Have you ever visited a school for the blind? No? Well you have something pleasant and interesting to look forward to.

One of the first impressions made upon a visitor as he entered the spacious grounds of the Utah School for the Deaf and the Blind at Ogden recently-the most beautiful public school grounds within out state was the significance of this conversation between two totally blind youths who were passing each other on the sidewalk. "Hello! Have you seen Willie anywhere?"

"No, not since we were looking at that automobile."

"Well, I've been looking all over for him but can't locate him anywhere.'

On they went for their daily constitutional, the one still looking and the other wondering if he might

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One's erroneous distorted views of the blind and how they are educated will be somewhat shattered after a short inspection within the institution, its class-rooms, the the sloyd-room, the gymnasium, and the sewing room. One soon learns that the Utah School for the Blind is an educational institution, a school in every sense of the word, free to all residents of the State of Utah who are too blind to receive an education in the public schools. It is, of course, a boarding school, for it would be impossible for the State to provide special educational advantages for all its blind children unless they were brought to some

one place. Thus it is necessary in the giving of a free and liberal education that provision shall be made for the care as well as the training of those who do not see. The state furnishes a home for the blind as a matter of convenience and economy, not as an act of charity. Parents would much prefer to have their sightless children at home, but in order that they may be educated, send them away to state institutions to grow and develop into intelligent and useful men and women.

The Utah School for the Blind at Ogden, Utah, is a State Institution, receiving its support through appropriations made biennially by the legislature. The school is conducted as a co-ordinate institution with the Utah School for the Deaf, the object of such a plan being one of economy in management, an arrangement that will in due time be changed by the separation of the two schools. In the pres-ent institution the two classes of children are quite apart, the blind having a separate building with their own teachers, matrons, supervisors, school-rooms, dormitories, sitting-rooms,playrooms bath-rooms etc. Both schools use the same dining room, sloyd-room, gymnasium, swimming-pools, etc. These conditions for a dual school are ideal and practically insure a harmonious atmosphere between the two institutions. The time will come, however, when it may be advisable to make a separation, but that time is many years ahead.

in music, including piano, voice, violin, and orchestra, physical education, sloyd, typewriting, and domestic science. Piano-tuning, basketry, hammock-weaving, caneseating and cobbling are also given. when circumstances warrant.

Our aim is to cultivate within the child a love for the true, he noble, and the good, a desire to be kind, generous, and helpful, and a hope to become an honorable inan or woman. A great deal of attention is given in moral training ani special stress is laid upon such mottoes as, "Stand for character," "Love your enemies," "Smile," and "Talk happiness."

We have services in the chapel daily, where talks of a moral nature are given by the superintendent and teachers. These exercises are usually closed with prayer and the Lord's prayer in unison. Regular Sunday school classes and Sunday lectures are also conducted by

the teachers of the school. All of these exercises are entirely non-sectarian in character, but all are given with a view of keeping up a high moral tone in the institution.

One of the important branches of our work is that of physical deve!opment so necessary to both the deaf and the blind. We have a well-equipped gymnasium where regular and systematic training in physical culture is carried forward daily. Every child in school spends at least thirty minutes per day in the gymnasium under instruction. It is because of these daily exercises that our pupils are so healthful and are, therefore, better able to do good school work. The work in the gymnasium has been much improved by the addition of music for the various steps, the marching and dancing exercises, giving as it does more accuracy of time better rhythm in all movements.

For the girls of the institution we

have regular courses in plain sewing, knitting, crocheting, fancywork, dressmaking, cooking, and general housework. These branches of study are very beneficial and necessary in the education of young women. Our girls make most of their own clothes and do a great deal of mending and sewing for the institution. This work helps to fit young women to make happy

homes.

Nearly all of the blind pupils are students of music. All instruction in this important study is given by note. In piano, violin, voice, and orchestra much interest is shown and improvement being made. The blind enjoy music and often become self-supporting as musicians and teachers of music. The orchestra of the school is composed of twelve blind pupils. The work done by this organization at the Convention of American Instructors of the Deaf held at our institution last summer was the subject of favorable comment. The following resolution being passed unanimously:

"Resolved, That the thanks of the convention are hereby tendered to the young people of the blind department of the Utah School for the Deaf and the Blind, who have contributed so much to the pleasure of the meeting. The music has been excellent, and the spirit with which it has been given has been most delightful. Among the many enjoyable features provided by Superintendent Driggs for the entertainment of the Convention, none has been more thoroughly appreciated."

There are in the United States for the education of the blind, fortyfour schools with about five thousand pupils and five hundred fifty teachers and instructors. In Utah we have approximately two hundred blind persons. Of this number about half are over sixty years of

age, about fifteen per cent are under twenty. There are all grades of blindness from those persons who find it necessary to squint, or use special glasses, to those who are totally blind. The causes of blindness are numerous, the most frequent being accidents, cataracts, sickness, and congenital blindness.

In the care and training of the blind, we have passed through many of the experimental stages. The methods now employed are sound, logical, and pedagogical. We believe that education means life, growth, and development-mental culture, moral advancement, and physical well-being. We believe that to do is of as great importance as to know. We know that a teacher may teach and still not grow or make growth. We are aware of the fact that children may go to school and yet not develop or progress as we would wish. It is our belief that "effort educates," and that the person who is to be educated must put forth the necessary energy to learn or forever remain in darkness. In order then to have development, the teacher, no matter whether her pupils be deaf or blind must bring into her school an atmosphere for growth so that her scholars may breathe aright and educate themselves. The education of the blind then ought not to be any different from the training of normal children. You may say, "Why, how can this be?" "Does it not require more skill, more effort, and more patience to teach the blind than ordinary boys and girls?"

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My answer is, "No! Not at all." A teacher is a teacher. Development is development. Mental growth is mental growth. Moral advancement is moral advancement. wherever you find it. True it takes knowledge, skill, patience, and ef