Perkins School for the Blind

American institution

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July 20, 2026

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The Perkins School for the Blind, founded in 1831 by Samuel Gridley Howe, is a historic American institution dedicated to the education of visually impaired individuals. It was the second school of its kind in the United States and became a model for similar institutions nationwide. Howe, a physician and educator, championed the idea that the blind could be educated and trained to become independent members of society. The school gained significant recognition for its success in teaching Laura Bridgman, who was both blind and deaf, to communicate through finger spelling and raised type. Perkins has played a crucial role in developing educational methods and advocating for the rights and integration of blind individuals into the broader community.12

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history of the blind
Education and the blind
…Blind (later known as the Perkins School for the Blind)—the second school of its kind in the United States—argued that the blind could be educated and trained to become independent members of society, earning their own way in the world.
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…Blind (later known as the Perkins School for the Blind)—the second school of its kind in the United States—argued that the blind could be educated and trained to become independent members of society, earning their own way in the world.
Read More