Blind Babies Home.

Continuing with the medical institutions, this article describes the building of a long-time facility at the northwest edge of Jamaica Plain. The Blind Babies' Home started in 1901 as a home-based facility in Roxbury, supplementing the kindergarten of the Perkins School for the Blind. Miss Isabel Greely, a principal at the Perkins kindergarten, led the effort to extend the benefits of dedicated care and education to the youngest children.

In time, the Home became the Boston Center for Blind Children, which was visible from the Jamaicaway. In 1995, the institution closed its doors.




Boston Daily Globe November 7, 1908


New Blind Babies' Home. Work Will Begin Next Spring on Buildings in the Jamaicaway.


The new building for the blind babies' home will be located on the Jamaicaway near St Vincents's hospital and work will begin next spring.

The building lot is 110 by 150 feet and the home will face Leverett pond with an entrance from South Huntington av. O.A. Thayer of this city designed the building which will be a home in appearance and comfort with all things "institutional" eliminated.

The exterior will be finished in stucco and surmounted by a red tile or slate roof. At the left of the entrance hall on the south side the nursery, with 20 by 40 feet dimensions, will be located.

A large sun plaza opens off the nursery, while at the left of the entrance there will be a reception room, dining room for nurses and diet kitchen with all the latest improvements, including a tile floor and walls of cement plaster. The main kitchen, serving rooms and pantries are to be located in the L.

The night nursery, containing 25 cots, is on the second floor and it will be connected with the bathrooms and toilets. The rooms for the nurses, the superintendent, sewing and operating are planned for this floor also.

Rooms for the maids, several bathrooms and toilets and a room for isolation purposes will be found on the third floor and the laundry and heating plant will be in the basement.