n two hundred children attend special classes, and this in spite
of the fact that New York has two state schools for the blind. When the
home conditions are favorable, and a special class is available, it is
wiser to permit the blind child to remain with its parents, to attend
school each morning with its brothers and sisters. In this way there is
no break in the family relation and the child does not grow indifferent
to home ties, as so often happens when he is sent to a residential
school. Mr. Irwin says "the special class is the twentieth century
emphasis on the integrity of the home."

On January 2, 1917, the Los Angeles class started with eight pupils
enrolled, and on June 30 of this year the number had increased to
seventeen, with the prospect of more at the opening of the fall term.
Teachers for special classes are generally chosen from the regular
school department, their work being usually directed by a blind
supervisor. In pursuance of my work as home teacher I found a number of
children for whom there was no room in the State School at Berkeley, and
before the special class was organized I taught these children in their
homes or at the library. Miss Frances Blend, a grade teacher, asked to
study with me, since she wished to teach the blind here or in the East.
I sent her to teach the children, and in this way she acquired the
necessary experience, learned to read and write Braille rapidly, and
gained an insight into the psychology of the blind child, so, when the
board of education needed a teacher for the special class she was ready
and eager for the task. Since then Miss Blend's sister has qualified and
is now the second teacher in the blind department, eight to ten children
being considered all that one teacher can properly care for.

Among the poor of every large city, there are children whose parents
conceal them, for fear they may be sent away to school. These are known
as hidden children, and I found one such child tucked away under the
bed, and was told she always hid there when she heard strange voices.
She was a little Mexican girl, and spoke no English. She is now one of
the brightest children in the class, and her parents are delighted that
they need not part with her.

In the special class, the children are trained to speak intelligently of
things which they do not see with the physical sight, so that they may
be able to converse naturally upon ordinary topics, and need not have to
plead ignora