THE FOUNDING OF THE STATE SCHOOL FOR
THE BLIND
A BIOGRAPHY OF
WILLIAM H. CHURCHMAN
BY
GEORGE S. COTTMAN, Irvington,
Indiana
If one interested in the notable men of Indiana should seek for information about William H. Churchman he
would not find even the
briefest biographical mention of him in any of the big gilt edged books that pretend to save from
oblivion the representative men
of the State. Yet this man, an active citizen of the State for more than thirty-five years, in ability
and in performance outranked many
a one whose name is blazoned conspicuously on the pages of our history. William H. Churchman has
never 'received the recognition and the honor that was due him, for the
reason, perhaps, . that his
services were not of a kind to keep him in the public eye and he did not see fit to pay some
publisher of commercial "history" for a laudatory write-up with the
customary picture accompaniment.
An educator in a special field Mr. Churchman was to the blind of this State what Samuel Gridley Howe, "the
Cadmus of the blind," or the
famous educator of Laura Bridgeman was to the darkened ones of Massachusetts. He was, virtually,
the founder of the work that
has been done for this class in Indiana. For though such work was one of the predestined duties; of a
progressive commonwealth regardless
of any one man, yet the intrusion of this man into our history at the formative moment gave a
distinctive character to the early
development. How this was can best be shown by a brief sketch of his earlier life. Born in
Baltimore, Maryland, in 1818, he
lost his sight entirely during youth, and this determined the character of his life-work. He was one of
the first pupils in the Pennsylvania
Institute for the Blind, a pioneer school of the kind, and by the time he reached his majority he
had taken up teaching of the
blind as a profession. From that time until the close of a long life the rendering of service to
those that sit in darkness was with
him a pursuit and a passion. Between 1830 and 1848 he taught in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Tennessee
and Kentucky. His first connection
with this State was a matter of chance. In the spring of 1844 James M.
Ray, of Indianapolis, while attending the General Assembly of the Presbyterian church at
Louisville, witnessed, by
invitation, an exhibition of blind pupils from the Kentucky
institution, under Mr.
Church. Mr. Ray, who is honored in our history as a leader in all good works, was
at once interested in behalf
of the blind of his own State, and through his invitation Mr. Churchman during the next session of the
Indiana Legislature, brought
some of his pupils to Indianapolis to demonstrate what education had done for them. The
Legislature was enough impressed to levy a tax of two mills on each hundred
dollars7 worth of taxable
property to be applied in placing the blind children of the State in other institutions until a school
should be established here. It
should be added that the United States census reports did not show many blind children to exist in the
State, and taking this as a basis
the case did not seem to call for a very liberal provision.
At the session of 1845-6 James M. Ray and George W. Mears, in connection with the secretary, auditor
and treasurer of State, were
appointed to administer the funds, which, in the collection, proved to be enough to place twenty pupils
in the nearest existing institutions
at a cost of $100 per year each.
A word as to the status of the .blind at that period. They were wholly dependent "a neglected,
unhappy
class," without hope of taking
any part in the world's work, and with no prospect of being other than the veriest paupers if thrown
upon their own resources. No
other defective was quite so unfortunate. There were many things the deaf-mute could do, the victim
of insanity, presumably, was
at least less sensible of his misfortune : but the blind, unless specially trained, were pitiably helpless
and were acutely sensitive to it.
The champions of their cause saw for them possibilities of usefulness, independence and happiness, and with this
incentive for zeal the
trustees proceeded to carry out their benevolent duties, never doubting the eager co-operation of
the beneficiaries, the only trouble
they anticipated being in the selection of the fortunate twenty from the many applicants. Their
first experimental step was interesting
and educative. Through newspapers and by circular they advertised broadcast the "benevolent
objects of the Legislature," and
lo! as a result there were just five applicants. The trustees were "exceedingly disappointed," and on
looking more closely into the
matter learned that their experience was but a repetition of what had
occurred in other States, and that, as they concluded, "the affections of the mothers of the
helpless blind required stronger assurances than your trustees could make
in publication." before committing
their tender charges into the hands of strangers. It is not the only instance on record when
philanthropic zeal failed to reckon
correctly with the human nature it had to deal with. In a word, not only the State Legislature and
the public generally, but the
proposed recipients of the benefaction had to be educated. In this dilemma the perplexed trustees turned
to William Churchman as one
who knew and could advise. He proffered his services, presented his plan, and with a horse,
wagon and driver was put into
the field to seek out and visit personally homes having blind inmates, and to create in such families
ambition and confidence. Equipped
with a specimen book printed in raised letters, and some samples of handcraft made by blind pupils
of the Ohio institution, he
traveled about 1,520 miles through thirty-six Indiana counties. This was in the early fall of 1846. The
result was that the twenty pupils
the State could then care for were found and placed, eleven at the Ohio institution and nine in
Kentucky. Moreover twenty- eight
others of eligible age were found, and the canvasser established the gross inaccuracy of the Federal census
enumeration as regarded this
class.
In 1847 the Indiana school for the blind was established with George W. Mears, Seton W. Norris and James
M. Ray as trustees ; W. H. Churchman
as acting principal, at a salary of $800 per year : L. S. Newell, teacher of music ; Caleb Scudder,
steward and master of
handicraft; Samuel McGibben, assistant mechanic; Mrs. Margaret Demoss, matron and mistress of handicraft,
and Miss Sarah Marsh,
assistant. Mr. Churchman was made "acting" principal because, with all the confidence in him,
there existed no precedent for
fully installing- a blind man in so responsible a position, and it was not until 1851 that the trustees so
far overcame their conservatism as to appoint him superintendent in full.
One of his first duties in
his new capacity was to visit all the leading institutions for the blind in the country to inform himself of
the latest improvements in methods
of instruction and of administration, and also to select in person books and apparatus.
The beginning of the institution was on an humble scale in a rented building so scant in its
accommodations that the trustees had to put up a cheap additional
structure for a workshop. The full list of the books for the blind at that
time did not exceed thirty and the
entire equipment of books and apparatus cost but a little over one hundred dollars. The total expense for
the year was a little in excess
of $6,000. The term began with nine pupils only, but increased to thirty and established a record among
the institutions of the
country for the first year's attendance. Another promise for bigger things that year was the purchase
for $5,000 of the eight acres
between Meridian and Pennsylvania streets still used, and which was then described as "adjoining
Indianapolis on the north."
Mr. Churchman's first connection with the institution lasted until October of 1853, up to which period he did
pioneer work in establishing a
standard of excellence second to none. He advertised the aims and the efficiency of the institution
throughout the State by several
educational campaigns with his more advanced pupils through various sections, and, what was of
vast importance from the
viewpoint of efficiency and progress, he sought to keep before the public and the powers that were the
peculiar problems of the work,
particularly the industrial problems, as only an expert could do. He pointed out the fact that after the
blind have been educated they
still are not in a normal relation to the world or on an equal footing with those who see when it comes
to taking actual part in the
struggle for existence. He also paid much attention to the causes of blindness and published the
statistics, fore running in that direction the recent work of Dr. Hurty
who. through the State Board
of Health, has been ardently endeavoring tn reduce blindness by showing where it is preventable.
Mr. Churchman may almost be spoken of as the father of the large building for the blind still
standing. Tn its materialization much was left to him. After a thorough
study of institutional buildings
elsewhere he elaborated and personally supervised plans that were drawn for him by a local
draftsman, John Elder. Subsequently the services of Francis Costigan of
Madison, perhaps the best-known
architect in the State, were secured, but Mr. Churchman kept track of every detail of
construction, and tradition survives of his detecting mortar, imperfectly
mixed, that was going into
the walls, and of unsatisfactory bracings in the woodwork which he located as he traversed the rooms
and halls tapping with his
cane, and caused to be torn out and remedied. When completed this
building was considered one of the best and most modern structures of its kind in the country, and
as nearly fireproof as the art
of building had then attained to. Its cost was about $68,000.
Just as this building was completed and the zealous superintendent with a fine equipment in hand, was ready
to push and expand his work,
"politics," it seems, decided that an $800 position ought to be connected up with some one
more valuable to the reigning
powers. At any rate an old and vicious custom prevailed and for a party reasons a faithful public
servant especially fitted for his
important work, was summarily ousted and replaced by a series of incumbents who, no matter what their
natural capacities, were so unadapted
to the business in hand that the confession of ignorance by at least two of them was positively
naive. Of course the institution continued to exist — even to grow, but one
who carefully examines the
reports of Mr. Churchman and his successors will find a fundamental difference which is the
difference between an expert at
his life's work and a novice at a temporary job. At various times we have rumors of defection within,
criticism from without, and even
of improper liberties taken by the superintendent with girl pupils. All that is scandal of the past,
but it points its moral.
In 1861 Mr. Churchman was recalled to the superintendence of the blind and retained that position
without interruption for eighteen years. The reiterated appreciation and
praise voiced during that period
by the various trustees with whom he worked was something more than perfunctory courtesy. One of the
trustee's reports affirms
that "to his zeal and ability and devotion to this work we are indebted for its superior condition
and efficiency, ranking, as it does,
as one of the first if not the best school for the education of the blind in the United States," and it
further states that "his plans and
ideas have been studied, copied and made the model for other and older States," while "his
administration has been not only appreciated at home but recognized abroad." In 1866
the trustees of
the New York State institution chose
and elected him as the head of
their establishment, offering him as an inducement a salary nearly double that which he received here, but at
the earnest solicitation of our
trustees he declined the flattering offer that had been thrust upon him and remained here. It was by his
initiative that a convention of
the educators of the blind, the second of its kind, perhaps, in the world, was held in Indianapolis in
1871. He was made chairman of its meetings, which were well
attended from all over the country,
and at the close a permanent association of "American Instructors of the Blind" was formed, with Mr.
Churchman as one of the
vice-presidents.
Mr. Churchman illustrated within himself to a remarkable degree the possibilities of the blind. Mentally
he was no ordinary man. As a
scholar his knowledge was extraordinary. As a thinker . he was vigorous, searching and subtle, and
the ease and clearness with
which he could expound a profound and far-reaching subject was a matter for wonder to those less
gifted. In his report of 1866 a
long disquisition on the blind viewed largely from the angle of philosophy and psychology shows admirably
the wide range of his mind,
and from long training in dictation he expressed himself verbally with the same facility, as his
friends well remember. Even more
remarkable were his powers of minute observation and his mastery of facts and details. A little
story is apropos here. The present
writer's father, a merchant tailor in Indianapolis during the fifties, first met Mr. Churchman when he
came into his store one day
and requested to "see" some fabric for a suit of clothes. The skeptical tailor, with a touch of
facetiousness, threw out a number of bolts on his counter, the two at the
opposite ends being identical. The
customer went along the line carefully feeling each piece of cloth till he came to the end, when he
turned up his face attentively. Then he went back to the first bolt and
fingered it once more. "Why,"
he said, "these two are just the same."
Mr. Churchman left the institution in 1879, and the last three years of his life were spent with his half
brother, F. M. Churchman, whose
home was six miles southeast of the city, and there he died very suddenly on May 17, 1882. His funeral
services were held in the
chapel of the institution with which he was so intimately identified, and the chief speaker was the Rev. Oscar
C. McCulloch, than whom no
one was better fitted to pay sympathetic respect to a strong and useful man.
Source: Indiana Magazine of History By Indiana University Dept. of History,
Indiana University, Bloomington Dept. of History,
Indiana State Library, Indiana Historical Society Published by Indiana University, Dept. of
History, 1914
Indiana School for the Blind
In 1845 the Indiana general Assembly
appropriated $5,000 to purchase land to build a school for the blind. A
three member committee selected an eight-acre site on North Street
between Meridian and Pennsylvania Streets in 1848; that same year the
legislature appropriated another $5,000 for construction. While the
school temporarily operated from rented quarters, construction on the
three story brick building began. This first building, intended for
temporary use, was completed in 1850 and construction began on what
would be the permanent building at the site.
William H. Churchman, a blind man who was the school's first
superintendent, provided trustees with ideas for the building based on
his study of buildings in use by the blind. Local architect John Elder
made the early drafts under Churchman's direction. Francis Costigan
made several exterior ornamental changes to the plans, raising the main
entrance to the second floor, adding three Corinthian cupolas, removing
the third and fourth floor porches, and setting the building farther
back from the street. Surrounded by an iron fence, the main building
was five stories , with two four story wings. Of the original three
cupolas, only the one on the main building remained by 1930. the main
building was built primarily of brick faced with sandstone; the Ionic
portico and the verandas were of sandstone. four large stone scrolls
bordered the broad staircases of the main entrance. occupied in 1853,
the total cost of the buildings and grounds was $110,000. the original
three story brick building on the site remained in use as a workshop.
Additions to the property over the years included a barn, laundry,
bakeshop, greenhouse, and dormitories.
In 1920 the state legislature authorized the Indiana world War memorial
Plaza and in 1923 approved a plan for a new blind school. a commission
selected a 60 acre site at 75th Street and North College Avenue and
construction began on its facilities under the direction of Harrison
and Turnock, a local firm. The state legislature appropriated $4000,000
in 1927 to continue construction on the boys' dormitory, the industrial
building and music hall. Another appropriation in 1929 enabled
completion of the property. All the buildings were two stories,
connected by tunnels. The school opened in September 1930. the stone
scrolls. columns from the cupola, and iron fence from the old building
were incorporated into the new property. Later additions to the current
property include the superintendents residence, garden and arboretum,
Lambert Hall, greenhouse, the track and field facility, and the
natatorium.
Source: The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis By David J. Bodenhamer, Robert
Graham
Barrows, David Gordon Vanderstel
