# check out these old names for schools for the blind

Category: Let's talk

## Post 1 by Blue Velvet (I've got the platinum golden silver bronze poster award.) on Saturday, 23-Jan-2016 14:38:17

Most of these old names are truly offensive, and this is coming from someone who hates political correctness. I'm sure glad the school names have changed.
Founding Dates for Schools for the Blind
1829
New England Asylum for the Blind, Boston ...now Perkins School for the Blind, Watertown
1831
New York Institution for the Blind, New York City ...now New York Institute for Special Education, Bronx
1832
Pennsylvania Institution for the Instruction of the Blind ...now Overbrook School for the Blind, Philadelphia
1837
Ohio Institution for the Education of the Blind...now Ohio State School for the Blind, Columbus
1838
Virginia Institution for the Deaf, Dumb and Blind...now Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind, Staunton Virginia School, Staunton, Integrated, 1966
1842
Kentucky Institute for the Blind...now Kentucky School for the Blind, Louisville
1844
Tennessee Institution for the Instruction of the Blind...now Tennessee School for the Blind, Nashville
1845
North Carolina Institution for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb and the Blind...now Governor Morehead School, Raleigh
1847
Indiana Institute for the Education of the Blind...now Indiana School for the Blind, Indianapolis
1848
Institution for the Instruction of the Blind ...now Mississippi School for the Blind, Jackson
1849
Illinois Institution for the Education of the Blind...now Illinois School for the Visually Impaired, Jacksonville
1849
South Carolina Institution for the Education of the Deaf, Dumb, and the Blind...now South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind, Cedar Spring
(Spartanburg)
1850
Wisconsin Institute for the Education of the Blind...now Wisconsin School for the Visually Handicapped, Janesville
1851
Missouri Institution for the Education of the Blind...now Missouri School for the Blind, St. Louis
1852
Georgia Academy for the Blind, Macon
1852
[Iowa] Asylum for the Instruction of the Blind, Keokuk...now Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School, Vinton
1852
Louisiana Institution for the Deaf and Dumb and the Blind...now Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired, Baton Rouge
1853
Maryland Institution for the Instruction of the Blind...now Maryland School for the Blind, Baltimore
1856
Texas Blind Asylum...now Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Austin
1857
Columbia Institution for the Instruction of the Deaf and Dumb and the Blind Washington, D.C.
1859
Arkansas Institute for the Education of the Blind, Arkadelphia...now Arkansas School for the Blind, Little Rock
1860
California Institution for the Education and Care of the Indigent Deaf and Dumb, and the Blind, San Francisco...Moved to Berkeley in 1867...now California School for the Blind, Fremont
1863
Minnesota Institution for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb, and the Blind...now Minnesota State Academy for the Blind, Faribault
1864
Kansas Asylum for the Blind...now Kansas State School for the Blind, Kansas City
1865
New York State Institution for the Blind...now New York State School for the Blind, Batavia
1867
Alabama Institution for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb and the Blind...now Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind, Talladega
1869
North Carolina Institution for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb and the Blind, Colored Dept. Integrated with Governor Morehead School, Raleigh, 1977
1870
West Virginia Institution for the Deaf, Dumb and Blind...now West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, Romney
1872
[Maryland] Institution for the Colored Blind and Deaf-Mutes, Baltimore Maryland School for the Blind integrated, ca. 1960
1873
Oregon Institute for the Blind...now Oregon School for the Blind, Salem
1874
Colorado Institute for the Education of Mutes...Colorado Mute and Blind Institute (1883)...now Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind, Colorado Springs
1875
Nebraska Institution for the Blind...now Nebraska Center for the Education of Children Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired, Nebraska City
1879
Michigan School for the Blind, Lansing ... now Michigan School for the Blind, Flint
1881
Tennessee School for the Blind
Colored Department, Nashville
Tennessee School integrated, 1965
1882
Georgia Academy for the Blind
Colored Department, Macon
Georgia Academy integrated, ca. 1965
1883
Institute for the Blind, Deaf and Dumb...now Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind, St. Augustine
1883
South Carolina Institution for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb and the Blind Colored Department, Spartanburg South Carolina School for the Deaf and Blind integrated, 1967
1884
Kentucky School for the Blind
Colored Department, Louisville
Kentucky School integrated, ca. 1954
1886
Washington School for Defective Youth...now Washington State School for the Blind, Vancouver
1887
[Texas] Deaf, Dumb and Blind Institute for Colored Youth, Austin Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired integrated, 1965
1887
Western Pennsylvania Institution for the Blind...now Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children, Pittsburgh
1889
Arkansas School for the Blind
Colored Department, Little Rock
Arkansas School integrated, 1965-66
1891
Alabama School for Negro Deaf-Mutes and Blind, Talladega Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind integrated, 1968
1891
St. Joseph's School for the Blind, Jersey City, New Jersey
1893
Connecticut Institute and Industrial Home for the Blind...now Connecticut Institute for the Blind/Oak Hill, Hartford
1893
Montana Deaf and Dumb Asylum, Boulder...now Montana School for the Deaf and the Blind, Great Falls
1895
[Florida] Institute for the Blind, Deaf and Dumb Colored Department, St.
Augustine Florida School for the Blind integrated, 1967
1895
South Dakota Asylum for the Blind, Gary...now South Dakota School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Aberdeen
1896
Utah State School for the Deaf and the Blind...now Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, Ogden
1897
Oklahoma State School for the Blind, Ft. Gibson...now Oklahoma School for the Blind, Muskogee
1903
New Mexico Institute for the Blind...now New Mexico School for the Visually Handicapped, Alamogordo
1904
Lavelle School for the Blind, Bronx, NY
1906
Idaho School for the Deaf and the Blind, Boise...now Idaho School for the Deaf and the Blind, Gooding
1906
Virginia School for Colored Deaf and Blind Children, Newport News...now Virginia School for the Deaf, Blind, and Multi-Disabled at Hampton Virginia School integrated, 1973
1908
North Dakota Blind Asylum, Bathgate...now North Dakota School for the Blind, Grand Forks
1912
Arizona School for the Deaf and the Blind...now Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, Tucson
1914
Hawaii School for Defectives...now Hawaii Center for the Deaf and the Blind, Honolulu
1919
West Virginia School for the Colored Deaf and Blind, Institute, WV West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, Romney, integrated, 1955
1920
Louisiana State School for the Negro Blind, Baton Rouge Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired, integrated, 1978
1921
Royer-Greaves School for Blind, Stratford, PA Moved to Paoli, PA, 1941
1929
Piney Woods Country Life School
Department of the Blind, Jackson, MS
Department for blind African American students of Mississippi opened at the Piney Woods School (a private boarding school), 1929 Department transferred from Piney Woods School and became state-run, 1951 Mississippi School for the Blind integrated, 1975

## Post 2 by Smiling Sunshine (I've now got the bronze prolific poster award! now going for the silver award!) on Saturday, 23-Jan-2016 15:02:51

Asylums for defective youth. Wow. Then throw in colored and they start looking reeeeeeealy backward. We've come a long way, baby.

## Post 3 by AgateRain (Believe it or not, everything on me and about me is real!) on Saturday, 23-Jan-2016 15:33:15

All of these dumbs, mutes, and asylums... Just oh my!

## Post 4 by GuitarGuy (Veteran Zoner) on Saturday, 23-Jan-2016 15:37:45

Yes, the language sure is a sign of the time. We have come a long way, and still more to go.
That being said, Texas Blind Asylum could be a kick-ass metal band name... DIBS!

## Post 5 by AgateRain (Believe it or not, everything on me and about me is real!) on Saturday, 23-Jan-2016 15:41:39

Oh, it will be even better when they close these schools. Nothing good come out of them...for the most part.

## Post 6 by johndy (I just keep on posting!) on Saturday, 23-Jan-2016 16:59:30

Horrifying.

## Post 7 by Smiling Sunshine (I've now got the bronze prolific poster award! now going for the silver award!) on Saturday, 23-Jan-2016 16:59:49

I disagree. I think for short-term placements they can be a good thing. If I hadn't spent a year at TSBVI during the last half of 5th grade and some of sixth grade, my skills would be nowhere near what they are. I would not have been able to get the concentration of braille, adaptive tech, DLS, O&M, and abacus instruction in my home school district. I would have continued to fall further and further behind my peers academically. I'm not saying it was a walk in the park because I hate the fact that kids have to be sent away from home to learn said skills in a timely manner and God knows the social aspect of my stay there was um, well, let's just call it interesting and leave it at that. I know tht mine was a unique experience so I do realize that others had negative experiences. I don't think the schools should be dumping grounds for parents to toss away the blind kids they have no idea what to do with; sadly, that happens all too often.
Perhaps a revamp of the programs are in order. Besides, with all the kids there now with multiple disabilities, the residential schools aren't going anywhere in the near future. I suspect it is rare to find a vanilla blind student in attendance these days.

## Post 8 by Voyager (I just keep on posting!) on Saturday, 23-Jan-2016 17:15:43

I wonder why a few of them took out the perfectly good word "blind".

## Post 9 by Shadow_Cat (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Saturday, 23-Jan-2016 20:34:32

The one that has always cracked me up is, Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School. How exactly do they save sight? And it also speaks to horrible philosophy. If you're a school for the blind, why put the emphasis on saving sight, which they can't really do anyway? They're not a medical provider, after all. Then again, most schools of this nature are part medical providers these days, since they've mostly turned into houses for children with multiple disabilities, one of which, and usually the least of which, happens to be blindness.
In that same vein, I know where you're coming from Shelly, but I also get it with Lakeria. Mark feels the same way about TSBVI that you do. He defends them, and schools for the blind in general, because his experience happened to be positive. Most I've heard about are not, particularly the younger a person is. I think your and Mark's generation was the last of the people who went through Braille schools when they had much to offer the blind, or when they might have actually been worth their salt. oAfter that, once mainstreaming took off, they pretty much turned into the holding pens they are now. I personally think that, for this time period, I agree with Lakeria. Not much good comes out of the schools for the blind, and most of them should probably be closed.

## Post 10 by Shepherdwolf (I've now got the bronze prolific poster award! now going for the silver award!) on Saturday, 23-Jan-2016 21:17:53

I dunno. Many of these are pretty much straight-up, not offensive. Institute for the blind, etc.
The word "dumb" hasn't always meant stupid. It used to mean mute, or unable to speak, and thus the word's there to tell someone exactly what that school caters to. I'm not saying I like the word, because I don't, but there you have it; the times, they have a-changed.
Asylum is another one. I have absolutely no doubt that it ended up being precisely what you think it is, but the word "asylum" actually means sanctuary or protection. It is possible to seek asylum, for instance.
And if there's one thing quite true of the 1800s above the current day, it's that words had more hard-and-fast meanings back then.

## Post 11 by johndy (I just keep on posting!) on Saturday, 23-Jan-2016 21:52:38

Such as defective youth. That was particularly appalling.

## Post 12 by AgateRain (Believe it or not, everything on me and about me is real!) on Saturday, 23-Jan-2016 22:32:39

Right Alicia, I feel like the responsibility is taken off the parishes/counties who refuse to serve their blind students in giving them the education they deserve with their sighted peers, and so many of them come out not ready for higher education and just simply behind. Also, a lot of Americans love to talk about their tax dollars. Well, that money can be spent giving students that are refused service locally a vision teacher.
I know that times have changed Greg, but it just reminds me so much of how people refuse to accept us for who we are today, and those schools and their names...you have to wonder why. lol

## Post 13 by ADVOCATOR! (Finally getting on board!) on Sunday, 24-Jan-2016 1:03:07

I'm only defective, when corporates like insurance don't listen. But, blindness, defective???
I'll remember how defective I am, when someone in front of everyone, pulls their pants down, and shows me the moon I can't see! I call it a blessing! LOL

## Post 14 by Shadow_Cat (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Sunday, 24-Jan-2016 7:35:16

Gregg, I know what the original meaning of the word asylum was, and what it technically still is. But I can almost guarantee you those schools for the blind were not as the word was intended to be, any more than institutions for the mentally ill were.

## Post 15 by CrystalSapphire (Uzuri uongo ndani) on Sunday, 24-Jan-2016 9:01:40

these names aren't what we like, but with the time periods it makes sense.
Lakeria blind schools do shelter, and for the biggest part are shit, but some people need them.

## Post 16 by LeoGuardian (You mean there is something outside of this room with my computer in it?) on Sunday, 24-Jan-2016 11:20:23

Oregon's school for the blind is now closed, has been at least since 2009. The
property has been sought after by a neighboring hospital, and now it's all gone.
With the money spent to keep it open, one could do better serving students
where they're at. The place was unaccredited and had been unaccredited since
1991.
"Fix it where you're at," is my preferred solution. So with that thought, anyone
care to ponder where I just might come down on the whole refugees thing?
Same deal in my book. Where we're at is never perfect, but if you applied the
same money to fix it where they're at, instead of collectivist boarding and
warehousing all in one place ...
Names are funny though. But Oregon's is now gone.

## Post 17 by AgateRain (Believe it or not, everything on me and about me is real!) on Sunday, 24-Jan-2016 16:12:41

So how is sheltering anyone helping them?

## Post 18 by LeoGuardian (You mean there is something outside of this room with my computer in it?) on Monday, 25-Jan-2016 3:02:46

It's the same collectivist mentality that we use to shuffle people out of their
homelands overseas, bring them to other nations, and set up expensive facilities
to help them in environments where they never want to integrate.
"Fix it where you're at" really does have a lot of merit. But you have to be
honest enough to admit that life and circumstances just aren't fair. Some places
are better than others. But shuffling random people around and hoping that a
majority of them come out all right is about as irresponsible as a conveyor belt
carrying eggs that are hatching, followed up by chicks who are born and fall off
and get walked on by the workers. From a collectivist hive mind sense, you get
most or at least enough of them. But the major problem with that whole
thinking is that human beings are not insects, they are tribal like chimpanzees
and bonobos.
I think we mistrust institutions for some pretty compelling and visceral reasons,
personally.

## Post 19 by Shadow_Cat (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Monday, 25-Jan-2016 14:53:22

Perhaps what Keri meant is something like this. Most of the students who are placed at Braille schools in recent years were so severely and multipply disabled that it would have been almost impossible to mainstream them. But perhaps they have parents who weren't in a position to home-school them. So then what do you do with someone you can't care for 24/7 at home, but who can't be mainstreamed either? Usually, if one of the disabilities happened to be blindness, the answer was ship them off to a school for the blind. That way they could be cared for and supervised, and it didn't really matter that the education was crap, because most of them were not intellectually able to obtain what is considered a "standard" education anyway. I agree this isn't serving these children either, but then, I'm not sure what exactly is. I'm not enough of an education expert for that. Not to mention that sometimes the motives aren't nearly so pure. Even if the parents could do more of the care at home, I think Braille schools have long been a way for parents to get out of having to raise their blind or otherwise disabled child. They don't know how, they don't want to, it's too much trouble, so just ship them off for nine months out of the year, more if you also have the kid go to the school's summer program, and you hardly have to raise your kid at all. Either way you cut it, I still think most of these schools need to be closed.
Leo, I believe that Iowa's school is now closed as well.

## Post 20 by AgateRain (Believe it or not, everything on me and about me is real!) on Monday, 25-Jan-2016 17:31:46

Ah ok, I see now. So blah.

## Post 21 by Imprecator (The Zone's Spelling Nazi) on Monday, 25-Jan-2016 20:35:11

I call them prison camps.