n resources in practising the trade of
which he was believed to be the master, in the acquiring of which
much time, labour, and money have been spent, and from which far
greater benefit might have been derived had it not been for the
root-evil which has been mentioned. The aim of every school for the
blind should be to fit them to fill their station in the world, be
it what it may, as Christian men and women, and therefore to earn
their own living, when this is necessary, as in far the majority of
cases it is.

I hope and trust that one day the whole school system will be
improved. I know that Liverpool, which led the way in England,
started with the best possible aims and intentions; although it has
now greatly degenerated. Indeed, I believe all the first
institutions to have been good, though the scope of many is, I
suspect, very narrow. But it strikes me that all fall more or less
below their first intentions, not only in their practice but even
in their theory, and this I believe partly unconsciously. I do not
see why it should be so, but I am afraid this is but too true.
However, I can't help thinking that the rendering of such
institutions independent of any gain from the labour of the pupils
would go far towards improvement.

Much might be done in schools to prevent the blind from being
isolated, by giving them an interest in the subjects of the day.
For instance, in the Bristol School, a newspaper is read to them.

The older pupils should have opportunities for discussion not only
with each other, but with visitors and friends. For instance, there
might be an inexpensive entertainment once a week, or at some such
stated time, for the purpose. I should think also lectures at
Mechanics Institutes might be attended with advantage, as these are
never given till the evening; and means such as these would open
and enlarge the minds of the pupils, and would all tend to foster
in them the sense of membership with the community at large. It
should always be borne in mind that there is much in the condition
of blindness, and indeed in any other exceptional state, to smother
and weaken this feeling; and if not counteracted almost entirely to
destroy it. This is the tendency of the gathering together of the
blind into asylums as adults; and I am