the case of the blind, and from that point of view he felt well pleased with accomplished results and with prospects for the future. He was glad to say that the health of the pupils had been good and their conduct exemplary. The conduct of the programme was handed over to Mr. Humphries. The programme, which was carried out without loss of time, and with the greatest credit to all the performers, was undoubtedly one of the most enjoyable ever presented at an Institution concert. Former standards were well upheld, and in some particulars considerably exceeded; and, although comparisons are not always in order, it was a matter of general remark among those who observe the progress of the pupils from year to year, that the graduates in piano, Miss Ponting and Miss Macdonald, reached the highest point of excellence yet attained. The fact that this session two young ladies obtained the degree of Associate of the Toronto College of Music (A.T.C.M.) marks the breaking of all records in the musical history of the O. I. B., and must be a matter of sincere gratification to the Musical Director, Mr. Humphries, and his able assistants in that department. In addition to the graduates, 21 certificates of the Toronto College of Music were obtained by other pupils. Piano-"Concerto in G Minor," with Orchestral Accompaniment.. Recitation-"The Baby Actor" MARY MACDONALD. EDNA SAGE. Seven Part Anthem-"A Solemn Prayer," from "The Holy Innocents" Two Pianos-" Humoresque" CHORAL CLASS. ESTA WOLSEY AND MARGARET Liggett. Recitation-" The Homesick Boy" Piano—“ Grande Polonaise Brillante," HARRY WHITE. CHORAL CLASS. with Orchestral Accompaniment Recitation- Domestic Economy". Emma Rooke. CHORAL CLASS. Part Song- Soldiers' Song," from Shakspeare's "Othello" 66 Concerted Overture to 'Stradella'" Pianos-ALICE STICKLEY AND VICTORIA THOMSON. GRACE KAY AND GERTRUDE COLL. Organ-CHARLES DUFF. Presentation of Diplomas and Certificates. Mendelssohn. St. Nicholas. Herbert Brewer. Watson. Anonymous. Caldicott. Chopin. .Anonymous. Flotour Although of such length, this list or interesting selections was carried through in an admirably sustained manner, which left small room for distinctions. The recitations were marked by that clearness of enunciation and flexibility of voice which always characterize the O. I. B. pupils, and little Master Harry White made such an impression with his "Homesick Boy" that he had to be brought forward in reply to an enthusiastic recall. The Choral Class well upheld its reputation for finished work, and sang five numbers with splendid attention to expression, clearness and sharpness of attack; the male section seemed to be more than usually strong and covered themselves with honors in the "Soldiers' Song" from Othello. In the piano concertos the soloists were accompanied by the Darwen Orchestra and the pipe organ, Mr. Humphries conducting in the absence of Dr. Torrington, who usually performs that duty. Miss Mary Macdonald gave a splendid rendering of the Presto movement of Mendelssohn's G Minor Concerto, and Miss Hester Ponting accomplished a veritable "tour de force in her playing of the long and extremely difficult "Grand Polonaise," by Chopin, without break or flaw of any kind and with charming attention to the requirements of expression. At the close of the programme the diplomas and certificates were presented. Rev. Mr. Harvey and Mr. Passmore handed the diplomas to the graduates and congratulated them in neat speeches. The successful pupils were: A.T.C.M.-Hester Ponting, Mary Macdonald. Third Year Piano-Mary Macdonald (honors). Second Year Piano--Alice Stickley (first-class honors), Thomas Kennedy (honors), Grace Kay, Gertrude Coll. First Year Piano-Eleanor Wooldridge, Edward Simpson, Horace Valiant, Beatrice McCannan (first-class honors), Margaret Liggett, Charles Lavender, Enie Ferguson (honors). Second Year Theory-Mary Macdonald, urace Kight, Grace Kay (firstclass honors), Herbert Treneer (honors). First Year Theory-Anna Victoria Thomson, Alice Stickley (first-class honors), Thomas Kennedy, Gertrude Coll (honors), Eva Bullock (pass). ATHLETICS. The past year has witnessed a great improvement in the physique of the male pupils, due to a great extent to the interest aroused in gymnasium work and outdoor sports by the enthusiasm and labor of Supervisor Ramsay. On October 21st (Trafalgar Day) the programme of sports included the following: Junior Events. 25-yard race, under 10 years-William G. Thompson, Neil McKinnon, Wilbert Clemmett. ald. 50 yards run-Norman McDonald, David Graham, Jean Chatelain. Long jump-Floyd Sager, Orville Frayne, Charles McBride. Kicking the football-Floyd Sager, Charles McBride, Norman McDon Throwing baseball-Floyd Sager, Norman McDonald, Charles McBride. Three-legged race-N. McDonald and O. Frayne, W. Clemmett and W. Thompson, F. Sager and C. McBride. Wheelbarrow race-0. Frayne and N. McDonald, J. Chatelain and F. Sager, W. Thompson and W. Clemmett. son. Standing high jump-C. McBride, D. Graham, N. McDonald. Senior Events. Standing high jump-George Stokes, Thomas Kennedy, Cameron Alli Pole vault-George Stokes, Albert Fall, Horace Valiant. 100 yards dash-T. Kennedy, A. Fall, Joseph Boudreault. 220 yards run-T. Kennedy, A. Fall. Putting the shot-John Hughes, T. Kennedy, J. Boudreault. Standing hop, step, and jump-T. Kennedy, G. Stokes, J. Hughes. Half-mile walk (partners)-Hughes and Kennedy, Nicolson and Boudreault. Throwing baseball-T. Kennedy, A. Fall, J. Boudreault. On February 17th there was a gymnasium contest with the "horse," the "Whites" (N. McDonald, O. Frayne, W. Thompson, A. Lott and C. McBride) defeating the "Reds" (0. Mealing, J. Chatelain, D. Graham, G. Graham, and W. Crew) by 450 points to 439 in these events: Kneel and jump. Kneel, stand and jump. Kneel, stand and double straddle jump. Roll over back and squat. Roll over and stand. Scissors. Shears. Straddle. Centre straddle. Open event. On March 3rd there was a gymnasium contest in which seniors as well as juniors took part, a careful record being kept of points earned. June 9th was the great field day, but the programme was so extensive that part of it had to be postponed until the succeeding Saturday. The local papers contained the following report of these games: -- BLIND BOYS' SPORTS. The pupils of the Ontario Institution for the Blind turned out in full force on Saturday afternoon to witness or participate in a programme of games and races for which some of them had been training for a considerable time. The events really began on Friday night, when John Hughes (totally blind) won the three-mile road race in 21 minutes, being accompanied by Mr. George Ramsay, the supervisor of the boys, while the leading team in the junior one-mile race was composed of Orville Frayne (totally blind) and Jean Chatelain, who has some sight. They ran hand in hand. The Saturday contests included a standing long jump, juniors-Norman McDonald, 6 feet 1 inches: Geo. Stokes, seniors, 8 feet 6 inches. Standing long jump with pole, seniors-Cameron Allison, 12 feet inch. High jump, juniors-O. Frayne, 3 feet 1 inch. Throwing four-pound discus-Thos. Kennedy, 82 feet 10 inches. Dash for 50 yards--O. Frayne, time 8 seconds. The running track was smooth, but not straight, nor was it wide enough. Some of the racers had to start in the long grass, which occasioned some tumbles. The blind racers had to follow the sound of a string of bells which were carried by Mr. Ramsay, who ran ahead of them, and it was wonderful how they all managed to locate the sound. In the animal races, wheelbarrow, and three-legged races, which were run on the cricket ground, the collisions were frequent, but no one was hurt. Mr. Roney and Mr. F. Grobb acted as timers and judges. The events for which there was no time on Saturday were the half-mile walk, high jumping, pole vaulting, football punts, baseball throwing, quoiting match, and tug of war. These were postponed till next Saturday. The leading contestants for the senior championship are Thomas Kennedy of Guelph, and Harold Elnor of Toronto; for the junior, Norman McDonald of Wingham, David Graham of Birnam, and Orville Frayne of Forest. One of the contestants had a special paragraph for himself, under the heading, "Blind Boy's Feat": "At the O.I.B. sports held recently, a blind boy named George Stokes made a most remarkable stand jump. Despite the fact that he is totally unable to see, he cleared 8 feet 8 inches, without the use of hand weights or other assistance. George is a boy of 17 years, and pretty sturdily built.' Should this record of the work of Institution boys in the athletic field. seem incredible, the following article by Percy Trenchard in "Physical Culture" for May, 1906, will help to explain how these things are done: "How impossible that boys hopelessly blind can compete in field sports. This will be the first exclamation of those who read that there has actually been planned a great athletic meet of the blind athletes of the country. Should a doubt be expressed in the presence of the blind themselves, it is probable that some indignation would be expressed at the mere suggestion of anything wonderful in sightless persons running, jumping, or throwing the weights like their more fortunate fellows who can see. Not only can the blind perform almost all the feats of the modern athletes, but they have a strong objection to having such an almost incredible ability characterized as 'wonderful.' "At the Institution for the Blind at Overbrook, near Philadelphia, the boys are straining every nerve to get in condition for the proposed series of national contests among sightless athletes, the first meet of its kind in the history of sport. The closer one views the seemingly impossible tasks that the blind boys have set themselves, the easier it is to understand how they are able to run like the wind, jump long distances, play football, and do almost anything in the athletic line that is apparently impossible without sight. "The boy who was practising at putting the shot when the writer visited the institution was using a shot with a rope attached to it. When he had balanced himself and thrown the shot it would be impossible for anyone who did not know the fact to tell that the boy was blind. The confidence, the poise, and the cast were all as natural as though done by a boy with perfect sight. Only when the boy began to haul in the line could it be seen that he was afflicted with blindness. As he hauled in he measured the length of his |