Ohio State School for the Blind (OSSB or OSB) is a school located in

Columbus, Ohio Columbus () is the state capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S., the second-most populous city in the Midwest, after Chicago, and t ...

, United States. It is run by the Ohio Department of Education for blind and

visually impaired Visual impairment, also known as vision impairment, is a medical definition primarily measured based on an individual's better eye visual acuity; in the absence of treatment such as correctable eyewear, assistive devices, and medical treatment� ...

students across Ohio. It was established in 1837, making it the nation's first public school for the visually impaired. Institution for Education of the Blind

The Ohio Institution for the Education of the Blind building was constructed in 1874 in downtown Columbus on Parsons Ave. Later it became the headquarters for the Ohio State Highway Patrol, and is now home to the

Columbus Public Health Columbus Public Health is the health department of Columbus, Ohio. The department is accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board. The department dates to 1833, when the city's mayor appointed five citizens to help with its cholera outbreak ...

offices. In the early 1900s, the Ohio Institution for the Education of the Blind became known as the Ohio State School for the Blind. In the mid-1950s the school moved to its current location at 5220 N. High St on the ground of a defaulted golf course. Over its history, the school has seen a vast change in its population and demographics, originally housing a majority of single disability student to now educating students with a variety of abilities. In the basement of the school sits a vast collection of models that were constructed and purchased over time, of various monuments around the United States that blind students may not be able to see with their eyes but instead could examine with their

hand A hand is a prehensile, multi-fingered appendage located at the end of the forearm or forelimb of primates such as humans, chimpanzees, monkeys, and lemurs. A few other vertebrates such as the koala (which has two opposable thumbs on each "h ...

s. While the majority of the models were constructed of quality material, there are some that have been neglected and damaged over the years. And have such been repaired and sit in the lobby of the newly built building. In recent years, a discussion has gained popularity about combining the school with the

Ohio School for the Deaf Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

, creating a single state funded school for both blind and deaf students. Camps from both sides have argued both for and against this idea. Opponents say it will destroy each other's way of life. After several months of research, the state of Ohio decided to keep the Ohio State School for the Blind and the Ohio State School for the Deaf each on their own campus. The Ohio State School for the Blind marching band was formed in 2005 to provide music and halftime shows for the Ohio School for the Deaf

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...

program and is the only blind marching band in the country. It is alternatively known as The Best Blind Band In The Land. It is now directed by Yolanda Johnson, assisted by Jeff Schneider. The Ohio State School for the Blind made history on January 1, 2010, when they marched in the 2010 Tournament of Roses Parade in California. The group is the first blind marching band in the event's 121-year history. The marching band was awarded with the National Citation of Excellence from national music fraternity, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Notable alumni include educator

Eleanor Gertrude Brown Eleanor Gertrude Brown (August 28, 1887 — July 21, 1964) was an American Milton scholar and educator. Early life Eleanor Gertrude Brown was from Dayton, Ohio. She was blind from infancy, and educated at the Ohio State School for the Blind, gradu ...

(class of 1908), who went on to earn a Ph.D. from Columbia University in 1934, jazz legend Rahsaan Roland Kirk and actor/comedian Troy Hammond.

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External links

Ohio State School for the Blind
{{authority control Schools in Columbus, Ohio Schools for the blind in the United States Educational institutions established in 1837 Public high schools in Ohio Public middle schools in Ohio Public elementary schools in Ohio Public K-12 schools in the United States Public boarding schools in the United States Boarding schools in Ohio Clintonville (Columbus, Ohio) Education in Franklin County, Ohio High schools in Franklin County, Ohio

See also

References

External links