The Iowa Blind Asylum

We have received the 5th Biennial Report of the Iowa Institution for the Education of the Blind.  The Board of Directors represent the Institution as in a prosperous condition.

The receipts and disbursements of the Institution for the two years ending Dec. 31, 1861, are as follows:

Balance on hand as per last report.	$1,534.48
Orders on Auditor of State	14,575.00
Other Sources	300.70
Total	$16,401.18
Amount paid out during said term	13,937.83
Balance on hand	$2,472.35

From the report of Mr. Samuel Bacon, principal, we make a few extracts.

It is now more than eighteen years since I commenced teaching the blind.  This is the second institution I have established, and having labored here for nearly ten years I am tired and wish to terminate my connection with this institution by the beginning of the next term.  Whatever occupation I may hereafter pursue I shall always feel a lively interest in the Iowa Institution for the Education of the Blind.

Seventy five pupils have been admitted since the commencement of the Institution, five of whom have died, thirty discharged, leaving at present forty.  As there were forty two in attendance last year it was reasonably expected there would be fifty this but times are such that it is almost impossible for them to get here.

The law under which the Institution is organized ought to be amended fixing a definite time that the trustees shall qualify and enter upon their duties.  Some provision ought to be made for clothing such pupils as are not able to clothe themselves.  As yet the Institution has felt no great inconvenience from this but if not remedied it will eventually embarrass the finances.  The best method would be for the Institution to furnish them and call upon the respective counties to which they belong for the same.  For the support of the Institution no better method can be devised than it now has.

The course of instruction is thorough and as extensive as in most similar institutions.  There are three departments, Industrial, Musical and Academical, which have devoted to them respectively two, three and four hours a day.  In the Industrial Department the males are employed in brush and broom making, the females in  sewing plain and fancy knitting and beadwork, a number of them have learned to use Wheeler & Wilson’s Sewing Machines with success.

The following statement of the operations of this department.

1860
Jan. 1	Total material on hand	$331.81
Jan. 1	Total manufactured articles on hand	96.20
Dec. 1	Total cost of mater’l since Jan. 1, ’60	101.41
		$629.42
1861
Dec. 1	By material on hand	$296.90
Dec. 1	By manufactured articles on hand	186.35
Dec. 1	By sales since Jan. 1, ’60	234.80
		$718.05
	Net gain	$88.63

Music embraces the theory and composition as well as vocal and instruments.

The Academical course for the past two years has embraced reading raised print, writing, grammar, logic, geography, arithmetic, algebra, geometry and natural philosophy.

The following is a summary of the expenditures of the Institution since the 1st of January, 1860.

Salaries	$4,307.00
Rent	452.50
Traveling	391.50
Printing	15.50
Groceries and provisions	3571.15
Furnishing	838.49
Labor	667.40
Music and Instruments	459.51
Books and Stationary	342.77
Fuel and Light	882.02
Industrial Department	201.41
Medical attendance and Medicines	222.25
Clothing	163.01
Repairs	727.98
Miscellaneous expenses	445.27
	$13,637.88
Estimated expenses for December	600.00
	$13,037.88

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, February 1, 1862, p. 1