How did Samuel Gridley Howe’s lectures encourage states to open schools for blind students?

Samuel Gridley Howe encouraged states to establish public schools for the blind by traveling extensively with his pupils to demonstrate their capabilities firsthand. During these tours, which reached as far west as Ohio and Kentucky and as far south as Georgia and Louisiana, Howe combined his lectures with public exhibitions of his students' skills in reading, writing, oratory, and musical performance.1

These demonstrations served as powerful evidence that blind individuals could be educated, trained, and empowered to become independent, contributing members of society. By showcasing the potential of his students—most notably Laura Bridgman, who gained international fame for her mastery of communication—Howe successfully persuaded state legislators to fund and establish their own public facilities for the education of the blind.21