  arranged,  after  the  removal  of  the 
reading  tables  therein,  so  that  stacks  reaching  up  to  the  ceiling  can 
be  placed  in  the  lower  end.  They  will  provide  shelving  for  ten  thous- 
and volumes  of  embossed  and  recorded  books,  and  will  make  it  pos- 
sible to  keep  the  whole  library  within  the  school  building.  Space  for 
the  Harvard  Class  will  be  provided  in  the  former  girls'  assembly 
room  and  the  recreation  center  for  the  staff  will  be  in  the  Board 
Room.  The  administration  offices  are  to  be  grouped  in  the  area  now 
used  for  class  rooms  for  the  deaf  blind.  Class  room  space  for  this 
department  will  be  provided  in  the  cottage  in  which  the  pupils  live. 

MAP-OF-THE-MONTH 

JON  VAN  DEMARK  of  the  eighth  grade  braille  class  in  the 
Sheridan  Junior  High  School  in  Minneapolis  won  the  first  prize 
($10)  in  the  essay  contest  sponsored  by  the  Howe  Memorial 
Press  to  mark  the  issuance  of  the  one  hundredth  map-of-the-month 
in  the  month  of  May.  The  contest  was  open  to  all  blind  high  school 
pupils  who  were  invited  to  write  an  essay  on  the  subject  "What  the 
braille  map-of-the-month  teaches  me."  Jon  felt  that  its  great  value 
to  him  was  that  it  enabled  him  to  keep  up  with  events  of  importance 
in  the  world.  These  maps  with  accompanying  texts  in  braille  have 
been  prepared  month  by  month  since  December,  1937  by  Edward  J. 
Waterhouse,  now  manager  of  the  Howe  Memorial  Press.  The  May 
map  embossed  with  dots  and  lines  depicted  the  countries  of  Western 
Europe  and  the  text  told  of  the  Marshall  Plan. 

—  4  — 


UTTtNG  /SO  JJBfTAClE 


COVf?A6£OUS  ev/s 


Reprinted  by  permission   from   the    Boston   Herald,   May    16.    1948 
HIGH    POINTS    AT    THE    TRACK    MEET 

VIRGINIA  WINS  MEET 

THE  TRACK  TEAM  of  the  Virginia  School  for  the  Blind,  spear- 
headed by  Roland  Fenwick  who  took  four  firsts,  won  permanent 
possession  of  the  trophy  offered  by  the  Eastern  Athletic  Asso- 
ciation of  Schools  for  the  Blind  at  the  annual  track  meet  held  at 
Perkins  on  Saturday,  May  15.  Teams  of  seven  men  each  representing 
eight  of  the  ten  schools  composing  the  association  took  part  in  the 
meet.  Events  in  contest  were  broad  and  high  standing  jumps,  hop, 
step  and  jump,  three  consecutive  jumps,  shot  put,  fifty  and  seventy- 
five  yard  dashes.  The  final  scores  were  Virginia  21%  points,  Over- 
brook  191/!,,  Perkins  12,  New  York  8,  Maryland  6,  Batavia  and  Connec- 
ticut 5  each.     West  Virginia  won  no  points. 


NATIONAL  SCHOLARSHIPS 

SCHOLARSHIPS  which  entitle  the  holders  to  a  year  of  graduate 
study  at  Perkins  Institution  have  been  awarded  for  next  year  to 
Gladys  Weisenborn  of  the  Overbrook  School,  Nila  Hansen  of  the 
Idaho  School,  George  Illingworth  of  the  Michigan  School  and  Nicholas 
di  Caprio  of  the  East  High  School  of  Cleveland. 

—  5  — 


GRADUATION  JUNE  15,  1948 

GRADUATION  EXERCISES  were  held  on  Tuesday,  June  15,  at 
three  o'clock.  Three  boys  and  four  girls  who  have  completed 
the  requirements  for  graduation  from  high  school  were  award- 
ed diplomas.  Four  young  men  received  certificates  indicating  that 
they  are  now  qualified  as  pianoforte  tuners.  Two  girls  received 
Manual  Training  Department  certificates  and  another  was  awarded 
a  certificate  of  proficiency  from  the  Commercial  Department.  The 
diplomas  and  certificates  were  awarded  by  Dr.  Reginald  Fitz,  Presi- 
dent of  the  Corporation. 

The  commencement  address  was  made  by  the  Rev'd  John  Crocker, 
Litt.  D.,  Headmaster  of  Groton  School.  The  invocation  was  given 
by  the  Rev'd  L.  Wendell  Hughes,  Minister  of  the  First  Unitarian 
Parish  in  Watertown.  At  the  graduation  exercises,  the  chorus  sang 
three  anthems  under  the  direction  of  Mr.  Bauguss,  and  the  organ 
prelude  and  postlude  were  rendered  by  Edward  W.  Jenkins,  F.T.C.L. 
of  the  music  faculty.  Following  the  graduation  exercises,  a  reception 
was  held  in  the  Museum  where  friends  and  Perkins  staff  members 
had  opportunity  to  meet  and  congratulate  the  graduates. 


PANAGHIOTIS  THEODOROPOULOS,  one  of  the  graduates,  is  a 
young  man  from  Greece,  who  has  been  at  Perkins  for  two  years. 
Two  other  young  men  who  have  been  studying  at  Perkins  during 
the  past  two  years,  are  completing  their  work  here.  They  are  Emanuel 
Kephakis,  who  has,  during  the  past  year  taken  the  Harvard  Course, 
and  John  Papazoglou,  who  has  studied  music  and  has  also  received 
his  certificate  as  a  piano  tuner.  There  are  two  other  young  men  from 
Greece  studying  at  the  Barnes  School  for  the  Blind  in  New  Hamp- 
shire. All  five  are  returning  to  Greece,  to  take  a  part  in  providing 
trained  leadership  for  the  blind  of  their  homeland. 


CERTIFICATES   WERE   AWARDED  to   five   members   of  the 
Harvard  Class  who  have  completed   the  requirements   of   the 
courses  offered  by  the  Graduate  School  of  Education  of  Harvard 
University  and  conducted  at  Perkins  Institution. 


T 


HE  SENIOR  CLASS  colors  are  red,  gold  and  blue.  The  flower 
is  the  red  rose,  and  the  motto  is  "Not  what  we  give,  but  what 
we  share." 

—  6  — 


FROM  OUR  MAIL 


"We  believe  you  have  not  forgotten 
the  three  Brazilian  girls  that  visited 
you  last  year.  We  spent  the  most 
wonderful  days  at  Perkins  learning 
from  the  experience  that  the  first 
school  for  blind  in  America  can  give.  We 
are  now  working  very  hard  trying  to 
spread  what  we  learned  in  your  coun- 
try." D.  M.  G.,  Sao  Paulo,  Brazil. 


"We  not  only  enjoy  reading  THE 
LANTERN,  but  covet  the  privilege  now 
and  again  of  quoting  from  it  in  our 
MEMBERSHIP  NEWS.  .  .  May  we  have 
permission  to  use  "The  Human  Eye" 
which  appeared  in  the  March  15  issue, 
and  "Are  Residential  Schools  Doomed" 
in  the  issue  of  September  15,  1947. 
Proper  credit  will  be  given  of  course.'1 
A.  M.,  Baltimore. 


"I  was  keenly  interested  in  the  last 
number  of  THE  LANTERN  in  which 
someone  wrote  of  the  pupils  being 
shown  the  specimens  in  the  school 
museums  and  also  many  natural  objects 
with  a  view  to  stimulating  their  interest 
in  the  world  outside  themselves.  I  can- 
not tell  you  how  heartily  I  believe  in 
this  phase  of  education."  A.  T,  New 
Hampshire. 


"I  want  to  express  my  warmest  thanks 
for  your  continued  generosity  in  send- 
ing us  a  Braille  copy  of  THE  LANTERN 
each  quarter.  I  always  look  forward  to 
the  arrival  of  this  magazine  with  great 
interest,  and  should  miss  it  a  lot  if  it 
were  no  longer  available".  J.  J.,  London. 


"While  visiting  at  Perkins,  I  received 
an  excellent  impression  of  the  school 
and  I  feel  that  I  have  learned  a  great 
deal.  But  most  notably  present  was  an 
ineffable  feeling  of  "goodness"  about 
which  I  can  say  nothing."  E.  Z.,  Jeru- 
salem. 


FROM  THE  PRESS 

Josephine  Marrama,  Perkins  junior, 
was  featured  in  a  special  article  in  the 
Boston  Herald  by  Rudolph  Elie,  Jr.  on 
April  6.  She  was  the  guest  of  Fred 
Lowery  on  his  program  at  the  Hotel 
Statler  in  Boston  on  April  9,  where  she 
sang  two  numbers  which  she  had  sung 
at  the  Perkins  Pops  Concerts. 


Richard  Clark  of  the  Upper  School 
received  favorable  mention  in  the 
BOSTON  HERALD  of  May  9  regarding 
the  part  he  took  in  a  chess  competition 
at  the  Boston  City  Club  on  April  24. 
The  writer  of  the  article  was  impressed 
by  Richard's  ability  to  play  chess  and 
"amazed"  by  the  fact  that  he  "kept  his 
score  flawlessly  in  Braille." 


Wayne  Moody,  Perkins  '44,  is  the 
author  of  an  interesting  article,  "God 
Is  Now  My  Shepherd"  published  in  the 
May  6,  1948  issue  of  the  CHRISTIAN 
ADVOCATE. 


Priscilla  Blakely,  Perkins  '47,  is  the 
subject  of  a  special  article  in  the  BOS- 
TON GLOBE,  of  May  6.  The  article 
tells  of  Priscilla's  successful  work  at 
Jackson  College  as  well  as  her  other 
interests,  including  membership  in  a 
sorority. 


William  H.  Burke,  who  left  Perkins 
in  1943,  had  his  picture  in  the 
WORCESTER  TELEGRAM  of  April  4, 
as  he  was  getting  set  to  bowl  in  a 
tournament  being  held  in  Worcester. 
In  the  trials  of  that  day,  Bill  bowled 
735  according  to  the  news  report. 


Luis  Julio  Suarez,  member  of  the 
1946-47  Harvard  Class,  according  to  a 
news  release  of  Pan  American  World 
Airways,  flew  from  Havana,  his  home, 
to  Buenos  Aires  in  April.  Suarez  has 
won  a  scholarship  offered  by  the  Argen- 
tine government.  In  Argentina  he  will 
study  local  methods  of  instruction  for 
the  sightless  and  also  lecture  on  psy- 
chology for  two  years. 


—  7 


MAUD  HOWE  ELLIOTT 

(Continued  from  Page  3) 
in  the  School  even  after  her  marriage  to  Mr.  Henry  Richards  which 
caused  her  to  live  in  Gardiner,  Maine.  Mrs.  Richards  endeared  her- 
self to  all  at  Perkins  not  only  because  of  her  lovable  nature,  but 
through  her  many  books  that  thrilled  blind  children  as  much  as  they 
did  the  seeing  children  throughout  the  world  who  loved  to  read  them. 

The  youngest  daughter  Maud,  however,  claimed  that  she  was 
the  only  true  child  of  Perkins  because  she  was  born  at  the  Institution 
in  South  Boston.  She  traveled  a  great  deal  with  her  parents,  and 
while  she  was  too  young  to  go  on  the  trip  to  Crete,  she  did  accom- 
pany her  parents  to  Santo  Domingo.  She  enjoyed  many  interesting 
trips  throughout  the  country  with  her  celebrated  parents,  including 
visits  to  the  White  House.  Her  marriage  in  1887  to  Mr.  John  Elliott, 
the  distinguished  artist,  took  her  away  from  the  Institution,  and 
her  life  thereafter  led  to  many  interesting  parts  of  the  world. 

To  know  fully  the  wonderful  life  of  Mrs.  Elliott  one  should  read 
her  book  THREE  GENERATIONS.  In  this  book  she  states,  "I  can 
claim  no  credit  for  having  been  born  the  daughter  of  my  famous 
parents,  but  a  good  deal  of  credit  for  my  choice  of  a  husband."  As 
Mrs.  John  Elliott,  the  youngest  daughter  of  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Samuel 
Gridley  Howe  added  distinction  to  the  family  fame.  After  the  death 
of  her  husband  Mrs.  Elliott  made  her  home  in  Newport  where  the 
family  had  maintained  a  summer  home  for  generations.  During  the 
latter  years  of  her  life  she  wove  herself  into  the  heart  of  that  com- 
munity, being  founder  of  the  Art  Association  and  interested  in  all 
good  works. 

Mrs.  Elliott  also  continued  her  father's  interest  in  the  Greeks, 
and  at  celebrations  of  her  birthday,  or  other  occasions  to  honor  her, 
the  Greeks  were  always  present  adding  color  by  their  costumes. 
Until  old  age  made  travel  difficult  she  came  every  year  to  the  Howe 
Memorial  Exercises  at  Perkins,  and  always  brightened  them  with 
her  cheer  and  thrilled  the  pupils  by  the  stories  that  she  could  tell 
of  the  "Doctor"  and  of  many  incidents  in  the  early  school  life  which 
she  shared  so  intimately.  It  is  remarkable  to  think  that  there  should 
have  lived  in  1948  one  who  could  remember  and  tell  vividly  of  Dr. 
Howe's  first  achievements  with  the  Greeks  in  the  1820's,  and  of  his 
establishment  of  Perkins  in  the  1830's.  Mrs.  Elliott's  life  covered 
nearly  a  century,  and  her  passing  marks  the  close  of  an  era  the  like 
of  which  living  man  shall  not  see  again.  G.  F. 

—  8  — 


The  Lantern 

THE  PERKINS  1  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  XVIII..  NO.  1  SEPTEMBER   15,  194  8 

A  Notable  Achievement 

GREETINGS  once  more  are  extended  to  a  neighbor.  The  Na- 
tional Braille  Press  has  completed  twenty-one  years  of  notable 
service  to  the  blind  and  is  observing  that  anniversary  in  con- 
nection with  the  dedication  of  its  new  home  in  Boston  on  October  20, 
21,  22.  Perkins  wishes  to  extend  its  congratulations  and  to  express 
appreciation  along  with  many  others  throughout  the  country  for  the 
many  services  which  have  been  rendered  by  the  National  Braille 
Press.  We  also  wish  to  congratulate  them  on  their  splendid  new 
building,  amply  large  for  present  services  and  with  room  for  the 
expansion  that  is  bound  to  come  to  such  an  enterprising  organization. 

During  the  first  world  war,  Francis  B.  Ierardi,  Perkins  1908,  felt 
the  need  for  blind  people  to  have  the  news  under  their  fingers.  From 
this  feeling  of  need  has  grown  the  National  Braille  Press.  While  he 
has  gathered  about  him  a  notable  group  of  directors  and  also  a  fine 
corps  of  workers,  many  of  whom  are  volunteers,  the  inspiration  ana 
the  leadership  comes  directly  from  Mr.  Ierardi  himself.  It  is  his 
dream  fulfilled,  and  few  men  are  able  to  see  the  realization  of  an  aim 
so  effective  as  the  Press  has  become.  This  is  the  more  remarkable 
in  that  the  direction  of  the  Press  is  an  "after  hours"  venture,  for  Mr. 
Ierardi  continues  to  fulfill  his  duties  as  senior  field  worker  for  the 
Division  of  the  Blind. 

Recognition  of  Mr.  Ierardi's  achievement  has  reached  far,  and 
acknowledgement  of  his  contribution  to  the  blind  is  to  be  made  this 
fall,  when  the  American  Foundation  for  the  Blind  will  award  him 
the  Migel  Medal,  which  is  granted  annually  to  an  outstanding  blind 
person.    On  this,  too,  we  extend  congratulations  to  Mr.  Ierardi. 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown  72,  Massachusetts  Gabriel  Farrell,  Director 


JzctsW**^  7?oA*j^ 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Sixteen  girls  attended  Camp  Allen, 
Bedford,  New  Hampshire,  which  is  run 
by  the  Kiwanis  Club  of  Boston. 


Three  boys  attended  summer  camps 
through  the  generosity  of  the  Boston 
Aid  to  the  Blind  and  the  Catholic  Guild 
for  the  Blind. 

The  Perkins  Alumnae   Association  is 

planning  a  game  party  and  sale  to 
be  held  in  Dwight  Hall  on  October  15. 
Proceeds  are  to  supplement  the  Scholar- 
ship Fund. 


Miss  Rosanna  D.  Thorndike  was  elect- 
ed a  Trustee  of  Perkins  at  a  meeting 
of  the  Board  on  June  15.  Miss  Thorn- 
dike  was  a  member  of  the  Board  before 
going  to  France  to  work  during  the 
war.  Her  father  was  for  many  years 
Treasurer  of  Perkins. 


Thirteen  members  of  the  Perkins  staff 
attended  the  convention  of  the  Ameri- 
can Association  of  Instructors  of  the 
Blind  held  in  Austin,  Texas,  June  21  to 
25.  A  review  of  the  program  shows  that 
eleven  papers  or  addresses  were  by 
Perkins'  people. 


Perkins  teachers  during  the  summer 
received  a  5%  bonus  on  their  annual 
salaries,  and  an  advance  of  10%  has 
been  made  on  all  teachers'  salaries  for 
the  coming  year.  Two  years  ago,  teach- 
ers' salaries  formerly  paid  on  a  ten 
months'  basis  were  put  on  a  twelve 
months'  basis. 


Dr.  Muriel  S.  Anderson,  Perkins,  1916, 
a  successful  osteopath  in  David  City, 
Nebraska,  who  came  to  Perkins  for  the 
Alumnae  Association  reunion  in  June, 
remained  over  to  visit  friends.  On  June 
25,  she  was  seriously  injured  when 
struck  by  an  automobile  in  Medford. 
She  is  still  a  hospital  patient  and  is 
making  slow  but  encouraging  recovery. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Jeanne  Bryant,  Perkins  '48,  is  now 
Ediphonist  at  the  Newton  College  of 
the  Sacred  Heart. 


Faye  George,  Perkins  '46.  and  now  a 
junior  at  Middlebury  College,  is  the 
recipient  for  the  second  time  of  the 
scholarship  awarded  annually  by  the 
Alumnae  Association  of  Perkins. 


Ruth  Hayden,  Perkins  '13,  Boston 
University  '41,  for  many  years  teacher 
of  the  blind  at  the  State  Infirmary,  is 
now  teaching  at  the  Northern  Colony 
and  Training  School.  Chippewa  Falls. 
Wisconsin. 


Lorraine  Gaudreau,  Perkins  '47,  has 
completed  the  Freshman  year  at  the 
College  of  Liberal  Arts,  Syracuse  Uni- 
versity, with  a  better  than  B  average, 
according  to  a  letter  received  by  Perkins 
from  the  Dean. 


Mary  Burchey  Perry,  who  left  Per- 
kins in  1931,  has  opened  in  Newport  a 
cottage  school  where  she  gives  instruc- 
tion to  seeing  young  people  in  type- 
writing. The  school  is  described  in  a 
special  article  in  the  BOSTON  POST 
MAGAZINE  of  August  1. 


Francis  M.  Andrews,  Superintendent 
of  the  Maryland  School  for  the  Blind 
and  for  seventeen  years  Principal  at 
Perkins,  was  elected  the  next  President 
of  the  American  Association  of  In- 
structors of  the  Blind  at  the  convention 
in  Austin,  Texas,  in  June. 


The  Excelsior  Club  of  Massachusetts 
is  staging  a  musical  review  and  special 
features  program  in  the  Somerville  High 
School  auditorium  on  Wednesday  eve- 
ning, October  20.  Part  of  the  proceeds, 
are  for  the  American  Overseas  Founda- 
tion for  the  Blind. 


—  2  — 


NATIONAL  BRAILLE  PRESS 
By  Francis  B.  Ierardi 

DURING  THE  EARLY  DAYS  of  World  War  I  when  momentous 
things  were  taking  place  and  world  news  was  in  the  making, 
I  realized  for  the  first  time  how  inadequate  was  the  source  of 
information  for  those  who  could  not  read  daily  newspapers  or  weekly 
reviews.  The  blind  and  deaf-blind  were  dependent  upon  others  to 
keep  them  posted  on  what  was  going  on  about  them.  Naturally  this 
medium  of  information  was  colored  with  personal  opinions  and  the 
Braille  reader  could  not  discuss  very  intelligently  topics  of  the  day. 

After  joining  the  staff  of  the  Massachusetts  Division  of  the 
Blind,  my  contact  with  other  blind  people  through  the  state  revealed 
many  who,  like  myself,  wondered  why  someone  could  not  sponsor  a 
Braille  weekly  newspaper.  This  made  me  realize  more  fully  the 
urgent  need  for  such  a  periodical,  and  in  1927  it  was  decided  to 
launch  an  experimental  weekly  for  Massachusetts.  To  carry  on  such 
an  experiment  for  three  months,  it  was  necessary  to  obtain  $500.00. 
The  Massachusetts  Association  for  Promoting  the  Interests  of  the 
Adult  Blind  gave  $200.00  and  the  late  Mrs.  Homer  Gage  of  Worcester, 
then  President  of  the  Worcester  County  Association  for  the  Blind, 
furnished  the  additional  $300.00  needed  to  launch  the  venture.  Perkins 
Institution  loaned  us  the  equipment  and  provided  space  in  the  old 
workshop  in  South  Boston.  Thus  on  March  17,  1927,  the  first  issue  of 
THE  WEEKLY  NEWS  was  published. 

Word  of  this  new  publication  soon  spread  throughout  the  other 
states  and  requests  for  the  magazine  were  greater  than  we,  with 
our  meager  funds,  could  possibly  fill.  At  the  end  of  our  experimental 
period,  the  circulation  had  increased  from  two  hundred  to  six  hun- 
dred copies.  Perkins  Institution  furnished  sufficient  funds  to  complete 
the  year.  A  campaign  to  raise  funds  was  so  successful  that  our  ven- 
ture grew  by  leaps  and  bounds  and  with  this  growth  came  greater 
responsibility  for  me.  As  I  felt  that  this  was  too  much  for  one  per- 
son to  assume,  I  undertook  to  enlist  the  interest  of  a  few  public  spirit- 
ed citizens  who  would  be  willing  to  incorporate  the  project.  This 
was  accomplished  in  May,  1929. 

In  1930,  we  launched  a  woman's  magazine,  OUR  SPECIAL,  which 
is  to  my  best  knowledge,  the  only  woman's  magazine  published  in 
Braille  in  the  world.    A  few  years  later,  we  developed  a  third  periodi- 

( Continued  on  Page  8) 
—  3  — 


THE  ONE  HUNDRED  EIGHTEENTH  YEAR 

CLASSES  RESUME  on  the  date  of  this  issue,  September  15,  for 
the  one  hundred  and  eighteenth  year.  The  staff  returned  on 
Monday  the  13th,  and  the  pupils  came  on  Tuesday  the  14th. 
Upon  return  all  were  impressed  by  the  important  changes  that  have 
been  made  during  the  summer.  As  reported  in  the  June  issue  of 
THE  LANTERN,  two  extensions  have  been  built  to  the  Howe  Build- 
ing, one  adjoining  the  library  and  the  other  adjoining  Dwight  Hall. 
These  large  rooms  with  windows  looking  over  the  river  are  to  be 
reading  rooms  for  boys  and  girls  respectively. 

During  the  summer,  progress  has  continued  with  reasonable 
satisfaction,  but  it  has  not  been  possible  to  complete  all  of  the  work. 
In  a  few  weeks,  however,  the  final  interior  arrangements  will  be 
completed  and  the  rooms  used  for  their  planned  purpose.  Walled  in 
silver  gray  with  dark  gray  rubber  tiling  on  the  floor  and  an  arched 
acoustical  ceiling  they  will  make  attractive  and  comfortable  study 
halls.  Gray  metal  chairs  with  light  green  backs  and  seats  add  spots 
of  color.  At  the  end  of  each  hall  are  talking  'book  facilities,  and  in 
one  hall  is  a  fully  equipped  room  for  recording. 

Work  within  the  library  has  been  practically  completed.  This 
called  for  moving  the  former  stacks  closer  together  and  building  at 
the  lower  end  a  balcony  which  provides  shelving  on  two  levels.  This 
new  space  allows  the  stacking  of  10,000  Braille  and  Talking  Book 
volumes.  During  the  summer  while  these  changes  were  being  made, 
the  library  continued  to  serve  its  large  number  of  readers  throughout 
New  England.  Stacks  were  set  up  temporarily  in  Dwight  Hall,  where 
the  books  were  housed  while  the  changes  were  underway.  This  sum- 
mer the  library  service  reached  a  new  high  peak,  and  in  one  week 
almost  one  hundred  volumes  per  day  were  sent  out  to  readers. 


WORKSHOP  CHANGES 

THE  WORKSHOP  in  South  Boston  is  now 
undergoing  changes   which   will   vitally 
affect  its  future  program.  Since  the  con- 
struction   of   the    large   modern    plant,    it   has 
housed   the  Workshop   for  the   renovating  of 
mattresses  and  other  work   by  blind  persons, 

—  4  — 

Mattress  Makers 
at  Workshop 


The    Workshop 
at    South    Boston 

the  Howe  Memorial 
Press,  and  the  Na- 
tional Braille  Press. 
The  work  of  the  Work- 
shop and  the  Howe 
Press  has  been  under 
the  direction  of  Frank 
C.  Bryan,  who  on  Oc- 
tober 1  is  to  retire 
after  forty  years  of 
fine  constructive  lead- 
ership. 

To    succeed    Mr. 
Bryan  as  manager  of 

the  Workshop,  Fred  G.  Marsh  has  been  selected.  He  began  work  in 
August  and  brings  to  the  Workshop  a  wide  experience  in  business, 
and  a  personal  interest  in  people,  which  promise  the  leadership  needed 
to  carry  out  an  expanding  program.  The  removal  of  the  National 
Braille  Press  to  its  new  building  a  year  ago  and  the  transfer  of  the 
remaining  part  of  the  Howe  Press  from  South  Boston  to  Watertown 
gives  ample  space  for  new  developments  and  will  enable  the  Workshop 
to  provide  employment  for  blind  persons  on  a  much  larger  scale  than 
formerly. 


OFFICE  AND  OTHER  CHANGES 

AS  PART  of  the  plan  to  secure  the  facilities  that  were  to  be 
included  in  the  proposed  separate  building  for  the  library,  a  con- 
siderable change  in  the  offices  has  been  made  during  the  sum- 
mer. The  section  of  the  Howe  Building  formerly  used  by  the  Deaf- 
Blind  Department  for  classrooms  has  been  entirely  redesigned  to  in- 
clude all  the  administrative  offices.  The  similar  area  on  the  other  side 
of  the  building  has  been  redesigned  to  make  more  space  for  the  in- 
creased business  operations  brought  about  by  the  transfer  to  Water- 
town  of  considerable  work  done  in  the  Treasurer's  office  in  Boston. 
These  changes  will  bring  together  in  one  area  offices  formerly  distri- 
buted about  the  building,  and  will  add  greatly  to  the  efficiency  of  opera- 
tion. The  Board  Room  formerly  used  by  the  Director  as  an  office  is  be- 
ing entirely  redecorated  for  use  as  the  teachers'  recreational  lounge. 
New  furniture  and  hangings  have  been  installed,  and  a  small  adjoining 

—  5  — 


room  has  been  equipped  with  a  combination  gas  stove,  sink  and 
refrigerator.  This  will  provide  a  very  pleasant  center  for  staff  mem- 
bers to  gather  and  to  build  up  a  closer  community  life. 

A  NEW  CURRICULUM 

THE  UPPER  SCHOOL  this  year  will  operate  under  a  curriculum 
which  was  planned  during  the  past  year  by  a  committee  made 
up  of  several  members  of  the  faculty.  The  Upper  School  course 
of  study  is  divided  into  Junior  High  of  three  years  and  Senior  High 
of  four  years.  Most  of  the  work  in  the  Junior  High  is  required  and 
is  exploratory  of  pupils'  aptitudes  and  interests.  The  Senior  High 
course  of  study  is  built  around  a  core  of  general  education  areas  re- 
quired of  all  pupils  and  supplemented  by  a  large  choice  of  specialized 
subjects.  Most  of  these  are  prevocational  but  definite  vocational 
training  is  offered  in  three  fields:  pianoforte  tuning,  pianoforte  nor- 
mal, and  the  commercial  course.  Increasing  emphasis  is  being  placed 
upon  guidance,  consumer  education  and  orientation  broadly  con- 
ceived in  order  to  enable  our  pupils  better  to  meet  practical  life 
problems.  A  two  year  sequence  in  salesmanship  courses  will  be 
added  to  the  program  this  year.  For  graduation  a  pupil  must  secure 
a  minimum  of  eighty  unit  credits  in  four  years. 

THE  PERKINS  BRAILLER 

THE  PREPARATION  for  large  production  of  the  Perkins' 
Brailler  is  progressing  although  it  is  impeded  by  difficulties  in 
getting  precision  parts  and  by  problems  in  developing  tooling. 
Mr.  Abraham,  its  inventor,  was  in  England  during  the  summer  and 
had  opportunity  to  compare  problems  with  those  working  on  a  new 
writer  over  there.  Mr.  Waterhouse  demonstrated  the  Perkins' 
Brailler  at  the  AAIB  and  the  AAWB  conventions,  and  many  orders 
have  been  received.  At  the  latter  convention  a  demonstration  was 
televised. 

CHINESE  VALUES 

THE   NATIONAL   BRAILLE   PRESS   sent   through   The   Howe 
Press,  ten  Braille  slates  to  a  person  in  China.     Receipt  was 
acknowledged  with  a  statement  that  customs  duty  amounted  to 
TWELVE  MILLION  DOLLARS!!  ($4.50  U.  S.  money) 

—  6  — 


OBITUARY 


Elwyn  H.  Fowler  who  passed  away  on 
July  29  was  such  a  modest  man,  that 
few  who  knew  him  in  his  later  years 
could  recognize  the  greatness  of  his 
early  contribution  to  the  field  of  the 
blind.  Graduating  from  Perkins  in  1889, 
he  went  to  live  in  Worcester  where  he 
established  a  fine  private  practice  in 
pianoforte  tuning,  and  he  also  secured 
the  contract  for  the  servicing  of  all 
pianos  in  the  Worcester  public  schools. 
In  1911  he  came  to  Perkins  to  become 
the  head  of  the  Tuning  Department. 
Many  of  the  young  men  who  have  taken 
the  piano  tuning  course  owe  their  suc- 
cess and  livelihood  to  the  competent 
teaching  of  Mr.  Fowler. 


The  "battle  of  the  types"  was  raging 
furiously  at  the  time  of  Mr.  Fowler's 
schooling  and  the  years  of  his  early 
professional  life.  He  took  an  active  in- 
terest in  this  contest  and  was  through- 
out his  life  a  firm  believer  in  the  supe- 
rior efficiency  of  the  American  Braille. 
It  is  reported  that  he  frequently  re- 
ferred to  the  final  uniform  type  as  "that 
British  Braille".  Despite  his  personal 
opinion,  Mr.  Fowler  was  one  of  the  chief 
workers  for  uniformity.  Henry  Randolph 
Latimer  in  his  book  states,  "The  real 
credit  for  initiating  and  focusing  the 
uniform  type  movement  in  America 
must,  forever  and  unequivocally,  go  to 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Elwyn  H.  Fowler  ..." 
and   others   whom   he   named. 


Mr.  Fowler  was  a  member  of  the  first 
committee  appointed  by  the  American 
Association  of  Workers  for  the  Blind  in 
1905  to  communicate  with  the  English 
Braille  Committee,  and  to  work  with 
them  toward  a  final  solution.  The  late 
Mrs.  Fowler,  as  secretary  of  the  com- 
mittee, also  made  a  very  great  contri- 
bution to  this  cause,  the  final  success 
of  which  has  meant  so  much  in  provid- 
ing the  uniform  type  which  all  English 
speaking  people  enjoy  today. 


NEW  TEACHERS 


Winifred  G.  Ellis,  Mount  Holyoke,  '13, 
teacher  of  commercial  subjects. 


Margaret  G.  Bigelow,  Bridgewater 
Teachers  College,  '47,  last  year  teacher 
in  the  Iowa  School  for  the  Blind,  teach- 
er of  physical  education  for  girls  in  the 
Upper  School. 


Bernard  T.  Barbeau,  New  England 
Conservatory  of  Music,  '48,  for  a  time 
in  the  Army,  voice  teacher  in  the  Upper 
School. 


Margaret  F.  Bishop,  Massachusetts 
General  Hospital  School  of  Nursing,  '48, 
and  who  previously  attended  Pennsyl- 
vania College  for  Women  and  Massa- 
chusetts State  College,  resident  nurse. 


Adeline  Dale,  Jamestown  College, 
North  Dakota,  for  more  than  three 
years  communications  officer  U.  S.  Navy, 
teacher  of  physical  education  in  the 
Lower  School. 


Nancy  C.  Jones,  Wheelock  College,  '48, 
teacher  of  kindergarten  in  the  Lower 
School. 


Emily  E.  Greene,  Nursery  Training 
School  of  Boston,  and  Boston  Univer- 
sity, teacher  in  the  Lower  School. 


Marion  K.  Liversidge,  Modern  School 
of  Fashion  and  Design,  teacher  of  sew- 
ing and  practical  arts. 


Samuel  E.  Price,  University  of  Massa- 
chusetts '48,  teacher  of  physical  educa- 
tion and  poultry. 


Maurie  Edelstein,  Indiana  University 
'48,  assistant  in  psychology.  Mrs.  Edel- 
stein will  teach  in  the  Upper  School. 

Patricia  M.  Huddleston,  Western 
Michigan  College,  '48,  teacher  of  deaf- 
blind. 


—  7  — 


NATIONAL  BRAILLE  PRESS 

(Continued  from  Page  31 
cal,  THE  HOME  TEACHER,  a  magazine  for  home  teachers  and  social 
workers  of  the  blind.  After  a  few  years  we  were  sufficiently  organized 
to  publish  Braille  periodicals  for  other  private  organizations  and  to- 
day we  are  embossing  and  printing  nine  separate  magazines.  Our 
monthly  production  is  29,161  volumes  of  Braille  material,  reaching 
the  blind  throughout  the  English  speaking  world. 

In  the  early  days  of  .  /oriel  War  II,  the  American  Red  Cross  felt 
it  necessary  to  discontinue  its  training  program  for  Hand  Braille 
transcribers,  in  order  to  carry  on  more  urgently  needed  projects. 
Friends  and  associates  of  the  National  Braille  Press  realized  that 
blind  students  in  the  field  of  higher  education  were  dependent  upon 
such  a  group  of  workers  for  brailled  material  which  was  not  obtain- 
able from  the  printing  houses,  and  in  1943  the  National  Braille  Press 
decided  to  sponsor  a  program  for  the  training  of  volunteer  Hand 
Braille  transcribers.  To  date,  we  have  trained  approximately  1250 
students,  228  of  whom  are  certified. 

It  is  obvious  that  such  production  could  not  be  carried  on  in  the 
limited  space  at  our  disposal  in  the  Perkins  Workshop  in  South 
Boston.  A  suitable  building  for  our  activities  at  88  St.  Stephen 
St.,  Boston,  was  purchased  in  December,  1946,  and  has  been  occupied 
for  more  than  a  year.  The  additional  space  in  the  new  plant  is  a 
great  improvement  in  assisting  the  workers  to  get  out  the  periodicals 
on  schedule.  Our  purpose  in  accepting  the  work  for  other  organiza- 
tions is  to  provide  steady  employment  for  the  blind  and  it  is  earn- 
estly hoped  that  more  people  can  be  taken  on  as  our  funds  permit 
further  expansion. 

When  the  National  Braille  Press  was  incorporated,  some  felt  that 
it  was  a  duplicating  effort,  but  those  of  us  who  had  the  responsibility 
of  encouraging  this  organization  felt  that  there  was  room  for  such 
a  plant  if  it  did  not  attempt  to  compete  with  existing  printing 
houses.  It  has  always  been  the  policy  of  this  organization  not  to 
compete  in  any  way  with  other  printing  houses  but  to  give  the  blind 
reading  material  that  is  unobtainable  elsewhere.  It  is  our  intention 
to  continue  this  policy  even  though  we  may  expand  further  in  the 
field  of  Braille  periodicals.  What  success  the  National  Braille  Press, 
Inc.  has  achieved  during  the  twenty-one  years  of  its  existence,  it  owes 
to  the  friends  of  the  blind  and  to  my  Alma  Mater. 

—  8  — 


The  gLantern 


THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  XVIII..  NO.  2  rffc  DECEMBER   1 5.  1 948 


Leadership  In  Our  Field 

BLIND  LEADERSHIP  of  the  blind  was  discussed  on  this  page  a 
year  ago.  In  this  issue  we  should  like  to  talk  about  general  leader- 
ship in  our  field.  There  seems  at  the  present  time  to  be  a  growing 
competition  as  to  who  will  have  the  opportunity  and  the  responsibility 
for  formulating  and  directing  programs  for  the  blind.  For  a  hundred 
years  leadership  of  work  for  the  blind  has  been  in  the  hands  of 
educators.  More  recently  there  is  a  growing  ascendency  of  leadership 
of  social  workers,  and  now  arising  on  the  horizon  is  a  new  group 
who  feel  that  they  have  a  contribution  to  make — the  rehabilitation 
workers.  These  facts  make  us  believe  that  the  time  has  come  when 
those  interested  in  the  blind  should  fairly  face  this  varied  leadership 
and  at  least  make  it  cooperative  rather  than  competitive. 

We  are  not  minimizing  the  contribution  the  social  case  work- 
ers can  make  within  their  field  of  helping  persons  in  need,  but  when 
they  feel  competent  to  determine  the  educational  program  for  blind 
children  without  consulting  school  men,  we  are  concerned.  There 
is  also  the  danger  that  social  work  leadership  may  throw  the  em- 
phasis on  the  receiving  end.  Educators  have  as  their  goal  contribu- 
tory service.  This  is  historic  and  must  be  maintained.  In  accom- 
plishing this  the  rehabilitation  workers  have  something  definite  to 
offer  for  expanded  legislation  in  this  field  makes  possible  wide  oppor- 
tunity for  special  training.  With  all  these  facilities  and  by  working 
together  we  should  build  up  a  leadership  which  will  provide  our  people 
not  only  with  training  to  become  contributory,  but  with  the  idealism 
that  "It  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to  receive." 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown  72,  Massachusetts  Gabriel  Farrell,  Director 


^oJhusf 7&JVi*££ 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Musical  events  this  fall  included  an 
interesting  recital  on  two  pianos  by 
Andrew  Heath,  Jr.  and  Karl  Kohn,  ac- 
companists of  the  Harvard  Glee  Club 
on  the  evening  of  October  22,  and  a 
thirty  piece  Veterans  Orchestra  under 
the  leadership  of  Sayard  Stone,  on  the 
evening  of  November  8. 


A  football  banquet  marking  the  close 
of  the  inter-cottage  series  of  games  was 
held  on  the  evening  of  November  9,  in 
Moulton  Cottage.  The  Director's  Cup 
was  presented  to  Eliot  Cottage,  the  win- 
ner, and  a  most  interesting  talk  was 
given  by  Nils  "Swede"  Nelson,  former 
Harvard  football  coach. 

A  Chess  Tournament  is  now  waging 
between  the  Perkins  Chess  Club  and 
the  chess  club  of  the  California  School 
for  the  Blind,  with  the  United  States 
Postal  Service  coordinating  the  moves. 

THE  LANTERN  editorial,  "Are  Resi- 
dential Schools  Doomed"  of  the  Septem- 
ber 1947  LANTERN,  was  reprinted  in 
the  August  1948  issue  of  THE  CHRON- 
ICLE of  the  New  Zealand  Institute  for 
the  Blind. 


Marion  A.  Woodworth,  Registrar  at 
Perkins  has  an  article  "The  One  Hun- 
dred Books  that  best  interpret  America" 
in  the  November  ''Outlook  for  the  Blind." 


A  new  calendar  featuring  the  Chil- 
dren of  the  Silent  Night  has  been  distri- 
buted in  the  annual  appeal  for  the 
deaf-blind. 


The  deaf-blind  pupils  with  their 
teachers  visited  the  Boston  School  for 
the  Deaf  in  Randolph  on  November  18. 


Mrs.  Agnes  Stone  Hayes,  the  wife  of 
Dr.  Samuel  P.  Hayes,  director  of  the 
Department  of  Personnel  and  Research, 
and  formerly  Professor  of  Psychology 
at  Mt.  Holyoke  College  passed  away 
suddenly  on  October  29. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Dr.  Edward  E.  Allen,  Director  Emeri- 
tus, has  written  an  article  on  his  early 
days  in  the  Royal  Normal  College 
in  the  October  OUTLOOK  FOR  THE 
BLIND,  and  an  article  on  early  sight- 
saving  classes  in  the  November  issue 
of  THE  TOWERS,  published  by  the 
Overbrook  School. 


Dr.  Ras  Mohun  Haider,  member  of 
the  Harvard  Class  in  '31-'32,  has  pub- 
lished a  second  book,  "Society  and  the 
Visually  Handicapped".  Dr.  Haider  is 
now  associated  with  the  Office  of  Edu- 
cation in  the  Government  of  India. 

Cora  Withrow,  Perkins  '34,  while  vis- 
iting in  New  York  in  September,  won 
the  jackpot  with  fifty  gifts  in  a  radio 
broadcast  by  correctly  answering  the 
question,  "What  was  the  longest  num- 
ber of  years  the  world  has  been  without 
a  war"?   (Answer  300.) 


Pauline  M.  Moor,  field  worker  for  pre- 
school blind  children  at  the  Eye  and 
Ear  Infirmary  and  associated  with 
Perkins  in  the  summer  schools,  has  an 
article  on  the  educational  service  for 
the  blind  child  of  pre-school  age  in  the 
October  issue  of  OUTLOOK  FOR  THE 
BLIND. 


Merrill  Maynard,  Perkins  '38,  is  the 
editor  of  a  book  of  poetry  by  blind 
persons  —  "They  Sing  In  The  Night," 
published  under  the  direction  of  the 
Braille  Poets'  Guild. 


Priscilla  Blakely,  Perkins  '47.  a  fresh- 
man at  Jackson  College,  was  awarded 
the  Greenwood  Oratory  prize  at  an 
honors  ceremony  held  at  Tufts  College 
on  November  3. 


Lester  Stott,  Perkins  '33,  has  become 
a  senior  worker  in  the  office  of  the 
Massachusetts  Division  of  the   Blind. 


William  E.  Powers,  Perkins  '32,  was 
elected  in  November  to  the  office  of 
Attorney  General  in  Rhode  Island. 


—  2  — 


THE  YOUNG  BLIND  AND  NEW  HORIZONS 

By  Gabriel  Farrell 

A  contribution  to  the  panel  discussion  of  Community  Organization  for  the 
Rehabilitation  of  the  Blind  at  the  Convention  of  the  National  Rehabilitation 
Association  at  Madison.   Wisconsin.   December  9,    1948. 

THE  GROWING  PROGRAM  of  Vocational  Rehabilitation  and 
its  special  facilities  for  the  visually  handicapped  has  a  definite 
bearing  upon  the  education  of  the  young  blind  even  though  it  is 
planned  primarily  for  the  adult  blind.  It  offers  new  horizons  em- 
blazoned with  hope  even  though  it  says  to  the  schools  "keep  your 
eyes  fixed  on  the  center."  These  demarcations,  however,  are  organiza- 
tional and  must  not  be  functional  because  both  Rehabilitation  workers 
and  Educators  know  there  must  be  continuous  lines  of  growth  from 
infancy  to  old  age,  from  early  habit  training  through  job  competency 
and  completion.  Historically,  all  work  for  the  blind  in  this  country 
stems  from  education  and  the  conviction  that  with  schooling,  a  blind 
person  can  take  a  contributory  place  in  life.  We  are  not  sure  that  that 
historic  position  has  been  maintained,  and  if  not,  it  is  for  two  rea- 
sons: Schools  for  the  blind  (1)  have  not  done  enough,  and  (2)  have 
tried  to  do  too  much. 

Vocational  Rehabilitation  enters  the  field  new,  fresh  and  well 
financed.  It  affords  the  opportunity  for  schools  to  overcome  these 
two  weaknesses.  It  says  to  school  men  (1)  "Keep  your  eyes  and  your 
efforts  at  the  center.  Do  better  work  there."  (2)  "Leave  the  horizons 
to  us  and  don't  try  to  do  things  in  that  area  because  we  can  do  them 
better."  In  other  words,  do  a  superior  job  with  the  young  blind. 
Drill  them  well  in  the  core  subjects,  teach  them  to  face  life  hopefully, 
early  find  their  aptitudes  and  head  them  on  their  way.  Then  Reha- 
bilitation will  take  over  and  by  guidance,  specialized  training  and 
placement,  speed  them  onward  toward  the  bright  horizons  of  life- 
work  and  happiness. 

To  accomplish  this  successfully,  there  must  be  no  "no  man's 
land"  where  the  change  in  leadership  takes  place,  as  there  has  been 
in  the  past,  nor  any  break  in  the  transition  from  one  agency  to  the 
other.  There  must  be  co-operation,  or  better  still  integration.  School 
men  must  look  ahead  to  know  the  open  fields  and  the  job  opportunities. 
The  "Rehabs"  must  come  to  the  schools  and  learn  to  know  those  who 
will  be  their  clients.  In  many  ways  they  can  give  practical  help.  There 

(Continued  on  Page  7) 
—  3  — 


JUNIOR  RED  CROSS  AT  PERKINS 

AS  THE  CHRISTMAS  season  draws  near  members  of  the  Junior 
Red  Cross  all  over  the  nation  are  packing  gift  boxes  to  send 
to  boys  and  girls  overseas.  Although  these  boxes  appear  to 
be  very  small,  it  is  possible  to  fill  them  with  many  useful  articles  such 
as  pencils,  paper,  pins,  toothbrushes  and  small  toys.  At  Perkins  the 
girl  and  boy  who  represent  the  school  at  the  meetings  of  the  Boston 
Chapter  of  the  Junior  Red  Cross  are  responsible  for  the  gift  boxes. 
In  the  Upper  School  the  student  councilor  in  each  cottage  with  the 
assistance  of  one  or  more  of  his  cottage  mates  fills  the  boxes,  and 
fifteen  have  been  turned  over  to  the  Red  Cross  representatives.  The 
children  of  the  Lower  School  raised  enough  money  to  fill  thirteen 
boxes.  Some  of  this  money  was  raised  by  a  group  of  children  who 
sold  candy  bars,  thus  gaining  a  sense  of  the  importance  of  money  and 
one  unselfish  use  to  which  it  may  be  put. 

Mary  Ethel  Bull  '48 

""*  'ftgjP^'  ww^BP^.1. 

LIBRARY  CHANGES 

THE  PERKINS  LIBRARY  for  many  years 
cramped  and  crowded,  now  enjoys  ample 
storage  and  working  space.  The  new  gallery 
erected  in  the  rear  third  of  the  library  with  metal 
shelves  on  the  floor  and  balcony  levels,  gives  addi- 
tional space  for  25,000  volumes.  With  this  new 
area,  and  the  extensive  space  for  shelving  in  the 
basement,  the  library  can  now  accommodate  over 
50,000  volumes  in  both  recorded  and  embossed 
form.  In  addition,  there  are  in  the  teachers'  li- 
brary, in  the  old  balcony,  at  the  front  of  the  li- 
brary nearly  10,000  volumes  of  ink  print  books. 
In  the  reference  library  housed  beyond  the  stacks 
in  a  fireproof  room  is  the  valuable  reference  li- 
brary with  over  7,000  volumes  in  nineteen  lan- 
guages, the  greatest  collection  of  material  about 
the  blind  in  the  world.  Since  the  opening  of  school 
these  new  facilities  have  been  organized  so  that 
the  library  is  now  functioning  in  high  order.  Be- 
sides serving  the  school,  the  library  is  one  of  the 
circulating  centers  for  books  provided  by  the  Li- 

—  4  — 


brary  of  Congress  for  the  adult  blind  of  the  New  England  area.  Total 
circulation  last  year  was  34,728  volumes,  of  which  16,324  were  out- 
side of  the  school. 

LIBRARIAN  CHANGES 

A  CHANGE  IN  LEADERSHIP  is  now  to  follow  the  changes  in 
facilities  for  the  library.  Miss  Mary  Esther  Sawyer,  who  has 
been  associated  with  Perkins  since  1911,  is  retiring  from  active 
duty  on  December  31,  1948.  Miss  Sawyer  first  came  to  Perkins  as 
teacher  of  physical  education  in  the  girls'  school.  She  went  to  Wash- 
ington to  do  war  work  during  World  War  I  and  remained  there  until 
1925,  returning  to  Perkins  to  take  up  the  position  of  Librarian.  Dur- 
ing all  these  years  she  has  given  loyal  and  devoted  service,  and  al- 
though she  will  be  missed,  her  many  friends  feel  that  she  is  entitled 
to  freedom  from  many  duties  involved. 

Miss  Sawyer  is  to  be  succeeded  by  Nelson  Coon, 
the  present  Superintendent  of  Buildings  and 
Grounds.  In  addition  to  the  duties  which  his  title 
implies,  Mr.  Coon  has  done  a  notable  service  in 
reorganizing  the  Perkins  Museum  and  developing 
Exhibits  of  the  Month,  which  have  attracted  na- 
tion-wide attention  both  in  schools  for  the  blind 
and  among  museums.  It  is  expected  that  he  will 
carry  some  of  these  modern  plans  of  widening 
use  over  to  the  library.  Mr.  Coon  has  written 
several  articles  on  museums  and  library  work, 
but  in  the  field  of  writing  is  chiefly  known  for  his 
authoritative  books  on  horticulture.  For  some 
years  he  has  written  columns  in  leading  mag- 
azines in  the  horticultural  field.  Miss  Woodworth, 
who  has  been  in  the  library  for  ten  years  is  now 
the  school  registrar,  and  has  been  succeeded  in 
the  library  by  Mrs.  Julia  Edelstein.  Miss  Florence 
J.  Worth  ably  and  quietly  carries  on  her  work  in 
the  library,  where  she  has  been  since  1921. 


D 


PUBLIC  SPEAKING 
ALE   CARNEGIE,   author  of  the   current 
best   seller   "How   to   Stop   Worrying  and 
Start  Living,"  and  the  book  "How  to  Win 

—  5  — 


Friends  and  Influence  People,"  spoke  at  Perkins  to  the  Upper  School 
pupils  and  staff  on  Thursday  afternoon,  November  18.  Mr.  Carnegie 
came  to  Perkins  because  of  his  interest  in  the  fact  that  his  course  in 
public  speaking  is  being  given  at  Perkins,  the  first  class  being  Mon- 
day, November  15.  The  class  is  made  up  of  the  post  graduates,  sen- 
ior and  junior  boys  and  the  course  will  continue  for  sixteen  weeks. 
It  is  the  regular  course  sponsored  by  Mr.  Carnegie,  and  will  be  in- 
structed by  one  of  his  trained  teachers.  Effective  speaking  will  be 
stressed,  together  with  the  acquirement  of  poise  and  instruction  in 
how  to  organize  facts  for  presentation. 

COURSE  CORRELATION 

THE  JUNIOR  CLASS  course  in  American  literature  and  the 
course  in  United  States  history  have  been  planned  by  the  two 
teachers,  Miss  Carpenter  and  Mr.  Stone,  to  correlate.  Programs 
have  been  arranged  so  that  the  classes  will  be  working  on  the  same 
historical  period  at  the  same  time.  In  order  to  correlate  even  further 
several  field  trips  are  being  planned  so  that  the  pupils  will  have  the 
advantage  of  an  acquaintance  on  the  spot  with  places  involved  in  both 
American  literature  and  history.  Already  two  trips  have  been  taken. 
The  first  was  to  the  Old  North  Church,  Paul  Revere's  house,  the  Old 
State  House  and  other  points  of  historical  interest  in  Boston.  The 
second  trip  was  to  the  Charlestown  Navy  Yard,  where  the  classes 
visited  the  frigate  "Constitution"  and  also  went  to  Bunker  Hill. 

LARGE  MATTRESS  ORDER 

THE  LARGEST  ORDER  for  mattresses  ever  received  is  now  in 
the  works  at  the  Workshop  in  South  Boston.  Three  hundred  and 
sixty-two  mattresses  and  374  pillows  have  been  ordered  by  the 
Massachusetts  Institute  of  Technology  for  use  in  the  Senior  Dormi- 
tory now  under  construction.  This  building  is  one  of  the  most  unique 
ever  designed  for  collegiate  use.  The  mattresses  have  inner  springs 
which  are  provided  by  the  Webster  Spring  Company. 


A 


WHAT'S  IN  A  NAME? 

RECENT  LETTER  referred  to  Perkins  as  "The  Frances  Per- 
kins School  for  the  Blind."  An  overseas  journal  in  our  field 
made  reference  to  us  as  "Peck's  Institute  for  the  Blind". 


THE  YOUNG  BLIND  AND  NEW  HORIZONS 

(Continued  from  Page  3) 
is  need  for  testing,  guidance  and  job  analysis  for  which  few  schools 
have  adequate  facilities.  There  are  other  forms  of  mutual  helpful- 
ness which  should  be  explored  and  which  will  make  continuous  the 
advance  from  school  boy  to  working  man,  from  the  center  to  the 
horizon. 

My  part  in  this  panel  is  to  suggest  the  schools'  role  in  this  pro- 
cess of  growth.  Rehabilitation,  I  feel,  can  first  relieve  the  schools 
of  the  "too  much"  which  we  have  tried  to  do  in  the  past.  We  have 
tried  to  introduce  definite  vocational  training,  and  to  develop  our 
pupils  to  employment  status  in  specialized  skills.  Except  in  a  few 
well-established  areas,  such  as  college  preparation  and  pianoforte 
tuning,  I  would  advise  schools  for  the  blind  not  to  attempt  to  prepare 
their  pupils  for  definite  jobs.  Few  of  our  schools  can  do  it  adequately. 
Let  us  pass  that  responsibility  over  to  Rehabilitation.  They  can 
provide  trade  training  leading  to  employment  either  in  special  schools 
or  "on  the  job." 

If  we  do  this  the  "Rehabs"  can  turn  to  the  school  men  and  say, 
"All  right,  but  we  will  require  you  to  do  a  better  job  with  your  pupils 
before  sending  them  to  us."  Last  year  a  committee  of  the  AAIB  of 
which  our  Principal,  Allan  Sherman,  happened  to  be  chairman,  sent 
out  a  questionnaire  to  seventy  vocational  rehabilitation  agencies  ask- 
ing them  to  state  specifically  what  they  had  found  to  be  the  weak- 
nesses of  our  pupils  as  they  entered  the  labor  market,  and  to  make 
suggestions  as  to  how  schools  for  the  blind  could  organize  their 
courses  so  that  their  pupils,  when  leaving  will  make  good  placement 
material.  The  response  was  good  and  a  vast  amount  of  material  was 
compiled.  I  have  not  time  to  go  into  further  details,  but  I  hope  that 
when  the  report  is  published  all  interested  will  study  it.  It  is  a  fine 
first-step  piece  of  co-operation  between  our  two  areas. 

A  review  of  this  material,  however,  indicates  that  the  state 
agencies  feel  that  our  pupils  are  not  adequately  prepared  in  orienta- 
tion, in  their  personal  attitudes  and  in  their  basic  skills.  This  is  quite 
an  indictment,  but  it  points  up  our  statement  that  the  schools  "have 
tried  to  do  too  much"  in  specialized  training,  and  "have  not  done 
enough"  in  fundamental  training.  It  also  definitely  indicates  the 
school's  function  now  that  it  can  pass  on  its  vocational  training  to 
Rehabilitation. 

(Continued  on  next  Page) 
—  7  — 


On  the  basis  of  these  findings  and  from  our  own  observance,  we 
feel  that  our  schools  and  indeed  all  schools  in  the  primary  and  elemen- 
tary years  must  concentrate  on  sounder  training  in  the  fundamental 
fields  and  the  basic  skills.  Western  Reserve  University  is  advocating 
a  program  of  Basic  Arts,  which  they  group  in  two  categories,  arts  of 
reception  and  arts  of  expression.  In  the  former  are  reading,  observ- 
ing and  listening,  and  in  the  latter,  talking,  writing,  doing  and  mak- 
ing. Perhaps  an  intensive  curriculum  stressing  these  arts  is  our 
answer. 

Schools  for  the  blind,  however,  need  more  than  that.  The  "Rehabs" 
say  we  are  weak  in  orientation  and  attitudes.  The  former  is  vital 
in  our  field  and  involves  elimination  of  blindisms,  better  travel  skills, 
and  more  effective  methods  of  compensating  for  loss  of  sight.  This 
is  truly  an  area  where  better  work  must  be  done.  In  the  area  of 
attitudes,  we  have  against  us  all  of  modern  life  and  youth,  and  here 
we  may  have  to  be  on  the  defensive  to  protect  our  young  people. 
Right  attitudes,  however,  must  be  established,  and  this  is  an  area 
where  the  residential  school  has  the  advantage.  We  must  never  for- 
get that  in  addition  to  making  our  pupils  economically  competent,  we 
must  make  them  well-adjusted  and  socially  acceptable. 

The  famous  Harvard  report  "General  Education  in  a  Free  So- 
ciety" states :  "Education  seeks  to  do  two  things :  help  young  persons 
fulfill  the  unique,  particular  functions  in  life  which  it  is  in  them  to 
fulfill,  and  fit  them  so  far  as  it  can  for  those  common  spheres  which, 
as  citizens  and  heirs  of  a  joint  culture,  they  will  share  with  others." 
President  Conant  of  Harvard,  who  was  responsible  for  this  report,  is 
now  advocating  a  plan  which  may  be  worth  considering. 

He  is  urging  the  formation  of  two-year  Junior  Colleges  with  ter- 
minal courses.  These  will  free  the  high  schools  of  specialized  train- 
ing and  will  hold  young  people  in  school  until  they  are  more  mature. 
Perhaps  the  time  has  come  to  consider  such  a  program  for  the  blind 
for  the  two  reasons  stated  and  for  the  added  purpose  of  providing 
our  friends  the  "Rehabs"  with  facilities  for  the  specialized  training 
we  have  calmly  assigned  to  them.  Education  may  then  emerge  from 
the  center  to  which  it  has  been  relegated.  Rehabilitation  need  not 
restrict  itself  to  adults.  The  old  "no  man's  land"  may  be  wiped  out, 
and  combining  the  resources  of  both  groups  our  young  people  may 
have  a  better  chance  of  reaching  the  horizons  emblazoned  with  hope. 

—  8  — 


The  Lantern 


THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  XVIII..  NO.  3 


I 


k  MARCH  15.  1949 


The  Factor  of  Selflessness 

A  PERKINS  GRADUATE  after  reading  the  December  issue  of 
THE  LANTERN  wrote:  "Of  special  interest  to  me  was  the 
short  article  on  Junior  Red  Cross  at  Perkins  .  .  .  No  other 
activity  that  I  know  of  can  be  so  constructive,  not  only  for  the  pupils 
at  Perkins,  but  for  all  school  children.  Perhaps  most  important  is 
the  fact  that  true  Red  Cross  membership  means  that  all  school 
children  have  the  opportunity  to  develop  within  themselves  the  factor 
of  selflessness,  which  is  so  necessary  for  a  well-balanced  attitude. 
Too,  children  have  a  chance  to  contribute  .  .  .  contribution  in  itself 
is  educational  to  say  the  least."  ""* 

This  letter  throws  out  two  challenges.  Are  we  developing  a 
"factor  of  selflessness"  and  are  we  providing  "a  chance  to  contrib- 
ute"? The  latter  is  perhaps  more  apparent  than  the  former.  In 
schools  for  the  blind  there  is  need  for  so  much  individual -instruction 
that  we  may  neglect  what  pupils  can  and  should  do  for  themselves. 
It  is  often  easier  to  do  the  task  than  make  the  child  do  it  himself. 
In  society  generally,  there  is  so  much  readiness  to  help  the  blind  that 
the  chance  for  them  to  contribute  is  often  a  losing  battle. 

The  development  within  themselves  of  a  "factor  of  selflessness" 
is  not  easy  for  blind  persons.  For  them  to  be  over-concerned  with 
self  is  understandable.  Many  become  over-cautious,  some  self- 
centered,  others  definitely  selfish.  These  factors  of  self-interest,  how- 
ever, must  not  be  allowed  by  the  individuals  themselves  to  become  the 
dominant  aspects  of  character.  Schools  and  society  generally  can 
and  must  help  our  people  attain  the  factor  which  our  writer  states 
"is  so  necessary  for  a  well-balanced  attitude." 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown  72.  Massachusetts  Gabriel  Farrell,  Director 


^a&4^  t&asi*^ 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Girl  Scout  Troop  No.  31  of  Perkins 
recently  baked  and  sold  enough  cookies 
to  make  over  twenty  dollars.  This 
money  will  be  used  to  send  CARE  pack- 
ages to  Kyriaki  Nicolaidou  in  Greece. 


Dr.  Marinus  James  of  Norwood,  well 
known  blind  lecturer,  spoke  before  the 
staff  and  pupils  on  February   14   . 


The  Upper  School  boys  were  guests  for 
tea  of  Simmons  College  students  on 
Sunday  afternoon,  February  2  and  in  re- 
turn the  Simmons  Students  came  to 
Perkins  for  a  swimming  party. 


The  Upper  School  girls  had  a  "Shmoo 
Hop"  on  Saturday,  February  26  with 
guests  from  nearby  colleges  and  schools. 
The  younger  girls  had  a  party  in  Ben- 
nett Cottage  the  same  evening. 


The  Clergy  of  Watertown  are  again 
speaking  at  Chapel  on  Thursday  morn- 
ings during  the  season  of  Lent. 


Scholarship  pupils  from  schools  in 
this  country  and  from  foreign  countries 
are  bringing  to  the  pupils  at  our 
Tuesday  morning  assemblies,  interest- 
ing accounts  of  their  parts  of  the  world. 


The  Lower  School  had  a  long  week- 
end from  Friday,  February  18  through 
February  22,  and  The  Upper  School 
had  a  long  week-end  from  Friday, 
March  4  through  Sunday  the  6th. 


The  Lower  School  pupils  broadcast 
a  program  of  music  with  some  of  the 
children  telling  of  the  school  and  cot- 
tage life  at  Perkins  on  February  26 
over  station  WORL. 


An  Institute  on  the  care  of  blind 
babies  was  conducted  at  the  Falmouth 
Hotel,  Portland,  Maine  on  February  24. 
It  was  presented  by  the  Perkins  and 
the  Eye  and  Ear  Infirmary  team  of 
specialists  in  this  field. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Four  Perkins  former  pupils  are  now 
regularly  scheduled  for  weekly  broad- 
casts over  local  radio  stations. 


Ethel  I.  Parker  for  several  years  has 
been  telling  of  interesting  facts  about 
the  blind  on  Thursdays  at  1:30  P.M. 
over  station  WLAW. 


Merrill  Maynard  of  the  Braille  Poets 
Guild,  reads  poetry  and  tells  of  Guild 
activities  on  Saturday  nights  at  6:15 
over  station  WVOM. 


Edith  Maynard  began  a  program  Jan- 
uary 30  called  "Let  there  be  Light" 
which  is  heard  every  Monday  after- 
noon at  2:30  over  station  WNBH. 


Gerald  S.  Paice  and  Dominick  F.  Mar- 
inello  are  conducting  a  series  of  in- 
terviews with  blind  persons  on  Mon- 
days at  5:00  P.M.  over  station  WBMS. 


Edward  P.  Murphy,  Perkins  '45,  is 
now  a  general  insurance  broker  with 
offices  in  Worcester. 


Robert  Giggey,  at  Perkins  from  193S 
to  1942  has  opened  a  vending  stand  in 
the  lobby  of  the  Quincy  Post  Office, 
assisted  by  the  Massachusetts  Associa- 
tion for  Promoting  the  interests  of  the 
Adult  Blind. 


Francis  E.  Devino,  Perkins  '48,  has 
gone  to  Arizona  to  join  Miguel  Ruiz 
in  the  business  of  tuning.  "Mike"  was 
a  scholarship  student  here  in  1947-43, 
and  received  a  tuning  certificate  as  did 
Francis. 


Hervey  Rainville,  Perkins  '33.  N.E. 
Conservatory  '36,  has  taken  a  position 
with  the  B.I.A.  transcribing  division. 
His  headquarters  will  be  San  Fran- 
cisco. He  will  play  a  Hammond  Organ 
before  schools  and  clubs  to  stimulate 
interest  in  Braille  transcribing. 


—  2 


THANK  YOU,  MR.  DICKENS 

By  Edward  J.   Waterhouse 

THE  HOWE  PRESS  of  Perkins  Institution  has  recently  received 
$31.65  from  Charles  Dickens.  The  history  of  this  gift  goes 
back  over  eighty  years  to  the  days  when  Dr.  Samuel  Gridley 
Howe  was  Director.  In  addition  to  his  many  other  duties,  Dr. 
Howe  was  personally  responsible  for  raising  money  for  embossing 
books.  It  was  considered  unwise  to  use  Institution  funds  for  some- 
thing which  was  for  the  benefit  of  blind  people  everywhere,  and  so 
he  had  to  appeal  to  men  and  women  of  means. 

The  philanthropists  of  the  nineteenth  century  regarded  the  blind 
more  seriously  than  people  do  today.  They  could  not  conceive  of 
them  needing  any  literature  other  than  the  most  moral.  What  little 
money  was  available  for  fiction  was  spent  on  books  with  such  themes 
as  the  evils  of  alcohol  and  the  triumph  of  virtues  in  distress.  During 
its  first  thirty-eight  years  of  operation  the  Perkins  Printing  De- 
partment produced  no  work  of  fiction  which  would  be  considered 
pleasantly  readable  today. 

On  February  18,  1868,  Dr.  Howe  sat  down  to  write  a  long  letter 
to  Charles  Dickens,  then  at  the  height  of  his  fame.  Dr.  Howe  and 
Perkins  Institution  were  no  strangers  to  Dickens,  who  had  visited 
the  South  Boston  school  in  1842  and  published  an  appreciative  ac- 
count of  the  fine  work  Dr.  Howe  was  doing  with  Laura  Bridgman. 
The  letter  opened  ''Lend  me  your  heart  for  a  moment"  and  recounted 
the  discouraging  history  of  the  first  half  century  of  embossed  books 
for  the  blind  in  both  Europe  and  America.  He  explained  how  the 
blind  needed  "happier  views  of  life"  than  could  be  found  in  the 
"lugubrious  food"  provided.  Would  Mr.  Dickens  make  the  blind 
happy  by  providing  the  cost  of  embossing  one  of  his  books? 

Dr.  Howe  suggested  "A  Christmas  Carol"  but  Dickens  chose  to 
provide  for  "The  Old  Curiosity  Shop"  which  is  far  longer  and  ran 
to  three  thick  volumes  in  Line  Type  totaling  over  six  hundred  pages. 
For  over  fifty  years,  Dickens'  generosity  must  have  given  joy  to 
many  blind  persons,  but  it  is  no  longer  effective. 

In  spite  of  its  many  excellent  features,  the  Boston  Line  Type 
which  Dr.  Howe  designed  himself  during  the  first  few  months  of  his 
school's  history,  and  which  was  widely  used  for  almost  a  century, 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 
—  3  — 


STUDY  HALLS 

THE  NEW  STUDY  HALLS  erected  at  the  Howe  Building  ad- 
joining- the  Library  and  Dwight  Hall  are  now  in  full  use.  They 
are  fulfilling  a  long-felt  need  for  rooms  large  enough  to  assemble 
all  the  boys  and  all  the  girls  separately  in  single  rooms  for  study  and 
reading.  The  two  halls,  ninety  feet  long  and  twenty  feet  wide  with 
large  windows  overlooking  the  river  are  attractively  finished  in  silver 
grey  with  light  green  trim.  The  rooms  are  ceiled  with  acoustical 
plaster  and  have  soft  cone  lighting  with  intensive  lamps  on  a  few 
tables  for  visual  work.  The  tables  are  topped  with  non-reflecting  grey 
linoleum,  and  the  grey  steel  chairs  are  upholstered  in  green.  Each 
pupil  has  a  drawer  in  the  study  table  for  paper,  slate  and  stylus,  and 
a  section  in  the  wall  cases  for  books.  The  floors  are  laid  with  grey 
rubber  tiles.  At  the  end  of  each  of  the  rooms  there  is  a  section  for 
Talking  Book  reading.  The  machines  are  built  in  with  turn  tables 
and  controls  in  the  counter  top.  Listening  is  through  ear  phones, 
with  arm  chairs  for  the  readers.  Stairs  from  these  two  ends  of 
the  halls  lead  to  typewriting  rooms  for  those  needing  these  facilities. 


WRESTLING  as  the  major  winter 
sport,  has  brought  into  training  this 
year  twenty-four  boys.  A  full  sched- 
ule made  an  active  season,  but  the  results  in 
terms  of  victory  were  not  up  to  hopes. 
Perkins  won  in  the  meet  with  Attleboro  High 
School,  tied  with  Wellesley  High,  lost  with 
Browne  and  Nichols,  Needham  High,  Phillips 
Academy,  Noble  and  Greenough,  Tabor 
Academy,  St.  Marks  and  the  New  York  In- 
stitute, and  took  third  place  in  the  all  blind 
school  tournament  which  they  won  last  year. 
While  the  culminating  event  was  participation 
with  eight  other  schools  in  the  meet  of  the 
Eastern  Athletic  Association  of  Schools  for 
the  Blind  held  at  Overbrook,  Pennsylvania, 
March  4-5,  perhaps  one  of  the  most  enjoyed 
was  the  trip  to  Phillips  Andover  Academy. 
The  Student  Council  at  Andover  invited  the 
Perkins  Chorus  to  sing  at  assembly.  Fifty 
boys  and  girls,  members  of  the  chorus,  went 

—  4  — 


by  bus  with  the  wrestlers,  gave  the  concert,  lunched  with  the  750 
boys,  cheered  the  Perkins  Team,  and  were  escorted  about  the  beau- 
tiful campus  by  the  Andover  boys. 


OPERETTAS 

TWO  OPERETTAS  are  being  offered  this  term  by  the  Music 
Department.  The  children  of  the  Lower  School  are  presenting 
Hansel  &  Gretel  on  Wednesday  and  Friday  evenings,  March  30 
and  April  1.  On  the  evenings  of  Thursday  and  Friday,  April  7  and 
8,  the  Upper  School  will  produce  the  Gilbert  and  Sullivan  operetta 
"Patience."  This  will  be  in  place  of  the  Pop  Concerts  of  previous 
years.  This  change  has  been  made  to  give  the  pupils  a  wider  ex- 
perience in  musical  production  and  to  familiarize  them  with  music  of 
this  character.  Persons  attending  may  expect  the  same  high  quality 
found  in  other  musical  offerings  by  the  Perkins  chorus. 


DEAF-BLIND 

A  COURSE  FOR  PERSONS  wishing  to 
teach  the  deaf-blind  is  to  be  held  at  the 
Horace  H.  Rackham  School  of  Special 
Education  of  the  Michigan  State  Normal  Col- 
lege, Ypsilanti,  Michigan.  This  will  be  in- 
cluded in  the  extensive  program  of  courses 
for  teachers  offered  each  summer,  and  will 
be  conducted  by  Mrs.  Maurine  Gittzus,  M.A., 
head-teacher  of  the  Deaf-Blind  Department 
at  Perkins.  There  will  also  be  courses  for 
the  blind  sponsored  by  the  American  Founda- 
tion for  the  Blind.  For  qualified  students, 
graduate  credit  can  be  obtained  through  the 
University  of  Michigan  Graduate  Center. 

The  course  will  carry  two  or  three  hours 
credit  and  will  be  divided  into  two  parts — 
lectures,  and  laboratory  work.  The  latter 
will  include  actual  instruction  of  deaf-blind 
children  resident  at  the  school  and  demonstra- 
tions of  accomplishment  through  a  deaf-blind 
pupil  from  Perkins.  The  course  is  sponsored 
—  5  — 


by  Perkins  and  the  Helen  Keller  Committee  for  the  Deaf-blind  of 
the  American  Foundation  for  the  Blind.  It  is  hoped  that  this  course 
will  be  the  means  of  bringing  much-needed,  trained  personnel  into 
this  highly  specialized  field. 


WHILE  WRITING  of  the  deaf-blind,  readers  may  be  interested 
in  reports  recently  received  on  two  Children  of  the  Silent 
Night,  who  completed  their  training  at  Perkins  last  June. 
Both  of  them  (Leonard  Dowdy  and  Gloria  Shipman)  are  now  back 
in  their  home  state  of  Missouri,  although  Leonard  spent  from  June 
to  December  in  special  training  at  the  Industrial  Home  for  the  Blind 
Workshop  in  Brooklyn.  About  Leonard  the  Missouri  authorities 
wrote : 

"Since  Mrs.  Dowdy  (mother)  and  Leonard  both  decided  that  they 
wish  to  live  on  a  farm  and  were  able  to  secure  one  from  Mrs.  Dowdy's 
father-in-law,  we  feel  that  we  are  indeed  fortunate  in  having  an  ex- 
cellent Agricultural  Counselor  for  the  Blind  in  our  Kansas  City  office. 
He  plans  to  see  Leonard  at  least  three  times  a  week  during  the  initial 
processes,  and  has  already  trained  him  in  some  of  the  ordinary  farm 
tasks,  such  as,  milking  a  cow,  tending  chickens,  etc." 

And  about  Gloria: 

"She  is  making  a  very  nice  adjustment  in  her  home  in  St.  Louis. 
We  have  secured  a  loom  for  her  .  .  .  She  is  also  doing  some  knitting 
which  she  learned  to  do  at  Perkins  and  was  able  to  secure  a  price  of 
$20.00  for  a  white  shawl  which  she  knitted.  Gloria  is  surrounded  by 
people  who  love  her  and  who  give  her  the  feeling  of  being  wanted  in  the 
home.  She  helps  with  the  household  tasks  and  seems  to  be  a  very 
normal  happy  girl." 

Robert  Smithdas,  deaf -blind  graduate  in  June  1946  writes:  "College 
(St.  John's,  Brooklyn)  is  still  an  adventure  for  me.  Early  in  the  autumn, 
I  was  made  a  member  of  the  literary  society,  Sigma  Tau  Alpha  .  .  .At 
the  beginning  of  the  year  I  checked  up  on  my  standing  in  the  Junior 
class  and  was  surprised  to  find  that  I  stood  eighteenth.  There  are  over 
five  hundred  and  eighty  students  in  this  one  class.  My  over-all  average 
for  the  first  two  years  is  eighty-eight. 


THE  ANNUAL  APPEAL  for  the  Children  of  the  Silent  Night 
is  bringing  a  good  response.    Already  1600  contributions,  total- 
ing $16,500,  have  been  received.     Significant  is  the  number  of 
friends  who  give  year  by  year,  but  this  year  there  seems  to  be  a 
larger  proportion  of  new  friends.     To  all — thanks  and  appreciation. 


RECENTLY  GREETING  Leonard  Dowdy  I  asked  my  long  time 
opening  question — "Are   you   a  good   boy?",   but   immediately 
corrected  it,  asking  "Are  you  a  grown  man?"   To  which  quickly 
came  the  answer  "Oh,  about  fifty-fifty." 

-6  — 


FROM  OUR  MAIL 


"The  December  issue  of  THE  LAN- 
TERN has  just  come  to  my  attention 
and  I  hasten  to  congratulate  you  on 
the  splendid  article  entitled  "The  Young 
Blind  and  New  Horizons".  You  have 
indeed  stated  the  problem  very  well." 
Washington,   D.C. 


"I  read  with  interest  your  article  in 
the  December  15  issue  of  THE  LAN- 
TERN, entitled  'The  Young  Blind  and 
New  Horizons'.  We  are  thankful  that 
the  A.A.I.B.  committee  has  gone  to 
considerable  effort  to  supply  schools 
with  the  answers  we  badly  need  to 
many   of   our  questions."   Oklahoma. 


"Have  read  with  much  interest  your 
article  regarding  schools  and  rehabilita- 
tion workers.  I  heartily  agree  with  the 
contents  of  these  articles.  .  .  .  Since 
you  have  made  some  study  in  this 
subject,  I  wonder  if  you  could  devote 
a  little  more  time  to  it  and  present  an 
article  clearly  showing  the  relation- 
ship which  should  exist  between  the 
schools  and  vocational  rehabilitation 
workers  for  the  blind."  Ohio. 


"Your  article  on  the  'Young  Blind 
and  New  Horizons'  is  full  of  excellent 
suggestions  and  a  very  extensive  pro- 
gram is  outlined  by  you  both  for  the 
schools  and  the  rehabilitation  agencies. 
I  want  to  let  you  know  how  much  I 
enjoyed  reading  this  article."  Maine. 


"I  am  very  glad  that  those  interested 
in  helping  the  blind  toward  employment 
begin  to  see  that  it  is  putting  no  small 
burden  on  the  schools  to  educate  the 
young  and  then  have  to  hunt  up  some 
thing  for  them  to  do  after  preparing 

them  to  do  it Workers  for  the 

blind  are  very  right  when  they  say  that 
the  young  people  must  be  better  trained 
in  getting  about  both  in  familiar  ter- 
ritory and  on  the  outside,  and  have 
also  learned  where  they  cannot  go 
alone  without  help."  New  Hampshire. 


PUBLICATION 


Howe  Memorial  Press  is  publishing  in 
Braille  the  digest  of  "The  Hundred 
Books"  made  by  Marion  A.  Woodworth 
and  published  in  the  November  issue 
of  the  "Outlook  for  the  Blind".  Eighty- 
three  of  these  books  are  in  Braille, 
sixty  are  recorded  and  fifty-one  are 
in  both  media. 


Hector  Cadavid  Alvarez,  Harvard 
Class  1942-43,  now  a  teacher  in  the 
Medellin  School  for  the  Blind  in  Co- 
lombia, has  an  article  in  the  Mag- 
azine "Nuestra  Ucha"  published  in 
that  country,  which  reflects  his  Perkins 
training. 


Sir  Clutha  Mackenzie  has  published 
a  pamphlet  "The  Braille  the  Blind 
Want''  which  tells  of  his  efforts  to 
develop  a  phonetic  Braille  that  will 
meet  the  needs  of  the  many  languages 
in  India  and  other  Asiatic  Countries. 


The   American   Medical    Journal    for 

March  contains  a  report  on  the  in- 
cidence of  Retrolental  Fibroplasia  in 
different  localities  by  V.  Everett  Kinsey, 
Ph.D.  and  Leona  Zacharias,  Ph.D., 
which  gives  a  very  encouraging  ac- 
count of  the  progress  being  made  in 
research  on  this  recently  discovered 
cause  of  blindness  among  children 
prematurely  born. 


Pauline  M.  Moor's  article  on  "An 
Educational  Service  for  the  Blind  Child 
of  Preschool  Age",  published  in  the 
October  issue  of  the  "Outlook  for  the 
Blind"  is  now  available  in  reprint  form. 


Dr,  Edward  E.  Allen's  article  on  his 
early  days  in  the  Royal  Normal  Col- 
lege, published  in  the  October  issue  of 
"The  Outlook  for  the  Blind"  was  re- 
printed in  the  English  Magazine  the 
"New  Beacon"  of  January  15,  1949. 


—  7  — 


THANK  YOU,  MR.  DICKENS 

(Continued  from   Page   3) 

finally  bowed  before  the  more  compact,  more  economical  and  easier- 
to-read  braille  system  now  in  general  use. 

The  faded  correspondence  between  Howe  and  Dickens  is  in  the 
Perkins  files,  and  is  still  legible.  A  set  of  "The  Old  Curiosity  Shop" 
in  Boston  Line  Type  is  still  on  our  shelves  and  in  excellent  condition. 
It  is  in  the  museum,  however,  and  not  in  the  library,  for  there  are 
very  few  blind  people  now  who  could  read  it.  There  is  a  braille  edition 
in  current  use. 

Charles  Dickens  paid  $1700  for  embossing  250  copies  of  his  work, 
but  apparently  this  did  not  altogether  cover  the  cost.  Many  copies 
were  distributed  free  of  charge,  some  of  them  to  "meritorious  gradu- 
ates" of  the  seventeen  schools  for  the  blind  then  existing  in  America. 
Others  were  sold  for  cost. 

Those  were  days  before  free  mailing  privileges  had  been  granted 
to  blind  readers,  and  before  the  federal  government  had  assumed  the 
responsibility  of  supplying  them  with  free  books  of  all  kinds.  Read- 
ing was  often  an  expensive  luxury,  and  those  who  could  afford  it 
were  expected  to  purchase  their  own  books.  Bound  sets  of  "The 
Old  Curiosity  Shop"  sold  for  $15,  while  sets  unbound  and  packed  in 
cardboard  boxes  cost  half  that  sum. 

For  over  eighty  years  the  plates  Charles  Dickens  provided  have 
rested  in  storerooms  of  the  Howe  Press.  Somehow  or  other  they 
escaped  notice  during  successive  sales  of  scrap  metal.  Recently  they 
came  to  light,  and  since  they  no  longer  had  practical  value  they  went 
with  others  to  the  foundry.  They  weighed  over  two  hundred  pounds 
and  brought  in  $31.65.    This  seems  to  close  the  account. 

Thank  you  again,  Mr.  Dickens.  Your  books  are  now  enjoyed 
in  braille  and  on  talking  book  records,  and  enjoyed  all  the  more  by 
those  who  recall  your  generosity  in  1868. 


—  8 


> 


The  Lantern 


THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  XVIII.,  NO.  4  JUNE  15,  1949 

Welcome  to  Workers 

PERKINS  is  happy  to  extend  a  welcome  to  the  American  Associ- 
ation of  Workers  for  the  Blind  who  are  to  be  in  Boston  July  18-22 

for  their  annual  convention.  It  is  forty-two  years  since  the 
"Workers"  have  met  in  this  city.  The  host  for  the  present  convention 
is  the  Massachusetts  Council  of  Organizations  for  the  Blind.  Perkins 
is  glad  to  share  with  this  organization  in  preparing  the  plans  and 
providing  the  hospitality  to  make  the  stay  of  our  guests  profitable 
and  pleasurable.    We  hope  that  many  of  them  will  visit  Perkins. 

In  the  field  of  the  blind  there  are  two  outstanding  representative 
organizations,  the  "Workers",  meeting  this  year,  and  the  "Instruc- 
tors", who  met  at  Perkins  three  years  ago.  The  latter  group  is  made 
up  of  those  who  work  in  the  schools  for  the  blind  while  the  former  are 
those  who  conduct  the  programs  for  the  adult  blind.  Attendants  at 
the  convention  will  come  from  all  parts  of  the  country  and  also  from 
Canada.     Papers  of  value  will  be  presented  at  the  meetings. 

Massachusetts  has  an  historic  interest  in  this  gathering  because 
the  first  state  program  for  the  adult  blind  began  in  this  state  in  1906. 
Many  of  the  early  activities  of  the  state  program  were  first  promoted 
by  Perkins  and  in  this  state  there  has  always  been  close  relationship 
between  the  programs  for  children  and  those  for  adults.  Both  the 
Division  and  Perkins  have  a  personal  interest  in  the  coming  conven- 
tion because  Francis  B.  Ierardi,  Perkins  '08  and  a  worker  at  the 
Division,  is  the  first  vice-president  of  the  AAWB  and  in  charge  of 
the  arrangements  for  the  convention.  If  the  normal  promotion  of 
officers  takes  place  at  the  convention,  this  Boston  man  will  be  elected 
president  and  will  become  the  head  of  this  great  national  association 
of  workers  for  the  blind. 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown  72,  Massachusetts  Gabriel  Parrbll,  Director 


^a^tZ/  7&aa*^ 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Senior  Class  dances  were  held  by  the 
girls  on  Saturday  evening  May  14  and 
by  the  boys  on  Friday  evening,  June  3. 


The  Upper  School  was  entertained  on 
the  afternoon  of  May  5  by  a  delightful 
concert  by  Burl  Ives,  singer  of  ballads. 


Four  girls  drove  to  New  York  with 
teachers  to  spend  the  weekend  of  May 
6  at  the  Annual  Play  Day  attended  by 
groups  from  many  schools  for  the  blind. 


Six  boys  with  two  teachers  went  to 
the  Overbrook  School  for  the  Blind, 
Philadelphia,  on  the  weekend  of  April  29. 


The  Upper  School  Girls'  Council  had 
a  party  on  the  afternoon  of  May  23  for 
the  Lower  School  girls  who  are  coming 
to  the  Upper  School  next  year.  Big 
sisters  will  be  appointed  for  each  of 
these  girls  from  the  Lower  School  to 
help  them  next  year. 


The  Tenth  Grade  visited  on  May  6 
the  Harvard  Observatory,  where  the 
positions  of  planets  and  stars  were 
demonstrated  to  them  by  raised  di- 
agrams. Some  with  sight  looked  through 
the  telescope  to  view  the  moon. 


Perkins  sent  a  track  team  of  seven 
boys  to  the  Connecticut  School  at  Hart- 
ford for  the  track  meet  of  the  Eastern 
Athletic  Association  of  Schools  for  the 
Blind,  held  on  Saturday,  May  14.  Per- 
kins won  third  place. 


Spring  picnics  were  held  by  the  Upper 
School  in  cottage  groups  on  the  after- 
noon of  Wednesday,  June  1,  each  going 
to  a  different  resort  or  beach,  for  an 
afternoon  of  fun. 


Retreats  and  conferences  planned  by 
the  Catholic  and  Protestant  Guilds  for 
the  Blind  provided  valuable  opportun- 
ities for  the  boys  and  girls  over  the 
weekend  of  May  7. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


William  J.  Richard,  Jr.,  a  blind  senior 
at  Harvard  University,  has  been  elected 
first  marshall  of  the  graduating  class. 
Richard  prepared  for  Harvard  at  Pel- 
ham  High  School.  He  secures  Braille 
books-  from  the  Perkins  Library. 


Rose  Miscio,  1945-47  a  post  graduate 
student  at  Perkins,  has  been  elected 
recording  secretary  of  the  Sophomore 
Class  at  the  New  England  Conservatory 
of  Music. 


Carl  King,  Perkins  '41,  has  been 
elected  Student  Council  Representative 
from  the  Senior  Class  of  the  New  Eng- 
land Conservatory  of  Music. 


Joseph  Roberge,  Perkins  '41,  now  liv- 
ing in  Nyack,  N.Y.,  is  studying  voice 
under  the  Metropolitan  baritone,  Rob- 
ert Weede,  and  expects  to  be  ready 
for  concert  work  next  spring. 


John  DiFrancesco,  Perkins  '39,  of  New 

York  City,  returned  to  Watertown  as 
the  guest  soloist  of  the  annual  meeting 
of  the  Thursday  Morning  Musicale  Club 
held  in  Watertown  on  May  19. 


Lorraine  Gaudreau,  Perkins  '47,  is  on 
the  Dean's  List  at  Syracuse  University, 
having  maintained  a  B  average  during 
the  first  term  of  1948-1949. 


Miss  Helen  Smith  was  the  guest  on 
May  14  of  the  Massachusetts  Sight  Con- 
servation Association  at  the  Hotel  Ken- 
more  in  Boston,  when  she  was  pre- 
sented a  certificate  enrolling  her  as  an 
honorary  life  member  of  the  National 
Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Blind- 
ness. This  was  granted  to  her  as  the 
teacher  of  the  first  sight  saving  class  in 
America,  which  was  opened  in  Boston 
in  1913.  Miss  Smith  prior  to  that,  had 
been  for  eight  years  a  teacher  at  Per- 
kins Institution. 


—2— 


THE  AMERICAN  ASSOCIATION 

OF  WORKERS  FOR  THE  BLIND 

By  Alfred  Allen 

NOW  IN  ITS  FIFTY-FIFTH  YEAR,  the  American  Association 
of  Workers  for  the  Blind  will  meet  in  Boston  for  its  twenty- 
third  national  convention.     This  will  be  the  third  successive 
annual   conference   since  the   Association   returned   to   its   original 
custom  of  holding  annual  conventions,  after  having  abandoned  this 
custom  in  1900  in  favor  of  biennial  conferences. 

Throughout  the  years  since  the  Association  was  founded  in  1885 
(as  the  Missouri  National  College  for  the  Blind,  and  changed  in  1896 
to  The  American  Blind  People's  Higher  Education  and  General  Im- 
provement Association  and  in  1905  to  its  present  name),  the  Associa- 
tion has  remained  the  largest  and  most  representative  organization  of 
men  and  women,  blind  and  sighted,  serving  and  working  with  the  blind 
on  the  professional  level.  Its  almost  600  individual  members  include 
representation  from  every  field  of  work  for  the  blind,  public  and  pri- 
vate, on  the  national,  state  and  local  level,  and  the  democratic  charac- 
ter of  its  constitution  provides  a  forum  for  the  expression  of  views  of 
anyone  who  may  feel  moved  to  raise  his  voice  and  to  contribute  to  the 
thinking  and  to  the  philosophy  of  our  work. 

Looking  through  the  roster  of  members  of  years  ago,  we  find  it 
dotted  with  illustrious  names  of  many  pioneers  in  our  work,  men 
whose  names  are  imperishably  enshrined  in  our  hearts :  Edward  J. 
Nolan  of  Chicago,  Wallace  McGill  of  Kansas  (founder  and  editor  of 
THE  PROBLEM— at  one  time  the  official  organ  of  the  A.A.W.B.), 
Ambrose  M.  Shotwell  (for  whom  the  present  Shotwell  Memorial 
Award  is  named),  E.  P.  Morford  of  Brooklyn  (Founder  of  the  In- 
dustrial Home  for  the  Blind),  Sherman  C.  Swift  of  Toronto,  Chief 
Librarian  of  the  Canadian  National  Institute  for  the  Blind,  John  B. 
Curtis  (now  living  in  Chicago),  founder  of  the  first  day-school  classes 
for  the  blind  in  the  United  States,  H.  Randolph  Latimer  of  Pittsburgh 
and  Newel  Perry,  still  living  in  California.  All  these  were  themselves 
sightless  leaders  of  the  blind. 

Among  outstanding  achievements  of  the  Association  may  be 
mentioned  its  work  in  connection  with  the  development  of  a  Uniform 
Braille  Type.  Its  committees  of  the  early  years  labored  long  and  faith- 
fully and  the  reports  of  their  work  constitute  an  invaluable  record  of 
and  testimony  to  the  tremendous  difficulties  which  had  to  be  overcome, 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 
—  3  — 


AT   THE    BABY   SCHOOL 

MOTHERS  AND  BABIES 

SUMMER  SCHOOL  for  mothers 
and  their  blind  babies  is  to  be 
held  at  Perkins  under  the  aus- 
pices of  the  Foundation  for  Vision. 
Twenty  mothers  and  their  children  be- 
tween the  ages  of  two  and  four  and  a 
half  years,  will  assemble  on  Sunday 
afternoon,  June  19  and  will  remain  in 
residence  through  June  30.  The  plan  followed  in  summer  schools  of 
previous  years  will  be  continued.  There  will  be  a  play  school  for  the 
babies  under  the  direction  of  Miss  Pauline  Moor,  field  worker  for  pre- 
school children,  and  associated  with  the  Eye  and  Ear  Infirmary.  Each 
morning  and  afternoon  and  occasional  evenings,  there  will  be  con- 
ferences by  leaders  in  the  various  fields  of  child  growth,  blindness, 
nutrition  and  health.  These  conferences  will  be  under  the  direction 
of  Miss  Frances  E.  Marshall,  social  worker  at  Perkins.  All  of  the 
sessions  will  be  held  in  Bradlee  and  Glover  Cottages. 

COLLEGE  STUDENTS 

PERKINS  has  at  the  present  time  twenty  graduates  attending 
college.  They  are  scattered  in  seven  states  and  include  a  wide 
variety  of  collegiate  education.  Three  are  in  the  New  England 
Conservatory  of  Music,  one  is  studying  philosophy  at  Harvard,  and 
another  theology  in  Kentucky.  State  colleges  represented  are  the 
Universities  of  New  Hampshire,  Rhode  Island,  Michigan  and  Mon- 
tana. Other  colleges  attended  are  Middlebury,  Syracuse,  Brown  and 
Holy  Cross.  Two  of  these  students,  both  at  Harvard,  will  terminate 
their  work  this  year.  Ralph  Savio,  expects  to  receive  the  A.B.  degree 
June  23  and  Albert  K.  Gayzagian  will  receive  the  M.A.  degree  on  that 
date.    Albert  received  his  A.B.  last  June,  magna  cum  laude. 

FOREIGN  STUDENTS 

PERKINS  students  from  other 
countries  are  this  year  enjoying 
opportunity  to  meet  fellow 
countrymen  and  women  through  the 
Northern  New  England  Region  of 
the  International  Commission  U.S. 
N.A.S.A.,  which  has  a  headquarters 
in  Cambridge.  At  Perkins  this  year 

—  4  — 

THE   HARVARD   CLASS 


:*  J 


STUDENTS    FROM    CHINA 

there  are  seven  foreign  students.  Three 
are  from  China,  one  a  young  woman    j 
in  the  Harvard  Class  and  two  blind 
girls  from  the  Ming  Sum   School  in    ■ 
Canton,   China.   Two  other   pupils   in 
the  school  are  a  young  man  from  Mex- 
ico and  one  from  Haiti.  The  remaining    , 
two  are  in  the  Harvard  Class,  a  man 
from  Egypt  and  a  young  woman  from 

Nicaragua.  The  presence  of  these  students  from  other  countries  adds 
a  great  deal  to  the  life  at  Perkins  as  they  make  interesting  contribu- 
tions and  acquaint  the  pupils  with  the  cultures  of  other  nations. 

THE  HARVARD  COURSE 

DR.  EDWARD  E.  ALLEN,  who  was  responsible  for  the  teacher 
training  course  which  has  been  conducted  at  Perkins  since  1921, 
is  unable,  because  of  his  advanced  years  to  continue  the  lectures 
which  he  has  carried  on  for  so  many  years.  The  historical  lectures, 
formerly  by  Dr.  Allen,  will  be  given  this  coming  year  by  Dr.  R.  S. 
French,  recently  retired  head  of  the  California  School  for  the  Blind, 
and  lecturer  at  the  University  of  California.  Dr.  French  is  widely 
known  in  the  field  of  the  blind,  and  his  book  "From  Homer  to  Helen 
Keller"  is  one  of  the  outstanding  contributions  in  this  area. 

The  other  lectures  and  conferences  of  this  course  will  continue  to 
be  given  by  Dr.  Samuel  P.  Hayes,  formerly  head  of  the  Department 
of  Psychology  at  Mount  Holyoke  College,  and  at  present  director  of 
research  and  personnel  at  Perkins,  and  by  the  present  Director,  Dr. 
Gabriel  Farrell,  with  many  visiting  specialists  in  the  field  of  the 
blind.  The  courses  which  make  up  this  training  are  offered  by  the 
Graduate  School  of  Education  of  Harvard  University.  Over  three 
hundred  persons  have  taken  these  courses  during  the  twenty-eight 
years  of  their  existence. 


NATIONAL  SCHOLARSHIPS 

SCHOLARSHIPS  providing  a 
year  of  study  at  Perkins  for  out- 
standing graduates  of  schools  for 
the  blind  throughout  the  country 
this  June,  have  been  assigned  to 
James  W.  Scoggins  of  Kentucky  and 
Paul  Susko  of  Pennsylvania. 


GRADUATION,  JUNE  16,  1949 

DIPLOMAS  will  be  given  to  fourteen  pupils,  seven  girls  and  seven 
boys,  who  have  met  the  requirements  for  graduation  from  high 
school.  Of  this  group  four  are  planning  to  enter  college,  two 
will  return  to  Perkins  for  post-graduate  work  in  music,  and  one  for 
a  special  course  in  insurance  offered  in  Boston.  Others  will  return  to 
their  respective  states  for  job  placement.  Certificates  of  efficiency  in 
Ediphone  operating,  issued  by  the  Ediphone  Corporation  will  be 
awarded  to  two  girls,  one  a  special  student  in  Ediphone  Operating  and 
the  other,  one  of  the  holders  of  a  National  Scholarship.  The  diplomas 
and  certificates  will  be  awarded  by  Dr.  Reginald  Fitz,  President  of  the 
Corporation.  Following  the  Graduation  Exercises,  a  reception  will  be 
held  in  the  Museum. 


THE  HON.  WILLIAM  E.  POWERS,  Perkins  '32,  and  a  graduate 
of  Boston  University  School  of  Law,  will  make  the  Commence- 
ment address  at  the  Graduation  Exercises.  Now  the  Attorney 
General  of  Rhode  Island,  having  been  elected  to  that  office  last  Novem- 
ber, Mr.  Powers  has  had  a  rapidly  rising  successful  career,  and  in  the 
political  life  of  his  native  state  he  is  held  in  very  high  esteem.  The 
invocation  at  the  Graduation  Exercises  will  be  given  by  the  Rev. 
Edgar  W.  Anderson  of  the  Watertown  Episcopal  Church  of  the  Good 
Shepherd. 


PERKINS  is  becoming  a  center  for  examinations  pertaining  to  col- 
lege. This  spring  three  Perkins  seniors  took  the  College  Board 
subject  examinations  for  the  first  time.  The  Scholastic  Aptitude 
Tests  were  administered  at  Perkins  for  one  veteran  and  three  pupils 
who  came  down  from  the  Connecticut  School  for  the  Blind.  A  Per- 
kins senior  went  to  the  Harvard  Law  School  to  put  a  final  examination 
into  Braille  for  a  blind  law  student. 


CERTIFICATES  were  awarded  on  June  10  to  eleven  members  of 
the  Harvard  Class.    Seven  have  completed  the  full  year  of  work, 
while  four  are  receiving  credit  for  a  half  year.     Of  the  eleven 
members,  four  are  from  Hawaii,  Nicaragua,  Egypt  and  China. 


T 


HE  SENIOR  CLASS  colors  this  year  are  red  and  gold,  the 
flower  is  the  red  rose,  and  the  motto  is  "Deserve  success,  and 
you  shall  command  it." 

-6  — 


LIBRARY  NOTES 


The  concern  of  many  people  in  work 
for  the  blind  that  the  use  of  the  radio 
and  talking  books  would  inhibit  the 
learning  and  use  of  braille,  will  be 
lessened  now  that  the  facts  are  known 
about  the  attitude  of  the  blind  on  read- 
ing mediums. 


In  New  England,  our  Library  has  over 
three  hundred  blind  people  who  read 
both  braille  and  talking  books-  and  who 
feel  much  the  same  as  this  reader  who 
wrote  recently,  "I  much  prefer  braille 
to  the  talking  books  as  I  think  every_ 
one  does  who  masters  it." 


The  circulation  of  braille  has  dropped 
only  some  3%  in  the  15  years  since  talk- 
ing books  were  first  introduced,  while 
a  new  group  of  nearly  1000  adult  blind 
persons  are  satisfying  their  longing  for 
literature  at  the  rate  of  about  100  books 
per  day. 


The  Blindiana  reference  library  has 
been  widely  used  during  the  past  few 
months,  having  served  since  January, 
research  students  from  Harvard,  Bos- 
ton University,  Simmons,  Wheelock, 
The  Conservatory  of  Music  and  The 
School  of  Occupational  Therapy,  in  ad- 
dition to  constant  use  by  our  own  staff 
and  Harvard  students.  The  thousands 
of  books,  pamphlets,  reports  and  pic- 
tures which  are  here  assembled  relating 
to  the  blind,  form  a  reference  library 
unequaled  anywhere  in  this  country. 


"Foreign  Aid"  to  the  work  for  the 
blind  is  an  almost  daily  reality  at  the 
Perkins  Library.  An  exhibit  from  our 
Blindiana  collection  is  now  showing  in 
Peru,  an  exhibit  of  pictures  is  being 
readied  for  Sweden,  acknowledgement 
has  just  been  received  of  a  shipment 
of  special  braille  books  sent  to  a  blind 
boy  in  China,  a  box  of  reference  books 
on  the  blind  went  recently  to  a  former 
Harvard  student  in  Japan. 


HOWE  PRESS  NOTES 


With  the  removal  of  the  printing 
presses  to  Watertown  during  April,  the 
transfer  of  operations  from  South  Bos- 
ton was  completed.  Readers  please  note 
that  our  only  mailing  address  now  is 
WATERTOWN  72,  MASSACHUSETTS. 


The  Howe  Press  machine  shop  is  now 
fully  equipped  with  new  tools.  Both  for 
development  work  and  production  of 
appliances,  we  have  a  completely  mod- 
ern plant.  The  new  Braille  writer  is 
being  made  almost  entirely  from  dies 
of  our  own  design  and  manufacture. 


Manufacture  of  parts  for  the  Perkins 
Brailler  is  going  ahead  satisfactorily. 
Those  whose  names  head  our  order 
list  should  receive  delivery  this  fall, 
though  we  cannot  predict  the  exact 
date.  Although  most  of  the  2,000  ma- 
chines in  production  have  been  sold, 
orders  continue  to  reach  us  without 
abatement. 


Looking  ahead  to  the  Christmas  sea- 
son, we  are  developing  a  Bingo  set 
which  we  believe  will  prove  popular.  We 
hope  we  can  produce  it  at  a  reasonable 
cost — perhaps  about  $5. 


Human  Destiny  by  the  late  Lecomte 
du  Nouy  is  to  have  a  Braille  edition 
through  the  generosity  of  Madame  du 
Nouy.  This  book  has  been  described 
as  one  "that  well  may  mark  a  new 
epoch  in  the  study  of  the  development 
of  man."  It  is  already  available  on 
Talking  Book  records. 


Wilderness  Adventures  and  Wild 
Brother,  excellent  stories  of  nature  in 
the  north  woods  by  William  L.  Under- 
wood, are  to  be  available  to  blind 
readers  through  Braille  editions-.  Pub- 
lication has  been  made  possible  by  the 
generous  contributions  of  Mrs.  Under- 
wood long  a  friend  of  Perkins  and  the 
blind. 


—  7  — 


THE  AMERICAN  ASSOCIATION 

(Continued   from   Page   3) 
through  conferences  here  and  abroad,  before  the  Type  question  could 
be  considered  as  reasonably  well  settled. 

Another  achievement  for  which  the  A.A.W.B.  should  receive 
credit  is  the  establishing  of  The  American  Foundation  for  the  Blind. 
For  many  years,  thoughtful  workers  for  the  blind  had  recognized  the 
need  of  a  national  organization  to  serve  the  interests  of  the  blind,  and 
so  on  June  28th,  1921,  during  its  ninth  biennial  convention  at  Vinton, 
Iowa,  the  American  Association  of  Workers  for  the  Blind  passed 
unanimously  an  enabling  resolution  which  set  in  motion  the  machinery 
which  led  to  the  formation  of  The  American  Foundation  for  the  Blind, 
on  September  21,  1921. 

One  other  important  accomplishment  of  the  A.A.W.B.  worthy  of 
mention  has  been  its  work  in  raising  standards  for  the  professional 
workers  in  the  field  of  work  for  the  blind.  Already  standards  have 
been  established  for  home  teachers  of  the  blind  and  provision  made 
for  the  granting  of  Class  I  and  Class  II  Certificates  by  the  Board  of 
Certification  of  Home  Teachers  of  the  Blind  to  those  home  teachers 
able  to  satisfy  the  requirements  for  certification.  It  is  hoped  that 
this  summer  the  convention  will  ratify  standards  proposed  for  seven 
key  positions  in  the  field  of  rehabilitation  of  the  blind. 

The  Purpose  of  the  A.A.W.B.  is  "to  render  all  possible  assistance 
to  the  promotion  of  all  phases  of  work  for,  and  in  the  interest  of,  the 
Blind,  and  to  the  prevention  of  blindness,  throughout  the  whole  of  the 
Americas  and  the  Territory  of  Hawaii  and  insular  possessions  of  the 
United  States."  All  persons  in  the  Americas  and  the  Territory  of 
Hawaii  and  the  insular  possessions  of  the  United  States  interested  in 
the  welfare  of  the  blind  or  in  the  prevention  of  blindness  are  eligible 
to  membership  in  the  Association  and  are  invited  to  apply  for  such 
membership.  The  membership  is  divided  into  sectional  groups  of 
specific  interests  for  the  purpose  of  representation  on  the  Board  of 
Directors  and  for  group  meeting  discussions. 

Authority  to  govern  the  Association  by  directing  its  policies  and 
operations  in  all  matters  relating  to  the  purpose  for  which  it  has  been 
formed  is  vested  in  a  Board  of  thirteen  Directors  composed  of  the 
five  elected  officers  and  one  representative  from  each  of  the  eight 
sectional  groups.  New  officers  are  to  be  elected  at  Boston,  and  four 
sections  will  each  elect  a  new  Board  member.  President  since  1947 
is  Dr.  Francis  J.  Cummings,  Executive  Secretary  of  the  Delaware 
Commission  for  the  Blind,  Wilmington,  Delaware. 

—  8  — 


The  Laritern 


THE  PERKINS  I  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  XIX..  NO.   1  E  '  .s: -.-  i  SEPTEMBER  15.  1949 

Massachusetts  .  .  .  There  She  Is ! 

DANIEL  WEBSTER,  in  making  this  stirring  reference,  was 
pointing  to  Massachusetts  with  pride.  All  want  to  feel  that 
way  about  our  state,  especially  in  our  own  field  of  work  for  the 
blind  where  we  have  a  long  and  distinguished  record.  The  first 
legislation  for  the  sightless  in  this  country  took  place  on  March  2,  1829 
when  Massachusetts  voted  an  Act  of  Incorporation  for  what  is  now 
Perkins  Institution.  One  of  the  first  private  organizations — The 
Massachusetts  Association  for  Promoting  the  Interests  of  the  Adult 
Blind — was  created  in  1903.  The  first  public  commission  for  the  blind 
was  formed  here  in  1906. 

No  state,  however,  nor  any  organizations  within  it,  can  continue 
to  live  effectively  on  its  record  of  past  accomplishments.  Even  being 
first,  is  of  little  value  beyond  historical  interest,  if,  in  the  lapse  of 
years,  newer  organizations  surpass  the  older  in  accomplishment  and 
program.  This  point  is  well  illustrated  in  the  field  of  rehabilitation. 
Not  long  ago  we  heard  Massachusetts  cited  because  it  was  the  first 
state  to  inaugurate  services  for  the  handicapped.  At  almost  the  same 
time  we  read  in  the  Survey  of  the  Community  Fund  that  in  1946-1947 
"Massachusetts  ranked  .  .  .  47th  from  the  top  among  forty-eight  states 
in  the  per  capita  expenditure  of  state  appropriations  for  vocational 
rehabilitation  .  .  .  the  blind  not  included".  In  the  field  of  the  blind 
we  have  no  functioning  program  of  rehabilitation. 

Daniel  Webster  followed  the  words  quoted  with  these — "The  past 
at  least  is  secure."  So  it  is  in  our  field  and  to  dwell  too  long  on  it  will 
avail  little.  Let  us  rather  look  ahead  and  in  doing  this  we  have  in  mind 
the  state  program  for  the  adult  blind.  Circumstances  have  made 
possible  new  leadership  and  it  is  our  hope  that  this  leadership  will  be 
forward  moving  and  one  to  which  we  can  all  point  with  pride. 


Perkin's  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown  72,  Massachusetts  Gabriel  Farrell,  Director 


^a^u^/  y&AA*^ 


SCHOOL  NOTES 


The  Welfare  Reporter  of  Illinois  for 
July  contained  portions  of  the  address 
of  the  Director  of  Perkins  at  the  cen- 
tennial celebration  of  the  Illinois 
School  for  the  Blind,  June  2. 


The  Boston  Post  of  July  25  had  a 
special  article  on  museums  for  the 
blind  featuring  the  Perkins.  Museum 
and  telling  its  history. 


Nils  Johansen,  Perkins  '48,  a  promis- 
ing piano  tuner  of  Water  town,  Mass- 
achusetts, died  June  25,  1949,  a  victim 
of  polio. 


Miss  Jennie  L.  Kinsman,  for  many 
years  before  retirement  in  1940,  matron 
of  Fisher  Cottage,  passed  away  June 
24  at  a  Nursing  Home  in  Brookline.  She 
is  survived  by  her  sister,  Miss  Lizzie 
Kinsman,  a  teacher  in  the  Boys'  Upper 
School  from  1920  to  1931. 


Arthur  F.  Sullivan,  Perkins  '98,  re- 
signed in  July,  as  Director  of  the  Mass- 
achusetts Division  of  the  Blind,  an 
office  he  had  held  for  six  years. 


Francis  B.  Ierardi,  Perkins  '08,  and 
Director  of  the  National  Braille  Press, 
was  elected  president  of  the  AAWB  at 
its  meeting  in  Boston  in  July. 


The  Director  attended  the  second 
International  Conference  on  the  Ed- 
ucation of  Maladjusted  Children,  held 
in  Amsterdam,  Holland,  July  18-22.  He 
read  a  paper  on  Vocational  Education 
of  the  Blind  which  will  be  published 
in  the  proceedings  of  the  Conference. 


Mrs.  Helen  Grant,  secretary  to  the 
principal,  resigned  in  June  and  was 
married  July  14  to  Robert  Gavin  of 
Winthrop. 


The  school  for  mothers  and  their 
blind  babies,  planned  for  the  last  week 
in  June  at  Perkins  was  cancelled. 


NEW  APPOINTMENTS 


Mrs.  Janet  Hancock,  matron  of  Moul- 
ton  Cottage  last  year,  returns  to  Anag- 
nos  Cottage,  where  she  had  been 
matron  since   September   1936. 


Mrs.  Charles  Amadon,  the  new  ma- 
tron in  Tompkins.  Cottage,  is  the  widow 
of  a  Perkins'  graduate  who  was  Dean 
of  the  School  of  Music  at  York  College, 
York,  Nebraska. 


Miss  Valerie  C.  Payne,  who  was  grad- 
uated from  Massachusetts  General  Hos- 
pital in  1947  will  be  assistant  resident 
nurse. 


Miss  Jean  Gray  of  Watertown,  Mass- 
achusetts, who  received  her  A.  B.  de- 
gree from  Wheaton  College  this  year 
has  been  added  to  the  Kindergarten 
teaching  staff. 


William  W.  Howat  of  Manchester, 
Massachusetts,  B.  S.  Ed.  1949  from 
State  Teachers'  College,  Fitchburg,  has 
become  one  of  the  Manual  Training- 
teachers. 


Edmund  J.  Jusczyk,  a  graduate  of 
Springfield  College  in  June  and  a  vet- 
eran of  the  air  corps,  has  been  en- 
gaged as  director  of  Physical  Education 
in  the  Boys'  Upper  School. 


Mrs.  Annetta  R.  Castle,  who  began 
work  in  July  as  assistant  in  the  library, 
was  formerly  associated  with  the  Lynn 
Public  Library. 


Miss  Phyllis  E.  Gordon  and  Mrs. 
Elizabeth  North,  both  of  Watertown, 
have  joined  the  staff  in  the  Business 
Office. 


Donald  Remick  was  appointed  man- 
ager of  the  Perkins  Workshop  in  June. 
He  brings  to  this  position  a  wide  ex- 
perience in  the  mattress  business  and 
has  already  stimulated  work  at  the 
South  Boston  Shop. 


—  2 


HIGHER  EDUCATION  FOR  THE  BLIND 

By  Dorothy  Steinert 

(A  summary  of  a  study  made  at  the  School  of  Social  Work,   Simmons  College,   prepared   for  THE 
HOME  TEACHER  magazine,   and  used  here  by  permission.) 

IS  HIGHER  EDUCATION  for  the  blind  worth  while  from  a 
vocational  point  of  view?  This  question  is  the  concern  of  educators 
and  workers  for  the  blind,  of  school  personnel  accepting  blind  stu- 
dents, of  parents  of  blind  children,  and  particularly  of  blind  students 
themselves.  A  study  on  the  subject  was  made  of  a  group  of  former 
Perkins  students  who  were  known  by  that  school  to  have  gone  on 
to  some  school  of  higher  education  after  completion  of  their  high 
school  curriculum.  The  following  specific  questions  were  posed : 
Were  these  persons  able  to  secure  positions  in  their  chosen  vocations? 
If  they  were  not  able  to  secure  such  positions,  what  occupations,  if 
any,  did  they  have?  Were  their  occupations  satisfying  to  them?  If 
they  were  not  employed,  what  were  the  reasons  for  their  unemploy- 
ment? 

The  study  group  embraced  a  total  of  68  persons,  but,  for  the 
purposes  of  this  paper,  only  the  58  persons  between  the  ages  of  twenty 
and  sixty  (the  normally  employable  age  group)  will  be  considered. 
The  amount  and  type  of  higher  education  which  these  persons  had 
was  extremely  varied,  ranging  from  one  to  two  years  in  a  liberal  arts 
college  or  specialized  vocational  school  to  the  holding  of  advanced 
degrees  in  law,  osteopathy,  social  work,  etc.  Approximately  one- 
half  of  the  58  persons  had  attended  graduate  schools  after  the  com- 
pletion of  their  undergraduate  studies. 

At  the  time  this  study  was  made  (October,  1948),  48  of  the  58 
persons  were  employed.  The  majority  were  engaged  in  some  type 
of  business  or  professional  work.  Education  was  the  field  in  which 
the  largest  number  were  employed;  the  great  majority  of  whom  were 
teachers  in  residential  schools  for  the  blind  or  engaged  in  some  phase 
of  education  for  the  adult  blind.  Because  of  the  problems  of  school- 
room discipline,  it  seems  to  be  extremely  difficult  for  blind  persons  to 
secure  positions  in  the  public  schools.  Only  one  person  in  the  group 
was  able  to  obtain  such  a  position.  She  attributed  her  ability  to  do  so 
to  the  fact  that  she  had  a  high  degree  of  traveling  vision. 

Law  was  another  profession  in  which  a  large  number  were  en- 
gaged. Ten  men,  8  of  whom  were  totally  blind,  had  established  their 
own  private  law  practices.    Two  of  these  lawyers  were  also  members 

(Continued  on  Page  7) 
—  3  — 


ONE  HUNDRED  AND  NINETEENTH  YEAR 

PERKINS  OPENS  on  September  20  for  its  one  hundred  and  nine- 
teenth year.  Enrollment  will  be  somewhat  larger  than  last  year 
particularly  in  the  lower  grades,  due  to  the  increasing  number 
of  retrolental  fibroplasia  children  seeking  admission.  Staff  changes 
this  year  are  fewer  than  in  recent  years,  while  physical  improvements 
during  the  summer  exceed  those  of  any  year  since  before  the  war. 
Chief  among  the  physical  changes  is  the  complete  reconstruction  of 
the  electrical  facilities.  New  generators  replaced  those  in  service 
since  the  school  was  built  and  new  wiring  reaches  from  them  to  every 
building  on  the  grounds.  The  new  current  will  be  AC  rather  than  DC 
which  will  be  more  convenient  for  the  many  electrical  appliances  now 
used,  and  there  will  be  increased  capacity  to  meet  the  larger  demands 
of  modern  service.  Other  improvements  are  acoustical  ceilings  and 
new  lighting  in  the  boys'  manual  training  shops,  complete  painting 
of  the  corridors  and  class  rooms  of  Howe  Building,  the  enclosing  of 
the  chapel  organ  and  sound  proofing  of  Glover  Cottage  play  room. 

PERSONNEL  CHANGES 

THE  MOST  SIGNIFICANT  change  in  personnel  is  the  resignation 
of  Allan  W.  Sherman,  principal  of  Perkins,  to  become  Director 

of  the  Cleveland  Society  for  the  Blind.  During  his  seven  years 
at  Perkins,  Mr.  Sherman  has  done  much  to  build  up  the  academic 
standards  of  the  school,  and  his  friendliness  will  be  greatly  missed  by 
his  associates  and  students.  The  opportunity  to  be  head  of  such  a 
notable  organization  as  the  Cleveland  Society  is  one  that  Mr.  Sherman 
could  not  pass  by  and  all  will  wish  him  success  in  his  new  undertaking. 

For  the  coming  year,  Mr.  Sherman's  work  will  be  assigned  to 
present  staff  members  through  a  distribution  of  his  duties.  Orin  A. 
Stone,  for  four  years  a  teacher  at  Perkins,  and  for  nine  years  prior 
to  that  Principal  of  the  Connecticut  School  for  the  Blind,  will  be  in 
charge  of  curriculum  planning,  supervision  of  teaching,  and  generally 
responsible  for  the  academic  program.  Benjamin  F.  Smith,  for 
twelve  years  a  teacher  at  Perkins,  will  be  in  charge  of  pupil  relations 
on  the  boys'  side,  and  his  duties  will  correspond  with  those  carried 
on  by  Dr.  Alice  M.  Carpenter  on  the  girls'  side,  as  Dean  of  Girls.  Miss 
Shirley  A.  Drucker,  teacher  in  the  Lower  School  for  two  years,  will 
have  charge  of  pupil  relations  and  general  supervision  of  activities  in 
the  Lower  School  with  Mr.  Stone  responsible  for  the  planning  and 
co-ordination  with  the  Upper  School  program. 

—  4  — 


INTERNATIONAL  CONFERENCE 

REPRESENTATIVES  of  workers  for  the  blind  in  nineteen 
countries  conferred  at  Merton  College,  Oxford,  England  from 

August  3  to  13.  Planned  by  an  Organizing  Committee  appointed 
by  the  American  Foundation  for  Overseas  Blind  of  New  York  and 
Paris,  and  the  National  Institute  for  the  Blind  of  London,  standards 
of  work  in  the  adult  field  were  discussed.  A  minimum  program  of 
what  should  be  attained  was  agreed  upon  and  will  be  presented  to 
the  Governments  of  the  nations  represented  and  to  the  United  Nations 
Committee  on  Social  and  Economic  Activities.  Representatives  of  the 
UN  and  UNESCO  attended  all  sessions. 

Among  the  delegates  were  twelve  persons  connected  with  schools 
for  the  blind.  Several  meetings  were  held  to  discuss  educational  prob- 
lems. Out  of  their  meetings  grew  a  desire  for  an  international  gath- 
ering of  educators  of  the  young  blind,  similar  to  the  Oxford  Con- 
ference, at  which  welfare  was  the  chief  concern.  A  committee  to 
consider  this  possibility  with  power  to  convene  a  conference,  probably 
in  1951,  was  appointed,  with  the  Director  of  Perkins  designated  as 
Chairman  and  Convener  of  the  Conference. 

DEAF-BLIND  COURSE 

THE  FIRST  CLASS  to  train  teachers  of  the  deaf-blind  was  held 
at  the  Horace  H.  Rackham  School  of  Special  Education  at  the 
summer  session  of  the  Michigan  State  Normal  College  at  Ypsil- 
anti.  Four  teachers  enrolled  for  the  six  weeks  of  instruction  under 
Mrs.  Leo  Gittzus,  head  of  the  Deaf-Blind  Department  at  Perkins. 
Three  deaf -blind  children  from  the  middle-west  were  in  residence  for 
instruction  under  observation,  while  a  demonstration  of  what  can  be 
accomplished  was  given  during  the  first  week  with  Juanita  Morgan 
of  Colorado,  a  Perkins'  pupil. 

THE  HARVARD  CLASS 

PERKINS  WELCOMES  to  its  family  this  term,  Dr.  and  Mrs. 
Richard  S.  French.  Dr.  French  is  to  give  the  historical  lectures 
formerly  given  by  Dr.  Allen,  to  the  Harvard  Class  and  others  who 
wish  to  attend.  Dr.  French  was,  until  his  retirement  last  year, 
Superintendent  of  the  California  School  for  the  Blind,  and  lecturer 
on  psychology  at  the  University  of  California.  He  is  the  author  of 
"From  Homer  to  Helen  Keller"  one  of  the  outstanding  books  on  the 
blind. 

—  5  — 


Dr.  Hayes  will  continue  to  direct  the  program  of  the  Harvard 
Class,  giving  lectures,  holding  conferences  with  the  students  and 
planning  their  practice  work.  Ten  persons  are  already  enrolled  for 
the  class  this  year.  Coming  from  outside  of  the  United  States  are 
persons  from  Mexico,  Spain,  Switzerland,  Brazil  and  Germany.  The 
student  from  Germany  is  being  sent  by  the  United  States  Military 
Government. 

PEOPLE  OF  INDIA 

THE  FIRST  of  a  series  of  exhibits  being  arranged  by  Mr.  Coon 
of  the  library  this  year  is  about  the  people  of  India.  An  interest- 
ing collection  of  photographs  taken  by  Margaret  Bourke- White 
and  provided  by  Life  Magazine  will  be  on  display  in  the  Museum 
during  September.  There  will  be  a  special  interest  in  these  because 
Miss  Bourke- White  took  some  fine  views  of  Perkins  when  her  mother 
was  a  member  of  the  Perkins  staff.  For  the  benefit  of  those  who  see 
only  with  their  fingers,  a  collection  of  Indian  household  and  religious 
objects  of  high  artistic  merit  will  be  included.  These  will  be  explained 
in  a  bulletin  and  further  interpreted  in  an  address  by  Mrs.  Anna  L. 
Coomara  Swamy,  widow  of  the  late  curator  of  Eastern  Art  at  the 
Boston  Museum  of  Fine  Arts. 

RECORDS  FOR  STUDENTS 

ANEW  SERVICE  of  the  library  especially  for  college  students 
has  been  inaugurated  during  the  summer.  College  text  books, 
not  already  embossed  or  recorded,  will  be  recorded  on  request 
on  Soundscriber  discs.  These  will  be  available  for  local  use  or  sent 
to  any  college  where  blind  students  are  attending.  The  reading  is 
done  by  volunteers  whose  voices  have  been  tested  as  suitable.  Form- 
erly, this  service  has  been  rendered  by  direct  reading  by  volunteers, 
and  on  many  occasions  it  has  been  difficult  to  find  a  common  time  and 
place  for  reader  and  readee.  Under  the  new  plan  reading  may  be  done 
at  any  time  and  the  records  will  be  on  hand  for  rereading. 

LANTERN  LAUDS  LISTEN 

LISTEN,  a  paper  of  tabloid  form,  filled  with  news  of  and  for  the 
blind,  is  being  published  by  the  Catholic  Guild  for  the  Blind. 
Edited  by  Father  Carroll,  it  has  all  the  verve  and  swing,  as  well 
as  "on  the  spot"  freshness  that  could  be  expected  of  one  who  writes 
his  copy  as  he  speeds  over  the  road.  (Instead  of  television,  Father 
Carroll  has  a  dictating  machine  in  his  car.)  THE  LANTERN 
salutes  LISTEN ! 

—  6  — 


HIGHER  EDUCATION  FOR  THE  BLIND 

(Continued  from  page  3) 
of  state  legislatures.     Only  one  man  who  had  begun  the  practice  of 
law  was  unable  to  continue  it,  finding  it  necessary  to  secure  a  position 
as  a  clerical  worker.    It  is  significant  that  all  others  found  practices 
successful  enough  to  warrant  their  continuance  over  a  period  of  years. 

The  remaining  persons  in  the  study  group  were  employed  in  the 
fields  of  osteopathy,  social  work,  insurance,  public  relations,  retail 
selling,  legislature,  clerical  work,  and  music.  There  were  from  one 
to  four  persons  in  each  of  these  fields.  Only  one  of  the  48  employed 
persons  found  it  necessary  to  secure  employment  in  sheltered  in- 
dustry for  the  blind.  It  is  significant  that  the  great  majority  were 
engaged  in  business  or  professional  fields  in  which  they  would  be  in 
competition  with  sighted  workers.  Forty  of  the  48  employed  persons 
had  maintained  their  positions  for  from  three  to  twenty  years ;  a 
sufficient  period  of  time  to  demonstrate  their  ability  to  adequately 
handle  the  requirements  of  the  work. 

A  comparison  was  made  in  the  study  between  the  types  of  oc- 
cupations and  the  college  degrees  which  these  persons  had  received. 
Twenty-two  persons  held  the  degrees  of  Bachelor  of  Laws,  Doctor  of 
Philosophy,  Doctor  of  Osteopathy,  Fellow  in  Music,  and  Master  in 
Arts,  Education,  and  Social  Work.  Only  two  of  these  persons  were 
not  employed  in  the  general  field  for  which  they  were  trained.  Eleven 
of  the  13  persons  who  had  received  the  degrees  of  Bachelor  of  Arts, 
Science,  and  Music  were  working  in  the  fields  of  education,  music, 
state  legislature,  public  relations,  and  insurance. 

One  aim  of  the  study  was  to  discover  in  so  far  as  possible  how 
satisfying  the  occupations  of  these  persons  were  to  them.  The  factors 
constituting  a  satisfactory  occupation  are,  however,  highly  complex 
and  individual.  For  some,  regular  employment  which  provides 
some  degree  of  economic  security  and  financial  support  for  dependents 
is  all  that  is  necessary;  while  for  others,  employment  in  the  field  of 
their  choice  with  opportunity  for  creative  expression  is  essential.  It 
was  found  that  36  of  the  48  employed  persons  were  working  in  the 
general  field  of  their  choice.  This  statement  may,  nevertheless,  be 
somewhat  misleading.  While  some  persons  reported  having  positions 
in  the  general  field  of  their  choice,  they  did  not  have  the  type  of  posi- 
tion they  would  have  liked  and  which  might  have  been  theirs  had  they 
been  sighted.  On  the  other  hand,  many  others  expressed  complete 
satisfaction  with  the  work  they  were  doing  and  did  not  feel  that  their 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 
—  7  — 


HIGHER  EDUCATION  FOR  THE  BLIND 

(Continued  from  Page  7) 

visual  handicap  had  hindered  them  in  any  way  vocationally.  Of  the 
11  persons  who  reported  they  were  not  working  in  the  field  of  their 
choice,  4  had  been  professional  workers  who  were  unable  to  maintain 
their  positions  while  the  remaining  7  had  never  secured  employment 
in  the  field  for  which  they  were  trained. 

The  degree  to  which  their  occupations  afforded  these  persons 
economic  independence  was  an  important  consideration  in  the  analysis 
of  their  vocational  success.  While  a  particular  occupation  may  not 
have  been  in  the  field  of  the  person's  choice,  the  degree  to  which  it 
allowed  him  to  be  self-supporting  and  provide  for  the  support  of  his 
dependents  may  have  been  a  compensating  factor.  It  was  found  that 
44  of  the  48  persons  who  were  working  at  the  time  of  this  study  were 
entirely  independent  financially,  and  that  20  of  these  persons  had 
sufficient  income  to  provide  for  the  support  of  others.  Of  the  4  persons 
who  reported  that  they  were  only  partially  self-supporting,  one  wo- 
man was  married  and  her  husband  was  contributing  to  her  support. 
Thus  only  3  persons,  2  teachers  and  an  organist,  were  not  able  to  earn 
an  adequate  income  from  their  work.  It  is  significant  that  all  others 
were  able  to  maintain  an  entirely  independent  economic  status. 

Ten  persons  between  the  ages  of  twenty  and  sixty  were  not  work- 
ing at  the  time  this  study  was  made.  Of  these  10,  4  persons  were 
still  studying  in  undergraduate  or  graduate  schools;  2  women  were 
married  and  homemakers,  and  one  person  was  unemployed  because  of 
illness.  It  was,  therefore,  found  that  only  three  persons  were  desirous 
of,  and  unable  to  find,  employment.  They  attributed  inability  to  do 
so  to  their  visual  handicap. 

It  was  concluded  that,  for  the  majority  of  persons  under  study, 
their  course  in  higher  education  did  benefit  them  vocationally.  The 
majority  were  employed  in  business  or  professional  fields  for  which 
some  course  in  higher  education  was  essential ;  36  of  the  48  employed 
persons  had  positions  in  the  general  field  of  their  choice,  44  were  self- 
supporting,  half  of  whom  were  able  to  contribute  to  the  support  of 
others;  and  all  enjoyed  the  work  they  were  doing.  It  was  true,  how- 
ever, that  many  did  not  have  positions  which  are  generally  open  to 
sighted  persons  with  the  same  qualifications.  It  would  appear  that 
there  is  still  need  for  individual  guidance  and  more  consideration  of 
suitable  vocations  for  the  college-trained  blind. 


The  ?Lantern 


THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  XIX.,  NO.  2  DECEMBER  15.  194  9 

Lengthened  Shadows 

EMERSON  WROTE,  "the  life  of  an  institution  is  the  lengthened 
shadow  of  a  great  man".     Perkins  abides  under  the  shadows  of 

two  great  leaders,  whose  birthdays  are  observed  each  November. 
On  the  eleventh,  that  of  Samuel  Gridley  Howe,  first  Director  of  the 
Institution,  and  on  the  seventh,  that  of  Michael  Anagnos,  founder  of 
the  Kindergarten. 

At  the  Lower  School  each  year  the  pupils  enact  incidents  in  the 
life  of  our  Greek  second  Director  and  his  part  in  the  founding  of  the 
Kindergarten.  No  member  of  the  Kindergarten  will  ever  forget  the 
story  of  the  one  overcoat  shared  by  the  four  Greek  boys,  and  of  Mich- 
ael's aspirations  to  achieve  as  he  watched  his  father's  sheep  on  the 
Greek  hillsides.  Spectators  are  always  deeply  moved  as  the  little 
children  walk  under  crossed  flags  to  place  garlands  at  the  bust  of  the 
Founder,  singing  "Anagnos,  Dear  Founder". 

The  exercises  in  honor  of  Dr.  Howe  in  the  Upper  School  take  a 
more  dignified  form  as  suitable  for  older  boys  and  girls.  Again,  the 
life  of  the  first  Director  is  depicted  through  recitation  of  events  in  his 
career.  Letters  are  read  from  the  Howe  family,  some  of  whom,  even 
unto  the  third  and  fourth  generation,  attend  the  exercises.  The  pro- 
gram always  closes  with  the  stirring  singing  of  "The  Battle  Hymn  of 
the  Republic"  by  Julia  Ward  Howe,  who  in  her  lifetime  always  graced 
these  occasions  as  the  wife  and  widow  of  the  first  Director. 

An  institution  does  well  to  keep  alive  these  shadows  as  they 
lengthen  through  the  years.  We  not  only  revere  the  memories  of  the 
great  men  who  were  our  founders,  but  we  plant  in  the  hearts  of  the 
young  people  who  participate  something  of  the  character  and  integrity 
of  the  men  who  made  possible  this  institution. 


Perkin's  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown  72,  Massachusetts  Gabriel  Farrell,  Director 


^cL&t+t^ 7%xAA*££ 


SCHOOL  NOTES 


Perkins  pupils,  members  of  the  Jun- 
ior Red  Cross,  filled  nineteen  gift  boxes 
this  year  for  distribution  in  foreign 
countries. 


Elizabeth  Accorsi,  post  graduate,  and 
Lillian  Rothermel,  junior,  took  part  in 
Mother  Parker's  broadcast  over  Station 
WEEI,   Saturday,  November   19. 


Jimmy  Osborn,  Upper  School  pupil, 
broadcast  and  was  televised  in  the  pro- 
gram of  WE  THE  PEOPLE,  on  the 
evening  of  November  10. 


Successful  dances  were  held  in 
Dwight  Hall  by  the  girls  on  Saturday 
evening,  November  12,  and  by  the  boys 
on   Saturday   evening,   November   19. 


The  Victory  banquet  marking  the 
close  of  the  football  tournament  was 
held  in  Moulton  Cottage,  on  November 
19.  Leo  Eagan,  sports  broadcaster,  was 
the  guest  speaker. 


Robert  Brereton,  a  blind  pianist  from 
Chicago,  gave  a  delightful  concert  for 
the  Staff  and  students  in  Dwight  Hall 
on  October  18. 


The  Director  lectured  on  "Modern 
Trends  in  the  Education  of  the  Blind" 
in  the  course  given  for  teachers  of  the 
blind  at  Teachers  College,  Columbia 
University,  November  1. 


The  Corporation  of  Perkins  Institu- 
tion, at  its  Annual  Meeting  held  No- 
vember 1,  re-elected  as  officers,  Regin- 
ald Fitz,  M.D.,  President;  Ralph  Lowell, 
Vice  President;  John  P.  Chase,  Treas- 
urer; Gabriel  Parrell,  Secretary.  Eight 
trustees  were  also  elected  to  serve  with 
the  four  who  were  appointed  by  the 
Governor  of  the  Commonwealth.  The 
Treasurer  reported  that  the  Institution 
had  an  operating  deficit  of  $39,921.18 
but  the  Workshop  had  a  profit  of 
$244.46  for  the  past  year. 


NEW  APPOINTMENTS 


Richard  Evensen,  Perkins,  '49,  now  a 
freshman  at  Harvard,  has  been  made 
a  member  of  the  Harvard  Glee  Club. 


Helen  Cordeau,  Perkins  '49,  is  an 
inspector  of  parts  in  a  gun  assembly 
plant  in  South  Boston. 


Shirley  Farnham,  who  left  Perkins 
in  June,  1949,  is  now  engaged  as  a 
nurse's  aide  at  the  Mt.  Auburn  Hos- 
pital, Cambridge. 


Mildred  Lovejoy,  Perkins  '41,  is  oper- 
ating a  lunch  stand  in  Vickery  &  Hill 
Building,  Augusta,  Maine. 


John  Di  Francesco,  Perkins  '39,  New 
England  Conservatory  of  Music,  '43,  is 
director  of  the  Glee  Club  of  the  Cath- 
olic Guild  for  the  Blind,  New  York  City, 
which  held  its  Christmas  Concert  on 
December  13. 


Ethel  I.  Parker  and  Evelyn  Crossman, 
Perkins,  '37,  home  teachers  in  Massa- 
chusetts, were  the  speakers  in  a  panel 
discussion  at  the  meeting  of  the  Pro- 
testant Guild  for  the  Blind  held  in 
Boston  on  November  16. 


Alice  (Terrien)  Henry,  who  attended 
Regis  College  after  leaving  Perkins  and 
is  now  a  home  teacher  in  Pennsylvania, 
read  a  paper  at  the  Interbranch  Con- 
ference of  the  Pennsylvania  Associa- 
tion for  the  Blind  held  in  Philadelphia 
on  October  20-22.  The  Director  spoke 
on  the  Oxford  Conference  for  the  Blind 
at  the  Saturday  luncheon. 


Clarence  Hawkes  Day,  December  16. 
will  be  widely  observed  in  western  Mas- 
sachusetts. His  neighbors  in  Hadley 
and  his  readers  around  the  world  are 
to  pay  tribute  to  this  distinguished 
graduate  of  Perkins  on  his  eightieth 
birthday.  Author  of  over  fifty  books  his 
nature   stories   are  known  everywhere. 


—  2 


(jlljnstmaa  H wk  at  pprktttH 

When  morning  chimes  proclaim  the  hour  of  praise, 
And  carols  sing  their  way  to  every  heart ; 
Then  gift-preparing  "packs  the  crowded  days, 
And  loving  labors  give  each  child  a  part. 
At  dusk  each  candle  throws  its  tiny  dart 
From  windows  banked  with  spruces'  green  display. 
Soon  morning  chimes  proclaim  the  hour  of  praise, 
And  carols  sing  their  way  to  every  heart. 
What  wealth  of  thought  the  memory  portrays 
For  these  school  folk  who  generously  impart 
The  blessings  of  their  Christmas  songs  and  plays ; 
How  poor  are  jostling  traders  in  the  mart 
Until  the  chimes  proclaim  their  hour  of  praise, 
And  carols  sing  their  way  to  every  heart! 

— Gertrude  S.  Harlow 

Perkins  '16 


EMBOSSED  PRINTING 

An  Exhibit  of  types  for  the  Blind 

AN  EXHIBIT  of  nearly  forty  different  types  which  have  been 
developed  for  the  use  of  blind  people  has  been  prepared  by  the 
Perkins  Library.  Each  form  is  illustrated  by  an  actual  page  of 
copy  taken  from  a  book  of  the  date  when  the  type  was  in  use.  These 
range  from  the  first  book  ever  embossed  for  the  blind,  printed  in 
Paris  in  1786,  up  to  standard  English  braille,  which  was  adopted  by 
England  and  the  United  States  by  agreement  in  1932.  This  exhibit 
shows  the  wealth  of  material  that  is  contained  in  the  Perkins  Blind- 
iana  Library,  which  is  unsurpassed  in  the  world.  Exhibited  also  were 
the  first  four  books  of  Perkins  Library  which  were  brought  from 
Europe  by  Dr.  Howe  in  1831,  as  well  as  copies  of  the  first  and  third 
books  ever  embossed  for  the  blind.  The  second  book  prepared  for  the 
blind  was  printed  in  Amsterdam  but  Perkins  does  not  have  a  copy. 

The  exhibit  falls  into  the  two  alignments  which  waged  war  for 
nearly  a  century  and  constituted  the  well  known  "battle  of  the  types." 
On  one  side  were  those  who  stoutly  maintained  that  any  type  to  be 
read  by  touch  must  also  be  such  that  it  can  be  read  by  the  eye,  in  order 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 
—  3  — 


CONCERT 


c 


Children  of  the  Silent   Night 


,AROLS  both 
^ancient  and 
modern,  some 
for  the  more  mature 
voices  of  the  boys' 
and  girls'  groups  in 
the  Upper  School 
and  others  for  the 
little  children  of  the 
Lower  School  cho- 
rus to  sing  from  the 
balcony,  are  includ- 
ed in  the  program 
which  has  been  arranged  for  the  annual  Christmas  Concert.  The  con- 
cert this  year  will  take  place  on  Friday  evening,  December  16,  Sunday 
afternoon,  the  18th  and  Tuesday  evening,  the  20th.  After  the  last 
concert  the  School  will  close  for  Christmas,  reopening  January  4. 

DEAF-BLIND 

FIVE  NEW  PUPILS  were  admitted  to  the  Deaf-Blind  Department 
this  year ;  two  from  Massachusetts,  one  from  Ohio,  one  from  Mis- 
souri and  one  from  Vermont.  With  these  additions  the  depart- 
ment has  had  a  very  busy  and  active  autumn.  Acceptance  of  so  many 
new  pupils  was  made  possible  by  the  return  of  a  former  teacher,  Mrs. 
Rose  Vivian.  There  have  been  an  unusually  large  number  of  visitors 
to  the  department  ranging  from  those  who  come  in  for  a  day,  to  one 
teacher  who  was  here  for  six  weeks  and  several  who  spent  several 
days.  These  visitors  represent  a  new  trend  in  this  special  field — that 
of  schools  for  the  blind  and  in  some  cases  for  the  deaf,  undertaking 
constructive  programs  for  the  instruction  of  the  doubly  handicapped. 
Late  in  November  the  annual  appeal  which  Perkins  makes  to 
friends  throughout  the  country  for  the  support  of  this  special  work 
was  sent  out.  A  calendar  picturing  the  five  new  children  went  with  the 
letters  of  appeal,  and  already  many  generous  responses  are  being  made. 


GYMNASIUM 

FORMER  STUDENTS  and  others  will  remember  the  gymnasium 
roof  and  its  frequent  leaks.    Originally  planned  for  roller  skating, 
that  facility  had  to  be  given  up  as  roof  after  roof  was  put  upon  the 
concrete  slab  to  prevent  infiltration.     This  fall  it  was  determined  to 

—  4  — 


get  to  the  bottom  of  the  situation  and  all  of  the  old  roofs  were  re- 
moved, and  a  new  one,  with  insulating  tile  covered  by  tar  and  gravel, 
now  tops  the  gym.  In  order  to  do  a  complete  job,  the  concrete  walls, 
the  exterior  of  which  were  spalled,  i.e.,  eroded  or  chipped,  were 
patched  or  replaced.  All  the  joints  were  re-pointed  and  new  flashings 
gleam  from  all  the  edges.  As  a  finishing  touch  the  grounds  on  the 
boys'  side  were  bulldozed  into  a  flowing  contour  so  that  hereafter, 
water  will  drain  down  toward  the  river  and  away  from  the  gym.  Now 
with  impregnable  walls  and  impenetrable  roof,  it  is  hoped  that  run- 
ners and  wrestlers  can  carry  on  drily  and  successfully. 


WRESTLING 

WRESTLING,  now  a  major  sport  at  Perkins,  is  underway  for 
the  winter  season.  Coached  by  Eugene  Hill,  pre-medical  stu- 
dent at  Harvard,  who  has  coached  wrestling  in  the  Army,  and 
at  the  Pennsylvania  Military  Academy,  the  Perkins  boys  look  forward 
to  a  good  season.  A  strong  schedule  has  been  arranged  with  wrestling 
teams  in  the  neighboring  public  and  private  schools,  opening  with  the 
meet  with  Attleboro  High  School  on  January  6,  and  concluding  with 
the  tournament  of  the  Eastern  Athletic  Association  of  Schools  for  the 
Blind  to  be  held  at  State  School  in  Romney,  West  Virginia,  on  March 
3  and  4. 

KINDERGARTEN 

PERKINS  kindergarten  children  were  featured  in  the  illustration 
of  an  article  in  the  December  issue  of  MADEMOISELLE .  En- 
titled "You  Open  a  Door"  the  article  pointed  out  "jobs  and  futures 
in  teaching  exceptional  children."  One  of  the  ways  to  enter  this 
field,  the  article 
said,  was  through 
the  Harvard  Course 
offered  at  Perkins. 
Similar  information 
was  given  for  train- 
ing in  other  handi- 
capped groups.  The 
Kindergarten  has 
this  year  many  alert 
and  attractive  chil- 
dren as  this  picture 
will  show. 

— 5— 


and  Kindergarteners  have  fun 


LECTURES 

DR.  RICHARD  S.  FRENCH,  retired  Superintendent  of  the  Cal- 
ifornia School  for  the  Blind,  has  been  in  residence  at  Perkins 
this  fall,  giving  the  lectures  on  the  "Education  of  the  Blind", 
formerly  given  by  Dr.  Allen,  who  this  year,  for  the  first  time  in  twenty- 
nine  years,  was  unable  because  of  health  to  conduct  them.  Dr.  French 
has  made  a  rich  contribution  to  the  Harvard  Class  and  has  also  been 
helpful  to  all  groups  within  Perkins.  He  has  talked  to  the  teachers 
and  the  pupils  at  several  meetings  and  also  addressed  the  Massachu- 
setts Council  of  Organizations  for  the  Blind.  His  lecture  on  "Spanish 
Poets"  with  their  messages  and  translations  by  himself  will  long  be 
remembered. 

OPPORTUNITY 

AN  EXHIBIT  on  display  during  November  was  that  of  a  possible 
center  for  blind  pre-school  children  and  their  parents.  Prepared 
by  James  L.  Harris,  as  partial  requirement  for  his  degree  in  the 
Graduate  School  of  Design  at  Harvard,  it  includes  a  model  of  the 
building  in  modern  design,  aerial  photos  showing  a  possible  location 
and  full  plans  for  construction  with  color  illustrations  of  sections. 
Facilities  are  provided  for  twelve  mothers  and  babies  for  a  program 
of  study,  observation,  diagnoses  and  guidance  to  be  available  to  par- 
ents of  young  blind  children  and  also  to  be  a  center  for  the  preparation 
of  literature  in  this  field.  The  design  is  alluring,  the  need  is  tremen- 
dous, but  a  possible  donor  has  not  been  found. 

LIGHTING 

THE  BRIGHT  SPOT  in  the  Institution  now  is  the  boys'  manual 
training  shop  which  is  the  first  unit  in  the  relighting  program 
made  possible  by  the  installing  of  new  generators  with  A.C. 
current  during  the  summer  months.  Fluorescent  lighting,  scientif- 
cally  planned,  has  brought  the  illumination  up  to  the  required  candle 
power  for  shop  use,  and  with  the  re-arrangement  of  equipment,  Per- 
kins now  has  one  of  the  finest  equipped  shops  to  be  found  in  any  school. 

FAMILIARITY 

OLDER  PERSONS  at  the  Lower  School  were  a  bit  astounded  at 
the  supper  following  the  Michael  Anagnos  exercises,  when  a 
birthday  cake  was  being  served,  and  the  children  burst  out  with 
the  singing  "Happy  birthday  to  you,  dear  Michael,  and  not  "dear 
Founder"  as  in  former  times. 

—  6  — 


RECENT  VISITORS 


Superintendent  Peeler  and  four 
teachers  from  the  North  Carolina 
School  for  the  Blind  were  at  Perkins 
November  7-10  to  observe  methods  and 
our  cottage  life. 


Miss  Virginia  Wiehn,  who  is  to  head 
the  department  for  the  deaf-blind  in 
the  Michigan  School  for  the  Blind,  ob- 
served in  the  deaf-blind  department 
September  21 — November  2. 


Miss  Mabel  Talbot  spent  two  days, 
September  26-27,  in  the  deaf-blind  de- 
partment. She  comes  from  the  Iowa 
School  for  the  Deaf  where  she  has  some 
deaf-blind   pupils. 


Mr.  Daniel  T.  Cloud,  Superintendent 
of  the  Illinois  School  for  the  Deaf, 
spent  part  of  the  week  of  November  28 
at  Perkins,  as  he  is  planning  to  set  up 
a  department  for  deaf-blind  children 
in  his  school. 


Dr.  Milton  T.  Stauffer  of  the  John 
Milton  Society  and  Mrs.  Stauffer  were 
at  Perkins  October  17  and  18.  Dr.  Stauf- 
fer told  of  his  trip  around  the  world  at 
the  school  assembly. 


Dr.  Ross  E.  Hamilton,  Director  of  the 
education  of  handicapped  children  for 
the  state  of  Washington,  visited  No- 
vember 11  to  confer  on  matters  of  edu- 
cational policy. 


Howard  Hopkirk  of  the  Russell  Sage 
Foundation,  author  of  a  notable  book 
on  institutional  living,  spent  November 
17  here  to  observe  our  Cottage  Plan  for 
the  living  of  our  pupils. 


Foreign  visitors  included:  Miss 
Sermsri  Kasemsri,  Siam;  Mrs.  Maria 
V.  Francisco,  the  Philippines;  Miss 
Maria  E.  Forseca,  Guatemala;  Miss 
Agatha  A.  Buriks,  The  Netherlands; 
and  Miss-  Madeleine  Regnier,  France. 


PUBLICATIONS 


The  Goat  is  the  school  paper,  pub- 
lished by  Perkins  pupils.  With  an  ed- 
itorial board  working  under  the  di- 
rection of  Miss  Florence  W.  Barbour, 
it  has  made  a  place  for  itself  among 
student  publications. 


Braille  editions  have  been  published 
for  sixteen  years.  This  year,  for  the 
benefit  of  non-finger  readers,  an  ink 
print  edition  in  multigraphed  form, 
has  been  prepared  by  the  second  year 
typing  students. 


Jeanne  F.  Kenney,  a  senior,  as  editor- 
in-chief  opens  the  issue  with  an  ac- 
count of  the  new  year  at  school. 
Jeanne  also  conducts  the  Alumnae  De- 
partment and  has  given  an  account  of 
"The  Gold-Diggers" — i.e.  the  class  of 
1949. 


Sports  Briefs  are  provided  appropri- 
ately by  Gene  Raschi,  a  senior,  brother 
of  the  famed  pitcher  of  the  New  York 
Yankees.  This  issue  spotlights  the  cot- 
tage intra-mural  football  season. 


Graduates  have  also  contributed.  Tad 
Chapman,  totally  deaf-blind  graduate 
of  1938,  has  presented  a  poem  entitled 
"Mountains".  Robert  McNally  '49,  gives 
the  history  of  baseball,  of  which  he  is 
a  master  mind. 


Looking  ahead,  a  new  section  ap- 
propriately called  "The  Kids",  to  be 
made  up  of  contributions  from  the 
Lower  School  pupils,  is  announced. 


Humor  has  place  and  point.  For  ex- 
ample: (Question)  "How  shall  we  cele- 
brate Kindness  to  Animals  Week?" 
(Answer)  "Renew  your  subscription  to 
THE  GOAT."  (But  that's  no  joke!— or 
is  it?) 


Subscriptions  are  seventy-five  cents 
a  year  for  ringer  or  eye  readers.  See 
Howard  Surette,  business  manager. 


—  7  — 


EMBOSSED  PRINTING 

(Continued  from  page  3) 

to  prevent  segregation  of  the  blind  from  their  seeing  friends  and 
families.  The  other  side  claimed  that  an  arbitrary  system  of  embossed 
characters  designed  primarily  for  finger  reading  rather  than  eye 
reading  would  best  serve  those  with  sight. 

Viewing  the  exhibit,  it  is  interesting  to  observe  the  progress 
made  in  the  development  of  line-type.  Valentine  Hauy  is  credited 
with  producing  the  first  book  for  the  blind  in  1786.  This  is  embossed 
in  a  delicate,  italic  print,  having  been  inspired  by  the  accidental  dis- 
covery that  one  of  his  pupils  could  read  the  slight  impress  on  the  back 
of  a  sheet  of  regular  printing.  Klein's  book,  printed  in  Germany  in 
1811,  used  heavily  embossed,  half-inch  block  letters.  Philadelphia  in 
1833  produced  a  book  in  a  fine  form  of  script  printing,  while  Boston 
developed  the  famous  line-type  in  1835  made  up  of  compact  Roman 
letters  in  angular  form.  Alston  in  1837,  developed  in  Glasgow  a 
Roman  type  of  normally  formed  letters,  while  William  Moon  of  Eng- 
land in  1847  devised  an  adaptation  of  block  letters  so  extreme  as  to 
make  it  an  almost  arbitrary  system. 

The  exhibit  of  types  developed  by  the  supporters  of  arbitrary 
characters  begins  and  ends  witn  the  original  dot  system  offered  by 
Louis  Braille  in  1829.  This  was  adopted  by  the  Paris  School  for  the 
Blind  in  1854  and  introduced  in  America  by  the  St.  Louis  School  in 
1860.  Louis  Braille's  cell  of  six  dots  is  based  on  what  he  called  the 
principle  of  "logical  sequence".  The  first  ten  letters  of  the  alphabet 
were  an  arbitrary  arrangement  of  dots  in  two  rows.  For  the  next 
ten,  one  dot  was  placed  in  a  lower  row  and  for  the  remaining  letters, 
a  second  dot  was  added  to  this  row.  When  this  system  came  to  Amer- 
ica a  new  principle — that  of  "frequency  of  occurrence"  wherein  the 
letter  used  most  had  the  fewest  dots,  was  introduced  first  in  New  York 
Point  in  1860.  The  exhibit  shows  that  this  type  had  two  rows  of  dots 
of  indefinite  length.  American  Braille,  developed  in  Boston  in  1870, 
followed  the  New  York  principle,  but  adapted  it  to  the  six-point  cell 
of  Louis  Braille.    These  differences  led  to  the  battle  of  the  dots. 

England,  in  its  development,  adhered  to  the  French  system,  and 
in  the  exhibit  there  are  specimens  of  the  three  grades  of  Revised 
Braille  offered  in  1905.  This  country,  in  1917,  compromised  with 
this  system  in  presenting  Grade  l1/*,  falling  between  the  English 
Grades  I  and  II.  In  the  English  reading  world  of  the  blind,  the  battle 
culminated  in  1932  by  the  adoption  of  Standard  English  Braille,  based 
on  the  cell  of  Louis  Braille. 


^Zl^^f 


The  Lantern 


THE  PERKIXS  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  XIX..  NO.    3  MARCH  15.  1950 


World  Wide  Hope 


BLINDNESS  is  no  respecter  of  persons,  or  of  boundaries.  No 
one  knows  when  sight  may  be  lost  from  disease,  inherited  ten- 
dencies or  the  unexpected  accident.  No  nation  is  able  to  contend 
with  blindness  alone.  Unsanitary  factors  near  the  border  and  car- 
riers from  one  country  to  another  may  be  the  unsuspected  causes  of 
loss  of  sight.  This  is  especially  true  in  those  parts  of  the  world  where 
visual  impairment  is  due  to  causes  of  epidemic  or  endemic  proportions 
such  as  trachoma. 

It  is,  therefore,  encouraging  to  note  that  the  United  Nations,  at 
the  meeting  of  the  fifth  session  of  the  Social  Commission,  recognized 
blindness  as  coming  within  its  competence.  If  a  comprehensive  pro- 
gram is  adopted  at  the  next  session  of  the  Social  Commisson  and  im- 
plemented by  the  Assembly  through  adequate  personnel  and  financial 
support,  it  is  hard  to  imagine  what  may  be  accomplished  through  a 
plan  which  transcends  national  boundaries. 

While  every  effort  must  be  made  to  help  persons  laboring  under 
the  handicap  of  blindness,  greater  stress  must  be  put  on  measures 
which  will  prevent  a  new  generation  of  sight  defrauded  people. 
Nearly  three  quarters  of  all  blindness  is  preventable.  The  realization 
of  this  objective  calls  for  the  care  and  concern  of  every  individual. 
But  to  have  world-wide  effectiveness,  means  of  correction,  cure  and 
control  that  reach  beyond  national  boundaries  must  be  activated  and 
programs  that  span  the  whole  of  the  problem  not  only  a  part  must  be 
promoted.  Only  the  United  Nations  and  its  allied  organizations  such 
as  WHO  can  accomplish  this.  The  fact  that  these  organizations  have 
indicated  interest  fills  us  with  hope.  Workers  for  the  blind  and  the 
blind  themselves  must  not  rest  content  until  that  hope  is  fully  realized. 


Perkin's  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown  72.  Massachusetts  Gab-i-l  Farrell,  Director 


^OsffatL/  ^xAAj^ 


INTRAMURAL   NOTES 


Assembly  speakers  during  the  winter 
term  are  pupils  on  Monday  mornings, 
the  clergy  of  Water  town  on  Thursday 
mornings  and  Mr.  Stone,  the  Principal, 
on  Wednesday  mornings. 


The  Director  spoke  on  the  Interna- 
tional Conference  at  Oxford  and  his 
summer  abroad,  at  the  meeting  of  the 
Massachusetts  Council  of  Organiza- 
tions for  the  Blind  on  Monday,  Jan- 
uary 30. 


Following-  the  wrestling  meet  with 
the  New  York  Institute  at  Perkins  on 
January  28,  a  small  dance  was  held 
for  the  two  teams  in  Bridgman  Cottage. 


A  long  week-end  was  given  over  Lin- 
coln's Birthday  and  more  than  half  of 
the  pupils  returned  to  their  homes. 


Pupils  interested  in  dramatics  were 
the  guests  of  the  Winchester  Players 
at  the  presentation  of  "Tomorrow  the 
World"  on  February  7,  and  have  an 
invitation  to  attend  the  performance 
of  "Miranda"  on  April  19. 


Senior  Class  girls  and  members  of 
the  Junior  class  attended  a  perfor- 
mance of  "King  Lear"  at  the  Brattle 
Theatre   in  Cambridge  on  March   10. 


Vic  Damone,  popular  vocalist,  came 
out  to  Perkins  on  Tuesday,  February 
28,  and  sang  for  the  pupils  of  the  Up- 
per School. 


Mrs.  Sidney  E.  Pollack,  Executive  Di- 
rector of  the  New  York  Guild  for  the 
Jewish  Blind,  told  of  the  work  of  that 
organization  at  the  staff  meeting  on 
Monday,  March  13. 


John  P.  Chase,  Treasurer  of  Perkins 
since  1945,  resigned  in  January.  His 
successor  will  be  elected  at  the  March 
meeting  of  the  Trustees. 


EXTRAMURAL   NOTES 


Harriet  Tuttle,  Perkins  '19  was 
honored  on  February  10,  the  30th 
anniversary  of  her  employment  at  'the 
Phoenix  Insurance  Company  in  Hart- 
ford by  her  fellow  workers.  She  now 
transcribes  dictation  from  eight  mem- 
bers of  the  staff.  The  Connecticut 
Board  of  Education  of  the  Blind  recalls 
that  she  was  their  first  placement  of 
a  blind  dictaphone  operator. 


Horatio  W.  Hendrick,  Perkins  '29, 
and  the  way  he  conducts  his  ninety 
acre  farm  in  Plainfield,  New  Hamp- 
shire, were  featured  in  an  illustrated 
article  published  in  several  newspapers 
throughout  New  England. 


Catherine  Pickett,  Perkins  '42,  is  on 
the  staff  of  the  Mission  School,  work- 
ing in  Utah  with  the  Navaho  Indians. 
A  recent  letter  told  of  her  most  inter- 
esting activities. 


Frederick  T.  Hayashi,  Perkins  '43, 
now  living  in  Hawaii,  reports,  "The 
piano  teaching  profession  has  been  ex- 
ceptionally good  out  here.  I  have 
thirty-seven  pupils  studying  with  me — 
the  income  is  handsome  and  there  is 
opportunity  to  make  many  contacts  in 
the  community." 


Hideko  .  Shimokawa,  Perkins  '47, 
writes,  "I  am  happily  employed  as 
worker  for  the  blind  at  the  Library  of 
Hawaii  .  .  .  circulation  records  and  in- 
formation .  .  .  are  kept  in  Braille  as 
well   as   in  typewritten  form." 


Gudrun  Pollan,  Harvard  Class  '48, 
writes,  "I  am  now  Director  of  a  voca- 
tional school  for  blind  girls.  ...  I  am 
flying  to  Germany  and  Austria  in  a 
few  days  to  choose  fifty  blind  displaced 
persons  and  their  families  living  in 
camps.  Norway  has  decided  to  take 
care  of  them  and  give  them  a  perma- 
nent home  here." 


—  2  — 


ALEXANDER  MELL 

One  of  the  Pioneers  in  Blind  Education 

THE  100th  ANNIVERSARY  of  the  birth  of  Alexander  Mell  was 
observed  in  Vienna  just  a  month  ago  with  exercises  commens- 
urate with  his  contribution  to  the  education  of  the  blind.  On 
Wednesday,  February  15,  there  was  a  radio  broadcast  giving  an 
account  of  his  life.  On  the  following  day  a  musical  program  in  his 
memory,  with  greetings  and  messages  from  Dr.  Mell's  son,  Mr.  Max 
Mell,  and  the  present  Director  of  the  Vienna  school,  Dr.  Carl  Trapny, 
was  held  in  the  Church  of  the  Little  Child  Jesus.  On  Friday  the 
seventeenth,  services  in  memory  of  Alexander  Mell  were  held  at  his 
grave  in  the  cemetery  in  Vienna. 

Perkins  can  well  add  its  tribute  to  Alexander  Mell  because  we 
are  indebted  to  him  for  many  features  which  have  made  our  school 
renowned.  Dr.  Mell  was  a  close  friend  of  Michael  Anagnos,  our  second 
Director,  and  through  a  visit  in  June  1889,  Mr.  Anagnos  was  inspired 
to  start  the  foundation  of  what  has  become  our  museum  and  also  our 
collection  on  books  on  the  blind,  usually  referred  to  as  the  "Blindiana 
Library".  Dr.  Allen  continued  this  friendship  and  through  his  ad- 
ministration the  Perkins  museum  was  enriched  by  articles  and  objects 
sent  here  by  Dr.  Mell.  While  the  present  Director  did  not  have  the 
privilege  of  knowing  Dr.  Alexander  Mell,  he  has  continued  in  contact 
with  his  son  Dr.  Alfred  Mell,  Director  of  the  Army  Museum  in  Vienna, 
and  through  him  the  stream  of  contributions  to  our  museum  has  con- 
tinued to  flow.  The  present  Director  also  recalls  happily  meeting  and 
becoming  acquainted  with  Dr.  Carl  Trapny,  the  present  Director  of 
the  Vienna  Institute,  at  the  Oxford  Conference. 

Mr.  Anagnos,  in  the  Perkins  Report  for  1900,  writing  about  the 
year  which  he  spent  in  Vienna  at  that  time  states :  "From  Budapest 
I  went  directly  to  Vienna  where,  after  some  inquiry,  I  found  my  friend 
Professor  Alexander  Mell,  Director  of  the  Imperial  Institution  for 
the  Blind,  carrying  on  his  work  in  a  very  fine  new  building,  situated 
close  by  the  famous  park  of  the  capital  of  Austria".  He  then  described 
the  new  school,  referring  to  its  many  classrooms  "and  a  fine  new  mu- 
seum." This  latter  department,  he  continued,  "constitutes  a  valuable 
adjunct  to  the  institution  and  one  of  its  most  attractive  features  to  the 
student  of  history  in  the  education  of  the  blind.  Although  in  some  of 
its  collections  and  specimens  of  appliances  and  apparatus  it  is  not  so 
rich  as  that  of  Paris,  in  systematic  arrangement,  classification  and 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 

—  3  — 


UNITED  NATIONS 


Dr.  Hayes       B.  A.  Fraleigh      M.  L.  Gonial* 
Massachusetts        Vermont  Brazil 


THE  RESOLUTIONS  adopted  at  the  International  Conference 
of  Workers  for  the  Blind  held  in  Oxford  in  August,  were  pre- 
sented with  recommendations  of  adoption  at  the  Fifth  Session 
of  the  Social  Commission  of  the  United  Nations  at  its  meeting  on 
December  9.  After  presentation  of  these  resolutions  which  cover  a 
miminum  program  for  the  blind,  which  might  be  adopted  by  any 
nation,  the  Social  Commission  requested  "The  Secretary  General  in 
cooperation  with  appropriate  specialized  agencies  to  develop  a  pro- 
gram of  work  in  this  field,  including  a  plan  for  a  demonstration 
project  (or  an  alternative  to  meet  the  same 
end)  for  social  rehabilitation  of  the  blind 
and  to  report  to  the  Social  Commission  at 
its  Sixth  Session."  The  Secretary  General 
has  had  prepared  a  comprehensive  pro- 
gram for  the  blind  including  details  for  a 
rehabilitation  program  as  well  as  two  al- 
ternatives, one  a  center  for  specialized 
services  or  home  teaching,  and  the  other 
a  center  for  the  preparation  and  dissemina- 
tion of  reading  matter  for  the  blind.  This 
report  was  studied  at  a  meeting  held  in 
Geneva  in  March,  and  will  be  referred  with 
recommendations  to  the  Sixth  Session  of 
the  Social  Commission  in  April.  If  favor- 
able action  is  secured  here,  this  may  well 
be  as  THE  NEW  BEACON,  an  English 
paper,  states,  "one  of  the  most  important 
stages  in  the  progress  of  international 
work  for  the  blind". 


W.   A.  Fredell 
Minnesota 


F.   Benzi^ei 
Switzerland 


THE  HARVARD  CLAStf 
One  student  from  Germany  I. 


UNESCO 

SIR  CLUTHA  MACKENZIE,  who  was  appointed  by  UNESCO 
some  time  ago,  as  consultant  on  Braille  has  compiled  a  large 
amount  of  information  on  the  history  of  the  Braille  system  and 
its  possible  adaptation  to  more  than  eighty  languages  of  the  world. 
For  six  days  during  December  seven  members  of  an  international 
committee  under  his  leadership  discussed  the  possibility  of  attaining 
world-wide  uniformity  in  the  use  of  Braille.  The  American  member 
of  the  committee  was  Miss  Marjorie  S.  Hooper,  Braille  Editor  of  the 

—  4  — 


Bergfels     M 
Jers°v 


S.    Griggs 
Ohio 


Dr.    French 
California 


American  Printing  House  for  the  Blind.  This  study  will  be  continued 
at  a  larger  conference  to  be  held  late  in  March,  for  final  presentation 
to  UNESCO  at  its  next  session  to  be  held  in  Florence  in  May. 

GREAT  BRITAIN 

WORKERS  for  the  blind  throughout  the  English-speaking  world 
are  conscious  of  a  vital  change  in  leadership  in  the  retirement 
on  December  31,  1949  of  Mr.  W.  McG.  Eagar  as  Secretary- 
General  of  the  National  Institute  for  the  Blind  of  England.    Reaching 

retirement  age,  Mr.  Eagar  has  relin- 
quished a  post  which  he  has  held  with  great 
distinction  since  1928.  He  is  well  known 
to  many  in  this  country  and  it  is  the  hope 
of  many  here  that  retirement  will  provide 
opportunity  for  him  to  visit  the  United 
States  and  share  his  wide  knowledge  of 
the  blind  with  workers  here.  Mr.  Eagar 
was  the  secretary  of  the  International  Con- 
ference held  in  Oxford  and  contributed 
largely  to  the  success  of  its  planning  and 
management.  Perkins  shares  with  many, 
deep  appreciation  of  what  Mr.  Eagar  has 
done  for  this  special  field  and  especially 
sends  rfes  best  wishes  to  the  new  Secretary- 
Gene/al,  Mr.  J.  C.  Colligan. 

UNITED  STATES 

THIS  COUNTRY,  in  the  field  of  the 
blind,  is  beginning  to  feel  the  change 
of  leadership  which  has  taken  place 
at  the  American  Foundation  for  the  Blind.  After  twenty-six  years  of 
notable  service,  Dr.  Robert  B.  Irwin  retired  in  September  and  the 
new  plans  of  his  successor,  Mr.  M.  Robert  Barnett,  are  being  an- 
nounced. Mr.  Barnett  has  made  changes  in  the  structure  of  the 
Foundation,  which  has  grown  through  the  years,  and  whose  effective- 
ness may  be  improved  by  reorganization  and  re-assignment  of  duties 
and  personnel.  Announced  as  assistant  directors  are  Miss  Kathern 
F.  Gruber,  widely  known  for  her  services  with  the  war  blinded,  Mr. 
Alfred  Allen,  long  the  secretary-general  of  the  A.A.W.B.,  and  Mr. 
C.  H.  Whittington,  who  brings  technical  leadership  to  the  Foundation. 

—  5  — 


/IDE  IN  MEMBERSHIP 
United  States  not  in  picture. 


MASSACHUSETTS 

THE  RECESS  COMMISSION  appointed  by  the  legislature  and 
the  Governor  of  the  Commonwealth  to  study  certain  matters 
pertaining  to  the  blind,  has  had  a  series  of  meetings  and  con- 
ferences with  leaders  in  this  field  within  the  state.  At  the  opening  of 
the  legislature  on  December  1,  a  report  reviewing  the  work  accom- 
plished up  to  that  time  was  presented.  The  legislature  has  re- 
appointed the  same  commission  to  continue  its  study.  Perkins  is 
represented  on  the  commission  through  two  members  of  its  Board  of 
Trustees,  Dr.  Dorothy  L.  Book,  Dean  of  Boston  College  School  of 
Social  Work,  and  Mr.  Paul  L.  Neal,  a  former  teacher.  The  third 
member  of  the  section  representing  the  public  is  the  Rev.  Thomas  J. 
Carroll,  Director  of  the  Catholic  Guild  for  the  Blind. 

UPPER  SCHOOL 

WRESTLING  HAS  been  the  active  sport  for  the  winter  term. 
The  wrestling  team  of  the  Boys'  Upper  School  has  met  with 
the  teams  of  the  public  high  schools  at  Attleboro,  Needham 
and  Wellesley  and  at  several  private  schools,  including  Milton,  Browne 
&  Nichols,  Tabor,  Exeter  and  Andover.  From  the  point  of  view  of 
victories  and  scores,  the  season  has  not  been  too  successful,  but  the 
opportunity  for  our  boys  to  meet  with  boys  from  outside  schools  has 
been  of  great  value.  While  the  team  was  set  back  by  the  resignation 
of  the  coach  in  mid-season,  few  wrestling  teams  can  boast  of  more 
loyal  and  vocal  support  than  is  given  by  the  girls  of  the  Upper  School 
with  their  songs  and  cheers  at  all  of  the  local  games. 

LOWER  SCHOOL 

ANEW  FEATURE  introduced  to  bring  the  parents  into  closer 
contact  with  the  Lower  School  has  been  undertaken  through  a 
series  of  meetings  and  teas  held  on  the  Friday  afternoons  of 
March.  The  program  for  each  afternoon  provides  opportunity  for 
the  parents  to  visit  the  class-rooms  where  their  children  are  studying, 
followed  by  a  meeting  with  a  talk  by  administration  officers  and  songs 
by  the  children  of  the  cottages.  Tea  and  refreshments  are  served  and 
opportunity  given  for  parents  to  talk  informally  with  the  teachers 
of  their  children.  The  series  began  with  a  meeting  in  Anagnos  Cot- 
tage on  Friday,  March  3,  followed  by  Bradlee  Cottage,  on  March  10, 
with  meetings  planned  for  Glover  Cottage  on  March  17  and  Potter 
on  March  24. 

—  6  — 


FROM  OUR  VISITORS 


"Our  teachers  were  delighted  with 
the  very  fine  manner  in  which  you  and 
your  staff  made  it  possible  for  us  to 
observe  your  work.  We  think  you  are 
doing  a  fine  job  and  hope  to  copy 
some  of  the  practices  we  found.  Please 
let  me  thank  you  for  everything  you 
did  for  us."  E.  N.  P. 


"Thank  you  again  for  your  help  and 
your  hospitality  .  .  .  Staff  members  at 
Fisher  Cottage  gave  me  outlines  and 
suggestions  for  sense-training.  The 
suggestions  enabled  us  to  take  advan- 
tage of  the  training  and  make  an  esti- 
mate  of  the  children."    M.  T. 


"This  will  express  hearty  thanks  for 
the  hospitality  extended  to  us  while  at 
Perkins  and  for  all  the  many  kind- 
nesses you  and  members  of  the  Per- 
kins staff  showed  us."    M.  T.  S. 


"This  was  my  first  visit  to  Perkins 
Institution,  and  I  found  it  very  exciting 
to  be  able  to  visit  a  program  of  which 
I  have  heard  so  much.  The  wonderful 
work  which  is  being  done  in  your 
school  provides  excellent  leadership  to 
the  development  of  educational  prac- 
tices throughout  the  nation."    R.  E.  H. 


"I  am  most  appreciative  of  the  hos- 
pitality I  received  at  Perkins  Institu- 
tion. Perkins  has  had  wonderful  lead- 
ers whom  you  should  be  proud  of.  The 
atmosphere  of  Perkins  is  very  inspiring. 
I  returned  to  New  York  with  hope, 
courage  and  joy  that  I  have  never  had 
before."  S.  K. 


"I  wish  to  express  to  you  all  my 
thanks  and  appreciation  for  having 
been  permitted  to  visit  your  most  in- 
teresting and  so  beautiful  institution. 
Certainly  the  day  spent  at  Perkins 
will  be  one  of  the  high  spots  of  my 
trip  to  the  States."  M.  R. 


FROM  THE  PRESS 


B.  W.  Busways,  published  by  the  Bos- 
ton, Worcester  and  New  York  Street 
Railway  Company,  in  its  November  is- 
sue featured  Perkins  Institution  with 
a  picture  of  the  Main  Building  on  the 
cover. 


Employer's  Pioneer,  published  by  the 
Employers  Group  Agency  School  in 
Boston,  in  the  December  number  cited 
John  T.  Flynn,  Perkins  '48,  as  one  of 
the  outstanding  members  of  the  class 
taking  their  special  course  for  training 
insurance  underwriters. 


J-Man  Reporter,  house  organ  of  the 
George  T.  Johnson,  Company,  manu- 
facturer of  floor  treating  preparations, 
had  an  account  of  Perkins  in  a  recent 
issue,  including  an  excellent  picture  of 
one  of  the  study  halls,  as  an  illustra- 
tion of  what  their  products  can  do  to 
make  rooms  attractive. 


Underwood  News,  the  publication  of 
the  typewriter  concern  of  that  name, 
had  a  special  article  on  the  employ- 
ment of  blind  persons  as  Ediphone 
operators,  pointing  out  the  success  of 
Ethel  Murray,  who  was  trained  at  Per- 
kins and  is  now  secretary  at  the  Maun- 
sell  Company,  Montpelier,  Vt. 


Princeton  University  Press  is  offer- 
ing among  its  spring  publications  a 
book  entitled  "Blindness  in  the  Modern 
World."  This  book  has  been  prepared 
under  the  auspices  of  the  National 
Council,  and  will  be  one  of  the  most 
comprehensive  volumes  on  the  blind 
that  has  ever  been  published.  In  ad- 
dition to  a  large  amount  of  historical 
background,  there  will  be  a  full  pres- 
entation of  all  the  research  work  un- 
dertaken for  the  blind  as  part  of  the 
war  program  sponsored  by  the  Office 
of  Sensory  Devices  of  the  National  Re- 
search Council. 


■7  — 


ALEXANDER  MELL 

(Continued  from  page  3) 
proper  display  of  its  content,  it  is  the  best  museum  in  Europe  of  this 
kind.  I  went  through  and  examined  carefully  every  part  of  the  estab- 
lishment and  wherever  I  went  my  inspection  gave  rise  to  a  feeling  of 
real  pleasure  and  satisfaction  in  the  thought  that  such  a  beautiful 
center  has  been  erected  and  dedicated  to  the  cause  of  the  education  of 
the  blind  in  Vienna". 

The  collection  of  material  which  Dr.  Mell  built  up  in  Vienna  did 
become  the  greatest  in  the  world.  It  is  one  of  the  unfortunate 
tragedies  of  war  that  the  entire  contents  of  the  museum  and  library 
were  destroyed,  although  the  library  building  remained  and  was  used 
for  war  purposes.  The  pupils  of  this  famous  school  during  the  war 
were  dispersed  and  the  buildings  converted  to  a  home  for  old  people. 
Now  the  present  director  is  valiantly  reorganizing  the  school,  but  he 
can  never  replace  the  Blindiana  collection.  Duplicates  of  much  of 
what  was  contained  in  the  Vienna  library  as  well  as  material  which 
Vienna  did  not  have  are  now  to  be  found  in  the  Perkins  library  due 
to  Dr.  Alexander  Mell's  constant  acquiring  of  valuable  material  and 
sending  it  to  this  country.  His  achievement,  therefore,  is  not  entirely 
wiped  out,  although  it  has  transferred  the  scene  of  the  greatest  collec- 
tion of  material  on  the  blind  from  Vienna  to  Watertown,  thereby 
greatly  enhancing  the  importance  and  the  value  of  our  great  Blindiana 
collection. 

Alexander  Mell  was  born  on  February  17,  1850  in  Prague,  Czech- 
oslovakia. He  was  the  son  of  a  captain  in  the  Austrian  army.  After 
graduation  from  the  Technical  University  in  Graz,  Austria,  he  became 
teacher  of  natural  history,  first  in  agricultural  schools,  and  in  1879 
professor  in  the  State  Training  School  for  Teachers  at  Marberg, 
Austria.  In  1886  he  became  Director  of  the  Imperial  Institution  for 
the  Education  of  the  Blind  in  Vienna.  Here  he  remained  until  his 
death  on  September  30,  1931.  In  addition  to  the  administration  of 
Ins  school  which  he  made  one  of  the  outstanding  institutions  in  the 
v/orld,  he  was  a  voluminous  writer,  and  his  annual  reports  are  doc- 
uments of  authoritative  value.  His  greatest  achievement  in  the  lit- 
erary field,  however,  was  the  publication  of  the  extensive  "Encyklo- 
padisches  Handbuch  des  Blindenwessens",  a  work  of  almost  a  thous- 
and pages.  This  book  is,  as  the  name  implies,  encyclopedic  in  its  in- 
formation regarding  the  education  of  the  blind  and  is  still  the  most 
outstanding  work  of  its  kind,  although  its  information  only  reaches 
up  to  the  year  1900. 

—  8  — 


iAmi 

WWERm 

The  iLaritern 

THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  XIX..  NO.    4  [,  JUNE15.  1950 

The  Great  Triumvirate 

PERKINS  MOURNS  the  loss  of  its  distinguished  Director-Emeri- 
tus, but  it  rejoices  in  his  long  years  of  leadership  and  the  happy 
memory  of  his  great  accomplishments.  Edward  Ellis  Allen  put 
an  impress  upon  the  education  of  the  blind  that  can  never  be  eradi- 
cated. To  those  who  visit  Perkins  it  can  be  said,  as  was  written  of  Sir 
Christopher  Wren  in  St.  Paul's  Cathedral,  "if  you  would  see  his  mon- 
ument, look  around  you." 

Dr.  Allen  was  not  the  founder  of  any  school,  but  he  rebuilt  two 
of  the  pioneer  schools  for  the  blind,  Overbrook  and  Perkins,  and  set 
their  ways  in  new  channels.  Because  of  his  close  friendship  with  the 
principal  of  the  New  York  Institute  it  is  probable  that  he  had  some 
part  in  the  transition  of  that  school  from  down-town  New  York  to  its 
beautiful  location  on  Pelham  Parkway.  These  three  schools  were  not 
only  the  pioneers  in  the  education  of  the  blind,  in  the  United  States, 
but  also  in  mid-stream,  these  leaders  turned  the  direction  of  this  form 
of  education  into  new  ways,  both  in  physical  plants  and  in  educational 
objectives. 

Now  the  last  of  "the  great  triumvirate",  Drs.  Allen,  Burritt,  and 
Van  Cleve,  whom  not  many  of  this  generation  knew,  is  gone.  In  their 
day  they  wrestled  with  the  problems  of  their  times,  and  while  they 
contributed  to  the  strength  of  our  program,  they  did  not  solidify  it. 
Education  of  the  blind  is  and  must  remain  in  a  fluid  state  so  that  it 
can  be  bent  to  the  needs  of  the  present.  Leadership,  of  the  type  ex- 
emplified by  these  men,  now  gone,  is  needed  in  our  field — and  never 
more  than  at  the  present  moment,  when  so  many  problems  created  by 
new  trends  in  education  and  new  causes  of  blindness  confront  us. 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown  72,  Massachusetts  Gabriel  Farrell,  Director 


-^<2^*^  7?Lvu^5f 


EDWARD  ELLIS  ALLEN 

August  1,  1861— April  14,  1950 

EDUCATION :  Newton,  Massachusetts ;  Germany  and  Switzer- 
land; graduated  Harvard  College,  cum  laude,  1884.  TEACHER : 
Royal  Normal  College  for  the  Blind,  London,  1885-1888 ;  Perkins 
Institution,  1888-1890.  PRINCIPAL:  Pennsylvania  Institution 
for  the  Blind,  1890-1907.  DIRECTOR:  Perkins  Institution, 
1907-1931;  DIRECTOR  EMERITUS:  1931-1950.  ORGANIZER 
and  LECTURER :  The  "Harvard  Course"  in  the  Education  of 
the  Blind,  1920-1949.  HONORS  and  AWARDS :  Honorary  de- 
gree— D.Sc.  University  of  Pennsylvania,  1931 ;  Leslie  Dana 
Gold  Medal,  National  Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Blindness, 
1931;  Gold  Medal,  Institute  of  Social  Sciences,  1932;  Shotwell 
Gold  Medal,  American  Association  of  Workers  for  the  Blind, 
1945. 


—  2 


SCHOOL  ENROLLMENTS 

Factors  of  Fluctuation 

ENROLLMENTS  in  all  schools  are  subject  to  fluctuations  caused 
by  many  factors;  the  supply  of  teachers,  the  adequacy  of  build- 
ings, birth  rates,  and  even  war.  Back  in  1939  Stuart  Chase,  in 
an  article  in  the  Atlantic  Monthly,  stated  that  there  were  one  million 
empty  school  desks  in  the  elementary  schools,  and  predicted  that  if 
present  trends  continued,  there  would  be  ten  million  empty  desks  in 
the  schools  of  the  country  by  1960.  War  broke  that  trend,  increased 
the  birth  rate,  and,  in  1949,  the  Census  Bureau  predicted  that  by  1960 
enrollments  in  the  country's  elementary  and  high  schools  would  jump 
by  ten  million  pupils.  This  prediction  is  sustained  by  figures  from  the 
Federal  Security  Agency,  as  published  in  School  Life  for  May,  1950. 
Enrollments  in  schools  from  Kindergarten  through  grade  twelve  are 
listed  from  1926  to  1950.  The  peak  of  these  years  was  1936,  when 
the  decline  which  caused  Mr.  Chase's  concern,  began.  The  maximum 
of  twenty-nine  million  has  again  been  reached,  and  it  is  now  estimated 
that  there  will  be  over  thirty-seven  million  children  enrolled  in  the 
schools  of  the  country  by  1960. 

Schools  for  the  blind  share  in  these  variant  factors  as  lists  of  our 
enrollments  over  the  years  indicate.  In  addition  we  have  some  factors 
which  do  not  affect  the  seeing  schools  such  as  reduction  through  pre- 
vention and  increase  through  new  causes  of  blindness.  Until  ten 
years  ago  statistics  showed  that  prevention  was  reducing  enrollments, 
and  in  1939  we  were  talking  in  terms  of  gradual  liquidation.  Within 
the  decade,  however,  that  trend  has  been  broken,  and  at  the  present 
time  there  are  indications  that  new  causes  of  blindness  are  offsetting 
the  gains  made  through  prevention.  There  is  some  reason  to  question 
whether  this  change  is  permanent,  and  in  fact  whether  or  not  it  is 
actual.  There  must  be  serious  study  made  of  the  reality  of  the  ap- 
parent increases,  and  the  possibility  of  adjusting  our  present  accom- 
modations to  meet  the  prevailing  situation. 

An  analysis  of  enrollments  in  schools  for  the  blind  as  listed  in  the 
reports  of  the  American  Printing  House  for  the  Blind  shows  a  range 
in  population  from  5,577  in  1930  to  a  peak  of  6,031  in  1939,  and  a 
decline  to  5,606  as  of  January  1,  1950.  At  Perkins  Institution,  figures 
covering  the  same  period  show  that  the  peak  of  enrollment  was  reached 
in  1934  with  276  pupils  listed,  247  in  1939  and  237  in  1949.    The  peak 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 


MAJOR  REPAIRS 

AN  EXTENSIVE  PROGRAM  of  replacement  and  repairs  is 
being  carried  on  at  Perkins  during  the  summer  months.  The 
largest  item  is  the  replacement  of  all  of  the  boilers  in  the  power 
house  following  the  replacement  of  the  generators  and  electrical  equip- 
ment last  summer.  This  will  complete  the  renovation  of  that  part  of 
the  plant  and  will  give  considerably  better  service  to  the  school  in 
heating,  lighting,  and  power.  The  new  power  system  makes  possible 
modern  lighting.  The  program  of  fluorescent  lighting  begun  last  year 
in  the  school  shops  will  be  continued  during  the  summer  months.  The 
Howe  Building  will  be  the  chief  center  of  reconstruction  work  as  the 
entire  masonry  of  that  building  will  be  renovated  and  repointed.  Con- 
siderable work  on  roofs  including  gutters  will  be  carried  out  and  a 
crew  of  nine  painters  will  refurbish  the  interior  of  the  Howe  Build- 
ing and  the  cottages  of  the  Upper  School.  The  entire  boundary  fence 
is  to  be  rebuilt  and  a  new  fence  will  be  erected  around  the  pond. 

TRACK  MEET 

PERKINS  WAS  HOST  to  the  eighth  annual  meet  of  the  Eastern 
Athletic  Association  of  Schools  for  the  Blind  held  on  Saturday, 
May  13.  Seven  teams  made  up  of  seven  members  from  seven  states 
participated  in  seven  events.  The  final  scores  were  Overbrook  27,  Per- 
kins 20,  Virginia  15,  New  York,  Batavia  School  10,  Maryland  4,  West 
Virginia  1,  and  Connecticut  0.  Alfred  Flowers  from  Overbrook  won 
high  individual  honor  of  11  points.  For  this  distinction  he  was  pre- 
sented with  a  gold  trophy  by  Ralph  Maddocks,  Commander  of  the 
Newton  Post  of  the  Disabled  Veterans  Association.  William  Day, 
captain  of  the  Overbrook  team  received  from  the  same  organization 
a  trophy  for  the  winning  school. 

PRE-SCHOOL  INSTITUTE 

AN  INSTITUTE  on  the  pre-school  blind  child  was  held  in  the 
Rhode  Island  Society's  Medical  Library,  Providence  on  Wednes- 
day, May  3.  This  was  presented  by  the  Governor's  advisory 
council  for  the  blind,  the  Bureau  for  the  Blind  of  the  state  of  Rhode 
Island  and  Perkins  Institution.  A  full  day's  program  was  largely 
attended  by  parents,  social  workers,  and  educators.  Papers  were 
presented  on  the  various  aspects  of  problems  concerning  the  pre-school 
blind  child  by  physicians  from  Providence  and  Perkins  staff  members. 

—  4  — 


PERKINS  PROM  THE  AIR 


Fairchild  Aerial  Surveys,  Inc. 


TEACHERS  RETIRING 

FIVE  TEACHERS  who  have  given  to  Perkins  one  hundred  and 
fifty-two  years  of  teaching  service  are  retiring  this  June.  They 
are:  Miss  Elsie  H.  Simonds,  former  principal  and  teacher  in  the 
Girls'  Upper  School  for  forty-two  years;  Miss  Genevieve  H.  Haven, 
teacher  of  English  in  the  Upper  School  for  thirty-eight  years;  Miss 
Feodore  M.  Nicholls,  teacher  in  the  Lower  School  for  thirty-one 
years ;  Miss  Susan  E.  Morse,  teacher  in  the  Lower  School  for  twenty- 
four  years,  and  Mrs.  Jessie  W.  Mayshark,  teacher  in  the  Lower  School 
for  seventeen  years. 

STUDY  HALLS 

THE  NEW  STUDY  HALLS  have,  by  the  vote  of  the  trustees, 
been  named  to  honor  two  staff  members  who  have  given  many 
years  of  loyal  service  to  Perkins.  The  boys  study  hall,  which 
adjoins  the  library,  has  been  named  to  honor  Mary  Esther  Sawyer  who 
taught  for  ten  years  and  was  librarian  for  twenty-four  years.  The 
study  hall  on  the  girls'  side  has  been  dedicated  the  Elsie  H.  Simonds 
Hall.  Miss  Simonds,  at  the  end  of  this  year,  is  completing  forty-two 
years  as  teacher  in  the  Girls'  School.  Tablets  stating  these  dedications 
were  unveiled  at  the  meeting  of  the  Alumnae  Association  on  June  3 
and  of  the  Alumni  Association  on  June  17. 

—  5  — 


GRADUATION~JUNE  20,  1950 

GRADUATION  EXERCISES  will  be  held  in  Dwight  Hall  at  two 
o'clock  on  June  20.  Perkins  will  at  that  time  award  diplomas 
to  the  largest  number  of  graduates  in  its  history.  Nineteen 
young  people,  twelve  boys  and  seven  girls,  will  have  met  the  require- 
ments for  graduation  from  high  school.  Diplomas  giving  this  recogni- 
tion will  be  presented  by  Dr.  Reginald  Fitz,  President  of  the  Corpora- 
tion. The  Commencement  speaker  will  be  Dr.  Richard  M.  Gummere, 
Chairman  of  the  Committee  on  Admission,  Harvard  University,  and 
the  invocation  will  be  by  Rev.  Paul  B.  Myers  of  the  Phillips  Con- 
gregational Church. 


CERTIFICATES  in  proficiency  in  several  areas  will  be  awarded 
at  the  graduation  exercises  as  follows:  Manual  Training  De- 
partment: four  girls;  Piano  Tuning  Department:  three  boys; 
Pianoforte  Normal  Department:  one  girl;  Commercial  Department: 
one  boy  and  one  girl  (Certificates  issued  by  the  Ediphone  Company). 
Six  girls  will  receive  Certificates  from  the  American  Red  Cross  in- 
dicating the  completion  of  their  course  on  the  home  care  of  the  sick, 
while  sixteen  boys  will  receive  Red  Cross  Swimming  certificates — 
four  for  passing  the  intermediate  and  twelve  for  the  beginning  test. 


PERKINS  GRADUATES  completing  their  work  in  college  are: 
John  C.  King,  '38,  the  Swedenborgian  Theological  School ;  William 
F.  Gallagher,  '44,  Boston  College  of  Social  Work;  Stephen  Gar- 
abedian,  '46,  Rhode  Island  State  College,  and  Faye  George,  '46,  Mid- 
dlebury  College.  Robert  J.  Smithdas,  '46,  who  is  deaf  and  blind,  will 
receive  his  degree  from  St.  John's  University,  Brooklyn ;  while  Sabra 
Oulton,  '39,  received  in  May  a  special  certificate  for  a  two  year  course 
in  agriculture  at  the  University  of  New  Hampshire. 


CERTIFICATES  will  be  awarded  on  Monday,  June  19  to  fifteen 
members  of  the  Harvard  Class.    Nine  have  completed  the  work 
of  the  full  year,  while  two  were  present  only  for  the  first  half  year 
and  four  for  the  second  half  year.    Members  of  this  year's  class  have 
come  from  Brazil,  Germany,   Mexico,   Spain,   Switzerland,  and  five 
states  in  this  country. 


T 


HE  SENIOR  CLASS  colors  this  year  are  blue  and  gold ;  the  class 
flower  red  carnation ;  and  the  motto :  "Confidence  is  the  compan- 
ion of  success." 

—  6  — 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Carl  Reynolds  of  the  sixth  grade 
won  the  national  short  story  contest 
conducted  by  "The  Searchlight"  braille 
magazine  of  The  New  York  Lighthouse, 
Who  wrote,  "We  have  not  had  such  a 
youthful  winner  before." 


Square  dancing  has  become  a  popular 
pastime  at  Perkins,  and  several  dances 
under  the  leadership  of  Mr.  Bill  Dunckle 
have  been  held  by  the  boys  and  by 
the  girls. 


The  senior  proms  of  the  boys  and  of 
the  girls  making  up  the  Class  of  1950 
were  held  in  Dwight  Hall;  by  the  girls 
on  Saturday  evening,  May  20,  and  by 
the  boys  on  Friday  evening,  June  2. 


Members  of  the  graduating  class  held 
a  picnic  on  June  6  at  the  farm  home 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Edward  J.  Waterhouse. 


The  Upper  School  girls  held  their 
annual  track  meet  on  Friday,  May  26. 
The  banquet  marking  the  close  of  the 
girls'  athletic  program  was  held  in 
Oliver  Cottage,  Thursday,  June  1. 


The  annual  retreat  for  Catholic  pupils 
and  conferences  for  the  Protestant 
pupils  of  the  Upper  School  were  held 
over  the  week-end  of  May  6. 


David  Gallagher,  talented  young  or- 
ganist from  Waltham  gave  a  recital 
for  the  benefit  of  the  school  and  guests 
on  Friday  evening,  May  12. 


A  portrait  of  Miss  Bennett,  former 
home  economics  teacher,  was  dedicated 
by  members  of  the  senior  class  on 
Tuesday,  May  16  in  Bennett  Cottage, 
the  home  economics  cottage  named  in 
honor  of  Miss  Bennett. 


A  Pops  Revue  offered  by  the  music 
department  as  its  spring  feature  was 
presented  before  large  audiences  on  the 
evenings  of  April  25,  27  and  28. 


EXTRAMURAL   NOTES 


The  American  Association  of  Instruc- 
tors of  the  Blind  holds  its  biennial 
meeting  at  the  Overbrook  School  for 
the  Blind,  Philadelphia  June  26-29.  A 
large  delegation  from  Perkins  is  ex- 
pected to  attend,  and  several  Perkins 
Staff  members  are  on  the  program. 


The  Massachusetts  Council  of  Organ- 
izations of  the  Blind  held  its  annual 
spring  meeting  at  Perkins  on  the  after- 
noon and  evening  of  Monday,  May  22. 
A  memorial  service  as  a  tribute  to  Dr. 
Edward  E.  Allen  was  a  part  of  the 
afternoon  program. 


A  course  to  train  teachers  of  the 
deaf-blind  is  to  be  held  at  the  Horace 
H.  Rackham  School,  Ypsilanti,  Mich- 
igan, opening  June  19.  The  instructor 
this  year  will  be  Mrs.  Maurine  Gittzus, 
head  of  the  Perkins  deaf-blind  depart- 
ment. 


Miss  Joan  Shields  is  coming  from 
England  early  in  June  to  take  the 
Michigan  course  for  the  training  of 
teachers  of  deaf-blind,  and  to  spend 
next  year  studying  in  the  deaf- blind 
department  at  Perkins  preparatory  to 
undertaking  work  for  the  doubly-handi- 
capped in  the  British  Isles. 


Ralph  B.  Williams,  associated  with 
the  Fiduciary  Trust  Company  in  Boston, 
has  been  elected  treasurer  of  Perkins 
Institution  succeeding  John  P.  Chase 
who  resigned  in  January.  John  W. 
Bryant  of  the  same  office  has  been 
appointed  assistant  treasurer. 


The  Director  spent  the  month  of 
April  in  Iran,  where  he  went  at  the 
invitation  of  the  Imperial  Organization 
of  Social  Welfare  to  lay  out  a  program 
for  the  education  of  the  blind  in  that 
country.  On  the  way  over  he  stopped 
in  Paris  to  discuss  matters  pertaining 
to  the  blind  with  officials  of  UNESCO. 


—  7 


SCHOOL  ENROLLMENTS 

(Continued  from  page  3) 

enrollment  at  Perkins  came  two  years  prior  to  that  in  seeing  schools, 
which  could  indicate  that  prevention  of  blindness  was  then  on  the  gain. 

Another  enrollment  factor  in  our  schools  which  cannot  be  over- 
looked is  the  growing  tendency  within  the  last  decade  to  bring  in,  or 
to  retain,  in  schools  for  the  blind,  children  who  are  not  legally  blind, 
but  who  come  within  the  classification  of  partially-sighted.  This  weak- 
ens any  valid  comparison  with  the  enrollment  listed  for  1949  and  that 
of  a  decade  ago.  The  report  for  the  current  year,  however,  required 
a  separation  between  those  coming  within  the  definition  of  blindness 
and  those  who  are  in  the  partially-sighted  category.  These  figures 
show  that  of  the  total  enrollment  of  5,606  only  5,014  are  legally  blind. 

The  most  recent  factor  causing  increased  enrollment  in  our 
schools,  and  representing  an  advance  whose  full  impact  is  not  yet  felt, 
is  for  the  admission  of  children  whose  loss  of  sight  is  due  to  premature 
birth.  Since  1945,  when  Dr.  Theodore  L.  Terry  indicated  that  there 
would  probably  be  between  four  and  five  hundred  children  a  year 
blinded  by  retrolental  fibroplasia,  the  figure  seems  to  be  increasing. 
There  is  no  escaping  the  reality  of  this  situation,  and  the  need  for 
provision  for  these  children.  There  are  some  factors,  however,  that 
ought  to  be  kept  in  mind  before  going  into  any  large  program  of  ex- 
pansion of  facilities.  The  first  and  most  important  is  that  extensive 
research  into  cause  is  being  carried  on.  On  several  occasions,  the 
outlook  for  its  elimination  has  been  highly  hopeful,  but  at  the  present 
time  the  outlook  is  not  so  promising. 

The  fact  remains,  however,  that  research  is  continuing,  and  as 
one  of  the  leading  men  in  the  field  stated  recently,  at  almost  any  mo- 
ment the  cause  may  be  discovered  and  the  number  of  children  losing 
their  sight  may  thereafter  be  completely  reduced.  While  we  hope  and 
pray  for  that  day,  we  do  still  have  the  present  number  of  children  with 
limited  vision  due  to  premature  birth,  and  we  must  make  provision 
for  them.  This  may  require  an  adjustment  in  our  present  facilities, 
possibly  the  curtailment  of  the  admission  of  partially-sighted  children 
which  many  would  commend,  or  temporary  expedients  until  the  out- 
come of  the  research  is  determined.  Certainly,  every  effort  must 
be  pressed,  until  once  again,  prevention  is  on  the  gain,  and  our  schools 
are  in  process  of  reduction,  for  this  means  fewer  blind  children — our 
primary  objective. 

—  8  — 


The  tLantern 


THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


VOL,U]MKXX..NO.     1  SEPTEMBER    1  5.  1950 

Our  New  Pupils 

FACTORS  OF  FLUCTUATION  in  enrollments  of  schools  for  the 
blind  were  presented  in  the  last  issue  of  The  Lantern.    The  most 

recent  and  disturbing  factor  is  the  large  number  of  children  who 
are  visually  handicapped  because  of  premature  birth.  Throughout  the 
country,  schools  for  the  blind  are  feeling  the  first  impact  of  these 
children,  which  is  likely  to  assume  larger  proportions  until  the  cause  of 
this  loss  of  sight  is  discovered  and  its  consequences  prevented.  The 
only  encouraging  factor  is  that  extensive  research  is  going  on  and 
there  is  every  reason  to  hope  that  it  will  be  successful. 

In  order  that  our  readers  may  have  authentic  information  regard- 
ing this  situation,  we  are  printing  in  this  issue  an  account  of  the  re- 
search being  conducted  at  the  Massachusetts  Eye  and  Ear  Infirmary 
under  the  direction  of  Dr.  V.  Everett  Kinsey.  This  project,  started 
by  the  late  Dr.  Theodore  L.  Terry,  who  first  diagnosed  this  form  of 
loss  of  vision,  is  financed  by  Foundation  for  Vision,  Inc.  which  was 
founded  by  Dr.  Terry  to  receive  and  disburse  funds  for  research  into 
causes  of  blindness  and  in  developing  methods  of  solving  psychological 
and  emotional  problems  found  in  children  with  impaired  vision. 

For  the  children  whose  sight  is  already  impaired  by  this  new  and 
disturbing  cause  there  is  little  that  can  be  done  to  restore  or  improve 
their  vision.  There  is  much,  however,  which  can  and  must  be  done  to 
enable  them,  with  their  impaired  sight,  to  meet  life  adequately.  Schools 
for  the  blind  throughout  the  country  which  are  and  will  continue  to 
receive  these  children  until  the  cause  is  discovered  and  eliminated, 
must  be  prepared  to  meet  their  needs  and  to  give  them  the  training 
which  will  enable  them  to  overcome  their  handicaps  and  to  find  a 
rightful  place  in  life. 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown  72,  Massachusetts  Gabriel  Farrell,  Director 


^OsO^usf  7&SiA*>£(! 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 

Benjamin  F.  Smith,  Dean  of  Boys, 
after  attending  the  A.A.I.B.  Convention 
went  to  the  University  of  Washington 
to  complete  his  work  for  a  master's 
degree. 


Paul  L.  Bauguss,  head  of  the  Music 
Department,  has  been  taking  courses 
at  the  summer  school  of  Boston  Uni- 
versity  in   the   field   of   education. 


Maurine  N.  Gittzus,  head  of  the 
Deaf-Blind  Department,  conducted 
the  course  on  the  Education  of  Deaf- 
Blind  Children  at  the  summer  session 
of  the  Michigan  State  Normal  School 
at  Ypsilanti. 


Gertrude  S.  Harlow,  Upper  School 
teacher,  has  attended  the  Fitchburg 
Normal  School  concentrating  on  courses 
in  psychology  and  methods  of  teach- 
ing slow-learning  children. 


Evelyn  Kaufman,  teacher  in  the 
Lower  School,  this  summer  received  a 
master's  degree  in  education  at  the 
University  of  Pittsburgh. 


Adeline  Dale,  in  charge  of  the  Recre- 
ation Program  in  the  Lower  School,  has 
been  studying  at  the  Harvard  Graduate 
School  of  Education. 


Louise  Bergfels,  a  member  of  last 
year's  Harvard  Class,  attended  the 
summer  session  at  Columbia  Univer- 
sity and  this  fall  joins  the  staff  of 
the  Lower  School. 


Shirlie  L.  Smith,  physiotherapist,  has 
been  head  guide  at  Rest  Haven,  sum- 
mer vacation  center  for  blind  women 
at  Monroe,  New  York. 


Margaret  F.  Bishop  and  Valerie 
Payne,  school  nurses,  have  been  serv- 
ing during  the  summer  at  the  Massa- 
chusetts   General   Hospital. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Fred  C.  Ward,  who  left  Perkins  in 
1917,  and  who  conducts  a  farm  school 
for  the  blind  in  Ohio,  is  featured  in  a 
picture-story  in  the  "Interesting  Peo- 
ple" section  of  the  September  issue  of 
the  American  Magazine. 


Joseph  Jablonski,  Perkins  '28  and 
formerly  a  teacher  is  now  manager 
of  a  vending  stand  at  the  Novocol 
Chemical    Company,    Brooklyn. 


Helen  AntuI,  Perkins  1939,  is  a  Gray 
Lady  doing  supplementary  work  at  the 
U.S.  Veterans  Administration  Hospital, 
Rutland  Heights,  Massachusetts.  An 
account  of  her  work  was  given  in  the 
Worcester  Daily  Telegram,  July  25, 
1950. 


William  F.  Gallagher,  Perkins  1944, 
who  received  his  Master's  Degree  in 
Social  Work  at  Boston  College  in 
June,  has  accepted  a  position  as  social 
worker  with  the  Boston  City  Depart- 
ment of  Welfare  in  the  Division  of 
Child    Guidance. 


Mary  Robbins,  who  left  Perkins  in 
1945,  now  sings  on  a  fifteen  minute 
program  each  Saturday  evening  at 
7:15  p.m.  over  Station  WFAU,  Augusta. 


John  C.  King,  Perkins  1938,  who  was 
graduated  in  June  from  a  theological 
school  in  Boston  has  accepted  a  posi- 
tion as  teacher  in  a  junior  college  and 
pastor  of  a  church  connected  with  the 
college  in  Urbana,  Ohio. 


Frank  V.  Weaver,  Perkins  1899,  died 
at  Franklin  on  May  10.  He  was  a  suc- 
cessful public  pianist,  played  in  several 
concerts  at  the  Metropolitan  Opera 
House  in  New  York,  and  was  church 
organist  in  Franklin  for  39  years. 
2  — 


RETROLENTAL  FIBROPLASIA 

By  V.  Everett  Kinsey,  Ph.D. 

Massachusetts  Eye  and  Ear  Infirmary 

RETROLENTAL  FIBROPLASIA  is  a  disease  in  which  an  opaque 
membrane  forms  behind  the  lens,  thereby  preventing  a  child 

from  seeing.  The  membrane,  which  consists  in  part  of  the  retina, 
begins  to  form  four  to  six  weeks  after  birth  and  is  usually  complete 
by  the  end  of  fourteen  weeks.  The  disease  affects  almost  exclusively 
infants  who  have  been  born  prematurely,  and  the  chances  of  its 
developing  are  greater  the  more  premature  the  birth. 

In  most  cases  both  eyes  are  involved,  although  the  amount  of 
useful  vision  remaining  may  differ  considerably  in  the  two  eyes.  There 
is  little  evidence  that  retrolental  fibroplasia  is  ordinarily  accompanied 
by  other  disorders.  The  belief  that  children  affected  with  this  condi- 
tion are  frequently  retarded  mentally  does  not  take  into  account  the 
natural  delay  in  development  of  children  visually  handicapped,  and 
the  wide  variation  of  mental  capacity  in  other  children,  particularly  in 
those  born  prematurely. 

The  increase  in  the  incidence  of  retrolental  fibroplasia  not  only 
in  this  area  but  elsewhere  in  this  country,  and  in  Europe,  since  1940 
has  been  accounted  for  on  the  basis  that  more  premature  infants 
survive  now  than  formerly,  and  that  the  disease  was  not  correctly 
diagnosed.  Appealing  as  these  arguments  are,  the  relatively  constant 
high  rate  of  survival  of  premature  infants  since  1932  at  the  Boston 
Lying-in  Hospital,  for  instance,  casts  doubt  on  increased  survival  as 
the  probable  explanation.  Equally  incomplete  is  the  argument  that 
retrolental  fibroplasia  was  formerly  unrecognized.  This  is  true  be- 
cause the  number  of  individuals  now  in  their  teens  or  older,  blinded 
from  any  cause  which  could  in  retrospect  be  classified  as  retrolental 
fibroplasia,  is  far  too  small  to  represent  a  large  number  of  cases.  Thus 
it  appears  that  if  retrolental  fibroplasia  existed  at  all  it  was  probably 
extremely  rare. 

The  apparent  recent  appearance  of  retrolental  fibroplasia  greatly 
influenced  the  course  of  research  aimed  at  prevention  because  it  gave 
rise  to  the  hypothesis  that  some  new  factor  operating  on  either  the 
mother  or  the  infant  during  the  past  decade  and  a  half  might  be 
responsible  for  the  disease.  It  was  with  the  object  of  learning  the 
nature  of  such  a  factor  that  a  research  team  at  the  Massachusetts  Eye 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 

—  3  — 


c 


THE  120TH    YFAR 

iLASSES  RESUME  on  Wednes- 
day, September  20,  for  the  one 
hundred  ana  twentieth  year  of 
Perkins  training  for  blind  children, 
and  the  twentieth  year  of  the  pres- 
ent administration.  While  a  score  of 
years  is  but  a  small  parr  of  the  life 
of  the  school,  many  changes  have 
taken  place  in  these  years  so  event- 
ful in  world  affairs.  The  retirement 
in  June  of  five  teachers  reduced  to 
seven  the  number  of  professional 
staff  members  here  in  1930.  There 
are,  however,  more  "old  timers"  in 
the  maintenance  and  other  departments.  The  most  decisive  change 
has  been  in  the  pupil  enrollment  ranging  from  a  high  of  278  in  1931 
to  a  low  of  234  in  1943.  The  enrollment  for  the  coming  year  will 
exceed  240. 


last  year's 


THE  KINDERGARTENERS 

IN  COMMON  with  all  schools,  enrollment  in  the  lower  grades  is 
high  while  in  the  upper  grades  it  is  low.  This  normal  situation  is 
augmented  in  schools  for  the  blind  by  the  large  influx  of  children 
whose  visual  impairment  is  due  to  premature  birth.  Among  the  56 
new  pupils  expected  28  are  retrolentals.  This  has  caused  a  profound 
change  in  the  housing  situation.  May  Cottage  in  the  girls'  upper 
school,  not  needed  for  its  usual  age  group,  has  been  converted  into  a 
kindergarten  unit.  In  this  house  twenty-six  kindergarteners  will  live 
and  have  their  schooling.  Because  of  space  limitations  the  teachers  of 
this  unit  will  not  live  in  and  the  children  outside  of  school  hours  will 
be  under  the  full  care  of  three  house  mothers. 


THE  TEACHERS 

THE  CHANGE  in  pupil  enrollment  has  brought  about  a  change 
in  the  teacher  set-up.   There  will  be  fewer  teachers  in  the  upper 
grades  while  there  will  be  four  additional  kindergarten  instruc- 
tors. When  it  was  ascertained  that  these  teachers  would  be  necessary 
the  places  were  filled  from  candidates  for  the  Harvard  Course,  the 

—  4  — 


NERS  IN  A  PLAY 


teacher-training  program  conducted 
at  Perkins.  In  order  to  get  this  un- 
usual set-up  off  to  a  good  start  all  of 
the  new  teachers,  as  well  as  the 
regular  teachers  in  the  early  grades, 
were  asked  to  return  a  week  early 
for  a  course  on  orientation,  a  study 
of  methods  and  for  the  integration 
of  programs.  General  lectures  were 
given  by  the  Director ;  Mr.  Stone, 
the  principal ;  Miss  Drucker,  super- 
visor of  the  Lower  School ;  Dr. 
Hayes,  psychologist  and  Miss  Mar- 
shall, Social  Worker,  and  personal 
conferences  were  held  with  the  lead- 
ers of  each  group. 


THE  HARVARD  CLASS 

THE  ASSIGNMENT  of  teaching  duties  to  several  members  of 
the  Harvard  Class  necessitated  changes  in  the  conduct  of  that 
program.  For  those  who  are  teaching  there  will  be  what  may  be 
called  "on  the  job"  training.  The  usual  assignments  of  lectures  and 
reading  will  be  required  but  the  former  broad  opportunity  for  observa- 
tion and  practice  teaching  will  be  restricted.  Another  change  in  the 
Harvard  Class  this  year  will  be  that  the  series  of  historical  lectures, 
formerly  given  by  the  late  Dr.  Allen  and  offered  last  year  by  Dr. 
Richard  S.  French  will  be  given  by  the  Director. 

THE  BUILDINGS 

THE  PERKINS  BUILDINGS  underwent  this  summer  the  most 
extensive  program  of  repairs  and  betterments  since  their  con- 
struction 1912-3.  The  largest  item  was  the  replacement  of  the 
four  coal-burning  boilers  at  the  power  plant  with  boilers  equipped  for 
oil  burning.  With  these  boilers  and  the  new  generators  and  electrical 
equipment  installed  last  summer  Perkins  now  has  completely  new  and 
modern  facilities  for  heat,  light  and  power.  An  item  appreciated  by 
the  domestic  staff  was  the  installation  of  new  and  larger  stainless  steel 
refrigerators  in  all  of  the  twelve  cottages,  each  supplemented  by  a 
separate  freezing  unit.  Other  repairs  were  extensive  new  roofing, 
the  repointing  of  the  outside  of  Howe  Building  and  the  repainting  of 
the  interiors  of  the  cottages  and  school  buildings.  Also  the  entire  fence 
enclosing  the  thirty-four  acres  of  grounds  was  repaired  and  repainted. 

—  5  — 


GUIDANCE  DEVICE 

D WIGHT  HALL  was  the  scene  this  summer  of  interesting  ex- 
perimentation with  a  guidance  device  being  developed  at  the 
Massachusetts  Institute  of  Technology.  This  device  differs  from 
others  in  that  it  does  not  detect  obstacles  but  rather  indicates  ways  that 
are  clear.  This  seemed  to  give  to  the  nineteen  former  Perkins  pupils 
who  took  part  in  the  experiments  more  assurance  in  walking  ahead 
knowing  that  the  path  indicated  by  the  device  was  clear.  This  idea 
is  being  worked  out  by  Nathan  0.  Sokal,  a  graduate  student  at  MIT 
assisted  by  Dr.  Oliver  Straus,  research  associate.  Unfortunately 
further  developments  will  have  to  await  better  days  because  Mr.  Sokal 
has  been  sent  to  Bikini  and  Dr.  Straus  assigned  to  war  work. 

WORLD  SURVEY 

A  SURVEY  OF  conditions  among  blind  children  throughout  the 
world  has  been  authorized  by  the  Social  Commission  of  the 
United  Nations.  This  is  the  first  section  of  a  study  of  the  social 
aspects  of  handicapped  children.  Questionnaires  asking  for  data 
have  been  sent  to  countries  which  will  be  used  as  samples,  and  a 
special  research  worker  has  been  assembling  material  from  the  Per- 
kins blindiana  library.  The  Director  of  Perkins  is  serving  as  consul- 
tant on  the  study. 

BRAILLE  BOOKS 

SEVEN  HUNDRED  bundles  of  braille  books  containing  over 
twenty-six  hundred  volumes  have  been  packed  and  shipped  this 
summer  to  schools  and  institutions  for  the  blind  in  twelve  countries 
in  Asia  and  Africa.  This  has  been  a  joint  project  of  Perkins,  The 
Howe  Press  and  the  John  Milton  Society  of  New  York,  initiated  by 
Dr.  Milton  T.  Stauffer  of  the  Milton  Society  on  the  basis  of  the  need 
for  the  books  and  the  possibility  of  their  use  discovered  on  his  recent 
trip  around  the  world  visiting  centers  of  the  blind.  The  books  came 
from  discontinued  texts  owned  by  Perkins  with  the  postage  paid  by 
the  John  Milton  Society. 

WORDS  OF  APPRECIATION 

IN  WRITING  of  the  project  Dr.  Stauffer  expressed  appreciation  of 
the  cooperation  of  Mr.  Coon  and  Miss  Miller  of  the  library  staff  for 
the  selection  and  shipping  of  the  books,  adding  "the  receipt  of  these 
volumes  will  prompt  words  of  gratitude," 

—  6  — 


FROM  OUR  MAIL 


The  members  of  the  staff  of  the 
Oregon  State  School  for  the  Blind  have 
followed  the  comments  in  "The  Lan- 
tern" with  interest.  The  article  in 
Volume  XIX,  NO.  4  entitled,  "School 
Enrollments,"  was  pertinent  although 
one  of  the  factors  of  fluctuation  was 
neglected. 


An  enrollment  statistic  that  should 
not  be  overlooked  is  the  number  of 
pupils  in  the  public  schools  who  are 
legally  blind  yet  are  not  listed  in  the 
reports  to  the  American  Printing 
House  for  the  Blind  referred  to  in 
your  article. 


As  an  example,  in  addition  to  the 
seventy  pupils  enrolled  with  the  Oregon 
State  School  for  the  Blind  during 
1949-1950,  twenty  pupils  under  eighteen 
years  of  age  were  enrolled  with  the 
public  schools  in  Oregon  all  of  whom 
came  within  the  definition  of  blind- 
ness. 


For  the  current  year  reports  to  the 
American  Printing  House  for  the 
Blind,  in  addition  to  the  requirement 
for  a  separation  between  those  coming 
within  the  definition  of  blindness  and 
those  in  the  partially-sighted  cate- 
gory, those  defined  as  blind  who  are 
enrolled  in  the  public  school  in  other 
than  Braille  classes  should  be  inclu- 
ded in  the  tabulation. 


In  view  of  the  trend  toward  early 
integration  of  the  blind  society,  with 
20  per  cent  of  the  blind  enrollees 
in  public  school  in  at  least  one  state, 
would  it  not  be  advisable  to  consider 
this  factor  in  the  projection  of  fu- 
ture enrollments? 

Everett  Wilcox,  Principal 
Oregon  School  for  the  Blind 
A  point  on  which  we  fully  concur. 
We  doubt,  however,  if  any  state  can 
exceed    Oregon,    certainly    percentage- 
wise. G.F. 


NEW  STAFF  MEMBERS 


LOWER  SCHOOL  teachers:  Felicitas 
M.  Benziger,  Diploma  in  Education, 
University  of  Geneva  '49,  Harvard  Class 
'50  .  .  .  Louise  R.  Bergfels,  Newark,  N.J. 
Normal  School  '19,  Harvard  Class  '50 

.  .  .  Alice  Batchelder,  Briarcliff  Jr. 
College  '47  .  .  .  Marjorie  A.  Lagemann, 
B.A.  Oberlin  College  '50  .  .  .  Wilma 
Wichern,  B.A.  St.  Lawrence  University 
'49,  Harvard  Class  '50  .  .  .  Thelma 
Johnsen,  B.S.  Hillyer  College  '50   .   .  . 

Eunice  Werner,  B.A.  Wellesley  College 
'50  .  .  .  Elsie  M.  Parmenter,  State 
Teachers  College  at  Framingham  '26 
.  .  .  Florentina  C.  Gonzales,  B.A.  M.A. 
Institute  National  of  Secondary  Edu- 
cation, Barcelona,  Spain  '30  Harvard 
Class,  '50  .  .  .  Richard  R.  Hull,  B.A. 
University  of  Connecticut  '50. 


UPPER  SCHOOL  teachers:  A.  Claude 
Ellis,  B.S.  Boston  University  '50,  Phys- 
ical Education  .  .  .  Vahram  Kashman- 
ian,  B.S.  Boston  University  '50,  Social 
Studies  .  .  .  Alice  B.  Ogden,  A.B.  Uni- 
versity of  Cincinnati  '41,  English  .  .  . 
Carl  Davis,  B.S.  Clark  University  '50, 
Science. 


OTHER  APPOINTMENTS:  Beatrice  F. 
Pinkham,  formerly  teacher  in  the  girls' 
school  returns  to  teach  in  the  Deaf- 
blind  Department  .  .  .  Mrs.  Charlotte 
O.  Coues,  Radcliffe  '21  is  to  be  assist- 
ant in  the  library. 


MATRONS:     Mrs.     Eva     K.     Plotner, 

Bradlee  Cottage  .  .  .  Mrs.  Belle  San- 
born, Moulton  Cottage  .  .  .  Mrs.  Edith 
V.  Nickerson,  May  Cottage  .  .  .  Mrs. 
Nellie  E.  Hamil,  matron  of  May  is 
transferred  to  Tompkins  Cottage  .  .  . 
Miss  Fanny  Durfee  matron  of  Moulton 
Cottage  is  to  be  assistant  matron  of 
May  Cottage. 

7  — 


RETROLENTAL  FIBROPLASIA 

(Continued  from  page  3) 
and  Ear  Infirmary  investigated  various  environmental  factors  affect- 
ing the  mothers  and  premature  infants  at  the  Boston  Lying-in  Hos- 
pital during  the  course  of  the  past  twelve  years. 

These  and  other  similar  studies  elsewhere  showed  that  the  disease 
is  not  hereditary,  does  not  seem  to  depend  upon  the  cause  of  prema- 
turity, age  of  the  mother,  type  of  pain-relieving  drugs  administered 
the  mother,  single  or  multiple  births,  or  RH  type.  The  incidence  of 
the  disease  did  not  correlate  with  the  presence  of  other  abnormalities 
of  eye  infections  of  either  the  mother  or  infant.  Certain  kinds  of 
vitamin  preparations  and  iron  given  the  infants  did  correlate  positively 
with  the  frequency  of  the  disease.  However,  withdrawal  of  these  food 
supplements  from  the  diets  of  the  premature  infants  had  no  influence 
on  the  incidence  of  the  disease,  so  that  these  substances  may  now  be 
said  to  have  been  innocuous. 

The  possibility  that  retrolental  fibroplasia  may  result  from  a  de- 
ficiency of  some  substance  in  the  premature  infant  is  also  under  in- 
vestigation. For  example,  a  group  in  Baltimore  recommended  early 
administration  of  vitamin  E  to  the  infants.  Preliminary  results  sug- 
gested that  this  vitamin  may  have  been  instrumental  in  reducing  the 
frequency  of  occurrence  of  the  disease. 

Because  of  this  favorable  report  vitamin  E  was  given  in  this 
community,  and  while  the  incidence  of  the  disease  appeared  to  be 
somewhat  lower  during  the  time  at  which  vitamin  E  prophylaxis  was 
used,  there  is  considerable  doubt  as  to  whether  the  vitamin  was  re- 
sponsible. 

Research,  designed  to  find  a  substance  which  ordinarily  would 
be  supplied  by  the  mother  but  which  might  be  partially  or  totally 
missing  in  the  premature  infant,  consists  in  giving  the  infants  weekly 
transfusions  of  whole  blood  obtained  from  mothers  in  their  third 
trimester  of  pregnancy.  This  program  has  been  in  progress  too  short 
a  time  to  permit  evaluation. 

Other  current  research  on  retrolental  fibroplasia  includes  the 
early  treatment  of  the  disease  with  ACTH  or  cortisone.  Here,  also, 
it  is  too  early  to  say  whether  the  drugs  have  been  effective. 

While  as  yet  it  has  not  been  possible  to  prevent  retrolental  fibro- 
plasia, and  the  chances  of  appreciably  improving  the  vision  of  children 
who  have  this  disease  are  small  indeed,  what  has  been  learned  during 
the  past  eight  years  concerning  its  nature  suggests  that  continued  re- 
search can  eventually  lead  to  the  elimination  of  this  cause  of  blindness. 

•     —8  — 


ThelLantern 

THE  PERKINS  I  INSTITUTION 


I 


VOLUME  XX..  NO.    2  DECEMBER   15.  1950 


Fifty  Years 


THE  PROPONENTS  of  the  day  classes  for  the  blind,  who  are 
legion  and  usually  articulate,  ought  to  be  holding  a  semi-centen- 
nial celebration.  The  first  class  for  blind  children,  as  part  of  a 
public  school  system  in  this  country,  was  started  in  Chicago  in  1900. 
So  important  do  we  consider  this  venture  in  education  that  we  cannot 
let  it  pass  without  recognition,  even  though  some  of  its  most  ardent 
advocates  seem  to  be  letting  it  go  by  default.  Perhaps  they  may  be  un- 
aware that  what  some  hail  as  a  new  way,  is  really  well  along  in  years. 

To  us,  the  significant  point  is  that  in  half  a  century,  day  classes 
in  this  country  have  not  grown  more.  This,  coupled  with  the  fact  that 
they  have  had  their  day  and  have  been  discarded  in  England  and  other 
European  countries,  makes  us  feel  that  their  proclaimed  merits  must 
be  weighed  with  care.  Perhaps  the  fault  may  not  lie  in  the  principle 
or  even  in  the  methods.  Certainly  the  objectives  of  keeping  alive 
home  ties  and  integrating  the  growing  child's  life  into  the  community 
in  which  he  must  live,  are  sound.  It  may,  therefore,  behoove  us  to  look 
into  environmental  factors.  Are  the  homes  strong  and  secure  enough 
to  absorb  the  shock  of  a  blind  child?  Is  the  community  doing  its  part 
to  make  a  rightful  place  for  the  handicapped  including  the  blind? 

Day  classes  have  their  place,  we  grant,  but  before  we  can  feel  that 
our  job  is  done  we  want  to  see  more  understanding  homes,  and  better 
equipped  schools  to  care  for  our  blind  children.  We  will  subscribe  to 
the  statement  of  Dr.  Howe,  made  in  1874,  that  the  training  of  blind 
children  "in  the  common  schools  is  to  be  one  of  the  improvements  of 
the  future." 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown  72,  Massachusetts  Gabriel  Farrell,  Director 


^O^ol/  7&JVuL£g 


INTRAMURAL   NOTES 


Edward  Burlingame,  graduate  stu- 
dent at  Tufts  College,  has  been  en- 
gaged as  coach  of  the  Perkins  wrestling- 
team.  A  full  schedule  has  been  ar- 
ranged, mostly  with  seeing  schools,  for 
the  winter's  meets. 


Alexander  Houston,  swimming  and 
water  safety  instructor  of  the  American 
Red  Cross,  is  again  giving  a  course  of 
lessons  and  instruction  in  swimming 
to  the  Perkins  boys. 


Mrs.  Mary  B.  Banner,  graduate  of 
Vassar,  has  been  engaged  as  kinder- 
garten teacher,  taking  the  place  of  Mrs. 
Linda  M.  Blum,  whose  husband,  Dr. 
Alexander  Blum,  has  been  re-called  to 
the  Navy  and  sent  overseas. 


Five  Perkins  girls,  accompanied  by 
two  teachers  went  to  Maryland  School 
at  Overlea,  for  the  "playday"  weekend, 
to  join  with  girls  from  several  other 
eastern  schools  for  the  blind  October 
13  and  14.  On  Sunday  the  15th,  they 
visited  Washington. 


The  Victory  Banquet,  celebrating  the 
winning  by  Moulton  Cottage  of  the 
annual  fall  series  of  football  games, 
was  held  on  Tuesday,  November  14, 
with  Frank  Fallon  radio  sports  an- 
nouncer as  the  principal  speaker. 


The  Boy's  Council  held  its  annual 
service  of  investiture  on  the  evening 
of  November  9,  at  which  time  new 
members  were  invested  in  office.  The 
ceremony  was  conducted  by  the  Direc- 
tor. 


November  10  was  marked  by  the  ob- 
servance of  Founder's  Day  at  the  Lower 
School  at  two  thirty,  and  the  Howe 
Memorial  exercises  in  the  Upper  School 
at  three  thirty.  For  the  first  time  both 
programs  were  held  on  the  same  day. 


EXTRAMURAL  NOTES 

The  Corporation  of  Perkins  Insti- 
tution and  Massachusetts  School  for 
the  Blind  held  its  annual  meeting  on 
Monday,  November  6.  After  hearing 
reports,  the  following  officers  were 
elected:  Reginald  Fitz,  M.D.,  President; 
Ralph  Lowell,  Vice-President;  Ralph  B, 
Williams,  Treasurer,  and  Gabriel  Far- 
rell,  Secretary. 

Trustees  elected  were:  David  Cheever, 
Jr.,  Mrs.  Richard  E.  Danielson,  Reginald 
Fitz,  M.D.,  Robert  H.  Hallowell,  Henry 
W.  Holmes,  LL.D.,  Mrs.  Frederick  J. 
Leviseur,  Warren  Motley,  and  Richard 
Saltonstall. 


The  Massachusetts  Council  of  Organ- 
izations for  the  Blind,  at  its  meeting 
on  October  30,  elected  as  officers  for  the 
ensuing  year:  Herman  A.  Blair,  Per- 
kins, '21,  President; Charles  Little  and 
Mrs.  Sumner  C.  Jacobs,  Vice-Pres- 
idents; Mrs.  Frederick  J.  Leviseur, 
Secretary-Treasurer. 


The  Foundation  for  Vision,  which 
was  founded  by  the  late  Dr.  Theodore 
L.  Terry,  had  its  annual  meeting  on 
October  19  and  elected  the  following 
officers:  George  L.  Pew,  President;  Mrs. 
Max  Ascoli,  S.  Judd  Beach,  M.D.  and 
Julius  S.  Bixler,  Vice-Presidents;  Ralph 
Lowell,  Treasurer,  and  Gabriel  Farrell, 
Clerk.  This  Foundation  supports  re- 
seach  into  causes  of  blindness  and  other 
services,  for  the  benefit  of  blind  children, 
including  the  Home  Teacher. 

"Parents   of   Blind    Children"    is   the 

name  of  the  organized  group  of  parents 
which  has  been  meeting  for  the  last  two 
or  three  years.  The  last  meeting  was 
held  at  Perkins  on  Thursday,  Novem- 
ber 16.  Its  officers  are:  Warren  Burns, 
President;  W.  I.  Middleton,  Vice-Pres- 
ident; Ernest  Wallis,  Treasurer;  Mrs, 
John  O'Hara,  Corresponding  Secretary, 
and  Mrs.  James  Downing,  Recording 
Secretary. 
2  — 


DAY  CLASSES  FOR  THE  BLIND 

Fifty  Years  in  the  United  States 

FIFTY  YEARS  AGO  the  first  day  class  for  blind  children  in  this 
country  was  opened  in  Chicago.    While  it  solved  the  problem  of 

parents  in  the  Chicago  area  who  did  not  wish  to  send  their  sight- 
less children  to  the  state  school  in  the  southern  part  of  the  state,  the 
determining  factor  was  lack  of  money  to  build  a  second  school  in  the 
northern  part.  Frank  B.  Hall,  able  superintendent  of  the  state  school 
in  Jacksonville,  is  generally  credited  with  the  happy  solution  of  the 
financial  problem,  although  he  was  ably  abetted,  if  not  pressurized  by 
a  blind  attorney,  E.  J.  Nolen.  John  B.  Curtis  was  appointed  the  first 
supervisor,  and  continued  to  direct  the  Chicago  classes  until  his  retire- 
ment in  1935. 

The  idea  of  educating  blind  children  outside  of  residential  schools 
was  not  new  even  half  a  century  ago.  In  1874,  Perkins  first  Director, 
Samuel  Gridley  Howe,  prophesied  that  "the  practice  of  training  and 
teaching  a  considerable  portion  of  blind  and  mute  children  in  the 
common  schools  is  to  be  one  of  the  improvements  of  the  future."  And 
in  1875,  Dr.  A.  Barnhill  of  the  Glasgow  Mission  to  the  Outdoor  Blind, 
was  so  enthusiastic  about  this  type  of  education  that  he  wrote  a  paper 
entitled  "A  New  Era  in  the  Education  of  the  Blind."  Day  classes  for 
blind  children  were  open  in  London  schools  in  1875.  Berlin,  in  1878 
set  up  a  special  day  school  for  blind  children,  but  not  as  a  part  of  a 
seeing  school.  Adjacent  to  this  day  school  there  was  a  school  to  train 
girls  for  domestic  service,  whose  students  took  the  blind  children  back 
and  forth  to  their  homes. 

Following  the  Chicago  experiment,  day  classes  were  started  in 
several  cities.  In  addition  to  the  motive  of  keeping  the  children  at 
home,  the  classes  were  supposed  to  integrate  the  instruction  of  the 
blind  with  the  activities  of  the  sighted.  This  proved  difficult,  and  it 
was  found  to  be  hard  to  crowd  into  the  short  school  day  the  many 
activities  offered  in  the  residential  schools.  Robert  B.  Irwin,  who 
introduced  day  classes  in  Cleveland,  tried  to  overcome  this  problem  by 
keeping  the  visually  handicapped  children  in  school  an  hour  longer 
each  day,  and  having  them  return  on  Saturday  morning  for  instruction 
in  crafts  and  music.  Dr.  Irwin  also  introduced  week-end  hikes  and 
bummer  camps  for  his  children  and  at  the  latter  made  one  of  the  first 
attempts  at  parental  education  by  inviting  the  fathers  and  mothers 
to  meetings  at  the  camp  on  Sunday  afternoons.    Some  time  later 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 
—  3  — 


CHRISTMAS  CONCERTS 

CHRISTMAS  CONCERTS,  to  which  the  public  is  invited  to  apply 
for  tickets,  will  be  held  in  Dwight  Hall  on  Thursday  evening, 
December  14,  and  Sunday  afternoon,  December  17.  The  program 
of  these  concerts  will  be  repeated  on  Tuesday  evening,  December  19, 
but  this  concert  is  restricted  to  the  parents  of  the  pupils  in  the  school. 
Following  this  concert,  pupils  will  leave  with  their  parents  for  the 
Christmas  holiday,  returning  on  Tuesday,  January  2.  The  program 
at  these  concerts  will  follow  the  usual  pattern  of  ancient  and  modern 
carols. 

HARVARD  CLASS 

THIS  YEAR  is  a  notable  one,  in  the  long  history  of  teaching  train- 
ing, as  offered  by  the  Graduate  School  of  Education  at  Harvard 
University  and  conducted  at  Perkins  Institution.  There  are 
twenty-five  members  in  the  class,  the  largest  in  its  history,  with 
representatives  from  nine  states  and  seven  foreign  countries — Eng- 
land, Germany,  Italy,  India,  Iran,  Haiti  and  the  Philippines.  This  is 
also  the  thirtieth  year  of  the  course  and  to  commemorate  this  anniver- 
sary Dr.  Henry  W.  Holmes,  Dean  Emeritus  of  the  Graduate  School 
of  Education  of  Harvard  University,  spoke  to  the  class  on  October  20. 
He  gave  the  opening  lecture  to  the  first  class  on  October  22,  1920. 
Two  other  persons  who  gave  lectures  during  the  opening  year,  have 
been  invited  to  lecture  this  year ;  Mrs.  Winifred  Hathaway,  formerly 
Associate  Director  of  the  National  Society  for  the  Prevention  of 
Blindness,  and  Miss  Grace  S.  Harper,  Executive  Director  of  the  New 
York  State  Commission  for  the  Blind.  Mrs.  Hathaway  will  speak  on 
Prevention  and  Sight  Saving,  on  Friday  and  Saturday,  December  8 
and  9,  and  Miss  Harper  will  speak  on  "State  Commissions"  some  time 
in  January.  The  only  other  surviving  person  who  lectured  in  the 
original  course  is  Dr.  Samuel  P.  Hayes,  who  is  now  in  charge  of  the 
Harvard  Class. 

PARENTS  MEETING 

PARENTS  OF  all  the  pupils  were  invited  to  be  the  guests  of  the 
school  on  the  afternoon  of  October  12,  Columbus  Day.  The  real 
hosts  were  the  boys  and  girls,  and  the  purpose  was  to  have  the 
parents  shown  by  their  children  about  the  parts  of  the  school  in  which 
they  were  particularly  interested,  and  about  which  they  wanted  their 
parents  to  know.  For  the  first  hour  the  school  band  made  merry  music 
while  the  parents  assembled  in  Dwight  Hall.    At  three  o'clock  the 

—  4  — 


NATIONS  UNITED  AT  PERKINS 
Left  to  right: 

China,    Iran,    England,    India,    Germany,    United    States,    Switzerland, 
Argentina,  Iran,  Spain,  Italy,  Greece  (Deaf-Blind  Child) 


Haiti, 


Director  talked  to  the  assembled  parents,  telling  the  purpose  of  the 
meeting,  the  program  and  the  desire  of  the  administration  for  the 
building  up  of  a  stronger  program  of  cooperation  between  the  school 
and  the  homes.  Following  this,  the  pupils  took  their  parents 
to  their  respective  parts  of  the  school,  showing  them  about 
the  grounds,  buildings,  classrooms  and  cottages  where  they  lived. 

At  four  o'clock  the  parents  gathered  in  the  cottages  where  their 
children  lived  for  a  social  hour  and  refreshments.  Members  of  the 
staff  and  the  parents  were  labeled  with  nametags,  and  encouraged  to 
talk  to  one  another  about  their  children.  Further  plans  to  strengthen 
home  and  school  relationships  are  being  developed  by  a  committee 
made  up  of  Mr.  David  H.  Angney,  Mrs.  Robert  Welch,  Mrs.  Howard 
D.  Wood,  representing  the  parents ;  Miss  Frances  E.  Marshall  and  Mr. 
Edward  J.  Waterhouse,  representing  the  school ;  and  Mrs.  Frederick 
J.  Leviseur,  representing  the  Trustees. 

—  5  — 


DEAF-BLIND 

TWO  NEW  PUPILS  from  abroad  have  joined  the  Deaf -Blind 
Department  since  school  opened.    On   October  2,   Angeliki,  a 

twelve  year  old  girl,  without  sight  or  hearing  and  the  ability  to 
speak,  came  to  Perkins  under  the  sponsorship  of  the  American 
Foundation  for  the  Blind,  having  been  admitted  to  this  country  under 
parole  to  Mrs.  Mary  Bonnlander  of  Chester,  Vermont.  Picked  up  in 
the  streets  of  Athens  serveral  years  ago,  Angeliki  had  been  at  the 
Home  for  Incurables  in  Athens  until  a  year  ago  when  she  was  brought 
to  London  by  Miss  Avarillia  Vlachou,  with  the  hope  that  surgical  care 
might  improve  her  vision.  When  this  was  not  successful,  Angeliki 
was  brought  to  the  United  States. 

On  November  7,  Donald  Prentice,  son  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Peter 
Prentice  of  Dublin,  Eire,  arrived  at  the  Boston  airport,  accompanied 
by  Miss  Sylvia  Pitt.  Dr.  Farrell  had  seen  this  boy  while  in  Ireland  in 
the  summer  of  1949,  and  arrangements  had  been  made  for  him  to 
come  to  Perkins  when  he  was  ready  for  school,  and  teaching  facilities 
could  be  provided.  Donnie,  is  to  be  under  special  direction  of  Miss 
Joan  Shields,  who  is  studying  at  Perkins,  under  an  arrangement 
with  the  National  Institute  for  the  Blind  in  London. 

FEBRUARY  TWENTY-SECOND 

A  PUBLIC  DEMONSTRATION  of  pupil  activities  will  be  held 
at  Perkins  on  the  afternoon  of  Washington's  Birthday.  This 
demonstration  began  in  the  early  days  of  the  school,  over  a  hun- 
dred years  ago,  but  it  was  given  up  during  the  war  because  of  difficulty 
in  transportation.  The  time  has  now  come  to  revive  this  opportunity 
to  visit  the  school  and  to  have  a  glimpse  of  the  type  of  training  which 
Perkins  offers  visually  handicapped  young  people  to  enable  them  to 
find  their  places  in  the  seeing  world  after  school  is  completed.  Tickets 
of  admission  may  be  secured  by  sending  a  stamped  addressed  envelope. 

CHRISTMAS   WREATHS 

PERKINS  BOYS  who  are  members  of  the  salesmanship  class  con- 
ducted by  Mr.  Smith,  are  making  a  house  to  house  canvass  in  the 
neighborhood  for  the  sale  of  Christmas  wreaths.  This  has  been 
carried  on  for  several  years  with  growing  success.  Persons  upon  whom 
they  call  have  been  glad  to  place  orders,  but  Mr.  Smith  wants  it 
understood  that  purchase  must  be  made  on  the  basis  of  the  individuals 
need  for  wreaths,  and  the  effectiveness  of  the  sales  talk. 

—  6  — 


PUBLICATIONS 


The  LANTERN,  in  its  last  issue,  ran 
through  three  editions,  the  original  run 
of  2100  was  soon  exhausted  because  of 
the  many  demands  for  the  issue  which 
came  from  all  over  the  country.  A  sec- 
ond run  of  250  copies  did  not  meet  this 
demand  and  an  additional  run  of  500 
copies  has  recently  been  run  off.  In- 
terest was  due  largely  to  the  eagerness 
of  the  people  throughout  the  country 
to  have  authentic  information  on  retro- 
lental  fibroplasia  which  is  causing 
blindness  among  so  many  children  born 
prematurely,  and  which  was  featured 
in  that  issue. 

"Psychological  Diagnoses  and  Coun- 
seling of  the  Adult  Blind"  is  the  title 
of  a  volume  published  by  the  American 
Foundation  for  the  Blind.  This  book  is 
made  up  of  selected  papers  from  the 
proceedings  of  the  Conference  for  the 
Blind,  held  at  the  University  of  Michi- 
gan, in  December  1947,  and  is  edited 
by  Dr.  Wilma  Donahue  of  the  Univer- 
sity of  Michigan  and  Donald  Dabelstein 
of  the  Office  of  Vocational  Rehabilita- 
tion, F.S.A.  These  papers  present  prob- 
lems of  the  blind  in  the  area  of  diag- 
nosis and  counseling  from  the  psycho- 
logical point  of  view.  Perkins  is  rep- 
resented by  chapters  on,  Community 
and  Family  Problems  by  Gabriel  Far- 
rell;  Measuring  the  Intelligence  of  the 
Blind  by  Dr.  Samuel  P.  Hayes,  and 
Adjustment  and  Employment  of  Blind 
Persons  by  Peter  J.  Salmon,  Perkins  '14. 

The    National    Psychological    Council 

for  the  Blind,  of  which  Dr.  Samuel  P. 
Hayes  was  president  last  year,  and  Dr. 
Wilma  Donahue  of  the  University  of 
Michigan,  president  this  year,  has  pub- 
lished A  Bibliography  on  Unpublished 
Research  on  the  Blind  on  File  in  Uni- 
versity Libraries.  This  has  great  interest 
and  value  because  it  brings  to  light  a 
considerable  amount  of  valuable  ma- 
terial previously  unknown. 

—  7 


VISITORS 


The   Rev.   and   Mrs.   Clayton   Keener 

from  Refton,  Pennsylvania,  visited  Per- 
kins on  September  25,  prior  to  sailing 
to  Ethiopia  where  they  are  to  establish 
a  school  for  the  blind  at  Addis  Ababa. 


John  Barclay,  Organizing  Secretary 
of  International  Help  for  Children, 
with  headquarters  in  London,  was  at 
Perkins  on  October  13,  in  connection 
with  the  Greek  deaf-blind  girl  whom 
he  brought  to  this  country  and  who  is 
now  at  Perkins. 


Fritz  Michael  Hartman,  Chief  of 
Special  Care  Section,  Ministry  of  Social 
Welfare  of  Denmark,  was  here  Oc- 
tober 20-24.  Mr.  Hartman  is  visiting 
American  centers  of  education  and 
rehabilitation  for  the  blind. 


Dr.  Guy  Dingemans,  who  is  in  this 
country  on  a  scholarship  from  the 
University  of  Lausanne,  Switzerland, 
studying  methods  of  re-training  of  han- 
dicapped children,  was  here  October 
24-30.  His  home  is  in  Paris. 


Professor    Tatsukichi    Konagaya,    in 

charge  of  teacher  training  at  the  Na- 
tional School  for  the  Education  of  the 
Blind,  in  Tokyo,  visited  the  school  on 
November  6-18.  He  stated  his  course 
is  modeled  after  the  Harvard  Class. 


Helen  B.  Hugo,  who  is  in  charge  of 
the  school  for  the  blind  and  who  is 
a  missionary  in  Southern  Rhodesia, 
was  here  November  9-18,  just  before 
sailing  for  her  own  country. 


Oudi  Harant,  of  Istanbul,  Turkey, 
came  to  the  school  on  November  13, 
and  gave  an  interesting  concert,  play- 
ing a  Turkish  stringed  instrument 
called  oud.  He  had  given  a  successful 
concert  in  John  Hancock  Hall,  Boston, 
the  day  before. 


DAY  CLASSES  FOR  THE  BLIND 

(Continued  from  page  3) 

Detroit  tried  to  overcome  the  problem  of  children  in  whose  interest 
removal  from  home  was  necessary  by  maintaining  a  residence  adjacent 
to  one  of  the  schools  with  classes  for  the  blind. 

While  the  argument  of  keeping  blind  children  at  home  during  the 
formative  years  has  great  appeal  and  the  thesis  that  through  day 
classes  visually  handicapped  children  are  more  effectively  integrated 
into  the  sighted  world  has  sound  merit,  there  are  difficulties  in  their 
attainment.  This  has  led  to  attempts  to  combine  the  advantages  of 
both  forms  of  education.  Nearly  all  educators  see  value  in  having 
little  blind  children  attend  community  nursery  schools.  Many  wish 
that  some  way  could  be  found  to  keep  them  in  the  local  schools  for  a 
few  years  longer  without  imperilling  early  training  in  the  fundamental 
skills  of  reading  and  writing,  which  must  of  necessity  be  taught  by 
unique  methods. 

As  we  are  presenting  this  form  of  education  more  from  a  histor- 
ical than  an  evaluating  angle,  it  might  be  well  to  look  at  the  record. 
The  early  classes  in  Scotland  and  also  those  in  England  have  been 
given  up.  A  very  able  study  made  by  the  Advisory  Council  on  Educa- 
tion in  Scotland  analyzed  three  methods  of  education  for  blind  chil- 
dren;  1.  Day  classes  in  seeing  schools;  2.  Schools  for  all  handicapped 
groups,  and  3.  residential  schools.  Their  conclusion  was.  "that  all 
blind  children  in  Scotland  should  receive  their  education  at  the  Royal 
Blind  School  in  Edinburgh."  Likewise  England  has  written  into  the 
Education  Act  of  1944,  the  requirement  that  all  blind  children  must  be 
educated  in  residential  schools. 

The  Scottish  report  states  that  "the  day  class  may  well  be  adapted 
to  the  American  scene  and  may  indeed  have  the  values  that  its  sup- 
porters claim,  but  it  cannot  be  recommended  as  a  means  of  meeting 
the  needs  of  blind  children  in  Scotland."  The  Scots  have  been  generous 
in  granting  that  the  day  class  may  be  well  adapted  and  may  have 
values,  but,  not  for  them.  The  American  scene  is  dotted  with  day 
classes,  but  they  thrive  best  in  urban  areas  where  there  are  enough 
children  to  make  workable  groups  and  where  progressive  school  sys- 
tems operate.  And  yet  it  is  surprising  that  an  enterprise  so  widely 
hailed  today,  and  pronounced  as  "a  new  era"  seventy-five  years  ago, 
has  not  grown  more.  To-day,  less  than  ten  percent  of  all  blind  children 
in  school  are  in  day  classes  and  only  twenty-three  communities  offer 
them  to  parents  and  their  blind  children. 

—  8  — 


The  iLantern 


THE  PERKINS  INSTITUTION 


VOLUME  XX.,  NO.    3  MARCH  15.  1951 


"They  Also  Serve" 


*CT7  VEN  GOOD  NEWS  IS  NEWS,"  was  the  title  of  the  leading 

particle  in  the  "Saturday  Review  of  Literature"  for  January  6, 

1951.    Listed  under  this  caption  were  many  items  gleaned  from 

the  public  press  in  1950,  reporting  courage,  success  and  cheer.    Among 

them  was  the  following : 

"William  E.  Powers  was  blinded  at  seventeen  and  rose  to  become  Attorney 
General  of  Rhode  Island.  He  credits  his  wife,  who  put  him  through  law 
school  by  reading  3000  books  to  him." 

We  were  interested  in  this  item,  not  only  because  William  E.  Powers 
is  a  graduate  of  Perkins,  but  also  because  the  wife  who  read  the  3000 
books  was  one  of  our  most  devoted  teachers  before  she  transferred 
her  attentions  and  her  reading  ability  to  the  future  Attorney  General 
of  Rhode  Island  as  he  left  Perkins  to  enter  the  Boston  University 
School  of  Law. 

The  Good  News  item  also  focused  attention  on  the  many  seeing 
people  who  make  their  eyes  available  to  the  blind  as  readers  of  books. 
While  in  these  days  there  are  Talking  Books,  recorded  books  and  other 
mechanical  forms  of  conveying  words,  there  is  still  a  need  for  the 
human  voice  to  bring  to  the  blind  the  content  of  books.  Here  in  Massa- 
chusetts, this  service  has  been  for  many  years  on  a  volunteer  basis. 
Perkins  has  played  a  large  part  in  providing  readers  for  its  advanced 
students  and  for  young  men  and  women  in  college.  There  are  also 
many  devoted  persons  who  read  to  the  elderly  blind,  and  who  through 
the  human  voice  and  the  friendship  that  it  engenders  give  a  warmth  to 
reading  that  no  machine  can  convey.  To  all  of  these  we  would  like 
to  give  with  some  modification,  the  accolade  of  blind  John  Milton, 
"They  also  serve  who  only  sit  and  read." 


Perkins  Institution  and  Massa- 
chusetts School  for  the  Blind. 
Watertown  72,  Massachusetts  Gabriel  Farrell,  Director 


^OsV^u^f J&Ah^f 


INTRAMURAL  NOTES 


Square  dances  under  the  leadership 
of  Mr.  Bill  Duncle  and  his  musicians 
have  been  enjoyed  at  Perkins  during 
the  winter  term.  There  have  been  four 
dances  for  boys  and  three  for  girls,  with 
seeing  girls  and  boys  coming  in. 


An  amateur  show  held  by  the  junior 
and  senior  boys  in  Dwight  Hall  on  the 
evening  of  January  3.  gave  considerable 
entertainment  to  those  present  and 
some  profit  to  those  taking  part. 


The   Girls'   Glee  Club,  as  one  of  its 

engagements  this  year,  gave  a  concert 
en  the  evening  of  January  22  at  Dana 
Hall,  a  girls  school  in  Wellesley. 


A  long-  weekend  over  Lincoln's  Birth- 
day, enabled  nearly  all  of  the  pupils  to 
go  home  in  the  middle  of  the  winter 
term. 


The  girls'  junior  prom  was  held  in 
Dwight  Hall  on  the  evening  of  February 
24,  as  a  formal  dance,  with  a  number  of 
ycung  men  from  nearby  colleges  attend- 
ing. 


The  staff  party  this  year  was  in  the 
form  of  a  circus  held  in  the  gymnasium, 
with  the  teachers  in  the  Lower  School 
being  the  hosts. 


With  deep  regret  we  report  the  death 
on  January  11,  of  Prank  C.  Bryan,  at 
the  age  of  75.  Until  his  retirement  in 
1948.  Mr.  Bryan  was  manager  of  the 
Howe  Press,  and  head  of  the  Perkins 
Workshop  in  South  Boston.  In  1897, 
while  working  with  Dr.  Allen  at  the 
Philadelphia  School,  he  produced  the 
first  interpoint  book  embossed  in  Amer- 
ica. In  1924  he  was  one  of  a  committee 
of  three  who  toured  printing  establish- 
ments in  Europe  to  study  methods  of 
embossing,  and  he  had  a  large  part  in 
the  struggle  which  led  to  the  adoption 
of  a  uniform  embossed  type  in  the 
English  speaking  world. 


EXTRAMURAL   NOTES 


John  F.  Mungovan  has  been  ap- 
pointed Director  of  the  Division  of  the 
Blind.  He  was  a  Colonel  in  World 
War  II  and  was  for  sixteen  years  with 
the  Department  of  Welfare  in  Boston. 


Ellen  A.  Curran,  a  student  of  Perkirs 
from  1926  until  1930,  and  who  for  the 
past  several  years  has  been  engaged 
in  Home  Teaching  in  Rhode  Island,  has 
resigned  to  take  up  a  position  as  Home 
Teacher  in  New  Hampshire. 


Evelyn  M.  Crossman,  Perkins  1937, 
has  resigned  as  Home  Teacher  in  the 
Bcston  area,  and  has  accepted  a  posi- 
tion as  Home  Teacher  in  Rhode  Island, 
taking  over  her  new  duties  February  16. 


Kenneth  Morris  of  Athol,  who  at- 
tended Perkins  from  1926  until  1943, 
after  competing  in  a  series  of  contests, 
called  "Talent  Shop"  over  Station 
WTHE  of  Worcester,  came  to  the  finals 
on  February  21  and  won  an  all  expense 
paid  ocean  cruise  to  Bermuda. 


Carl  F.  King,  Jr.,  Perkins  '41,  who  has 
obtained  the  degree  of  B.M.  from  the 
New  England  Conservatory  of  Music, 
is  now  director  of  music  and  musical 
occupational  therapy  at  the  Butler  Hos- 
pital,  Providence. 


Edmund  E.  Berube,  Perkins  '46,  was 
granted  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts 
at  a  mid-year  commencement  of  Brown 
University  on  Tuesday,  January  30. 
During  his  sophomore  year,  he  was  a 
member  of  the  council  of  his  class. 


Jackie  Corkum,  Perkins  '50,  has  re- 
ceived a  certificate  as  a  masseuse  from 
the  Nylin  School  of  Swedish  Massage. 
She  is  now  working  for  a  hospital  cer- 
tificate which  will  make  her  eligible  for 
work  in  hospitals. 
2  — 


RECESS  COMMISSION  REPORT 

"A  Study  of  Matters  Related  to  the  Blind  " 

THE  SPECIAL  COMMISSION  appointed  by  the  Commonwealth 
to  "make  a  study  of  certain  matters  related  to  the  blind"  has 

submitted  its  report.  This  is  a  comprehensive  and  competent 
document.  The  report  will  be  discussed  at  a  public  hearing  of  the 
legislative  committee  on  March  13,  falling  between  the  writing  of 
this  article  and  the  date  of  publication.  As  the  report  has  been 
published  in  ink  print  and  also  in  Braille,  its  contents  should  be 
thoroughly  digested  before  consideration  at  the  hearing.  If  all  in- 
terested in  the  welfare  of  the  blind  in  Massachusetts  give  to  this  report 
the  attention  that  it  deserves  and  support  its  recommendations,  then 
the  outlook  for  the  program  of  the  blind  in  this  state  should  be  greatly 
strengthened,  and  attain  the  stature  of  its  historic  background. 

The  proposal  to  create  by  legislative  act  the  "Massachusetts  Au- 
thority for  the  Blind"  is  perhaps  the  most  radical  in  the  report.  It 
proposes  to  bring  under  one  management  the  six  workshops  now  main- 
tained by  the  Division  ,the  vending  stand  program,  the  home  industries 
program,  and  the  sales  program.  The  report  focuses  attention  upon 
the  ineffectiveness  of  the  present  sheltered  shops  which  employ  only 
105  persons  and  which  operated  in  the  year  1949,  with  a  net  deficit 
of  $188,177.97,  due  not  to  the  lack  of  interest  or  the  integrity  of  the 
persons  administering  them,  but  to  the  inflexible  rules  and  regulations 
under  which  they  must  operate.  The  possibilities  of  vending  stand 
employment  have  hardly  been  scratched  in  Massachusetts,  while  the 
heme  industries,  with  a  long  history  of  activity,  lack  supervision,  and 
the  sales  program  needs  modernization.  All  these  needs,  the  Com- 
mission feels,  could  be  attained  through  this  special  authority. 

Somewhat  related  is  the  strong  recommendation  for  an  adequate 
program  of  rehabilitation  for  the  blind.  This,  however,  has  had  legal 
provision  and  approval,  but  lacks  implementation.  Steps  are  now  being 
taken  to  bring  Massachusetts  in  line  with  the  forty-seven  other  states 
of  this  country  in  the  operation  of  an  effective  vocational  rehabilita- 
tion program.  Such  a  program  should  have  a  relationship  to  shops, 
because  they  should  be  used  as  training  centers.  There  should  be  a 
relationship  also  with  the  program  of  aid  to  the  needy  blind,  because 
through  rehabilitation,  placement  in  outside  industry  and  full  utiliza- 
tion of  the  intellectual  and  economic  abilities  of  blind  people,  costs 
there  could  be  materially  reduced. 

(Continued  on  Page  8) 
—  3  — 


M 


Better     Understanding     of     Pood 


'ORNING 
ASSEMBLY 
is  held  at  the 
Upper  School  at 
Perkins  every  week- 
d  a  y  morning  at 
8:15.  For  over  a 
hundred  years,  this 
gathering  has  fol- 
lowed the  same  pat- 
tern, even  though  in 
the  earlier  years  as- 
sembly was  as  early  as  6:00  A.M.  This  gathering  has  not  only  the 
value  of  bringing  together  at  the  beginning  of  each  day  all  of  the 
pupils  and  most  of  the  staff  members,  but  it  provides  opportunity  for 
Perkins  pupils  to  hear  a  wide  range  of  speakers.  During  this  winter 
term,  on  Monday  mornings,  the  speakers  have  been  members  of  the 
staff  and  Harvard  Class  coming  from  foreign  lands.  Already,  mes- 
sages have  been  heard  from  representatives  of  England,  Switzerland, 
Iran,  India,  Italy,  Spain  and  the  Philippines.  On  Friday  mornings, 
the  speakers  are  boys  and  girls  of  the  Upper  School,  selected  by  the 
Student  Councils.  They  usually  speak  on  subjects  dealing  with  their 
own  experiences  or  present  matters  pertaining  to  school  life.  The 
speakers  on  Thursday  mornings  have  been  the  Clergy  of  Watertown, 
who,  in  turn,  come  to  Perkins  each  year  during  Lent. 

LITERARY  PILGRIMAGES 

ALL  MEMBERS  of  the  English  classes  in  the  senior  High  School, 
attended  the  performance  of  "Romeo  and  Juliet"  at  a  Boston 
Theatre  on  the  evening  of  February  19.  This  was  done  in  con- 
nection with  their  study  of  Shakespeare,  and  is  illustrative  of  the 
attempt  on  the  part  of  the  Perkins  faculty  to  relate  their  teaching  with 
actual  experiences.  Other  occasions  of  this  type  were  the  attendance 
by  the  Senior  Class  and  some  of  the  post-graduate  students  at  a  per- 
formance of  "Hamlet",  while  a  larger  group  attended  a  presentation 
of  "Cyrano  de  Bergerac".  As  part  of  their  history  study,  the  Senior 
Class  went  to  the  Wayside  Inn,  where,  besides  the  Inn,  they  visited 
the  many  other  exhibits  gathered  at  that  center  by  the  late  Henry 
Ford;  while  the  Junior  Class  made  a  pilgrimage  to  the  Old  North 
Church,  Paul  Revere's  home  and  Faneuil  Hall. 

—  4  — 


LIBRARY  EXHIBITS 

EXHIBITS  ARRANGED  by  the  library  during  the  winter  term 
have  been  concentrated  on  the  general  subject  of  "Food."  These 
have  been  very  realistic  and  have  given  to  the  pupils,  especially 
those  who  live  in  cities,  some  unique  experiences.  When  the  subject 
of  bread  was  under  consideration,  its  process  from  wheat  to  the  baked 
loaf  was  shown,  and  pupils  were  given  an  opportunity  to  taste  several 
varieties.  Maple  sugar  proved  to  be  a  most  alluring  study,  beginning 
with  actual  sap  being  drawn  from  the  trees  on  the  grounds  and  ending 
with  a  piece  of  the  finished  product  to  nibble.  One  of  the  most  valuable 
exhibits  in  the  series  was  that  of  milk.  There  was  a  model  cow,  and 
the  importance  of  milk  as  a  food  was  stressed. 

SOCIAL  SECURITY 

UNDER  THE  LEGISLATION  which  made  it  possible  for  em- 
ployees of  non-profit  and  educational  institutions  to  benefit  by 
the  opportunities  of  Social  Security,  practically  all  of  Perkins' 
employees  were  enrolled,  as  of  January  1,  1951,  in  the  Old  Age  and 
Survivors  Insurance  plan,  under  which  employees  and  the  Institution 
each  pay  one  and  one  half  percent  of  compensation.  Perkins  has  had, 
since  1932,  a  retirement  plan,  carried  on  with  Equitable  Life  Assur- 
ance Society,  of  which  most  of  the  professional  and  maintenance 
members  of  the  staff  are  members. 

SPRING  CONCERT 

THE  MUSIC  DEPARTMENT  is  planning  a  concert  of  a  popular 
nature,  to  be  held  on  Monday,  May  28  and  Tuesday,  May  29. 
This  will  take  the  place  of  the  Pops  Concerts,  which  were  form- 
erly held  earlier  in  the  spring.    The  performance  on  Monday  will  be 
largely  for  the  benefit  of  the  members  of  the  Massachusetts  Council  of 
Organizations  for  the 

Blind,   whose   annual  Leads  to  Better  Eating 

meeting  is  held  on 
that  day,  while  the 
concert  on  Tuesday 
will  be  in  the  after- 
noon, and  especially 
for  members  of  the 
Corporation  and  their 
guests  as  well  as  for 
the  families  and 
friends  of  the  pupils. 
—5— 


WRESTLING  TEAM 

THE  PERKINS  WRESTLING  TEAM  has  had  a  full  season  with 
engagements  beginning  on  January  6  and  extending  through  the 
wrestling  tournament  of  the  Eastern  Athletic  Association  of 
Schools  for  the  Blind,  held  at  the  School  for  the  Blind  in  Raleigh, 
North  Carolina,  Friday  and  Saturday,  March  2  and  3.  Twelve  boys, 
Charles  Dunbar,  teacher  of  physical  education  and  Ben  F.  Smith, 
Dean  of  Boys,  made  the  journey  to  North  Carolina  by  bus.  In  com- 
petition with  eight  other  schools,  Perkins  won  second  place.  With 
the  exception  of  the  meet  with  New  York  Institute,  held  in  New  York 
City,  all  of  the  other  tournaments  were  with  local  high  schools. 

SUMMER  SCHOOL 

A  SUMMER  SCHOOL  for  mothers  and  blind  babies  is  being 
planned  to  be  held  the  last  week  in  June  after  the  close  of  school. 
This  session  will  follow  the  pattern  of  the  schools  held  in  1945 
and  1946.  About  twenty  mothers  and  their  babies  will  be  in  residence, 
while  provision  will  be  made  for  as  many  parents  as  possible  to  attend 
afternoon  and  evening  lectures  and  conferences.  The  babies  who  will 
be  admitted  with  their  mothers  will  be  between  one  and  a  half  and  four 
years  of  age.  This  year,  there  will  be  no  restriction  as  to  the  cause  of 
blindness.  The  original  sessions  had  been  planned  primarily  for 
children  with  retrolental  fibroplasia. 

MUSIC  POLL 

PERKINS  has  been  participating  in  the  "Poll  of  Popular  Music" 
which  is  sponsored  by  the  program,  "The  Boston  Ballroom" 
broadcast  over  station  WHDH.  To  conduct  the  poll  at  Perkins, 
Marjorie  Doyen,  Joan  Berarducci,  Gene  Raschi  and  Alfred  Gasper 
were  elected  by  the  student  body.  Each  of  the  Upper  School  pupils 
cast  a  vote  indicating  his  favorite  music  and  composer.  On  the  broad- 
cast held  on  March  2,  these  four  pupils  spoke  over  the  radio  as  repre- 
sentatives of  Perkins. 

OPEN  HOUSE 

OVER  1500  PEOPLE  attended  the  Open  House  held  on  the  after- 
noon  of   Washington's    Birthday,    proving   thereby   that   these 
programs,  given  up  during  the  war,  meet  with  popular  favor. 
All  of  the  Upper  School  pupils  participated  and  had  some  interesting 
experiences  in  demonstrating  what  blind  boys  and  girls  can  do. 

—  6  — 


PRESS  ITEMS 


Don  Copple,  Perkins  '40,  Manager  of 
Copple  Music  Sales,  Bangor,  Maine,  is 
pictured  tuning  a  piano,  in  the  Feb- 
ruary 14  issue  of  the  Bangor  Daily 
News.  It  tells  of  his  success  in  tuning, 
and  in  writing  he  urges  blind  boys  to 
enter  this  profession,  pointing  out  that 
it  is  suitable  and  lucrative. 


Merrill  A.  Maynard,  Perkins  '38,  di- 
rector of  the  Biraille  Poets'  Guild,  was 
the  subject  of  an  illustrated  article  in 
"Yankee"  Magazine  for  February,  which 
included  pictures  of  the  Perkins  Tower, 
blind  persons-  reading  Braille,  typing 
and  using  a  Braille  writer,  as  well  as 
a  print  of  John  Milton. 


Helen  Antul,  Perkins  '39,  is  featured 
in  an  article,  entitled  "Red  Cross  Serv- 
ices for  the  Blind"  in  the  February  issue 
of  the  "Outlook  for  the  Blind".  It  tells 
of  Miss  Antul's  services  as  a  Gray  Lady 
at  the  Rutland  Heights  Veterans  Ad- 
ministration Hospital  near  Worcester. 
Massachusetts. 


Kathryn  Coutcher,  nee  Gibalerio. 
Perkins  '42,  is  featured  in  an  almost 
entire  page  spread  in  the  Providence 
Evening  Bulletin  of  February  15.  Text 
and  pictures  depict  her  singing  in  a 
night  club,  reading  Braille  and  as  a 
"meticulous  housekeeper"  and  "play- 
mate for  her  two  children." 


Anthony  Cirella,  Perkins  '40,  has  com- 
pleted his  thesis  for  his  Master's  degree 
at  the  New  England  Conservatory  of 
Music,  Entitled  "The  problems  of  the 
Blind  in  Music",  it  approaches  the  topic 
from  the  point  of  view  of  a  blind  organ- 
ist and  choirmaster.  An  excellent  chap- 
ter relates  the  place  that  blind  persons 
have  found  in  the  music  profession.  A 
copy  of  the  thesis  has  been  filed  in  the 
Perkins  Blindiana  Library. 


PUBLICATIONS 


"Journey  into  Light"  is  the  title  of 
a  new  book  which  tells  the  story  of  the 
education  of  the  blind.  It  was  written 
by  Ishbel  Ross,  a  professional  writer 
with  large  experience  and  no  previous 
knowledge  of  the  blind.  She  spent  over 
two  years  in  intensive  research,  and  as 
a  result  has  assembled  a  wealth  of  ma- 
terial regarding  blind  persons  surpas- 
sing any  previous  book  on  the  blind. 
Following  the  biographical  method, 
Miss  Ross  tells  the  dramatic  stories 
of  the  men  and  women  who  have 
opened  up  new  horizons  for  the  blind. 
She  has  attached  to  the  stories  of  these 
individuals,  comprehensive  accounts  of 
their  means  of  achievement  and  has 
woven  into  stories  the  many  movements 
which  developed  in  the  onward  pro- 
gress of  blind  persons  throughout  the 
centuries. 

This  book  will  give  to  the  general 
reader,  a  broad  conception  of  the  early 
struggles  and  the  more  recent  achieve- 
ments of  people  without  sight.  It  does 
not,  as  Helen  Keller  points  out  in  the 
Foreword  present  blindness  and  "its 
victims  as  objects  of  compassion",  but 
rather  the  point  of  view  that  "The  blind 
man's  mind  and  his  four  senses  are 
like  their  own,  that  his  consciousness 
need  not  be  influenced  by  lack  of  sight 
and  that  his  world  can  be  made  as 
pleasant  as  the  sunlit  blooming  one 
they  know." 

Professional  workers  may  find  some 
slight  inaccuracies  here  and  there,  and 
feel  that  proper  stress  has  not  been 
given  either  to  individuals  or  activities. 
The  value  of  the  book,  however,  is  that 
it  is  not  written  with  the  idea  of  sup- 
porting one  school  as  against  another, 
or  of  interpreting  the  motivations  of 
some  of  the  people.  Miss  Ross  is  not 
pleading  a  cause.  She  is  telling  a  story 
as  she  found  it  through  intensive  and 
deep  research,  and  because  of  that  it 
will  be  a  welcome  and  helpful  addition 
to  the  field  of  Blindiania. 
7  — 


RECESS  COMMISSION  REPORT 

(Continued  from  page  3) 

While  the  Commission  did  not  feel  that  a  study  of  the  educational 
facilities  for  blind  children  came  within  its  competence,  it  has  re- 
viewed this  area,  making  kindly  references  to  the  program  of  school- 
ing which  Perkins  Institution  has  provided  for  blind  children.  It 
points  out,  however,  that  providing  an  educational  program,  even  of 
the  superior  type  which  Perkins  offers,  does  not  in  any  way  cover  all 
the  needs  of  blind  children.  It  also  points  out  that  parents  in  other 
states  have  an  element  of  choice  and  can  send  their  children  to  public 
school  classes,  and  it  recommends  that  the  Department  of  Education 
make  a  study  of  this  form  of  education  for  blind  children.  Better 
medical  care  for  blind  children,  consideration  of  financial  aid  when 
necessary,  special  interest  in  their  guidance  and  future  careers,  as 
well  as  making  provision  for  children  not  competent  to  enter  the  pres- 
ent educational  program,  are  all  recommended  as  areas  which  adequate 
provision  for  the  blind  should  cover. 

An  interesting  section  of  the  report  concerns  "services  recom- 
mended to  be  taken  out  of  the  Division."  The  Commission  recom- 
mends that  the  planning,  supervision  and  direction  of  the  education 
of  blind  and  partially  seeing  children  should  be  taken  out  of  the  Divis- 
ion and  placed  within  the  Division  of  Special  Schools  and  Classes  of 
the  Department  of  Education,  in  the  same  way  in  which  the  education 
of  deaf  children  is  administered.  While  the  Division  of  the  Blind 
would  continue  to  keep  a  register  of  blind  and  partially  seeing  children, 
and  administer  a  program  of  medical  eye  care,  the  Commission  feels 
that  the  educational  problems  should  be  referred  to  the  Division  of 
Special  Education  and  the  program  of  prevention  and  restoration  to 
the  State  Department  of  Health. 

It  is  not  possible  in  this  brief  review  to  cover  in  full  measure  the 
many  recommendations,  nor,  in  fact,  to  put  on  record  any  attitude 
toward  them.  The  democratic  process  of  preparing  and  presenting  a 
report  to  a  legislative  committee  with  public  hearings,  gives  opportun- 
ity for  all  persons  interested  to  share  in  the  formulation  of  the  final 
program.  Massachusetts  now  has  a  chance  to  retrieve  the  high  place 
which  it  once  held  in  its  program  for  the  blind,  and  it  is  hoped  that 
this  opportunity  will  not  be  marred  by  divisional  opposition,  nor  lost 
for  lack  of  support  by  those  who  are  more  ready  to  criticize  than  to 
construct. 

—  8  — 


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