Tokyo School for the Blind Panama-Pacific International Exposition exhibit

Creator:

Tokyo School for the Blind

Date range:

Circa 1914

Call number

AG345

Abstract:

This collection documents the education of students who are blind in Japan in 1914. The collection was on display at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in 1914. The display which was created by the Tokyo School for the Blind, documents their curriculum.

Extent:

3 linear foot, 7 rare book boxes, a book phase box, and 3 boxes.

Language:

English

Processed by:

Jen Hale, 2025

Processing note:

Collocated and separated from a larger group of Japanese materials in 2025.

Custodial History:

Items with customs labels attached to them, specifically for the Panama-Pacific International Exposition exhibit held in San Francisco, California in February 20 to December 4, 1915. In a May 26, 1916 letter to N. Machida, Director of the Tokyo School for the Blind, Perkins Director Edward E. Allen states that Perkins “has received from San Francisco a case of appliances and pictures, exhibiting ways and means of instructing the blind in your school. Judging that you are the originator of the gift, I beg to thank you for it and to say that we value the exhibit highly and have placed it where it will be seen and consulted.”

Biographical/Historical notes:

Japan and her exhibits at the Panama-Pacific International Exhibition 1915, by Hakurankwai Kyokai lists the objects on display for the Tokyo School for the Blind as, “the catalogue of the school, particulars of the courses of instruction, photographs in connection with each course of instruction, text books for the blind, maps, a pack of playing cards…”

The Tokyo School for the Blind described itself in Education in Japan: prepared for the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, published in 1915 as being, “established for the purpose of giving a general education, as well as instruction in some trade to the blind and of training those who are to engage in teaching the blind. The curriculum is divided into ordinary, industrial, and training courses.” There industrial courses, are music, acupuncture and massage. Some of the “ordinary courses” included Morals, Arithmetic, History, Geography and Gymnastics.

The authors of the textbooks are teachers at the Tokyo School for the Blind. K. Ishikawa, an instructor at the school, applied Braille’s point system to their “Kana syllabary” in 1890, which is credited as completely changing how people who were blind were taught.

Sources of information:

• Kyokwai, Hakurankwai. Japan and her exhibits at the Panama-Pacific International Exhibition 1915, on the Internet Archive

• Department of Education. Education in Japan: prepared for the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, 1915 on the Internet Archive
• Allen, Edward E. Copy of a letter to Director N. Machida, May 26, 1916. AG53_132_199. Perkins correspondence collection. Perkins School for the Blind Archives, on the Internet Archive.

Restrictions:

None

Copyright:

It is the responsibility of the user to obtain permission to publish from the owner of the copyright (the institution, the creator of the record, the author or his/her transferees, heirs, legates, or literary executors). The user agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Perkins School for the Blind, its officers, employees, and agents from and against all claims made by any person asserting that he or she is an owner of copyright.

Credit line/Citation:

AG345 Tokyo School for the Blind Panama-Pacific International Exposition exhibit. Perkins School for the Blind Archives, Watertown, MA.

Scope/Contents:

This collection comprises items with customs labels specifically for the exhibition. The bulk of the collection are braille textbooks which include Title information in English print. The other curriculum, including cards and maps are in braille.

Arrangement:

1 container list, arranged by object and volume when applicable.

Container List:

• Box 1: Wooden table top sign for the Tokyo School for the Blind, in English, circa 1914.
• Box 2: The Text Book on Teaching the Soroban-Calculation by T. Kishitaka, number 8, volume 1, 1914
• Box 3: The Text Book on Teaching the Soroban-Calculation by T. Kishitaka, number 8, volume 2, 1914
• Box 4: The Text Book of the Amma-Hari, compiled by Mr. Sansaku Okumura, number 9, (C) volume 2, circa 1914
• Box 5: The Text Book of the Amma-Hari, compiled by Mr. Sansaku Okumura, number 9 (C), volume 3, circa 1914
• Box 6: The Text Book of the Amma-Hari, compiled by Mr. Sansaku Okumura, number 9 (C), volume 4, circa 1914
• Box 7: The Text Book of the Amma-Hari, compiled by Mr. Sansaku Okumura, number 9 (C), volume 5, circa 1914
• Box 8: Text book [English label worn off], number 10 (B), circa 1914
• Box 9: Tactile maps, number 12, circa 1914
• Box 10: Tactile playing cards, number 20 and One hundred song cards, number 21, circa 1914

Subject Headings:

• Tokyo School for the Blind
• Panama-Pacific International Exposition (1915 : San Francisco, Calif.)
• Education for people who are blind