The Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School was a state-operated school for the blind. It was replaced by the Iowa Educational Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

Vinton, Iowa Vinton is a city in Benton County, Iowa, United States. The population was 4,938 in the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, a decrease from 5,102 in 2000 United States Census, 2000. It is also part of the Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Cedar Rapids Ceda ...

, hosted the school and continued as host of the state agency that replaced it until 2020. Students from all over

Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to th ...

were housed and educated at the school. During its existence, students in special education were entitled to educational programming until age 21. Students could attend the school for short-term enrollment for specialized skill development and training. Students attended classes that met individual educational needs. Some students attended select classes at the local public school. Instruction was provided in specialized areas of core curriculum for students with visual impairments, which include compensatory skills, orientation and mobility, social interaction skills, independent living skills, career education/work experience, use of assistive/adaptive technology and visual efficiency skills. The school opened in 1852 as the Iowa College for the Blind.

Mary Ingalls Mary Amelia Ingalls (January 10, 1865 – October 20, 1928) was born near the town of Pepin, Wisconsin. She was the first child of Caroline and Charles Ingalls and older sister of author Laura Ingalls Wilder, known for her '' Little House'' book ...

, sister of

Laura Ingalls Wilder Laura Elizabeth Ingalls Wilder (February 7, 1867 – February 10, 1957) was an American writer, mostly known for the '' Little House on the Prairie'' series of children's books, published between 1932 and 1943, which were based on her childhood ...

(author of the ''

Little House on the Prairie The ''Little House on the Prairie'' books is a series of American children's novels written by Laura Ingalls Wilder (b. Laura Elizabeth Ingalls). The stories are based on her childhood and adolescence in the American Midwest (Wisconsin, Kansas, ...

'' series), attended the school, graduating in 1889. Her stay was typical for blind students of that era. As of fall 2011, IBSSS no longer had a residential component. All school-age visually impaired children in Iowa now receive specialized instruction in their local school districts from professionals employed by the agency, whose administrative offices were located in the old school building in Vinton. As part of its transformation from a residential school to a state agency, it underwent a name change to the Iowa Statewide System For Vision Services. The plan called for students to continue to come to the school for short-term summer programs in the future, though the difficulty of maintaining trained staff without an ongoing residential program could affect the viability of such programs. Since 2008, the North Central Region headquarters for AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) has been located on the campus. During the July 2011 derecho, the campus and buildings sustained considerable damage. The school is a member of Council of Schools for the Blind (COSB). The City of Vinton bought the former facility for $1 in 2020. The city plans to establish offices and areas for special events. Iowa Educational Services for the Blind & Visually Impaired is now headquartered in

Council Bluffs Council Bluffs is a city in and the county seat of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, United States. The city is the most populous in Southwest Iowa, and is the third largest and a primary city of the Omaha-Council Bluffs Metropolitan Area. It is loc ...

Campus

The school had dormitories for students.

References

External links

* {{Authority control Vinton, Iowa Public schools in Iowa Public K-12 schools in the United States Schools for the blind in the United States Educational institutions established in 1852 Schools in Benton County, Iowa 1852 establishments in Iowa Public boarding schools in the United States Boarding schools in Iowa