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The early schools for the blind were residential and little was done in the way of
providing day schools until in February, 1872, the London School Board passed their
first resolution relating to blind and deaf children, instructing the Statistical Committee
to ascertain what provision existed for the education of such children. That resolution
was, in due course, followed by the adoption of schemes to provide instruction for both
blind and deaf. The Board's first great difficulty was that of types. The earliest plan was
the appointment of a peripatetic teacher to visit the various schools once or twice a week
to give a lessson to blind children by aid of the Moon type, and this teaching was
supplemented by an occasional lesson at home from the agent of a voluntary society.
In 1876 it was found that the Moon type was unsuitable for teaching the young blind,
so after trying Roman type, the Board decided to adopt the Braille type for reading and
writing. The Board's first day school for the blind was started in 1879. No legislative
changes were effected, but the work was carried on with the formal sanction of the
Education Department. These schools were at first conducted without Government
grant, but in 1890 the School Board brought to the notice of the Education Department
the unsatisfactory state of things that existed with regard to the day classes for the blind
and deaf and obtained as a concession the recognition of these classes for purposes of
grant.
The Royal Commission on the Blind, the Deaf and Dumb, etc., was appointed in
July, 1885, and in its Report (issued in 1889) recommended the compulsory education
of the blind from the age of five until the age of sixteen. The recommendations of the
Commission were embodied in the Elementary Education (Blind and Deaf Children)
Act, 1893, which cancelled the permissive powers (except in regard to pauper children)
of the Poor Law Guardians to teach and maintain blind and deaf children, and laid the
duty on the school authority of providing education for blind children between the
ages of five and sixteen resident in their area in some school certified for the purpose
by the Education Department. The Act also enabled the School Board to place blind
children in residential schools, and until the Board could provide such schools, they
utilised places in voluntary institutions. By this means, the Board reduced the number
of its schools for the blind from 26 in 1893 to 10 in 1903. This reduction facilitated the
better classification of pupils.
The School Board in 1897 acquired the Royal Normal College for the Blind as a
residential school but, owing to many difficulties in working a school, the main object
of which was to teach adults, the Board in 1899 re-transferred that institution to the
voluntary committee from which they had taken it over. In 1900 the Board decided
to acquire two residential schools for the older blind children between the ages of 12
and 16, one for girls and one for boys, both of which were opened in 1902. Special
attention was paid in these schools to industrial and manual work in order to teach the
children during their final years of school life some occupation by which they might
become, to some extent, self-supporting.
The schools for the blind and deaf were under a separate superintendent until the
end of 1900, when one superintendent of both classes of schools was appointed, with
an assistant superintendent for the blind schools.
After 1904, the Council, as education authority, continued the work begun by the
School Board for London.
The majority of children remain in a school for the blind until they are 16 years of
age or older, and in addition to the usual subjects, a full handwork course is followed.
The boys receive instructions in woodwork, basketwork and modelling, and the girls
study housecraft, knitting, simple sewing, light basketry and modelling. Typewriting
is taught to all boys and girls when they reach the age of 13. Those children who qualify
for Grammar School education receive a liberal academic education, which enables them
to take up professional courses.
The Education Act, 1944, required blind children to be educated in boarding schools.
London has two boarding establishments (Linden Lodge and North House) which
are recognised as one school under the control of one headmaster.
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