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98
Mr. Lindsay Rea, F.R.C.S., Surgeon to the Western Ophthalmic
Hospital, gave six sessions during the year in connection with
these children.
When possible, the ordinary school subjects are taught—
arithmetic, history and geography—by means of large type
combined with myope desks, a reversible arrangement with table
on top and blackboard underneath, designed by Bishop Harmon.
Lessons are also written out by the teachers to provide reading
and information to be learned.
Twelve boys and seven girls, blind within the Act, were taught
Braille.
Books from the National Lending Library for the Blind, are
now obtainable for use of children in the school. This is an advantage
as they get a much wider range of literature. The children
show great aptitude for this method of reading.
Besides the ordinary alphabet there are between 300 and 400
abbreviations in which they become very proficient.
The " Braille frame" for writing is completed quickly enough
and is pretty accurate.
The "Arithmetic frame" is so made that each hole is octagonal
and the type used makes 16 characters. All sums can be done by
means of this contrivance; moreover, it is found to be a good
training for developing memory.
There is a plot of ground adjoining the School where gardening
is taught to all classes. Up to March, 1925, this used to be done
by the Guild of Blind Gardeners, but since then it is done on
pretty much the same lines by the existing teaching staff.
Basket, bent iron work and printing are done by the boys, whilst
both boys and girls do handwork, raffia, printing, drawing and
typewriting.
The girls, in addition, do cookery, laundry, knitting, and cardboard
modelling, whilst the younger children do plasticine, clay
modelling, paper-folding and weaving.
A cantata was held at Christmas in which all the children took
part, when there was an exhibition of their work and a prize
distribution.
The mentality of the children is about average. In spite of
their great handicap the aim of the teaching in this school tends
to bring them round to the status of the normal child.