Boston line letter
Encyclopedia
Boston line letter was a tactile writing system created by Dr. Samuel Gridley Howe
in 1835, a popular precursor to the now-standardized Braille
.
, the first director of the New England Asylum for the Blind (now Perkins School for the Blind
), studied tactile printing
systems in Europe
and developed his own system of raised type called Boston line letter. Howe's system was similar to raised letters designed by James Gall
in Edinburgh, Scotland in the 1820s . In 1835 Howe printed Acts of the Apostles
, the first book produced in Boston line letter. The letterforms were an angular modification of Roman letters and had no capital letters. The first books embossed at the American Printing House for the Blind
in 1866 were in Boston line letter.
By 1868, N.B. Kneass, Jr., a printer in Philadelphia, had adapted what became known as a "combined system" which used the lower case forms of Boston line letter and capital letters from a rival tactile system known as Philadelphia Line . Until replaced by dot systems this hybrid form of raised letters was the predominant embossed type for blind people in the United States and the choice of most of the schools.
Samuel Gridley Howe
Samuel Gridley Howe was a nineteenth century United States physician, abolitionist, and an advocate of education for the blind.-Early life and education:...
in 1835, a popular precursor to the now-standardized Braille
Braille
The Braille system is a method that is widely used by blind people to read and write, and was the first digital form of writing.Braille was devised in 1825 by Louis Braille, a blind Frenchman. Each Braille character, or cell, is made up of six dot positions, arranged in a rectangle containing two...
.
History
Dr. Samuel Gridley HoweSamuel Gridley Howe
Samuel Gridley Howe was a nineteenth century United States physician, abolitionist, and an advocate of education for the blind.-Early life and education:...
, the first director of the New England Asylum for the Blind (now Perkins School for the Blind
Perkins School for the Blind
Perkins School for the Blind, located in Watertown, Massachusetts, is the oldest schools for the blind in the United States. It has also been known as the Perkins Institution for the Blind.-History:...
), studied tactile printing
Tactile graphic
Tactile graphics are images that use raised surfaces so that a visually impaired person can feel them. They are used to convey non-textual information such as maps, paintings, graphs and diagrams.Tactile graphics can be seen as a subset of accessible images...
systems in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and developed his own system of raised type called Boston line letter. Howe's system was similar to raised letters designed by James Gall
James Gall
James Gall was a Scottish clergyman who founded the Carrubbers Close Mission. As well as writing on religious matters, often from a rather unorthodox standpoint, he had an interest in astronomy...
in Edinburgh, Scotland in the 1820s . In 1835 Howe printed Acts of the Apostles
Acts of the Apostles
The Acts of the Apostles , usually referred to simply as Acts, is the fifth book of the New Testament; Acts outlines the history of the Apostolic Age...
, the first book produced in Boston line letter. The letterforms were an angular modification of Roman letters and had no capital letters. The first books embossed at the American Printing House for the Blind
American Printing House for the Blind
The American Printing House for the Blind is an American non-for-profit corporation in Louisville, Kentucky promoting independent living for people who are blind and visually impaired. For over 150 years APH has created unique products and services to support all aspects of daily life without...
in 1866 were in Boston line letter.
By 1868, N.B. Kneass, Jr., a printer in Philadelphia, had adapted what became known as a "combined system" which used the lower case forms of Boston line letter and capital letters from a rival tactile system known as Philadelphia Line . Until replaced by dot systems this hybrid form of raised letters was the predominant embossed type for blind people in the United States and the choice of most of the schools.