TEACHING THE BLIND

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 345, 23 February 1889, Page 3

TEACHING THE BLIND

It has long been a matter for surprise that no provision has been made in Auckland for the instruction ot the blind, and of deaf mutes, bub we are glad to learn that an obvious want in this direction has now been supplied. Mi J. W. Tighe has arrived from Australia with the object of opening a school for the blind in New Zealand, and believing that the climate of Auckland is the most suitable for his pupils, he has determined to take up his residence here. Mr Tighe has just established a Home Teaching Society in Queensland, and also a deaf, dumb and blind school, with which is associated an industrial blind school. Some twelve months ago, he arranged with others to send a deputy across to Auckland to open a school here, but he returned ere long saying there were no blind people in this colony. Mr lighe visited live blind people yesterday and gave lessons to three of these. He is blind himselt but finds his way about town with the aid of one of his sons, a smart little fellow of ten or eleven >ears. Mr Tighie is a middle-aged man, &lightlyabove the medium height, with dark hair, a lofty btow and a benevolent cast of countenance. He has not only learnt to read and write, bub also the trade of fine basket work. The system ot writing taught io that invented in 1834 by M. Braille, a Frenchman, who was himself blind. Its alphabet consists ol varying combinations ot six dots, placed in oblongs of uniform size. -The first ten letters from A to J are formed by combinations in the upper part of the oblong of four dot?, which are numbered 1, 2, 3, and 4 respectively. Letters from X to T aie formed by the same combinations, only adding one dob on the lower line to each, and from L to the end of the alphabet by adding two lower dots to each letter, that is, the two dots numbered 5 and 0. For writing, a frame is used consisting of a grooved metal bed, over which again is hxed a guide with corresponding grooves, each groove allowing room for the six dots, with a space between each letter. The perforated guide is fixed into a light wooden frame, like the frame of a slate, which is attached to the grooved metal bed by hinges. The paper is introduced between the frame and the metal bed, and is something like what is known as elephant paper. The instrument for writing is a blunt awl, .vhich punctuates the paper without quite penetrating, and when taken out and turned over little prominences are felt, corresponding to the punctuation and which with a little practice can be easily and rapidly used by the sensitive fingers of the blind. The reading is performed from right to left, and consequently the writing is from right to left. By means of this dotted system, in which, by the way, there are a number of contractions, a man is able »o keep memoranda or accounts, write his own music, emboss his own books from dictation, and carry on correspondence. It will therefore be teen that instruction in the system is of very great value to those bereft of sight. Mr Tiffhe is now lesiding in Biighton Road, Painell, and will be pleased to call on any blind person who may communicate with him.