INSTITUTION FOR THE BLIND.

TENTH BIENNIAL REPORT.

JOHN LOOMIS, A. M., Literature.
FANNY MAGINNIS, Literature.
ALICE S. RHOADS, Literature.

A. E. WIMMERSTEDT, Piano and Organ.
FRANCIS K. SNYDER, Orchestra.

PETER DUNLAP, Manual Labor.

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES,

To the Honorable the Legislature of the State of Illinois: The recurrence of the session of the Legislature reminds us, as Trustees of one of the noble charities of one of the foremost states in the Union in population, wealth, enterprise and living, heartfelt sympathy for the woes of others, that a report is due from us of the manner of our discharge of the trust devolved upon us by the sanction of the Legislature.

We feel the importance of our position as Trustees of so noble a charity as the Illinois Institution for the Education of the Blind. We are thankful that our State, through the Legislature, has been appreciative of the merits of this Institution in past years, therefore we suggest that we perceive more and more the necessity for a faithful and thorough discharge of the duty as Trustees of this School.

The high position and character of our State amongst her sister states, demanded all that has been done, and requires more yet to be done to keep the character of our State good before our own people and before civilized society, as well as to advance the interests, educational, moral, social and Christian, of the pupils of this Institution.

We would not be understood as fault-finders, but as servants, discharging, during many years, so sacred a trust as we do, without any pecuniary return, hoping for and feeling our reward to be a happy consciousness of a laudable

desire to emulate all the good that has been effected in educating the blind, and also to enlarge the sphere of usefulness of the pupils as members of society. In view of this, we remark that we have found the allowance of twenty thousand dollars per annum, for the current expenses of the Institution, too limited an amount. We had asked for twenty-five thousand dollars per annum, and but twenty thousand dollars per annum was given by the last Legislature. We had also presented, and again present, the statement that the Institution requires enlarging, in order to realize the full advantage of its educational system to the pupils. Although we seem to have all our departments in reasonable working order, yet experience enables us to state that we are too circumscribed in space within the buildings of the Institution. Owing to this fact, the music-teachers occupy rooms too near other teachers and other classes, as well as rooms used for music are also used, at intervals, for other educational purposes, and music-teachers have been constrained to give lessons in an obscure room in the basement, unfit for the purpose. Lest all the Legislature may not be cognizant of the fact, we state here that music enters largely into and is a leading part of the education of the blind in all institutions for their instruction. Music is indispensable in the training of the blind; it is a pastime; it enlivens life to them; it is social; it forms a link with the world around the blind, and if high culture can be given in music, the pupil goes out into the world a meritorious, useful member of society, with, ofttimes, a profession that will yield a livelihood. The pursuit of this musical education requires ample time, fine instruments, good teachers and proper rooms.

We have had excellent music-teachers, but are sadly deficient in the quality of pianos and in the rooms essential as music-rooms.

The Institution requires more sleeping apartments-it also wants a sufficient set of rooms for an hospital, in the event of sickness. Should disease arise which required isolation of the sick, it cannot now be done in the main building or in any suitable rooms upon the premises. We have used, in cases of sickness, for male pupils, a room attached to the laundry in an out-building; this is too small, and is inconvenient for the officers to oversee. The increase in the number of pupils of this Institution is somewhat commensurate with the great growth of the population of our State. This must continue, and it has been felt by the officers of the Institution, obliging us to limit the time of residence of pupils in the Institution, and also requiring us to refuse blind pupils from sister States.

A casual observer might suppose that the Institution was of great extent, and that great space was given to a small number of pupils. This subject has been referred to in our last report, but we beg to briefly repeat, that experience proves that ample room must be given to the blind in which to pass; if crowded, or if obstacles intervene unusual to them, they lose confidence in themselves as to locomotion; this confidence is an essential part of the training of the blind; therefore, for their use, rooms must be spacious and not crowded with furniture. The attic of the Institution is wholly useless on the south side, having no windows and being in an unfinished state-in fact, it is not prudent to put pupils of any Institution as high up as the attic of this Institution, being the fifth story of the house.

In view of these facts, we now ask the Legislature for suitable appropriations, commensurate with the actual wants of the Institution, equal to the future exigencies for a reasonable time, and such as will enable us, as your servants, to do for these blind people all that humanity and Vol. II-33