s parents, and so
learns many things unconsciously, and with little or no instruction. But
the blind child must be taught to smile, to shake hands, to hold up its
head, to walk properly, to present and receive objects, and the thousand
and one details of daily living so naturally acquired under ordinary
conditions. Long before it has reached school age, the blind child
should be permitted to romp with other children, to take bumps and
bruises as part of the game, and should be encouraged to run, jump rope,
and join in all harmless sports, thus acquiring that freedom of
movement, muscular co-ordination, and fearless bearing, so necessary if
he is to cope successfully with the difficulties awaiting him. His toys
should be chosen to instruct as well as amuse, and in this way he should
be made familiar with the different forms, the square, the circle, the
oblong, the triangle and the pyramid. The Goddard form board and
Montessori insets are invaluable at this period. He should be trained to
recognize the difference between smooth and rough, soft and hard, light
and heavy, thick and thin. He should be given plasticine or clay with
which to model, and be urged to reproduce his toys, thus assisting in
the muscular development and intelligent use of his fingers--another
essential equipment. As soon as possible, the process of dressing should
be taught. The child may learn this more readily if a doll is used as a
model, and he is required to put on its clothes each morning, and remove
them just before his own bedtime. This important process should be made
as interesting as possible, and each successful effort greeted
enthusiastically, each failure carefully pointed out, its cause
discovered, and its repetition prevented, when possible. In this way he
acquires system, learns to put his clothes away in a certain place, and
to locate them again without assistance. His little fingers should be
kept constantly employed stringing beads, putting pegs in a wooden
board, cutting paper with kindergarten scissors, and modelling with
plasticine. If thus occupied, he will escape the mannerisms peculiar to
the blind child whose only amusement has been to put his fingers in his
eyes, shake his hand before his face to see the shadow, rock his body
back and forth, and whirl around in dizzy circles. I found just such a
child, a girl of eight years, who had never done anything for herself,
and whose parents refused to send her to school. It took me