The  repetition  of  these  services  for  over  half  a  century  seems
rather  to  increase  than  to  diminish  the  interest. Tremont
Temple  was  crowded  last  Tuesday  by  an  eager  and  sympa-
thetic company. On  the  stage,  as  usual,  neatly  dressed,
sat  the  pupils  —  girls  and  boys,  and  young  ladies  and  young
men. They  were  as  bright  and  alive  to  all  the  incidents  of  the
hour  as  any  of  the  spectators,  giving  little  evidence  of  the  veil
u[K>n  their  vision  except  by  the  motionless  gaze  in  one  direc-
tion, and  when  called  to  enter  upon  some  exercise. Mrs. Julia
Ward  Howe,  so  well-known  in  the  literary  world,  widow  of  the
first  director  and  founder  of  the  institution,  was  upon  the
stage. Her  dark  dress  recalled  the  late  sudden  and  sad  de-
cease of  her  daughter,  Mrs. Anagnos,  the  beloved  wife  and
inspiring  companion  in  his  work  of  the  present  director  of  the
school. Just  behind  her,  in  busy  conversation  with  her  hands
with  her  friend,  sat  Laura  Bridgman,  the  wonderful  monument
of  painstaking,  persistent  and  successful  Christian  philanthropy
in  reaching  and  quickening  the  mind  when  nearly  every  out-
ward sense  was  closed. The  fine  brass  band  of  the  institution
gave  admirably  performed  pieces  of  music  before  and  during
the  services. Samuel  Eliot,  LL. D.,  president  of  the  corpora-
tion, presided,  and  introduced  Governor  Robinson  in  a  graceful
short  address. The  Governor  is  always  happy  on  such  occa-
sions. He  was  playful,  sympathetic  and  suggestive,  heartily
appreciative  of  the  importance  and  success  of  the  work  accom-
plished in  the  school,  and  earnest  in  his  appeal  to  the  benevo-
lent for  the  early  and  generous  endowment  of  the  kindergar-
ten branch,  now  in  construction. The  exercises  of  the  pupils,
the  excellent  essays  of  two  of  the  graduates,  the  illustrations
of  school  work  in  geography,  and  of  finger  reading  from  the
raised-letter  volumes,  the  singing  and  instrumental  music,  the
calisthenic  and  military  drill,  and  finally  the  apt  and  amusing
work  of  the  younger  pupils  in  clay,  with  their  illustrated  rcc-


134


itatioDS  on  the  early  hi6tx>ry  of  Boston  —  all  met  with  the
wai'mest  expressions  of  appreciation  on  the  part  of  the  audi-
ence. Hon. Leverett  Saltonstall  made  an  animated  address  in
advocacy  of  the  new  movement  to  receive  these  rayless  chil-
dren at  an  earlier  age,  and  to  bestow  upon  them  the  advan-
tages of  the  kindergarten  training. 