material from the ,google ,print        
project47        ,,california ,,state   
,,library     ,,five ,,lectures    ,,on 
,,blindness     ,by    ,,kate ,m4       
,,foley    ,home ,teacher of the ,blind 
,california ,state ,library             
,,california ,,state ,,printing ,,office
 ,,sacramento #aiai    ,copyright #aiai 
,by the ,california ,state ,library4    
,,contents     ,,photograph             
#d    ,,foreword                        
#e    ,,the ,,psychology ,,of           
,,blindness                             
#f    ,,the ,,blind ,,child ,,and ,,its 
,,development                           
#ad    ,,the ,,re-,,education ,,of ,,the
 ,,blind ,,adult                        
#bc    ,,the ,,attitude ,,of ,,the      
,,public ,,toward ,,the ,,blind         
#cb    ,,prevention ,,of ,,blindness    
,,and ,,conservation ,,of ,,vision      
,,in ,,adults ,,and ,,children          
#dj            99       99       99     
99       99  ,illustration3 ,miss ,foley
 teaching a class of men at the         

,industrial ,home for the ,adult ,blind1
 ,oakland1 ,california4         99      
99       99       99       99           
,,foreword4   ,the following lectures   
were written primarily to be delivered  
at the summer sessions of the           
,university of ,california1 at ,berkeley
 and at ,los ,angeles1 in the summer of 
#aiah4 ,we are printing them1 however1  
so that the information in them can be  
more widely distributed1 since they are 
the outgrowth of almost a quarter of a  
century spent in work for the blind1 and
 were written from the standpoint of a  
blind person1 seeking to better the     
condition of the blind4 ,they were      
addressed not to the blind1 but to the  
seeing public1 for the benefit that will
 accrue to the blind from a better      
understanding of their problems4  ,the  
successful work of ,miss ,foley as a    
student in the ,california ,school for  
the ,blind1 as a volunteer teacher1 and 
in recent years as home teacher for the 
,california ,state ,library1 makes these

 lectures particularly important and    
authoritative4   ,,milton ,j4           
,,ferguson1 ,state ,librarian4          
,,the ,,psychology ,,of ,,blindness4    
,in view of the widespread interest now 
manifested in the blind and their       
problems--an interest deepened by       
reports from the warring countries--,i  
feel that a knowledge of the psychology 
of blindness should prove of great help 
to those wishing to take part in the    
re-education of the war-blinded         
soldiers4  ,as early as #aggc1 ,diderot 
wrote an essay on the psychology of     
blindness1 and1 as this essay was       
written at the very beginning of blind  
education1 it is interesting to note    
that his ideas coincide with the most   
advanced deductions on the subject      
today4 ,however1 as these deductions are
 not very numerous1 and as the available
 literature is very scant1 ,i shall be  
obliged to draw largely from my own     
experience and that of other blind      
persons1 in presenting the subject to   

you4  ,first1 let us consider the       
subject from the point of view of one   
who has been blind from early infancy1  
whose fingers are his eyes1 and whose   
mental vision enables him to see many   
things not revealed by physical sight4  
,a blind man once said1 when asked if he
 would not be glad to have his eyesight1
 to improve the organs ,i have1 would be
 as good as to give me that which is    
wanting in me4 ,this sentence sums up   
the whole aim of blind education4 ,dr4  
,eichholtz1 a noted educator of the     
blind1 says3 ,education of the blind    
absolutely fails in its object1 in so   
far as it fails to develop the remaining
 faculties to compensate for the want of
 sight4 ,touch and sight must be        
developed by means which practically in 
all respects are dissimilar4 ,a blind   
man discerns the sensation from the real
 presence of an object at his fingers'  
end1 only by the force or weakness of   
that very sensation4 ,so1 then1 let us  
consider that1 to the blind1 fingers are

 eyes1 and remember that they have ten  
instead of two4 ,as ,i have been blind  
since early infancy1 my own case offers 
an illustration in point1 so ,i hope you
 will not misunderstand the predominance
 of the personal note in these          
observations4  ,blindness does not lead 
to any refinement of the senses of      
touch1 hearing or smell1 but to a       
greater keenness in the interpretation  
of the information furnished by these   
senses4 ,diderot says1 the help which   
our senses reciprocally afford to each  
other1 hinders their improvement1 and so
 the person in possession of all the    
senses regards the blind man as a marvel
 of intelligence and skill1 just        
because1 on losing his eyesight1 his    
remaining senses come to the rescue1 and
 he continues to live and move and have 
his being without the most precious of  
all physical senses4 ,in the world of   
the blind child eyesight plays no part1 
and so the other senses are made to do  
double duty1 and the extent to which    

these may be cultivated is limited only 
by the mentality of the child1 its early
 training and environment4  ,i think    
hearing is the first sense to be        
cultivated1 both in the infant and the  
adult suddenly deprived of eyesight4    
,through its ears1 the child recognizes 
voices1 detects different footfalls1 is 
enabled to measure distance with a fair 
degree of accuracy1 and can form a very 
clear idea as to the shape and          
dimensions of a room4 ,all this         
information is conveyed to the normal   
child through the eyes4 ,dr4            
,illingworth1 a noted educator of the   
blind in ,england1 says3 ,of course1    
there is no doubt that blindness tends  
to a higher and more perfect development
 of the sense of hearing1 even in the   
uneducated1 on the same principle that  
,nature almost always comes to the aid  
of her children in providing protective 
agencies of one kind or another1 even in
 the very lowest organisms1 and1        
naturally1 for those who are blind1 the 

sense of hearing is the first to fall   
back upon for this purpose4 ,thus it    
becomes more highly developed1 because  
there is more frequent call upon1 and   
exercise of1 that sense4 ,another writer
 has said1 but a distinction should be  
made between sensitiveness and an       
ability to use the sense1 between native
 sensory capacity of the sense organ1   
and the acquired ability to use that    
capacity4  ,the second sense to be      
developed in the blind child is that of 
touch1 and this development begins at a 
very early date1 supplementing the sense
 of hearing4 ,long before the child is  
old enough to read1 its fingers have    
become its eyes1 and each of the ten    
fingers carries its quota of information
 to the active brain1 the amount and    
quality of this information increasing  
with the mental development4 ,in        
addition to the fingers1 the nerves of  
the face and those of the feet          
contribute their share of information4  
,the child learns to detect differences 

in climatic condition by the feel of the
 air on its face4 ,i have often heard   
very young blind children exclaim1 ,it  
feels like rain6 ,it feels like a nice  
day6 ,the air feels heavy6 ,the wind    
feels soft6 ,the wind is rough today6   
,the nerves of the feet contribute their
 share of helpful knowledge1 calling    
attention to differences in the ground  
often unnoticed by the eye1 telling     
whether the path is smooth or rough1    
grass-grown or rock-strewn4 ,the        
auditory and pedal nerves are mutually  
helpful1 the ear recording and          
classifying the sounds made by the feet1
 often guiding them aright by recalling 
certain peculiarities of sound--whether 
the ground is hollow1 whether the       
sidewalk is of board or cement1 and     
whether there is a depression here or a 
raised place there4 ,i often wonder how 
deaf-blind people walk as well as they  
do1 when they can not hear their        
footfalls4 ,i find walking much more    
difficult when on a crowded             

thoroughfare1 or when passing a planing 
mill or boiler factory4  ,the last of   
the trio of senses whose development    
compensates in large measure for the    
want of eyesight1 is that of smell4     
,through this sense1 the child comes    
very close to the heart of ,nature4 ,of 
course1 the ear is charmed by the song  
of birds1 the hum of insects1 the murmur
 of wind in the trees1 or the sound of  
mighty waters4 ,through the finger-tips1
 he learns the shape and size of each   
flower and shrub and tree1 traces the   
delicate pattern of ferns1 notes        
wonderful rock formations1 and finds the
 first blade of tender grass coaxed to  
the surface by the warmth of the ,spring
 sunshine4 ,but all this does not bring 
him the keen pleasure he experiences    
when he inhales the fragrance of the    
rose1 the perfume of flowers with the   
dew still upon them1 the smell of the   
freshly turned earth1 the newly cut     
grass1 or the blossom laden trees4 ,in  
the case of ,helen ,keller1 the         

olfactory nerves have been cultivated to
 a very high degree1 and through this   
sense she is often able to recognize her
 friends4 ,a little blind boy once told 
me that each member of his family had a 
distinct odor1 by which he could tell   
things worn by them1 or books they had  
handled4 ,laura ,bridgeman is said to   
have selected the laundry of the pupils 
in her school by this unusual process4  
,i frequently astonish my friends by    
telling them when ,i pass a drug store  
or hospital1 a grocery1 a               
confectioner's1 or drygoods store1 a    
paint shop1 a florist's stand1 or a     
livery stable4 ,i do not think the blind
 have a keener sense of taste than any  
other class of people1 although this    
claim is often made1 even by the blind  
themselves4  ,we have1 then1 the senses 
of hearing1 touch and smell1 each       
playing its part in the development of  
the blind child1 and each playing it so 
well that the lack of eyesight is not   
keenly felt in early childhood4 ,not    

until it is old enough to understand the
 thoughtless remarks of well-meaning    
people1 to catch the pitying tone1 to   
feel the compassionate touch1 does it   
realize that this lack of eyesight is to
 prove an almost insurmountable barrier 
to its future success4  ,i was in my    
sixth year before ,i understood the     
meaning of the word blind4 ,up to that  
time1 ,i had romped and played with     
other children1 climbed trees1 jumped   
ditches1 accepting bumps and bruises as 
part of the game1 and having no sense of
 fear1 since some child always held my  
hand4 ,in fact1 in those days1 all the  
children held each other's hands1 and it
 was easier going1 so4 ,is it not a pity
 that1 in later life1 we feel so        
self-reliant we are unwilling to admit  
that the way could often be made easier 
if we resorted to the childish game of  
holding hands1 and moved forward        
together as we faced the more serious   
struggles of life4 ,my first realization
 of the meaning of blindness came when1 

one day1 after hearing some people call 
me poor child1 and expressing their     
sympathy to my mother1 ,i asked if we   
were very poor1 poorer than my          
playmates1 and why ,i could not go to   
school4 ,my mother explained that we    
were no poorer than the others1 that the
 ladies did not mean it in that way1 but
 were sorry that ,i could not see and   
did not think ,i could ever go to       
school4 ,but my mother assured me that  
,i was going to school1 and that there  
,i would learn to see with my fingers1  
better than the ladies did with their   
eyes4 ,my childish mind was aroused     
then1 and ,i asked every one what it    
meant to see1 and soon realized that ,i 
did not know what seeing really was1 at 
least1 not in the sense the other       
children used the word4 ,i was filled   
with wonder1 since my world had hitherto
 seemed so complete--,i heard things1 or
 felt things1 or smelled things1 and was
 satisfied--and yet there was another   
medium of knowledge entirely unknown to 

me1 and until then unnecessary4 ,how    
eagerly ,i looked forward to the time   
when ,i should learn to see and my heart
 was filled with childish rapture on the
 day when ,i entered the school for the 
blind at ,berkeley4 ,my first question1 
on meeting the ,superintendent1 was1 are
 you going to teach me to see8 ,how well
 he performed this task1 how wisely he  
guided my childish feet1 how carefully  
he developed my eager mind1 stimulated  
my ambition1 and renewed my faltering   
courage1 ,i did not realize until ,i was
 called upon to face life1 with its     
trials and opportunities4 ,and here1    
where his work is so well known1 ,i wish
 to pay my tribute of love and gratitude
 to ,dr4 ,warring ,wilkinson4 ,he was my
 great-hearted1 great-souled teacher1   
father and friend4  ,when ,i found      
myself in a place with children some of 
whom were1 like myself1 blind from      
infancy1 and others whose eyesight had  
been lost through various accidents1 and
 yet others who could see to go about1  

to tell the color of our ribbons1 and   
advise us of the approach of a matron or
 teacher my wonder grew apace4 ,this    
process of learning to see was varied   
and absorbing1 but ,i soon found that it
 had its limitations1 and that1 after   
all1 eyes were very useful possessions1 
and without them ,i could know nothing  
of color1 could not picture the sky1 or 
any of the heavenly bodies2 nor could ,i
 distinguish different people1 unless ,i
 heard their voices or steps1 though no 
two had faces alike4 ,i found1 too1 that
 some children who could see colors1    
could not recognize faces1 and ,i came  
to realize that vision1 however slight1 
was greatly to be desired4 ,i could     
distinguish light from darkness1 and    
this enabled me to locate doors and     
windows2 but color1 with its varying    
shades1 was then1 and is now1 a mystery 
profound4 ,but in my desire to see1 to  
be just like other children1 ,i resolved
 to learn all ,i could about color1 and 
so ,i memorized the list of colors1     

which ones harmonized1 which were most  
pleasing to the eye1 which were bright1 
which produced a sombre impression4     
,thus ,i soon learned to speak of color 
with a degree of intelligence1 and to   
select my gowns with a view to pleasing 
the eyes of my friends4 ,i soon learned 
to associate certain phrases with       
certain colors--for instance1 blue as   
the sky1 green as grass1 yellow as gold1
 black as night1 red as fire1 and brown 
as a berry4 ,i also learned that a color
 had a variety of shades1 and that at   
times colors were changeable1 it being  
difficult to distinguish blue from green
 at night4 ,the sky1 with its starred   
phenomena1 was even harder to conceive1 
and ,i could not understand how clouds  
obscured the sun1 or how old ,sol could 
put the blackest clouds to rout4  ,my   
ears and fingers continued to flood my  
mind with knowledge1 and the want of    
eyesight did not distress me4 ,when ,i  
touched an object1 or listened to a     
lesson1 my mind stored it away for      

future reference1 and often now1 when   
recalling some facts in history or      
geography1 ,i can hear the voice of the 
teacher who read the particular passage4
  ,i was eight years old when ,i first  
examined a horse1 although ,i was       
familiar with the sound of its feet on  
the pavement1 and knew whether it       
walked1 trotted or galloped4 ,the horse 
,i examined had been driven a long      
distance1 and so was very warm2 when my 
hand was placed upon its mane1 the hair 
was damp and clung to the back1 and     
there was an odor of steaming flesh4 ,a 
fly was tormenting the animal1 and1 as  
it tossed its head impatiently1 ,i could
 hear the rattle of harness1 and the    
sound of its restive foot upon the      
ground4 ,these impressions have always  
remained with me4 ,my knowledge of the  
horse was acquired through the senses of
 hearing1 touch and smell4 ,and so with 
the cow4 ,i can hear its low moo1 moo1  
hear the milk dropping into the pail1   
feel the hard outer shell of the horns1 

and catch the odor that is ever present 
in the cow's domain4 ,the cat and dog   
have their peculiarities1 too--the      
mewing of the cat1 and the sounds heard 
when it purrs while washing its         
face--the dog's quick bark1 and the     
sound it makes when panting for breath1 
as it rests after a long chase4 ,i know 
the animals have different colors1      
peculiar to them1 but this knowledge has
 no place in my mental conception of    
them4  ,in judging people1 the voice is 
my infallible guide4 ,i am instantly    
attracted or repelled by a voice1 and my
 estimate of character is rarely        
incorrect4 ,by the voice ,i am able to  
form a very accurate idea as to height1 
weight and age1 so here again ,i do not 
feel the lack of eyesight4 ,the voice is
 an unfailing index to character1 and   
the trained ear is quick to catch the   
slightest variation in tone1 and can    
detect traits and moods hidden from the 
eye1 because not registered upon the    
face4 ,there is a strong voice1 a brave 

voice1 a voice full of hope and cheer2 a
 tired voice1 a crafty voice1 a voice   
full of dull despair4 ,and so here again
 ,i do not feel the lack of eyesight in 
noting differences in my fellow men4 ,i 
know that there are distinguishing      
marks1 that heads are shaped            
differently1 and that hair and eyes have
 different colors1 corresponding to the 
various types1 as blondes or brunettes4 
,all this ,i know abstractly1 but it is 
just one of the bits of information     
tucked away in memory's storehouse4 ,i  
do not suppose many of you have ever    
heard a smile4 ,i have4 ,i hear a smile 
almost before the lips can register it1 
and to me the sound is as musical as the
 laughter of a very young child4 ,i     
think hearing a smile must be like      
seeing the light in the eyes1 and so    
lack of eyesight is no deprivation in   
this connection4  ,all during my days at
 school1 ,i went on acquiring knowledge1
 learning to see many things1 scarcely  
realizing the handicap of blindness1    

because every help was given me1 and ,i 
was surrounded by those whose condition 
was like my own4 ,but when ,i went out  
into the world1 ,i found that many      
seeing people1 so called1 had very      
little vision1 although their eyesight  
was perfect4 ,i found1 too1 that1       
although ,i knew many things1 and was   
well equipped to earn my own living1 my 
lack of eyesight was responsible for a  
corresponding lack of confidence upon   
the part of the public4 ,this was a     
great disappointment1 for ,i knew ,i    
could succeed1 if only some one would   
give me the opportunity4 ,after waiting 
twenty years1 the ,state ,library gave  
me the opportunity4 ,this lack of       
confidence upon the part of the public  
is one of the most depressing features  
of adult blindness4 ,thus far1 ,i have  
considered the subject from the point of
 view of one who has been blind from    
early infancy1 but now ,i shall view it 
from the standpoint of one deprived of  
eyesight in adult life1 who is taking   

his first step in the dark4  ,m4        
,diderot says3 ,the help which the      
senses reciprocally afford to each other
 hinders their improvement1 and so the  
adult whose movements are no longer     
directed by his eyes1 feels utterly     
helpless and bewildered1 as one who     
finds himself on a strange road1 very   
late at night1 with no ray of light to  
guide him4 ,as the blinded soldier is   
uppermost in our thought today1 ,i am   
considering the mental condition of an  
adult suddenly deprived of eyesight1 not
 that of the man whose blindness has    
come on gradually4  ,the first sensation
 when thus plunged into total darkness  
is that of unreality1 and1 just as the  
light of day dispels the gloom of night1
 so the sufferer clings to the hope that
 any minute he may open his eyes1 and   
find things as they were before the     
darkness settled down1 with all its     
weird shadows1 to fill his soul with    
dread4 ,the continued darkness causes a 
feeling of depression and repression1   

very hard to combat1 and so the sufferer
 is in need of first aid--in need of a  
friendly hand and a cheery voice to help
 him through these trying days4 ,of this
 period1 ,m4 ,brieux1 ,director of      
,re-education of the ,blinded ,soldiers 
in ,paris1 says3 ,the blind are1 for the
 time being1 put back into the helpless 
condition of children4 ,they have to be 
sustained and given a new education for 
life4 ,they have to begin many things   
all over again4 ,spiritually1 they have 
lost their bearings1 and are drifting   
about in restless anguish4 ,physically1 
their whole organism has been shaken by 
the wound they have received1 and must  
have time after such a violent shock to 
recover its equilibrium4 ,their power of
 judgment has often been temporarily    
destroyed4 ,they are weak in body and   
uncertain in mind4 ,this double weakness
 lays on those who surround them a      
double duty4 ,much will have been done  
when their material welfare has been    
assured1 but the responsibility will not

 have been discharged unless they have  
also attained to tranquility of soul and
 a sense of their own dignity4 ,one must
 have confidence1 in order to give them 
confidence4 ,most of us have no idea    
what powers to meet new demands are     
inherent in our organs4 ,we have within 
us capacities unknown even to ourselves1
 inactive1 so long as they are not      
necessary1 awake and efficient1 as soon 
as there is need of them4 ,they are     
reserves which most of the time we never
 call on4 ,they are a hoard which we do 
not touch4 ,our resources and our power 
of life are greater than we imagine4    
,the sudden loss of sight gives1 after a
 time1 something like the lash of a whip
 to the whole organism4 ,all the other  
senses are roused to greater sharpness4 
,when the blind soldier fully realizes  
this1 he will perhaps arrive at a state 
in which ,i have seen some men blind    
from birth1 the state of being proud of 
being blind4 ,why should they not be    
proud1 when they feel that they are as  

capable of accomplishing certain things1
 of practicing certain trades as other  
men8 ,if1 with their lessened powers1   
lacking the power that we consider of   
supreme importance1 they can do things  
as well as we1 are they not1 therefore1 
cleverer than we8 ,instead of talking to
 them of resignation1 incite them to    
revolt at the limitations of their      
condition4 ,inspire them to conquer     
circumstances4 ,insist that they can4   
,picture life to them1 its beauty and   
its power1 and tell them that it is     
good4  ,in administering to the needs of
 this readjustment period1 the volunteer
 should be an optimist1 and should      
exercise common sense in guiding the    
adult over the first lap of the         
unfamiliar road4 ,i have advised the    
volunteers who are now in ,france1 and  
those preparing to go there1 to take    
writing boards1 games1 bright1 pithy    
stories1 and a lot of nonsense verse4 ,i
 have told these ,red ,cross workers    
that they themselves must know how to   

laugh1 must be able to rise above the   
horrors about them1 for they are there  
to serve heroes1 not cowards1 heroes who
 will laugh with a sob in their throats2
 heroes who1 after a short respite1 will
 reach for a new sword with which to    
resume the battle of life4 ,god grant we
 may have the new swords ready for      
them--swords of hope1 swords of         
confidence1 swords from which all the   
old prejudice and misconception have    
been removed--swords of occupation and  
independence6  ,of this readjustment    
period1 ,clarence ,hawkes1 the          
well-known blind naturalist who lost his
 eyesight at the age of fifteen1 says3  
the loss of eyesight seems1 for a time1 
to upset the perfect working of the     
nervous system4 ,the nerves have to     
adjust themselves to new conditions1 and
 rearrange the channels of              
communication4 ,on first losing one's   
eyesight1 one is impressed with the fact
 that all noises sound much too loud1   
and it takes several months for sounds  

to get toned down to their normal       
volume1 and one never quite overcomes   
the tendency to jump at sudden sharp    
noises4  ,as to the blind child the     
senses of touch1 hearing and smell prove
 efficient carriers of knowledge1 so    
these senses come to the rescue of the  
blind adult1 and compensate1 in large   
measure1 for the loss of eyesight4      
,training does not increase the         
sensitiveness of a sense organ4 ,it     
merely puts this capacity to better use4
 ,so the blind adult does not suddenly  
come into possession of wonderful       
powers1 but1 in time1 his acquired sense
 perception enables him to do many      
things hitherto considered impossible of
 accomplishment4 ,but to the casual     
observer1 anything done without eyesight
 is considered little short of          
marvelous4 ,the adult soon learns to    
recognize voices and footsteps1 to      
measure distance with a fair degree of  
accuracy1 and1 in many cases1 to go     
about alone1 with only the friendly cane

 for company4 ,many of the blind have   
what is defined as a sense of obstacles1
 and it is sometimes called a sixth     
sense4 ,dr4 ,illingworth defines this   
sense as an exceedingly subtle kind of  
instinct that enables a blind individual
 to detect the presence or proximity of 
a person or object under circumstances  
of absolute silence1 and very often to  
know the nature of the object4 ,dr4     
,illingworth believes that this         
remarkable power is of electric origin  
and latent in everybody4 ,this power    
seems to have its seat in the nerves of 
the face1 and is possessed by the blind 
adult as well as the blind child4 ,this 
sense of obstacles1 this touch at a     
distance1 enables a person to tell when 
he is passing tall buildings1 fences1   
trees1 and many other obstructions4 ,mr4
 ,hawkes says3 ,the sixth sense1 if such
 it be1 probably depends upon three     
conditions--sound1 the compression of   
the air1 and whether the face be free to
 use its sensitive feelers4 ,this       

subject is still in its infancy1 and    
time may reveal many interesting facts  
concerning it2 but for our purpose it is
 enough that the blind have a sense of  
obstacles1 and let us regard it as      
another proof that we are wonderfully   
made and divinely led4  ,in a           
surprisingly short time1 the blind adult
 becomes accustomed to the new          
conditions1 the various organs perform  
their new functions1 and he finds life  
in sightless land to be1 in many        
respects1 very like life in that world  
of light and color1 now only a memory4  
,but a very living memory--enabling him 
to recall the faces of his friends1 the 
glow of sunset1 or the rosy light of    
dawn with the eye of the mind whose     
vision is keener1 clearer than mere     
physical sight4 ,this ability to call up
 mental pictures is yet another of the  
compensations1 and these pictures never 
fade1 but come1 when familiar scenes or 
objects are suggested4 ,the adult is    
deeply interested in form and color1 and

 likes to have them minutely described4 
,this fact is not well understood by    
sighted friends1 and so the blind are   
often deprived of details which would   
give them keenest pleasure1 because     
friends fear to recall painful memories4
 ,in this connection1 and by way of     
conclusion1 ,i shall give a poem written
 by one of our pupils1 who lost his eyes
 when a drummer boy in the ,civil ,war4 
,this man learned to read raised type   
after being blind fifty-three years4    
,his poem follows3      ,a ,,blind      
,,man',s ,,soliloquy4      ,what1 then1 
is blindness8 ,this and nothing more3   
,the window blinds are closed1 the outer
 door     ,close shut and bolted1 and   
the curtains drawn4     ,no more comes  
light of stars nor morning's dawn1      
,nor one lone ray from day's meridian   
light4     ,and men pass by and say     
within is night6     ,not so2 for       
,memory's lamp1 with steady blaze1      
,shines on the hallowed scenes of other 
days1     ,while ,fancy's torch1        

prophetic1 flashing through     ,the    
vistas of the future1 brings to view    
,scenes passing strange1 but scenes that
 yet shall be1     ,which ,i can see1   
but which he can not see     ,whose     
dazzled orbs find nothing hid away      
,beyond the brilliant margin of today4  
,to me the radiant world forever gleams 
,with the rich halo of my boyish dreams2
     ,the faces ,i have loved no        
wrinkles know2     ,my dear ones' eyes  
ne'er lose their cherished glow2        
,the hair of gold ne'er turns to silver 
hair2     ,the young are young1 the fair
 are always fair4      ,with reason     
strengthened1 feelings more intense1    
,the senses1 multiples of former sense1 
,vicarious servants for dead sight      
become4     ,i see the city in the      
city's hum2     ,i catch its subtle     
undertone of trade2     ,i hear of      
fortunes lost and fortunes made1     ,in
 sounds to him a mystery profound       
,who1 seeing1 knows not vision muffles  
sound4     ,distinct to him must sound  

become1 to whom     ,life walks in      
darkness--call it not in gloom4         
',tis only an exchange of good for good1
     ,a new plant growing where the old 
one stood1     ,old blessings taken1 and
 new blessings given2     ,sweet        
compensation1 thou wert born in heaven6 
,there is not silence unto him whose    
soul     ,in darkness sits and listens4 
,like a scroll     ,on which the secrets
 of the world are traced1     ,blindness
 is but a sea-shell kindly placed       
,beside the ear1 and in its varying     
tone1     ,who will1 may make life's    
secret all his own4     ,and thus       
misfortunes bless1 for blindness brings 
,a power to pierce the depths of hidden 
things1     ,to walk where reason and   
fair fancy lead1     ,to read the riddle
 of men's thoughts1 to read     ,the    
soul's arcana in each subtler tone1     
,and make man's joys and sorrows all my 
own4      ,nor can ,i sit repining at my
 lot     ,as bitter or unjust1 or curse 
the shot     ,which tore away my sight4 

,the world is kind     ,and gentle to   
her sons4 ,though ,i am blind1          
,smooth paths of enterprise have always 
stood     ,open for me1 and1 doing what 
,i could1     ,with hand or brain1 with 
simple earnestness1     ,have gathered  
what was due me of success4      ,o you1
 who sit in darkness1 moaning o'er      
,your dead and vanished vision1 mourn no
 more6     ,keep in the current4 ,be you
 brave and strong6     ,the busy world  
is singing--join the song1     ,and you 
shall find1 if you no duty shirk1       
,who will may prosper1 if he do but     
work4  ,and as a last thought1 permit me
 to quote the concluding words of       
,clarence ,hawkes' wonderful book1      
,hitting the ,dark ,trail3 ,if night has
 overtaken me at noonday1 yet have ,i   
found beauty in night4 ,the sun at      
noontide showed me the world and all its
 wonder but the night has shown me the  
universe1 the countless stars and       
illimitable spaces1 the vastness and the
 wonder of all life4 ,the perfect day   

only showed me man's world1 but the     
night showed me ,god's ,universe4       
,,the ,,blind ,,child ,,and ,,its       
,,development4   ,as a foreword to this 
lecture1 ,i shall quote from a paper    
entitled ,blind ,children ,and ,how ,to 
,care ,for ,them1 written by ,dr4 ,f4   
,park ,lewis1 an eminent oculist of ,new
 ,york ,city1 and a man who has devoted 
much time and thought to the blind and  
their needs4  ,dr4 ,lewis says3 ,it is  
the mind and the spirit which control1  
and when these are great1 they dominate 
and rise superior to mere physical      
deficiencies4 ,the inspiration of great 
ideals must be held out to the blind1   
even more than to the seeing1 from the  
very beginning4 ,it is not enough that  
the blind man or woman shall have       
physical strength1 but his training must
 be so well balanced as to give him     
poise as well as vigor4 ,it does not    
suffice that the blind man shall be as  
well educated as his fellow who sees4   
,handicapped by the loss of the most    

important of his special senses1 he must
 supplement this deficiency by a better 
training of his mind and body4 ,it is   
not enough that he should have the good 
character of the average man4 ,his word 
and his reputation should be beyond     
question4 ,he should be independent1 and
 proudly unwilling1 except when         
absolutely necessary1 to accept that for
 which he can not1 in some way1 return  
an equivalent4 ,he must be taught to    
reason with clearness and logical       
precision1 for he must succeed by the   
aid of his mentality and character1     
rather than by his manual exertions4    
,these facts are emphasized here1       
because if such qualities are to be     
secured1 the training which produces    
them should begin in the cradle4 ,if ,i 
could bring it about1 a copy of the     
foregoing lines should be framed and    
placed on the desk of every teacher of  
blind children1 and such teachers       
requested to read these words at least  
once each day4  ,in considering the     

development of the blind child1 we must 
recognize the fact that1 in mental      
attainment1 at least1 he is the peer of 
the child who sees4 ,but in order to    
bring this about1 the early years of the
 child must be carefully supervised1 and
 his training calculated to fit him for 
the tremendous task awaiting him1 a task
 requiring the courage of a ,spartan1   
the wisdom of ,solomon1 and the patience
 of ,job4 ,unfortunately1 the parents of
 blind children rarely understand the   
importance of this early training4 ,they
 are too often too absorbed in their own
 sorrow at having a child so afflicted1 
too sure that loss of eyesight means    
loss of mental vigor1 to realize that   
their own attitude1 their own self-pity1
 may prove a greater handicap to the    
child than blindness itself4 ,if a child
 lives in a house where he is waited    
upon1 and made to feel that mere        
existence and the ability to eat and    
sleep are all that may reasonably be    
expected of him1 and that he must depend

 upon his family for everything1 he will
 grow up helpless1 selfish and awkward1 
and no amount of later training will    
entirely counteract the pernicious      
effect produced in these early1         
formative years4 ,when placed in school 
with other children1 he will be very    
sensitive to correction1 and may become 
morbid and unhappy1 thus giving a wrong 
impression of the blind in general4 ,if1
 on the other hand1 the child is taught 
to be self-helpful1 permitted to join in
 the work and play of other children1   
made to feel that1 with greater effort1 
he may do just what they do1 he will    
soon become cheerfully alert and        
hopefully alive to all the possibilities
 of his peculiar position4 ,it is true  
that natural disposition has much to do 
with one's outlook on life1 but         
cheerfulness and a certain form of      
stoicism may be cultivated1 and to the  
blind child these qualities are         
absolutely essential if he is to attain 
any measure of success in later life4   

,it would be foolish for me to ignore   
the difficulties and limitations in the 
path of everyone deprived of eyesight1  
either in infancy or adult life1 but ,i 
know that these very limitations and    
difficulties may aid in forming a       
character whose quiet strength and      
unfaltering courage can not fail to win 
the admiration and co-operation of all  
who witness its tireless efforts for    
success4 ,but in order to achieve       
success1 let me repeat that such        
training must begin at the earliest     
possible date4  ,you may never have     
thought of it1 but the blind child has  
no model1 no pattern4 ,it must acquire  
everything4 ,it learns nothing by       
imitation4 ,the normal child copies the 
gestures and mannerisms of its parents1 
and so learns many things unconsciously1
 and with little or no instruction4 ,but
 the blind child must be taught to      
smile1 to shake hands1 to hold up its   
head1 to walk properly1 to present and  
receive objects1 and the thousand and   

one details of daily living so naturally
 acquired under ordinary conditions4    
,long before it has reached school age1 
the blind child should be permitted to  
romp with other children1 to take bumps 
and bruises as part of the game1 and    
should be encouraged to run1 jump rope1 
and join in all harmless sports1 thus   
acquiring that freedom of movement1     
muscular co-ordination1 and fearless    
bearing1 so necessary if he is to cope  
successfully with the difficulties      
awaiting him4 ,his toys should be chosen
 to instruct as well as amuse1 and in   
this way he should be made familiar with
 the different forms1 the square1 the   
circle1 the oblong1 the triangle and the
 pyramid4 ,the ,goddard form board and  
,montessori insets are invaluable at    
this period4 ,he should be trained to   
recognize the difference between smooth 
and rough1 soft and hard1 light and     
heavy1 thick and thin4 ,he should be    
given plasticine or clay with which to  
model1 and be urged to reproduce his    

toys1 thus assisting in the muscular    
development and intelligent use of his  
fingers--another essential equipment4   
,as soon as possible1 the process of    
dressing should be taught4 ,the child   
may learn this more readily if a doll is
 used as a model1 and he is required to 
put on its clothes each morning1 and    
remove them just before his own bedtime4
 ,this important process should be made 
as interesting as possible1 and each    
successful effort greeted               
enthusiastically1 each failure carefully
 pointed out1 its cause discovered1 and 
its repetition prevented1 when possible4
 ,in this way he acquires system1 learns
 to put his clothes away in a certain   
place1 and to locate them again without 
assistance4 ,his little fingers should  
be kept constantly employed stringing   
beads1 putting pegs in a wooden board1  
cutting paper with kindergarten         
scissors1 and modelling with plasticine4
 ,if thus occupied1 he will escape the  
mannerisms peculiar to the blind child  

whose only amusement has been to put his
 fingers in his eyes1 shake his hand    
before his face to see the shadow1 rock 
his body back and forth1 and whirl      
around in dizzy circles4 ,i found just  
such a child1 a girl of eight years1 who
 had never done anything for herself1   
and whose parents refused to send her to
 school4 ,it took me some time to win   
the child's confidence1 but when ,i did1
 ,i had no trouble to correct many of   
her habits1 and ,i soon taught her to   
dress herself and learn to read4 ,when  
,i asked her what she did all day before
 ,i brought her the beads and the little
 scissors1 and she answered1 ,oh1 ,i    
just sat in my rocker1 and rocked back  
and forth1 shaking my hands4 ,and when  
,i asked why she did not play and act   
like other children1 she began to cry1  
and said1 ,nobody never told me nothin' 
else to do till you came4  ,when six    
years old1 a blind child should be sent 
to the nearest state school for the     
blind1 or to a special class1 if there  

is such a department in the public      
schools of the city in which it lives4  
,the necessity of sending the child to  
school thus early can not be too        
strongly emphasized1 and education of   
blind children should be made           
compulsory1 just as in the case of      
ordinary children4 ,this is a measure   
which should be considered by all those 
interested in child welfare4 ,the       
unwillingness of parents to send their  
children away to boarding school at so  
early an age is one of the strongest    
arguments in favor of the special       
classes in public schools4 ,but it is   
not possible to have such classes in the
 small cities and towns1 and very often 
the home conditions are often unsuitable
 for the proper development of a blind  
child1 and so1 in every state1 a        
residential school is an absolute       
necessity4  ,such a school should       
consist of a kindergarten1 primary1     
intermediate and high school department1
 and the life of the children should    

conform as closely as possible to that  
of a large family in a well-ordered     
home4 ,those in charge of the children  
should be impressed with the            
responsibility of the task they have    
undertaken and should do their utmost to
 assist in the work of fitting the      
little ones for the preliminary skirmish
 in the battle of life4 ,all children   
should have constant supervision during 
the formative period1 but more          
especially does the blind child need    
watchful guidance in his work and at his
 play4 ,little habits must be broken1   
awkward movements discouraged1 self     
confidence fostered1 and every effort   
made to develop the child along sane and
 normal lines1 so that1 in later life1  
he may have the poise and bearing so    
often lacking in those who are blind    
from early childhood4  ,it is sometimes 
claimed that it is not essential that a 
teacher of the blind be possessed of    
more than an ordinary education1 and    
this is why so many schools for the     

blind fail to turn out capable1         
cultured1 self-reliant boys and girls4  
,dr4 ,illingworth1 the noted ,english   
educator1 gives the following           
qualifications for a teacher of the     
blind3 a sound education1 self-control  
in a high degree1 a boundless           
enthusiasm1 a determination to succeed1 
should be kind and sympathetic1 and at  
the same time firm1 and should be true  
to his word4 ,these are qualifications  
which should be possessed alike by the  
blind teacher and sighted teacher1 and  
only teachers so qualified should be    
entrusted with the divine privilege of  
bringing light to the minds of these    
helpless little ones4 ,i wish to add a  
few more qualifications to ,dr4         
,illingworth's list1 and they are these3
 a broad1 comprehending sympathy1 a     
sense of humor1 and a heart brimming    
with love for all children--a heart     
capable of sharing the joy and grief of 
every child heart4 ,and ,i wish to      
emphasize1 in a special manner1 one of  

the doctor's qualifications--namely1 a  
boundless enthusiasm1 and to add yet    
another1 a living1 breathing faith that 
teaching is a divine calling1 and that  
the opportunities for good or ill are   
limitless4 ,to be successful1 a teacher 
should be able to bring himself to the  
level of his pupil4 ,i once heard a man 
say of a great teacher1 he had the heart
 of a boy1 and understood our every     
thought and feeling4  ,in many schools  
for the blind the inspirational value of
 a blind teacher is overlooked or       
ignored4 ,in this connection ,dr4       
,illingworth says3 it is almost as      
impossible for a seeing teacher to      
realize what it is to be blind1 and know
 all the difficulties of his blind      
pupil1 as for a congenitally blind      
person to enter into and share with one 
who can see1 the beauty of a glorious   
picture or landscape4 ,dr4 ,illingworth 
continues1 it takes a seeing teacher to 
become what might be called a           
naturalized blind person1 that is1 one  

able to see things from the blind point 
of view2 though he is never in the      
favorable position of a blind teacher   
who can say to a child1 'do it so2 ,i   
can do it--,i am blind like you4' ,in   
the residential schools ,dr4            
,illingworth recommends that the ratio  
of blind teachers to seeing should be   
one to two4 ,he says1 their very        
presence is a continual inspiration and 
incentive to the pupils1 and he adds1   
the education of blind children in those
 subjects in which the methods of       
instruction are necessarily and         
essentially totally different from those
 of the seeing1 is best in the hands of 
a properly qualified blind teacher4 ,the
 wisdom of this recommendation is       
recognized in the largest schools of    
,england and ,france1 and some of them  
have blind superintendents as well4     
,america is slower to recognize the     
ability of the blind1 but this period of
 reconstruction and readjustment through
 which we are passing may quicken their 

sense of the importance of employing    
blind teachers and superintendents1     
whenever possible4 ,superintendents are 
no longer required to perform clerical  
work4 ,all these details are left to    
stenographers and bookkeepers4 ,neither 
is the superintendent expected to teach4
 ,but he should be a scholar1 a man of  
culture1 with broad vision and high     
ideals1 and with a sympathetic knowledge
 of the difficulties to be met and      
overcome by the students in his care4   
,it should be the aim of the residential
 school to train its pupils along lines 
best suited to their individual needs1  
and1 when possible1 to fit them to      
become partially self-supporting1 if not
 wholly so4  ,the child in a residential
 school knows very little of life       
outside the buildings1 knows little of  
the trials and struggles going on in its
 own home1 perhaps4 ,its days are well  
ordered4 ,it is clothed and fed1 and is 
not expected to practice self-denial or 
to exercise any of the qualities of     

courage or fortitude which the          
exigencies of later life demand4        
,clarence ,hawkes says3 courage a blind 
person should have above everything     
else4 ,he must be literally steeped in  
it4 ,it will not do to have just the    
ordinary1 temporary supply allotted to  
the average seeing man--he will run out 
in a single day4 ,but he must have      
courage that is perennial1 a ceaseless  
fount of it--courage for the morning1   
courage for the noonday1 and courage for
 the evening4 ,life is a battle and a   
struggle which never ends4 ,he must     
fight for hope and cheer1 laughter and  
happiness1 every inch of the way along  
life's path4 ,another writer has said1  
courage is the standing army of the     
soul1 keeping it from conquest1 pillage 
and slavery4 ,but the child in the      
residential school knows little of all  
this1 has little occasion to know4 ,dr4 
,park ,lewis says3 ,the added importance
 of having blind children educated with 
those who see is1 that they may realize 

more keenly the real difficulties of    
life which are to be met1 and which have
 to be overcome4 ,they will not always  
find kindness and courtesy1 and they    
must be prepared to adjust themselves to
 the harder conditions when they arise4 
,when the child finishes the required   
curriculum of the residential school1   
and goes forth to his place in the      
world1 he is often unprepared for the   
struggle1 unable to adjust himself to   
the altered conditions1 lacking in      
patience1 perseverance and pluck2 the   
three ,p's of which ,clarence ,hawkes so
 often speaks1 and without which he     
claims no blind person can successfully 
overcome his handicap4 ,the need for    
this preparation is better known to a   
blind teacher or superintendent1 and for
 that reason1 if for no other1 his      
presence in the school is desirable4 ,he
 knows the value of higher education to 
the blind1 and he will urge the pupils  
to fit themselves for college1 reminding
 them that blindness is a physical1 not 

a mental1 handicap4 ,and who is better  
qualified to fire the youthful mind1 to 
strengthen the wavering ambition1 and   
arouse the latent enthusiasm1 than one  
who has made the effort1 has fought the 
fight1 and won gloriously6  ,although   
,dr4 ,warring ,wilkinson1 who was       
,superintendent of the ,california      
,school for the ,blind for over forty   
years1 and his brother ,charles1 who    
taught for the same period--although    
neither of these men was blind1 they    
were true teachers and college men1 and 
understood the value of scholastic      
attainment to the blind4 ,as far back as
 ,i can remember1 they urged us all to  
prepare for college1 and1 to stimulate  
this desire1 they kept in close touch   
with the work of the university1 and    
often brought essays written by the     
advanced students1 to encourage us in   
our literary efforts1 assuring us with a
 little practice we could write as well4
 ,often1 too1 they would take classes to
 hear a lecture on some subject under   

discussion1 thus forging the first link 
between the school and the university1  
in whose shadow our young lives were    
spent4 ,in preparing us for competition 
with seeing students1 ,mr4 ,charles     
,wilkinson used to say3 never ask for   
quarter because of your blindness4 ,do  
your work so well that people will say  
not1 'how wonderful this is considering 
your affliction1' but 'how perfect in   
spite of it6' ,this thought has remained
 constantly with me1 strengthening and  
encouraging me1 enabling me to overcome 
difficulties that would otherwise have  
been impossible to surmount4  ,it is of 
vital importance that the blind should  
have pleasant1 well-modulated voices1   
and for this reason elocution should be 
included in the course of study4 ,in    
recent years a number of blind students 
in eastern schools have been trained as 
readers and public entertainers1 a line 
of work in which eyesight is not an     
essential factor4 ,reading aloud should 
be encouraged among the pupils1 and     

frequent speed tests given1 thus        
stimulating in them a desire for        
reading4  ,the school at ,berkeley has  
included business methods in its course 
of study1 and this is an excellent      
thing1 because the day is not far       
distant when the ability of the blind to
 fill positions as typewriters1         
stenographers1 telephone and dictaphone 
operators1 and salesmen1 will be        
recognized4 ,and when this time comes1  
let us hope that our young people may be
 ready and eager to prove their worth in
 these lines of endeavor4 ,if the       
students are made to feel that they are 
blazing a trail1 and making it less     
difficult for others to follow1 their   
ultimate success is assured4  ,having   
outlined the aim and purpose of the     
residential school1 and shown it to be a
 necessary factor in the education of   
the blind in every state1 ,i wish to    
call attention to some of the advantages
 to be derived from coeducation of blind
 and seeing children4  ,as early as     

#aijj ,chicago started a special class  
for blind children as a part of its     
public school system1 thus inaugurating 
the movement in this country1 if not in 
the world4 ,since that time many large  
cities1 including ,boston1 ,new ,york1  
,jersey ,city1 ,rochester1 ,milwaukee1  
,detroit1 ,cleveland1 ,toledo1          
,cincinnati and ,los ,angeles1 have     
started similar classes1 carrying the   
children from the kindergarten1 through 
elementary and high school1 and         
preparing them for college4 ,the class  
in ,chicago was started through the     
efforts of ,john ,b4 ,curtis1 a blind   
teacher1 and the ,superintendent of     
,public ,school classes of ,cleveland1  
,toledo and ,cincinnati4 ,mr4 ,r4 ,b4   
,irwin1 is a blind man1 and so it is not
 strange that a blind teacher of ,los   
,angeles should be the first to         
recognize the need of such a class in   
this state4  ,the ,state ,library was   
glad to further this forward movement in
 the education of blind children1 and   

permitted me to devote a great deal of  
time to organizing the class1 and it    
provided the books and some of the      
apparatus for carrying on the work for  
the first year4 ,it still supplies many 
of the books1 though the ,board of      
,education provides its own apparatus4  
,dr4 ,albert ,shiels1 ,superintendent of
 the ,los ,angeles ,city ,schools1 was  
glad to have a class for the blind in   
the city1 since he has seen how         
successfully the work was carried on in 
,new ,york1 where more than two hundred 
children attend special classes1 and    
this in spite of the fact that ,new     
,york has two state schools for the     
blind4 ,when the home conditions are    
favorable1 and a special class is       
available1 it is wiser to permit the    
blind child to remain with its parents1 
to attend school each morning with its  
brothers and sisters4 ,in this way there
 is no break in the family relation and 
the child does not grow indifferent to  
home ties1 as so often happens when he  

is sent to a residential school4 ,mr4   
,irwin says the special class is the    
twentieth century emphasis on the       
integrity of the home4  ,on ,january #b1
 #aiag1 the ,los ,angeles class started 
with eight pupils enrolled1 and on ,june
 #cj of this year the number had        
increased to seventeen1 with the        
prospect of more at the opening of the  
fall term4 ,teachers for special classes
 are generally chosen from the regular  
school department1 their work being     
usually directed by a blind supervisor4 
,in pursuance of my work as home teacher
 ,i found a number of children for whom 
there was no room in the ,state ,school 
at ,berkeley1 and before the special    
class was organized ,i taught these     
children in their homes or at the       
library4 ,miss ,frances ,blend1 a grade 
teacher1 asked to study with me1 since  
she wished to teach the blind here or in
 the ,east4 ,i sent her to teach the    
children1 and in this way she acquired  
the necessary experience1 learned to    

read and write ,braille rapidly1 and    
gained an insight into the psychology of
 the blind child1 so1 when the board of 
education needed a teacher for the      
special class she was ready and eager   
for the task4 ,since then ,miss ,blend's
 sister has qualified and is now the    
second teacher in the blind department1 
eight to ten children being considered  
all that one teacher can properly care  
for4  ,among the poor of every large    
city1 there are children whose parents  
conceal them1 for fear they may be sent 
away to school4 ,these are known as     
hidden children1 and ,i found one such  
child tucked away under the bed1 and was
 told she always hid there when she     
heard strange voices4 ,she was a little 
,mexican girl1 and spoke no ,english4   
,she is now one of the brightest        
children in the class1 and her parents  
are delighted that they need not part   
with her4  ,in the special class1 the   
children are trained to speak           
intelligently of things which they do   

not see with the physical sight1 so that
 they may be able to converse naturally 
upon ordinary topics1 and need not have 
to plead ignorance1 on the ground of    
never having seen this or that object4  
,their minds are filled with a love for 
all beautiful things1 especially flowers
 and pictures1 and they are frequently  
taken to parks and museums4 ,they are   
told about the stars1 the blue sky1     
sunsets1 the majesty of the ocean1 and  
all the other wonders that enchant the  
eye2 and they are taught to speak of    
seeing these things1 because they really
 do see them with the mental vision1    
keener1 in many instances1 than mere    
physical sight4 ,the boys of the        
polytechnic high school made a wonderful
 doll house for the children--a house of
 four rooms1 fully furnished throughout4
 ,the children made their own rugs and  
baskets1 tables and chairs1 and one boy 
modeled a bathtub of plasticine1 perfect
 in design4 ,the house has a sloping    
roof1 and it is thatched1 and ,i must   

confess that my first real knowledge of 
roofs was gained from examining that one
 on the doll house4 ,it has a chimney1  
too1 and a stovepipe1 and so the        
children learn a great deal from this   
miniature home of their dolls4  ,in     
their special classroom1 the children   
are taught ,braille reading and writing1
 and a great deal of time is given to   
these branches4 ,they are taught all    
sorts of handwork1 basketry1 weaving1   
knitting1 modeling1 and chair caning1   
and1 when old enough1 they are sent with
 the other children to sewing1 cooking1 
sloyd and music classes4 ,as soon as    
possible1 they recite with the regular  
classes1 their lessons being previously 
read or explained by the special        
teacher4 ,this gives them the contact   
with normal children1 so necessary to   
the development of the blind child4     
,those not in favor of special classes  
claim that this competition is too      
severe a strain1 and that it is unkind  
and unwise to place blind children with 

those whose physical advantages and     
opportunities for study are greater4    
,but we have found that the plan works  
admirably4 ,the special teacher trains  
her pupils to be self-reliant and       
helpful1 insists that they join in the  
games of the others1 assuring them that1
 with greater effort1 they1 too1 may    
play1 and it is delightful to watch them
 at recess or at noon1 each blind child 
affectionately led by a seeing child1   
the latter calling the teacher's        
attention to the successful performance 
of some feat on the part of his blind   
playmate4 ,in the classroom1 too1 the   
spirit is the same1 the blind child     
remembering things for the one who sees1
 and the seeing child using his eyes for
 the one who is blind4 ,the special     
teacher trains the memory of her pupils 
to the highest possible degree1         
impressing upon them that their minds   
are vast storehouses in which to keep   
all sorts of knowledge tucked away for  
future use1 and that it is disastrous to

 blind children to forget4 ,in mental   
arithmetic1 they usually lead the class4
 ,their presence in the school is of the
 greatest help to the others with whom  
they work in class4 ,their success in   
overcoming difficulties is a stimulus to
 the pride and an incentive to the      
ambition of the seeing child4 ,the      
presence of the blind children is a     
constant reminder to them of their      
superior physical advantages1 and they  
are ashamed to have them outstrip them1 
as they so often do1 in intellectual    
work4 ,and so the presence of the blind 
child is sure to result in untold good1 
not only to the child so handicapped1   
but to the entire school1 removing as it
 must1 the belief1 now1 alas1 so        
general1 that when eyesight is lost1 all
 is lost4 ,trained side by side with its
 sighted companions1 doing the same work
 as well1 if not better1 the later      
success of the young blind seeker after 
knowledge is practically assured2 for1  
as ,i have said1 in mental attainment1  

at least1 the blind child is the peer of
 the child with eyesight1--here1 beyond 
cavil1 the chances are equal4  ,to my   
mind1 the coeducation of the blind and  
seeing is a step in the right           
direction--a very forward step1 since it
 will ultimately bridge the gulf of     
misconception and skepticism now        
separating these two classes--a gulf    
which must be bridged if we hope to     
arrive at a sane and satisfactory       
solution of the problem of finding      
employment1 not only for the returned   
blind soldiers1 but for the thousands of
 intelligent blind men and women who are
 waiting eagerly1 hungrily1 for a chance
 to prove their ability1 a chance to    
earn their daily bread4 ,when blind and 
seeing children are trained side by     
side1 from the kindergarten1 through the
 grades into high school1 and on to     
college1 perhaps1 the barriers dissolve1
 the blind boy and the seeing boy are   
comrades--they have played together1    
worked together1 and together they have 

planned their future4 ,the seeing boy   
knows the blind boy will succeed because
 he has seen him victorious in many a   
mental skirmish4 ,just this ,may1 right 
here in the ,university at ,berkeley1 a 
blind student graduated fourth in a     
class of more than one thousand seeing  
students4 ,it may be interesting to     
note1 in passing1 that there are seven  
blind students now attending the        
university1 and that the state provides 
three hundred dollars a year to defray  
the expense of a reader for each        
student4 ,new ,york was the first state 
to provide readers for blind college    
students1 and this was brought about    
through the efforts of ,dr4 ,newel      
,perry1 a blind graduate of the         
,university of ,california1 now a       
teacher of mathematics in the           
,california ,school for the ,blind4 ,dr4
 ,newel ,perry was largely instrumental 
in the passage of a similar bill in this
 state1 and so once again1 the blind are
 indebted to a blind teacher for        

advancement4  ,but all the children in  
the special classes will not care to go 
to college1 and for those who do not1   
other work will be provided1 manual     
training given1 and all sorts of trades 
encouraged4 ,here1 too1 they will have  
the added stimulus of studying side by  
side with their sighted companions4 ,it 
is my earnest hope that some day this   
state will establish a technical school 
for the blind4 ,in such a school1 a     
deft-fingered intelligent blind boy     
could learn electric wiring1 pipe       
fitting1 screw fitting1 bolt nutting1   
assembling of chandeliers and telephone 
parts1 trained as a plumber's helper1   
and taught to read gas and electric     
meters1 by passing the fingers over the 
dial--in short1 a variety of trades and 
occupations could be pursued with profit
 to the school and to the students4 ,but
 while waiting for the establishment of 
such a school1 there is much to be done 
by way of preparation4 ,we must prove   
the truth of ,clarence ,hawkes'         

assertion that blindness is1 after all1 
but a #be per cent handicap in the race 
of life4 ,but it is a handicap1 no      
matter what profession is adopted4 ,i   
analyze the handicap thus3 #bd per cent 
of it is the prejudice and unbelief of  
the public1 and the other #a per cent is
 the lack of eyesight4 ,i believe this  
is not too strong4 ,in speaking of the  
handicap1 ,clarence ,hawkes continues3 a
 blind person1 in order to succeed      
equally with the seeing1 must put in    
#abe per cent of energy before he can   
stand abreast of his seeing competitor4 
,but in order to prove blindness to be  
but a #be per cent handicap1 we must    
train our blind children from their     
earliest infancy4 ,we must not sidetrack
 them4 ,we must plant their feet firmly 
on the highroad of life1 encourage their
 first1 faltering steps1 teach them to  
go forward fearlessly1 with head erect  
and shoulders squared1 warn them of     
pitfalls and hidden thorns1 show them   
the wisdom of making haste slowly when  

the path is steep or uneven1 impress    
upon their minds the importance to      
others of their success1 and1 above all1
 train them to have confidence in       
themselves1 teach them to realize that1 
because of their struggles and          
limitations1 they have a mental         
equipment and reserve force possessed by
 very few of their more fortunate fellow
 beings4 ,thus trained and fortified1   
our young blind people will work like   
,trojans to prove their ability to those
 who doubt it1 and succeed in removing  
one obstacle after another1 until they  
stand ready to take equal chances with  
any who may be pitted against them4 ,the
 hand of the sightless worker is        
steadier1 and his courage greater1      
because of the years of struggle and    
constant effort of which his sighted    
competitors can form no conception4     
,and so those in charge of the education
 of the blind1 whether in residential   
schools or public school classes1 have a
 herculean task before them1 but if     

their hearts are in the work1 if they   
are alive to their wonderful opportunity
 for service1 and if they have faith in 
the ability of their pupils1 the future 
success of these handicapped young      
people is practically assured4 ,as with 
the nation today1 so with those         
interested in the welfare of the        
blind--we look to the children for the  
fulfillment of our highest ideals1 and  
hope1 in their advancement1 to see our  
dearest dreams come true4 ,i am often   
called visionary1 and ,i am proud to    
confess that ,i have a vision1 a        
wonderful vision of the future of the   
blind4 ,it may not be realized during my
 lifetime1 but if some of the children  
,i have inspired will take up the torch1
 and carry it on unfalteringly1 ,i shall
 be satisfied4 ,meantime1 ,i walk by the
 light of my vision along rough roads1  
across strange streams1 up hills that   
are steep and rock-strewn2 and1 though  
my courage sometimes fails1 and my      
strength seems unequal to the task1 the 

light shines clear and steady1 and ,i go
 forward1 in the glad assurance that one
 day my vision will be realized1 my     
cherished dream for the emancipation of 
my people1 the emancipation of the      
blind1 must come true4     ,,the        
,,re-,,education ,,of ,,the ,,blind     
,,adult1  ,with ,special ,reference to  
the ,blinded ,soldier4      ,a voice    
came in the darkness         ,and lifted
 the curtain of ,mind2     ,i saw that  
fingers could be         ,also eyes to  
the blind4     ,i touched1 ,i thought1  
,i saw1         ,and the dark shades    
rolled aside4     ,and to you my heart  
pays tribute4         ,dear teacher1    
friend and guide4   ,these lines were   
sent to me by one of my blind pupils    
after he had learned to read and write  
the ,braille characters4 ,they express  
the purpose of re-education1 and        
indicate the means by which it may be   
attained4 ,rehabilitate1 reconstruct1   
re-educate--these are familiar terms in 
this hour of stress and world conflict4 

,to the minds of many1 these words may  
present problems that are entirely new1 
but to the social worker1 and those     
whose lives have been spent in the      
service of the handicapped men and women
 of our civil communities1 the problem  
presented is no new one1 the only       
difference being that1 whereas1         
hitherto1 only a few recognized the     
problem1 today1 stirred by the knowledge
 of war and its frightful consequences1 
every one is eager to share in the      
rehabilitation movement now sweeping    
over the land4 ,the re-education of the 
blinded soldier is1 after all1 only the 
re-education of the blind adult1 and he 
has been with us1 lo1 these many years6 
,adult blindness has increased          
alarmingly in the past half century1 and
 the problem of providing for this      
unfortunate class has assumed           
proportions4 ,the prospect of having to 
care for thousands of blinded soldiers  
has led to a consideration of the blind 
and their possible rehabilitation1 and  

much good should result from the united 
effort4 ,we extend a cordial invitation 
to all to come over to ,macedonia and   
help4  ,the ,california ,state ,library 
has been engaged in the re-education of 
the blind adult since it opened its     
,books for the ,blind ,department in    
,december1 #aijd4 ,at first it supplied 
books to those who already knew how to  
read1 but soon it became evident that   
its field of usefulness could extend to 
the adult suddenly deprived of eyesight1
 and not eligible to a school for the   
blind4 ,and thus the need for home      
teaching became apparent long before the
 ,state ,library could employ such a    
teacher4 ,i realized this need1 even    
before leaving school1 and it was my    
privilege to teach as a volunteer for   
twenty years prior to my appointment as 
home teacher for the ,state ,library4   
,during that period ,i taught the blind 
of this and neighboring states1 and1    
before books were made available by the 
,state ,library ,i copied stories and   

poems suited to the tastes of my        
individual pupils4 ,in this way ,i came 
in close touch with the blind and their 
problems1 and my every waking moment was
 devoted to their service and although  
there were      ,heavy burdens in the   
load1     ,and too few helpers on the   
road1  ,i clung to the belief that some 
day help would come1 and ,i should be   
permitted to enlarge my scope of        
usefulness1 and reach all who needed    
re-education4 ,and this hope was        
realized in ,july1 #aiad1 when the      
,state ,library asked me to accept the  
position of ,home ,teacher of the ,blind
 of the state4  ,as early as #ahij      
,pennsylvania started home teaching in  
this country1 but its work was privately
 maintained4 ,since then other states   
have established such departments1      
,massachusetts1 ,new ,york1 ,ohio1      
,illinois1 but these have special       
appropriations for carrying on the work4
 ,our ,state ,library is doing it out of
 its general appropriation1 and as a    

phase of its extension4 ,it is the only 
state library maintaining such a        
department in connection with regular   
library work4 ,some of the large cities 
have reading rooms in their public      
libraries1 where books are loaned on    
application1 and where reading is taught
 to those who can go there for lessons4 
,the duties of the ,state ,library home 
teachers are manifold4 ,this department 
has steadily grown in importance until  
now it is recognized as the very bone   
and sinew of work for the blind in this 
state4 ,some of the teacher's duties    
are1 first1 to teach raised type to all 
who can not see to read ordinary print1 
7a person need not be totally blind in  
order to read in this way1 as many learn
 who can see to go about alone73 second1
 to search for1 and when possible1 place
 either in the school at ,berkeley1 or  
the special class in ,los ,angeles1 all 
blind children who have reached the age 
of six years2 third1 to conduct a       
campaign for the prevention of blindness

 and conservation of vision in adults   
and children2 and1 lastly1 to set forth 
the needs of the blind1 convince the    
public that its attitude toward them is 
often an added affliction1 and correct a
 few of the many mistaken ideas         
concerning those deprived of eyesight1  
who are1 necessarily1 somewhat          
handicapped in the race of life4 ,the   
importance of this last duty can not be 
overestimated1 and so my next lecture   
will present this subject in its many   
phases1 with the hope of creating a     
better understanding between the blind  
and the seeing--an understanding which  
will not only help the blind adult now  
in our midst1 but aid materially in the 
re-education of the blinded soldier4 ,my
 task is not an easy one1 but ,i love my
 work and my pupils1 and ,i have come to
 know that the public needs1 not so much
 to be instructed1 as to be reminded4   
,our first borrower was a lady of ninety
 years1 and so we realized at once that 
there was practically no age limit in   

this work1 thus proving the truth of the
 well-known saying1 we are never too old
 to learn4 ,a man of ninety1 with hands 
toil-worn and crippled from rheumatism1 
was able1 after a few weeks of study1 to
 read with pleasure1 his only regret    
being that he had not learned twenty    
years before1 when blindness first came 
upon him4 ,when it is considered that1  
during all those years1 the man had not 
read a single word1 his progress is     
truly remarkable1 and the fact that he  
is reading has stimulated others who1 on
 account of their advanced age1         
hesitated to study the raised types4    
,the requirements for study are         
simple--a love for reading1 persistent  
application1 and a determination to     
succeed4 ,if a person did not care to   
read with his eyes1 he will certainly   
not be willing to learn with his        
fingers4 ,this is a fact not well       
understood1 and it is very generally    
supposed that all blind people want to  
learn to read4 ,among our elderly       

borrowers are doctors1 judges1          
ministers1 teachers and authors1 and to 
them the reading has given a new lease  
of life4 ,there are invalids among our  
elderly people--men and women in wheel  
chairs1 with crippled limbs1 sometimes  
deprived of the use of one hand--but    
they are reading1 and their pleasure is 
beautiful to see4 ,one woman of         
eighty-seven1 who has not walked for    
four years1 and blind one year1 learned 
to read last ,january1 and since that   
time she has read twenty books1 besides 
knitting squares for the ,red ,cross4   
,the type read by the elderly borrowers1
 and those with toil-hardened hands1 or 
suffering from some nervous affection1  
was formulated by a blind man1 ,dr4     
,william ,moon1 of ,london1 about #ahde1
 and is called ,moon type4 ,the         
characters are large and distinct1 many 
of them being shaped like the ordinary  
printed letters4 ,they are easily       
learned1 and this type is invaluable1   
not only for old people1 but in cases   

where1 in order to restore lost         
confidence1 a quick return is           
imperative4 ,dr4 ,moon lost his eyesight
 in early manhood1 and spent the        
remaining years of his life perfecting  
his system1 printing books and          
pamphlets1 and going about teaching the 
poor of ,london1 thus inaugurating home 
teaching for the blind4 ,moon type books
 have been printed in many languages1   
and thousands of men and women have been
 blessed and brightened by the unique   
philanthropy of this blind man4 ,his    
son1 ,robert ,moon1 brought the type to 
,pennsylvania1 and that state and ours  
lead in the number of ,moon books in    
circulation4 ,often when a borrower has 
read ,moon for six months or a year1 he 
is able to learn the ,braille1 his      
fingers being trained by the ,moon to   
remain in a proscribed space1 and his   
confidence in their ability fully       
established4 ,this is a potent factor in
 mastering a dotted system1 as the      
progress is generally slow and          

laborious1 especially for elderly       
people4  ,the fact that an adult can    
learn to read with the fingers seems    
very wonderful to the uninitiated1 and1 
indeed1 it is a long step forward1 but  
the ability to substitute fingers for   
eyes is only one of the marvels wrought4
 ,helen ,keller has truly said that     
idleness is the greatest burden of the  
blind1 and this is why our work with    
them is so acceptable1 though the       
reading is1 after all1 only the means to
 an end4 ,while training the fingers to 
perform their new functions1 ,i strive  
to renew hope and courage in the hearts 
of the pupils1 assuring them that they  
may still do many things that were      
possible before their blindness4        
,self-reliance and helpfulness--minus   
self-pity--this is the formula ,i use   
when urging the pupils to make the most 
of life2 for when a man is sorry for    
himself1 he is on the road to despair1  
and his condition is well nigh hopeless4
 ,when the pupils are able to read and  

write once more1 after having given up  
all hope of ever doing so1 their        
confidence is restored1 and a way is    
opened to new and hitherto undreamed-of 
possibilities4 ,old aims and pursuits1  
relinquished when the eyesight failed1  
are once more remembered and discussed1 
and1 in many instances1 resumed1 thus   
bringing back the light1 not to the     
eyes1 but to the mind1 through work4    
,john ,newton says3 ,you can not shove  
the darkness out of a room1 but you can 
shine it out4 ,i see this miracle       
performed every day1 yet to me it is    
ever new1 ever wonderful1 stimulating me
 to greater efforts for my              
people--because the blind are my people1
 and their joys and sorrows1 triumphs   
and defeats1 find an echo in my heart4  
,when the raised alphabet is mastered1  
books are sent from the ,state ,library 
to the homes1 through the mail1 free of 
cost1 and thus there is no expense      
incurred1 and as this service is        
tax-supported1 there is no element of   

charity connected with it4 ,at present1 
the ,state ,library employs two home    
teachers1 and the number will be        
increased as the need arises4 ,one of   
these1 ,miss ,catharine ,j4 ,morrison1  
is stationed at ,los ,angeles1 having   
been appointed to take my place there   
when ,i was transferred to ,san         
,francisco last ,october4 ,the          
arrangement for this transfer was one of
 the last official acts of the late     
,state ,librarian1 my well-loved chief4 
,mr4 ,gillis was devoted to the blind1  
and extended the service to this section
 at the earliest possible moment4  ,the 
,state ,library selected me as home     
teacher1 not only because of my years of
 experience with the blind1 but because1
 blind from early infancy1 ,i was       
familiar with the handicaps and         
discouragements that overwhelm the adult
 but recently deprived of eyesight4 ,the
 pupils have confidence in a blind      
teacher1 because they know that every   
step in their difficult path is familiar

 to her feet4 ,the qualifications for a 
home teacher are1 briefly1 these3       
personality1 adaptability1 tact1 a sense
 of humor1 a broad1 comprehending       
sympathy1 a strongly hoping heart1      
unlimited patience1 and a determination 
to do what is best for her pupils1 no   
matter what the opposition1 or how hard 
the task may be4 ,he who can plant      
courage in the human soul is the best   
physician1 and this is one of the chief 
duties of the home teacher4 ,some       
knowledge of nervous diseases is also   
essential1 and it is often necessary to 
exercise the greatest care and patience 
in giving the first few lessons1 as an  
unwise word1 or a failure to understand 
conditions1 may lead to untold misery4  
,this is especially true in cases of    
sudden blindness1 as the pupil is often 
afraid to move about his own room1      
confused by the altered conditions1 and 
bewildered by a multitude of sounds     
hitherto unnoticed4 ,it is absolutely   
necessary to have the co-operation of   

the family1 and ,i am often obliged to  
insist that changes be made in the      
household arrangements1 in order to help
 a pupil through the trying period of   
readjustment4 ,this is sometimes fraught
 with difficulties for both pupil and   
teacher1 but the latter should never    
lose sight of the comfort and benefit of
 her charge1 and should care nothing for
 unreasonable objections or selfish     
protests4  ,the blind adult is in need  
of some one who1 while recognizing the  
undeniable calamity and loss1 is yet    
ready to lend a steadying hand1         
encourage the uncertain feet to their   
old1 free movements1 lead the troubled  
thoughts into other channels1 and find  
new methods of doing old things4 ,thus  
encouraged1 the blind adult will soon   
resume his normal attitude1 realize that
 much good work may yet be done1 and    
that others have blazed a trail which he
 may follow1 if he will4 ,but if his    
family and friends feel that1 because   
eyesight is lost1 all is lost1 and tell 

him that1 because of his affliction he  
can do nothing1 he will do nothing4 ,but
 if they tell him he has a handicap1 and
 that they will help him to work it off1
 all his fighting blood will come to the
 rescue1 and he will say1 with ,emerson1
 the king is the man who can4 ,i give   
this sentence to all my pupils1 and     
their spirit leaps to the call1 and1    
holding to my hand for the first few1   
uncertain steps1 trusting in my         
assurance that very soon they will find 
their way along this new path1 the bent 
shoulders straighten1 the bowed head is 
lifted1 the darkness is dispelled by the
 light of purpose1 soul sight replaces  
physical sight1 and the pupil is ready  
to face life again1 undaunted and       
unafraid4 ,what a wonderful privilege1  
what a rare opportunity for service1 to 
the teacher alive to the possibilities  
of her unique position6 ,when the song  
goes out of your life1 you can not start
 another while it is ringing in your    
ears2 but let a bit of a silence fall1  

and then1 maybe1 a psalm will come1 by  
and by4 ,to live by a song is all very  
beautiful and wonderful1 but to live by 
a psalm is braver and worthier4 ,and1 in
 the case of the blind adult1 the       
readjustment period may be called the   
interim between the song and the psalm4 
,during these trying months1 the blind  
adult should not be left alone1 to fight
 his way out of darkness1 through blood1
 into light4 ,he should have immediate  
and competent care at the hands of one  
who is familiar with his needs1 and     
familiar1 too1 with the possibilities of
 his altered condition4 ,an occupation1 
however light1 is an absolute necessity4
 ,enforced idleness is an added         
affliction1 and one not easily borne4   
,the government realizes this fact1 and 
its program for the blinded soldier     
includes many forms of handcraft1 to be 
taught in the hospitals4 ,netting is    
taught1 and the soldiers are encouraged 
to whittle4 ,i was glad to see this     
latter occupation included in the first 

aid program1 as ,i have recommended it  
for many years4 ,when a man whittles1 he
 whistles1 maybe not just at first1 but 
some day1 almost before he realizes it1 
he finds himself whistling1 and he is   
then well on the road toward a sane     
acceptance of the new conditions4 ,i    
have found whittling to be as soothing  
to masculine nerves as knitting or      
crocheting to feminine ones4 ,the       
ability to use the hands in some light  
work1 removes the feeling of            
helplessness and enables the adult to   
keep his mind on his fingers2 and this  
effort at concentration is often the    
means of preserving reason1 and reviving
 in the soul the desire to take up the  
struggle of life again4  ,at this stage1
 the adult should be induced to learn to
 read raised type1 and to write letters 
to his friends4 ,there are several      
writing devices by means of which a     
blind person can once more use pencil or
 pen1 and the ability to do this marks  
another milestone in his progress4      

,when the adult is able to read and     
write once more1 perhaps to use the     
typewriter1 he feels encouraged1 and    
begins to ask what other blind men are  
doing1 and to wonder what avenues of    
usefulness still remain open to him4    
,whenever practicable1 ,i induce the men
 to resume their former occupations1 or 
suggest other lines of work suited to   
their altered condition4 ,one young man 
who was an electrical engineer before   
his blindness1 now wires houses in ,los 
,angeles1 his work always passing the   
inspector1 despite the opposition of    
sighted competitors4 ,he has his own    
shop1 and there he assembles            
chandeliers1 repairs motors1 and charges
 storage batteries4 ,it takes him longer
 to do the work than formerly1 but its  
character is the same1 and his heart    
sings with the joy of the task1 and he  
is working off his handicap1 in the hope
 that others may follow where he leads4 
,in ,may he cleared one hundred and     
fifty dollars1 above all expenses4      

,another young man supports two small   
children raising poultry1 designing his 
own roosts1 coops and troughs4 ,another 
man is making good selling janitor and  
sanitary supplies to hotels and         
apartment houses4 ,two of the men are   
doing well in a house to house canvass  
for brushes of various kinds4 ,several  
men are in the real estate business1 and
 one has bought a home and is supporting
 his aged father4 ,another does expert  
work with the typewriter and dictaphone4
  ,i encourage the women to knit1       
crochet1 sew and cook by proving to them
 that this is possible without eyesight1
 and ,i feel certain that1 through such 
efforts1 many a domestic tragedy has    
been averted4 ,i induce the older men1  
or those who can not take up any line of
 business1 to work in the garden1 chop  
wood1 cut lawns1 go to the near-by      
stores1 and make themselves a necessary 
factor in the household4 ,the           
possibilities of our work1 and the real 
good accomplished1 can not be told in   

words1 but its effects may be seen in   
many homes where men and women1         
strengthened and encouraged1 are once   
more assuming their rightful places in  
the household1 sharing the work and the 
responsibility1 just as in the days     
before blindness came upon them4  ,in   
order to bring the work within reach of 
those to whom it is not possible to give
 oral instruction1 we have a            
correspondence course for pupils in this
 and neighboring states4 ,in this way1  
we are reaching people from ,humboldt to
 ,san ,diego county in this state1 and  
the list includes persons from ,arizona1
 ,washington1 ,nevada and ,oregon4 ,this
 course is well known to every county   
librarian in the state1 and even        
custodians of very small branches send  
us the names of blind persons in their  
vicinity4 ,among the correspondence     
pupils is a man who was superintendent  
of a power plant before losing his      
eyesight1 and he still holds the        
position1 despite his handicap4 ,he     

tests meters in three power houses      
daily1 walking a distance of three miles
 in order to reach them all4 ,i taught  
him to read and write two systems1 to   
use a writing board1 and he has now     
mastered the typewriter4 ,he is a brave 
man silently fighting his way along the 
dark trail1 and ,i am privileged in     
being permitted to guide his            
unaccustomed feet over the rocks and    
crevices ,i have long since learned to  
avoid4 ,another of the pupils is in the 
insurance business1 and is also one of  
the ,four ,minute men in his country's  
service4 ,i could give you many more    
instances of the splendid courage of    
these men and women who1 though deprived
 of the most important of the special   
senses in adult life1 are cheerfully    
doing their best1 wasting no time in    
straining after the fruit just over     
,fate's barbed wire fence4  ,our work   
carries us into hospitals and           
almshouses1 and1 through the            
co-operation of charitable              

organizations1 we find the poor and1 in 
addition to teaching them to read1 we   
endeavor to better their condition1 and 
the charities are always glad to second 
our efforts4 ,the teacher in ,los       
,angeles goes regularly to the ,county  
,hospital and ,county ,farm1 and up here
 ,i teach in the ,san ,francisco        
,hospital1 ,relief ,home1 and in the    
,san ,leandro ,infirmary1 and it is a   
great joy to minister to these lonely1  
friendless souls4 ,in the ,relief ,home 
,i have a splendid class1 and ,i go     
there once each week1 and read to all   
the men in the ward1 blind and seeing1  
before giving the lessons4 ,two of the  
men are knitting1 one is making squares 
for the ,belgian baby blankets1 and the 
other a muffler for the ,navy ,league4  
,when ,i asked for volunteer knitters1  
one old colored man said1 ,madam1 my    
hands are not steady enough to knit1 but
 ,i can hold the yarn for some man to   
wind4  ,i am also teaching in the ,state
 ,industrial ,home for ,adult ,blind in 

,oakland1 and ,i look upon the afternoon
 spent there as the redletter day of the
 week4 ,i go from there each ,tuesday   
with a fresh supply of courage and      
inspiration4 ,the men collect funny     
stories to tell me1 and the women show  
their appreciation in countless1 little 
ways4 ,the ,state ,library is proud of  
its borrowers in this institution1 and  
not long ago had some pictures taken1   
showing the men reading#a and the women 
knitting4 ,it is an inspiring sight to  
see the men waiting for their lessons4  
,they come in from the shop1 where they 
have been sorting broom corn1 sewing or 
tying brooms--young men and old--all    
eager to avail themselves of the        
services of the teacher1 anxious to     
learn everything possible that will help
 to broaden their outlook on life--fine1
 brave fellows1 all of them4 ,many have 
become blind within recent years1       
victims of industrial accidents in      
factories1 quarries or mines4 ,the      
thought of the blinded soldier has      

roused these men to renewed effort1 in  
the hope that their success as broom    
makers may encourage other blind men who
 must learn a trade after the war4 ,and 
their broom shop is a wonderful place to
 visit1 with seventy blind men1 and a   
blind foreman to inspire and encourage  
the workers4 ,the business of the       
institution is principally wholesale1   
although some of the blind men have     
worked up a good retail trade in        
,oakland4 ,the sales of the institution 
average #f1ejj per month1 and with      
increased capital1 more material and a  
larger plant1 it could handle three     
times its present business4 ,the board  
of directors will ask the legislature to
 increase the appropriation1 to enlarge 
the plant1 and to provide an industrial 
teacher to go into the homes of the     
blind1 teach them weaving1 basketry1    
chair caning and knitting1 the ,home to 
market the products1 deducting the cost 
of material from the amount paid to the 
workers4 ,this industrial teacher is    

greatly needed1 and it is hoped the     
legislature will make it possible for   
the ,home to enlarge its sphere of      
usefulness and provide employment for   
many who are not inmates1 but who need  
to contribute to their own support4     
,footnote #a3 ,see illustration1 p4 #d4 
,the men of the ,home are not alone in  
their desire to help in the hour of     
their country's need4 ,more than a dozen
 women are knitting for the men in the  
trenches4 ,they are an ,auxiliary of the
 ,navy ,league1 and their work is the   
finest of any turned in by the thousands
 of knitters in the bay region4 ,they   
knit socks and sweaters1 helmets and    
mufflers4 ,one of the women made five   
pairs of socks in one week1 with never a
 dropped stitch anywhere4 ,this same    
woman made three sweaters in ten days1  
all perfect garments4 ,the wife of the  
superintendent is the teacher1 and two  
of the blind women help the others by   
picking up dropped stitches1            
straightening puckers1 and suggesting   

easier methods to the inexperienced     
workers4 ,those who can not knit1 snip  
rags for the ambulance pillows1 hem ,red
 ,cross handkerchiefs1 and sew on       
hospital quilts4 ,in addition to this1 a
 blind invalid in ,san ,francisco rips  
up work poorly done by seeing knitters1 
and the members of our wonderful        
auxiliary make perfect garments from the
 used wool4 ,this stimulates them to do 
their very best1 for they know they are 
proving to the public that the fingers  
of the blind worker are deft and sure1  
and that1 given the opportunity1 they   
can knit as well1 and often better1 than
 their more fortunate sisters4 ,they    
feel1 too1 that they are doing their    
best to promote the comfort of the      
soldiers1 doing it evenings1 after      
working in the shop all day1 where they 
cane chairs and make toy and whisk      
brooms4 ,i am sure we need not go to the
 hospitals of ,france in search of blind
 heroes--we have them right here in our 
midst1 and are proud of them4 ,the      

,state ,library permits me to devote all
 the time necessary to keep the women   
supplied with wool1 and return the      
garments to the ,navy ,league4 ,the     
library regards this as a part of its   
campaign of enlightenment1 and it is    
confident untold good will result1 both 
to the public and to the blind4 ,in     
addition to their work1 both men and    
women read a great deal1 and dozens of  
books are mailed to and from the ,home  
each day4  ,and so the ,state ,library  
is doing its share toward the           
re-education of the blind adult1 has    
been doing it for the past thirteen     
years4 ,it provides the best books      
available in the various types4 ,it has 
over eight thousand books in            
circulation1 and its list of borrowers  
numbers more than one thousand4 ,the    
keynote of this department is ,service1 
and each borrower is made to feel that  
his success is of vital importance to   
the ,library1 and when a new reader is  
added to the list1 a note is usually    

sent1 welcoming him to the family       
circle4 ,for we are all like one large  
family circle--with common aims1 common 
interests and a common goal--namely1 to 
spread far and wide the gospel of home  
teaching1 to do our best in order to    
help others similarly placed1 and to    
prove ourselves worthy of the help so   
generously given by the ,state ,library4
  ,another potent factor in the work of 
re-education is the ,matilda ,ziegler   
,magazine1 a periodical in raised type  
published since #aijg1 through the      
generosity of ,mrs4 ,matilda ,ziegler1  
head of the ,royal ,baking ,powder      
,company of ,new ,york4 ,this magazine  
is printed in ,new ,york ,city1 and sent
 to the homes of more than twelve       
thousand persons in the ,united ,states 
and ,canada4 ,it is like any other      
magazine1 with current events1 timely   
articles1 short stories1 poetry1 a      
woman's page1 and a page of humor4 ,in  
addition to this1 every month there is  
an article telling of the success of    

some blind person1 the account written  
by the man or woman in the form of a    
letter to the editor4 ,and the manager1 
,mr4 ,walter ,g4 ,holmes1 is a man with 
a heart of gold2 he has his finger on   
the pulse of the blind of the country1  
and he believes in them1 loves them1 and
 brings out the best that is in them4   
,every number contains a map of some of 
the warring countries1 and so the       
readers are kept in touch with all the  
vital issues of the day4 ,many a man is 
induced to learn to read raised type    
just to read this magazine4 ,and so     
,mrs4 ,ziegler's philanthropy can not be
 too highly commended1 and her name and 
that of ,mr4 ,holmes are enshrined in   
the hearts of the blind4 ,her service to
 them is incalculable4  ,the government 
is making extensive preparation for the 
re-education of our blinded soldiers1   
both in the hospitals of ,france and the
 hospital school at ,baltimore4 ,the    
grounds and some of the buildings of    
this school were given to the government

 by ,mrs4 ,t4 ,harrison ,garrett of     
,baltimore1 and no expense is being     
spared in providing every care and      
facility for the training and comfort of
 the blind soldiers who are to be       
rehabilitated and returned1 not to the  
battlefields of ,france1 but to the     
battle ground of life4 ,the government  
plans to begin the re-education in the  
base hospitals1 to continue it at the   
ports of embarkation1 and complete it in
 the hospital school at ,baltimore4 ,the
 training in this school is to be       
patterned after that of ,st4 ,dunstan's 
in ,london1 where the work of           
re-education1 under the direction of    
,sir ,arthur ,pearson1 himself a blind  
man1 is meeting with the greatest       
success4 ,the ,red ,cross ,institute for
 the ,blind is on the same grounds as   
the ,hospital ,school1 and is           
supplementing the work of the government
 in a most able manner4 ,typewriting1   
dictaphone1 switchboard operating1      
telegraphy1 osteopathy1 massage1 and    

salesmanship are to be taught to those  
who are fitted for these branches2 and  
trades and occupations1 including piano 
tuning1 winding coils for armatures used
 in electric motors1 joinery1 mat and   
mattress making1 broom and basket       
making1 rug weaving1 and shoe cobbling  
are to be taught to those who are not   
fitted for the professions4 ,the        
government will send over to ,france at 
least one blind teacher for each base   
hospital1 for his inspirational value to
 the men during the first trying months 
of the readjustment period4 ,blind      
teachers will be employed in this       
country1 too1 and the government is     
already looking about for those best    
qualified for such positions4 ,all blind
 soldiers will be given an opportunity  
to learn to read and write the raised   
system1 and provision is being made for 
an enlarged circulation of books1 and   
for newer publications to be embossed in
 the universal ,braille system4 ,in this
 work1 the volunteers who learn to write

 ,braille can materially assist1 by     
copying short stories1 timely articles1 
and nonsense verse to be distributed    
among the blind of their communities1   
and for the pleasure of the returned    
soldiers4  ,when the men have been a    
sufficient time in the hospital school1 
they are to be returned to their own    
cities and towns1 and the government1   
through its agent empowered to find     
employment for handicapped soldiers1    
will endeavor to secure work for them in
 existing industrial institutions and   
plants in the various states4 ,it is    
also planned to place capable blind men 
in shops with the seeing1 whenever      
possible4 ,i say whenever possible1 for 
it will take time and much effort to    
persuade employers to include blind men 
among their employees4 ,but the day is  
not far distant when the public will see
 the wisdom of providing work for its   
handicapped men and women1 and condemn  
those who fail to co-operate with the   
government in securing positions for    

those qualified to fill them4 ,the      
government is generous in its           
appropriation of funds to carry on this 
re-education1 but it does not include   
the civilian blind in this program4 ,the
 blind adult in civil life must be      
employed or cared for by the civilian   
population1 and this brings me to the   
discussion of the attitude of the public
 toward the blind since three-fourths of
 the blind of ,america could be         
gainfully employed right now1 if the    
public would only believe in them1 would
 only give them an opportunity to prove 
their ability4 ,with his remaining      
faculties keenly alert1 with a courage  
and fortitude born of many trials1 the  
blind adult is prepared to face life    
squarely1 undaunted and unafraid1 asking
 only to take his place on the firing   
line1 to march shoulder to shoulder with
 his seeing brother1 and to do a man's  
work in the world4     ,,the ,,attitude 
,,of ,,the ,,public ,,toward ,,the      
,,blind4   ,in discussing this subject  

,i realize ,i have a most difficult and 
delicate task before me--a task which   
only a blind person can adequately      
perform4 ,i approach it with no         
misgiving1 with no unkind feeling1 for1 
as ,i have previously stated1 ,i believe
 the public needs1 not so much to be    
instructed1 as to be reminded1 and ,i   
believe it will be glad to have some of 
its mistaken ideas corrected1 and thus  
bring about a better understanding      
between the two classes4  ,in the first 
place1 ,i wish to mention some popular  
fallacies concerning the blind4 ,chief  
among these is the idea that all blind  
people are so much happier than sighted 
people4 ,this belief seems very general1
 and comes1 ,i suppose1 as a result of  
the feeling of the average human being  
that1 if deprived of eyesight1 he could 
never be induced to laugh again4 ,the   
blind adult soon realizes that humor is 
a shock absorber1 and that mirth is the 
soul's best medicine4 ,when my pupils   
fail to recognize the efficacy of humor1

 ,i establish a rule that they must     
laugh at least once during each lesson1 
and very soon they agree with ,charles  
,lamb that a laugh is worth a hundred   
groans in any market4 ,one of my foreign
 pupils said to me when ,i spoke of his 
cheerful attitude1 ,madam1 ,i laugh that
 ,i may not weep4 ,and this is the key  
to much of the cheerfulness of the      
blind1 whose philosophy is not often    
understood by their sighted friends4    
,there is nothing really remarkable     
about making the best of a trying       
situation1 unless it is the small       
percentage of persons who do so4 ,people
 feel so sorry for the blind that they  
are often unable to address them at all1
 or1 when they do speak1 convey a whole 
world of well-meant but misdirected     
sympathy in a few ill-chosen words4     
,this misdirected sympathy is one of the
 hardest things the blind adult has to  
bear1 and often when ,i urge a man to go
 out among his friends as he did when he
 could see1 he answers1 ,i can't do it  

just yet4 ,i can't bear the pitying     
tone4 ,it would make me lose my grip1   
and ,i must not let go4 ,and sometimes  
,i go to his friends and explain the    
situation1 and persuade them to call on 
their friend1 take him out with them1   
talk to him of the ordinary1 commonplace
 happenings1 keeping their sympathy well
 disguised1 or1 rather1 showing a       
comprehending sympathy1 a sympathy that 
recognizes a brave man's effort to      
accept his fate unwhimperingly4         
,another popular belief is that the     
blind are naturally very religious4     
,unfortunately1 this belief seems to be 
shared by those who selected many of the
 books to be printed in raised types1   
since about one-half of the books       
selected are of a religious character4  
,the blind are naturally introspective1 
and their power of concentration is     
greater than that of the average person1
 but ,i have not found them to be       
unusually religious4 ,i do not think    
that blindness increases or decreases   

the religious tendency4  ,a third       
fallacy is that the blind can tell      
colors by feeling4 ,this is absolutely  
impossible4 ,i have heard of men who    
could tell the difference of color in   
horses1 but1 upon questioning them      
closely1 ,i found that the texture of   
the hair varied in light and dark       
colored animals4 ,of course1 there is an
 odor about some colored dyes1 such as  
black and indigo blue4 ,some of the     
blind are themselves responsible for    
fostering this belief1 but they do it to
 test the credulity of the public1 and  
they do not know the real harm they are 
doing to the cause4  ,it is a common    
belief1 too1 that all blind people like 
music1 and are especially gifted in this
 art4 ,i do not believe that the        
percentage of really musical blind      
people is greater than that of persons  
who see4 ,sometimes a blind man or woman
 will study music either as a pastime1  
or in the hope of making a living1 but  
the lack of eyesight does not increase  

or diminish one's musical ability4  ,in 
the lecture on the psychology of        
blindness1 ,i endeavored to prove that  
the blind were not possessed of greater 
faculties than their seeing fellows1 but
 that loss of eyesight made it          
imperative to cultivate the remaining   
senses to a very high degree1 and that  
such cultivation led to a greater       
keenness in the interpretation of the   
information furnished the remaining     
senses4 ,when told that the blind do    
many things well and quickly by         
employing methods different than those  
who see1 the information comes as a     
shock1 when it is not entirely          
discredited4 ,there is an idea prevalent
 among so-called well informed men and  
women that a loss of eyesight carries   
with it a loss of mental vigor1 and a   
total inability to engage in any of the 
world's work4 ,this belief1 and the many
 foolish notions which it breeds1       
presents one of the greatest            
difficulties to be met1 and1 if         

possible1 overcome1 by the blind man or 
woman obliged to earn a livelihood4 ,so 
potent is eyesight considered that1     
without it1 some people think it        
impossible to perform even the simplest 
duties1 and the person obliged to       
substitute fingers for eyes1 and memory 
for pad and pencil is regarded as a     
marvel of intelligence and skill1 and as
 possessing a sixth sense4 ,anything    
done by the blind1 from recognizing a   
voice to remembering a street number1 is
 considered wonderful by the average    
person1 and this attitude is very trying
 to the blind adult who is striving to  
adjust himself to new conditions1 and   
train his remaining faculties to the    
highest possible degree of efficiency4  
,the commiseration and incredulous words
 of his friends is one of the greatest  
trials which the blind adult is called  
upon to bear1 and it is not strange that
 he is often embittered and discouraged1
 and unwilling to subject himself to the
 thoughtless comments and undisguised   

pity of his former associates4 ,these   
associates do not realize that their    
attitude has changed or that they are   
adding another burden to the already    
heavy load borne by their friend4 ,they 
are sorry1 honestly sorry1 and want so  
much to help1 but to their minds        
blindness is the greatest of all        
afflictions1 and loss of eyesight is    
accompanied by a corresponding loss of  
physical ability and mental vigor1      
unless the person so afflicted is       
unusually gifted1 and1 in that case1 he 
is regarded as the marvel of the age4   
,unfortunately1 the percentage of gifted
 people is no greater among the blind   
than among the seeing1 and so it is not 
strange that many of the former class   
are unable to cope with the difficulties
 and discouragements that blindness     
entails1 when thousands of seeing people
 succumb to what they consider the      
unequal struggle for existence4 ,as a   
class ,i honestly believe that blind    
people are more courageous than seeing  

people1 and ,i am sure that a greater   
demand is made upon their stock of      
courage4 ,this demand will be lessened  
when the public learns to look upon     
blindness as a physical1 not a mental   
handicap1 and when1 instead of          
compelling persons so handicapped to sit
 on the side lines holding their broken 
swords1 it leads them forward1 places a 
new sword in their hands1 and brings    
them the glad tidings that they are     
needed on the firing line4 ,loss of     
eyesight is always deplorable1 but it is
 not so terrible as the isolation which 
generally follows it1 an isolation due1 
in large measure1 to misconception1 lack
 of information1 and misplaced sympathy 
on the part of the public1 generous to a
 fault in bestowing alms1 but slow to   
believe in the ability of the blind1 and
 the wisdom of employing them4 ,if the  
public could be brought to look upon the
 blind1 not as an isolated class whose  
affliction entitles them to the pity and
 generous alms of those more fortunate1 

but as men and women1 with normal aims  
and desires1 just as full of hope1 just 
as eager to work1 and just as interested
 in things as when they saw them through
 the natural medium1 their handicap     
would be lessened and their lives much  
happier4 ,most people think all that can
 be done for the blind is to divert     
them1 amuse them1 provide for them in   
institutions1 or encourage them to      
accept private charity4 ,this lack of   
understanding on the part of the public 
is the greatest drawback to the         
advancement of the blind1 and often     
leads to untold misery4 ,occupation the 
blind should have1 must have1 if they   
are to enjoy any degree of happiness1 or
 retain their self-respect4 ,loss of    
eyesight does not deprive a man of his  
desire to earn his daily bread1 or to   
provide for those dependent upon him4   
,he is willing and eager to work1 and   
should be given the chance4 ,a ,french  
physician1 himself without eyesight1    
said3 ,so long as the blind can still   

bring their stone1 however small it may 
be1 to the building of civilization1 or 
of bringing happiness to their kind1    
they feel that they live2 and whatever  
be the wounds received1 they are not out
 of the battle of life--the inequality  
of arms only increases their ardor4     
,this inequality of arms should1 and    
usually does1 act as a spur to the      
courageous man or woman1 but to the mind
 of the average sighted person1 this    
inequality seems to apply inability1 and
 so very little is expected of the      
blind1 and little thought is given to   
their possibilities4 ,senator ,gore1 the
 blind ,senator from ,oklahoma1 says3   
,it is a mistake to tell the sightless  
their loss is insurmountable or         
inconsequential4 ,it is neither4 ,the   
sightless confront a situation1 not a   
theory4 ,we ought to study their        
problems1 and help them to lessen their 
burdens1 to smooth their path1 and to   
multiply their resources1 to enable them
 to adapt themselves to a new and       

sometimes a strange environment2 to help
 them to adjust themselves to a new set 
of circumstances1 which presents a      
different problem1 as it presents a     
different situation from those who      
possess the sense of sight4 ,and1 the   
,senator concludes1 the greatest service
 we can render to the blind is to help  
them to help themselves4 ,and this is   
where the public can help1 though1 as ,i
 have said1 in its mistaken kindness1 it
 more often hinders1 and encourages the 
blind to accept alms1 instead of making 
it possible for them to become          
self-supporting1 self-respecting men and
 women4  ,the constantly increasing     
number of blinded men in the warring    
countries has made it imperative to find
 work in which they can successfully    
engage1 and trades and occupations      
hitherto untried have been found to be  
both practicable and lucrative4 ,what   
,sir ,arthur ,pearson is doing for the  
blinded soldiers at ,st4 ,dunstan's is  
little short of marvelous1 and his      

success should help the cause in all    
parts of the world4 ,in ,eastern cities1
 a large number of the blind are        
gainfully employed1 and new avenues of  
usefulness are being opened to them4 ,at
 ,ampere1 ,new ,jersey1 ,dr4 ,schuyler  
,s4 ,wheeler has formed what he calls   
the ,double ,duty ,finger ,guild4 ,this 
is composed of some twenty blind people1
 sixteen men and four women1 and they   
have been taught to wind coils for      
armatures used in electric motors and   
mill machinery4 ,these people earn from 
a dollar and a half to two dollars a    
day1 and their work is done as well as  
that of the sighted employees1 though1  
just at first1 a little more time is    
required4 ,they are making up this      
discrepancy slowly1 but surely1 and it  
is thought they will soon do the work as
 fast as the sighted operatives4        
,unfortunately1 on this coast1 we have  
no factories where this winding is done1
 as most of the electric concerns here  
do repair work1 which varies so that it 

would be difficult for the blind        
operative to keep changing from one kind
 of work to another4 ,henry ,ford       
employs a number of blind men in his    
factory at ,detroit4 ,there the men fit 
nuts to bolts1 wind armatures1 assemble 
different parts of machinery1 and fold  
paper boxes4 ,in his factory ,mr4 ,ford 
also employs other handicapped men1 and 
has machinery especially devised for    
their use4 ,he believes that all large  
factories should employ a certain       
percentage of handicapped workers1 as   
its contribution to the rehabilitation  
movement1 and it is to be hoped his     
example may be followed by employers all
 over the country4 ,the ,light-,house   
for the ,blind in ,new ,york ,city1 the 
,cleveland ,association for the ,blind  
in ,ohio1 and other similar associations
 are doing splendid work in arousing the
 interest of the public1 and in finding 
employment for blind men and women1 both
 in their homes1 and in shops with      
sighted persons4 ,mattress making and   

upholstering have been found            
particularly adapted to the blind1 and  
in ,boston thousands of mattresses are  
made and renovated yearly by blind      
workers employed in the shops of the    
,massachusetts ,commission for the      
,blind4 ,folding towels in laundries1   
wrapping bread1 packing catsup bottles  
and fruit cans are some of the things   
being successfully done in the ,east4   
,and the increasing shortage of labor   
will induce employers throughout the    
country to see the light1 and realize   
that what the blind operative loses     
because of lack of sight1 he makes up by
 increased concentration and            
faithfulness to duty4 ,in the ,west1 the
 people have very little faith in the   
ability of the blind1 but in time we    
hope the social consciousness will      
become less lethargic1 and that the     
mental and physical needs of this class 
will be given the consideration accorded
 to them in the larger cities throughout
 the ,east4 ,the ,san ,francisco        

,association for the ,blind1 a          
privately-maintained institution1 is    
doing good work in arousing public      
interest1 and in its shops the men are  
taught to make brooms and reed          
furniture1 and the women to weave rugs  
and make baskets4 ,it is in constant    
search for new fields of endeavor1 and  
this spring it induced one of the       
largest canneries to employ over twenty 
blind people to sort asparagus1 and the 
same cannery has selected a number of   
the best workers to cut fruit in its    
orchards in the ,santa ,clara ,valley4  
,all this is very encouraging1 but it is
 only a beginning1 as there are hundreds
 of blind in this state who should be   
contributing to their own support4 ,this
 is why an enlargement of the plant of  
the ,industrial ,home for ,adult ,blind 
in ,oakland is so urgently needed1 for1 
after all1 the state should assume the  
duty of providing its handicapped       
civilians with employment1 instead of   
caring for them in almshouses1 or       

permitting them to become objects of    
private charity4 ,the state should see  
to it that its blind children receive an
 education which will fit them to earn  
their own living4 ,all schools for the  
blind should be under the direct        
supervision of ,boards of ,education1   
who should give the same careful        
consideration to the problem of         
educating blind children as is now given
 to the education of seeing children4   
,and this is one argument in favor of   
classes for the blind in the public     
schools4 ,vocational training is of more
 importance to the blind child than to  
his more fortunate brother1 and when    
this is recognized1 one of the barriers 
to his success will be removed4 ,is     
there any reason why an intelligent     
blind youth especially interested in    
medicine1 should not be trained as an   
anatomist1 a heart and lung specialist1 
an osteopath or a masseur8 ,he does not 
need eyes to listen to heart beats1 find
 the third vertebra1 or rub the kinks   

out of a refractory muscle4 ,in ,japan  
the government reserves massage as an   
occupation for the blind1 and in the    
hospitals of ,england and ,france blind 
masseurs are given the preference1 and  
their work receives the highest         
commendation4 ,los ,angeles has a blind 
anatomist at the head of its ,college of
 ,osteopathy1 and several blind         
osteopaths4  ,when mentally equipped1   
all blind students should be sent to    
college1 and urged to fit themselves as 
teachers4 ,in every college and         
university blind men should occupy      
chairs in history1 ,english1 economics1 
and mathematics4 ,i know two blind men  
in this state well qualified to teach   
any of these subjects1 who are forced to
 accept inferior positions1 because     
educators generally fail to realize that
 blindness is no bar to mental          
attainment1 and that the ability to     
teach does not depend upon the ability  
to see with the eyes4 ,this will be     
better understood when the coeducation  

of blind and seeing children becomes    
more general--,god speed the day6 ,as   
music teachers1 concert players1 leaders
 of orchestra1 or masters of the violin 
and 'cello1 the blind should have an    
even chance of success1 but their       
inability to read music at sight1 or    
watch the director's baton often        
deprives them of positions which their  
quick ear and well trained memory would 
enable them to fill with profit to      
themselves and satisfaction to the      
public4  ,and so in all the professions4
 ,i know a man who1 before he lost his  
eyesight1 was considered an eminent     
lawyer1 but now his associates regard   
him pityingly1 and his clients take     
their business elsewhere4 ,when the     
light went out of the eyes of this      
brilliant man1 it did not take his brain
 as well4 ,he is fitted to be a         
consulting lawyer or court pleader1 and 
could occupy a chair in a college of    
law4 ,surely1 there is something        
radically wrong when these conditions   

exist6 ,surely the public needs to open 
its eyes1 and polish its glasses in     
order to see more clearly that there is 
a mental blindness1 more pitiful1 more  
far-reaching in its consequences1 than  
physical blindness1 however hard or     
uncomfortable the latter condition may  
be4 ,some one facetiously suggested that
 ,i call this lecture bringing light to 
the seeing1 and1 in a sense1 this is    
what ,i am trying to do4 ,but the light 
is carried by a kindly hand1 and the    
hand is the index to a heart in which   
there is no bitterness1 no malice1 no   
distrust--a heart brimming over with    
love1 with hope1 with confidence1 and   
with a belief that the public will see  
the light1 and1 seeing it1 and reading  
my message in its beams1 will pass it on
 to others1 adding to it as it goes1    
until it floods every corner of our vast
 state1 and result in untold good for my
 people4 ,and let me tell you how this  
light may be disseminated--let me       
apportion your share in this labor of   

love1 this highest form of social       
service1 this movement of re-education  
now sweeping over the land4  ,i am so   
often asked by those who wish to        
volunteer in their country's service1   
,what can ,i do to help in the          
re-education of the blinded soldier8    
,and ,i invariably answer1 ,you can     
first help in the re-education of the   
public1 and this will be the greatest   
service you can render to the men       
blinded in battle4 ,in order to know    
what lines of work will be available for
 them when they return1 we must look    
about and see what the adult blind of   
our civil communities are doing4 ,if we 
can not employ all these who are willing
 and able to work1 how can we hope to   
employ an increased number later on8    
,let us ask ourselves what the blind can
 do1 and then1 how much of this are we  
permitting them to do8 ,if we are an    
employer of salesmen1 and one of our    
employees has recently lost his         
eyesight1 let us ask ourselves why1 when

 he came to us and urged us to let him  
continue to sell our goods1 we told him 
that1 although he had been a faithful   
worker1 and we were exceedingly sorry   
for his misfortune1 we could not retain 
his services1 because competition was so
 great1 and so many unexpected things   
happened1 and we felt we could not      
entrust our business to any one who did 
not possess all his faculties4 ,we meant
 to be very kind1 and we thought every  
word we said was true1 but was it true8 
,did that man sell our goods with his   
eyes1 or did he sell them by using his  
tongue and his personality to persuade  
customers to patronize us8 ,if he had a 
boy to go about with him1 could he not  
talk as convincingly1 work as hard1 and1
 indeed1 might he not put forth a       
greater effort to extend our business   
and make himself invaluable to us8 ,this
 is a typical case1 and one that occurs 
almost daily4 ,so it is in all lines of 
work the blind man or woman attempts4 ,a
 blind piano tuner asks for work from   

house to house1 just as a sighted tuner 
has to do1 but1 whereas we sometimes    
employ the latter1 we refuse the former1
 saying1 we could not trust our         
instrument to the hands of a blind man1 
and maybe we offer him a small piece of 
silver to lessen the hurt we have       
unwittingly inflicted4 ,perhaps a man   
with defective eyesight asks to clean   
house or help in the garden1 or work on 
a ranch1 or perform some light task in a
 store4 ,the same condition obtains4 ,we
 are so hurried these days1 we must have
 the work done with the greatest        
possible expediency1 and so we can not  
entrust it to any one who is            
handicapped1 although we are sorry1 and 
really wish we could do something for   
such people4 ,and so sometimes1 men who 
started out with high hopes and lofty   
ideals are forced to the streets1 there 
to depend upon the spasmodic charity of 
the passerby1 and to attract this       
wavering attention of the public1 the   
man resorts to all sorts of subterfuges1

 from holding up pencils and gum to     
grinding out popular tunes on a wheezing
 old hand organ4 ,sometimes these men   
have families and feel they must make   
this effort to maintain them4 ,many of  
them try to sell newspapers on the      
corners of our principal streets1 but   
here1 too1 the competition is very      
great1 and little boys patrol the curb1 
holding the ever-ready paper under the  
nose of the hurrying pedestrian who1    
though he may be conscious of the blind 
man selling in front of a building1     
thinks he can not spare time to go to   
him for a paper1 and so snatches one    
from the waiting boy1 throws him the    
pennies1 and jumps on a moving car4     
,selling newspapers is better suited to 
a blind man than almost any other line  
of business4 ,i mean the man who has    
never learned a trade1 or who has no    
special profession4 ,if the government  
could commandeer this line of work for  
its blind civilians1 ,i am sure there   
would be fewer itinerant street         

musicians1 gum or pencil venders4 ,of   
course1 after a while1 the blind man    
reduced to playing on the streets1      
becomes accustomed to the excitement1   
the roar of traffic1 and covers1 ,i will
 not say earns1 more money than he could
 by canvassing1 piano tuning1 or making 
brooms4 ,and so1 once started on this   
road1 once accustomed to the acceptance 
of public charity1 it is almost         
impossible to induce the street vender  
or musician to try a more legitimate    
means of livelihood4 ,he invariably     
says1 in answer to the protest of those 
who have the interest and advancement of
 the blind at heart1 ,when you can find 
me a job where ,i can earn as much as ,i
 do right here1 ,i'll take it1 but until
 then1 ,i must live1 and ,i must help to
 support my family4 ,meanwhile these    
street merchants are creating an        
erroneous impression in the minds of the
 unthinking1 but ever sympathetic       
public1 leading it to believe that      
begging is all that the blind can do2   

and so1 when asked to employ a blind    
person1 even in the smallest capacity1  
people mention the blind of the street1 
and say they will gladly contribute to  
the support of the sightless either in  
institutions1 or by private charity1 but
 they do not believe in their ability to
 perform work of any kind4 ,of course1  
this is not the answer given in every   
case1 but it is the reply generally made
 to all such requests4 ,this is the sad 
state of affairs here and in many of the
 large cities throughout the country1   
and this is why the ,state ,library is  
conducting a campaign for the           
enlightenment of the public4 ,whenever  
possible1 ,i raise my voice in this     
cause1 before clubs and organizations1  
high schools and colleges1 in order to  
change this mistaken attitude1 in order 
to urge a saner point of view4 ,in      
presenting this gospel of work for the  
blind1 ,i put the matter very plainly1  
prove to the public that it is to blame 
for many of the conditions ,i deplore1  

laugh at its incredulity1 score its     
misconception1 urge a broader1 more     
comprehensive sympathy1 and usually     
leave the platform with the assurance   
that ,i have won many recruits in this  
campaign so dear to my heart4  ,as ,i   
said in my last lecture1 the government 
has a well-defined plan for the         
re-education of its blinded soldiers4   
,but suppose this plan is carried out1  
and the men are returned to their home  
cities1 qualified to pursue a certain   
line of work1 only to find that the     
public does not share the government's  
confidence1 is unwilling to give them an
 opportunity to prove their ability8    
,the public will cheerfully pay taxes to
 care for these men in idleness and     
seclusion1 thus diverting to the rear of
 life's battle line these heroes who    
have given the most precious of all     
their physical possessions in their     
country's cause4 ,the soldier killed on 
the field of battle pays the supreme    
sacrifice all in a moment1 but the      

sacrifice of the blinded soldier is     
lifelong4 ,are we going to find         
employment for these returned heroes1 or
 are we going to add yet another burden 
to their already heavy load8 ,are we    
going to add the burden of dependence to
 the burden of darkness8 ,if we want    
these men to know that we appreciate the
 service they have rendered to their    
country1 let us provide occupations for 
them1 and in order to do this let us    
begin by employing the civilian blind1  
the blind right here in our midst4 ,let 
us study the problem with an open mind1 
freed from the old prejudice and        
unbelief2 let us turn the light on      
ourselves1 and see that it is we who sit
 in darkness4 ,let us ask the blind     
leaders of the blind what work can be   
done without eyesight1 and let us be    
guided by their judgment1 their         
experience4 ,and1 as a bit of ,red      
,cross service1 let us employ the blind2
 let us create a demand for their labor2
 let us ask for work made by the blind1 

and tell our friends to ask for it2 let 
us buy our newspapers from the men on   
the streets1 and let us give our        
magazine subscriptions to blind men who 
have subscription agencies2 let us      
patronize blind lawyers1 osteopaths1    
salesmen1 piano tuners and musicians4   
,let us find other and broader avenues  
of usefulness for these our civil blind 
heroes1 who went into the dark with no  
blare of trumpets1 no applause from     
cheering multitudes1 and who wear no    
badge of honor on their breasts4 ,let us
 do this1 so that when the blinded      
soldiers return1 we may welcome them    
with the glad tidings that we have work 
waiting for them1 that we know they can 
do it1 because blind men and women here 
have blazed the trail1 and have1 by     
their splendid courage and boundless    
enthusiasm1 succeeded in changing the   
attitude of the public1 and removing the
 last lingering vestige of doubt as to  
the ability of the blind to become      
self-supporting1 self-respecting        

citizens4 ,in this campaign of          
enlightenment1 this bit of ,red ,cross  
service for the blinded soldiers and the
 blind adults of our civil communities1 
every one of you can help1 and ,i feel  
sure it will be unnecessary for me to   
ask a pledge of co-operation from any   
one who has heard me speak this         
afternoon4 ,the ,state ,library is      
heartily with me in every phase of this 
campaign1 and1 with its co-operation and
 encouragement1 ,i go fearlessly        
forward1 overcoming obstacles1 uprooting
 prejudices1 laboring with heart and    
mind and voice in the service of the    
blind and in the hope of bringing about 
a clearer understanding of their needs  
in the minds of the public4  ,and now1  
in conclusion1 let me tell you my dream 
for the future of the blind1 a dream    
which1 please ,god1 will one day come   
true4 ,i dream of seeing blind men      
occupying chairs in our colleges and    
universities1 blind heart and lung      
specialists1 anatomists and osteopaths1 

lawyers and lecturers4 ,in my dream1 ,i 
see blind salesmen1 telegraphers1       
musicians1 piano tuners and             
electricians1 and other men making      
brooms1 brushes1 mattresses and         
furniture now so often made by prison   
labor4 ,and in my dream1 ,i see blind   
women teachers1 stenographers1          
dictaphone and switchboard operators2   
and other women knitting1 crocheting1   
sewing1 cooking1 weaving rugs and making
 baskets1 and doing the work side by    
side with their more fortunate sisters1 
and doing it as well1 and often better4 
,then and only then will the greatest   
sting be removed from blindness2 then   
and only then will the blind beggar     
depart from our public thoroughfares1   
and when all these things come to pass1 
my dream for my people will be realized4
 ,aren't you going to help to make my   
dream come true8     ,,prevention ,,of  
,,blindness ,,and ,,conservation ,,of   
,,vision ,,in ,,adults ,,and            
,,children4#b   ,helen ,keller1 in      

writing on prevention of blindness1     
says3 ,try to realize what blindness    
means to those whose joyous activity is 
stricken to inactivity4 ,it is to live  
long1 long days1 and life is made up of 
days4 ,it is to live immured1 baffled1  
impotent1 all ,god's world shut out4 ,it
 is to sit helpless1 defrauded1 while   
your spirit strains and tugs at its     
fetters1 and your shoulders ache with   
the burden they are denied--the rightful
 burden of labor4  ,footnote #b3        
,reprinted from ,news ,notes of         
,california ,libraries1 vol4 #ad1 no4   
#a1 ,jan4 #aiai4  ,when ,i was twelve   
years old1 the well-known oculist1 ,dr  
,barkan of blessed memory1 came to      
examine the eyes of all the children in 
the ,school for the ,blind at ,berkeley4
 ,i was the first to be examined1 and ,i
 remember distinctly every word of the  
great doctor when1 after looking at my  
eyes1 he turned to the superintendent1  
and said sadly1 ,needlessly blind6 her  
eyesight could have been saved4 ,these  

words made a profound impression upon my
 childish mind1 and as ,i sat and       
listened1 while child after child was   
examined1 and heard again and again the 
same remark1 needlessly blind6 ,i       
resolved to know more about this eye    
disease with the very long name1        
ophthalmia neonatorum1 to learn its     
cause1 and see just how it might have   
been prevented4 ,but we did not hear as 
much about prevention as we do now1 and1
 although ,i did not forget the matter1 
it was many years before ,i had an      
opportunity to study it further4 ,when  
,i did1 ,i found that at least          
one-fourth of the children in schools   
for the blind in this country were      
there1 just because a simple precaution 
was not taken at the time of their      
birth4  ,five years before ,i knew there
 was such a thing as unnecessary        
blindness 7since ,i had been told ,i was
 blind as the result of a severe cold in
 the eyes71 a ,belgian doctor1          
,professor ,crede1 a famous obstetrician

 of ,leipsic1 appalled at the number of 
children who lost their eyesight within 
a few days after birth from a virulent  
eye infection1 determined to try the    
effect of a simple prophylaxis1 a two   
per cent solution of nitrate of silver1 
dropped in the eyes of every newborn    
child4 ,the effect of the prophylaxis   
used in ,dr ,crede's clinic was         
marvelous1 reducing the number of cases 
from ten per cent in #ahhj1 to          
one-fourth of one per cent in #ahhf4    
,babies' sore eyes1 or ophthalmia       
neonatorum1 is defined by ,dr ,sydney   
,stephenson as an inflammatory disease  
of the conjunctiva1 usually appearing   
within the first few days of life1 due  
to the action of a pus-producing germ   
introduced into the eyes of the infant  
at birth4 ,dr ,crede found that1 by     
putting two drops of the solution into  
each of the infant's eyes at birth1 all 
danger of infection was averted4 ,the   
solution is harmless to healthy eyes1   
and1 in ninety-nine cases out of a      

hundred1 destroys infecting germs when  
they are present4 ,the cost of the drops
 is nominal1 about two cents per        
patient1 and yet over ten thousand      
persons in the ,united ,states1 and as  
many more in other countries1 have been 
deprived of the most important of the   
special senses through the ignorance and
 neglect of doctors and midwives1 and   
the public at large1 as to the gravity  
of the disease1 and the methods of      
prevention4 ,it is estimated that twenty
 babies in every one thousand have sore 
eyes1 and that from five to eight of    
these cases are serious1 and capable of 
causing blindness4 ,infant ophthalmia is
 found among all classes1 but more      
especially among the poor1 who must so  
often depend upon the services of a     
midwife or neighbor who1 in most        
instances1 does not know the meaning of 
the word antiseptic4 ,consequently1 it  
was found necessary to make laws for the
 prevention of this disease4 ,for       
various reasons1 it is difficult to pass

 a law making the use of a prophylaxis  
compulsory1 and in only a few states has
 this been done4 ,but in more than      
thirty states the immediate reporting of
 infants' sore eyes is compulsory1 and  
in thirteen states the prophylaxis is   
distributed free to doctors and         
midwives4  ,in our own state1 every     
precaution is taken to prevent infant   
ophthalmia4 ,dr ,edward ,f4 ,glaser1    
secretary of the ,state ,board of       
,health1 has given this subject         
unlimited time and study1 and1 with the 
help of the ,california ,state ,library1
 ,california ,society for the           
,prevention of ,blindness1 and many     
social and civic organizations1 has     
conducted a continuous campaign1 and has
 succeeded in passing a law which is    
both simple and effective1 and which has
 resulted in lowering the percentage of 
infantile blindness1 and in arousing the
 public to a sense of its duty in this  
regard4 ,dr ,glaser and the above-named 
organizations have also rendered yeoman 

service in securing the passage of laws 
prohibiting the use of a roller towel1  
and for the licensing and registering of
 midwives4  ,in this state1 the law for 
the prevention of infant ophthalmia     
provides for the immediate reporting of 
every case of babies' sore eyes1 and    
failure to do so is considered a        
misdemeanor1 and a third offense results
 in the revocation of the license to    
practice medicine4 ,in #aiae1 the ,state
 ,board of ,health purchased #bc1jjj    
prophylactic outfits4 ,these are little 
wax ampules1 containing just enough one 
per cent nitrate of silver solution for 
the eyes of a child at birth4 ,these    
ampules are distributed free to         
physicians and midwives all over the    
state1 and in the past two years1 more  
than #af1jjj have been so distributed4  
,in ,california1 the birth certificate  
asks these questions3 ,was a            
prophylactic for ophthalmia neonatorum  
used8 ,if so1 what8 ,the birth          
certificate must be filed within five   

days4 ,few doctors have the temerity to 
ignore these questions1 or confess that 
they have used no prophylactic1 so the  
questions on the certificate insure the 
use of the nitrate of silver solution in
 nine cases out of ten1 though its use  
at birth is not made compulsory4 ,dr    
,glaser reports that the birth          
certificates in fourteen of the largest 
cities of the state1 for the year #aiag1
 show that on eighty-seven per cent of  
the certificates filed1 the questions   
had been answered1 and the prophylactic 
used4 ,in ,berkeley1 every one of the   
birth certificates filed in #aiag       
reported the use of a prophylactic4 ,the
 ,state ,board of ,health insists on the
 reporting of all communicable diseases1
 and infant ophthalmia is considered one
 of these1 and in this connection1 ,dr  
,glaser says1 a case reported is a case 
safeguarded1 a physician aided1 and a   
community protected4 ,but it is         
necessary to urge a ceaseless warfare   
against this most prolific cause of     

infantile blindness1 and social and     
civic organizations1 churches1 schools1 
and all individuals who deplore needless
 suffering1 are asked to give the       
subject the widest publicity4           
,physicians are only now beginning to   
realize that1 in all phases of          
preventive medicine1 their strongest1   
most necessary1 and1 indeed1 essential  
ally1 is the public1 and the needed     
stimulus to a better medical performance
 is an intelligent knowledge on the part
 of the people as to what should be     
done4  ,it is a common belief that      
ophthalmia neonatorum is an indication  
that one or both of the infant's parents
 have led unclean lives1 and so1 until  
recently1 it has been difficult to have 
all such cases reported4 ,while         
ophthalmia neonatorum is often the      
result of the social evil1 the          
introduction of other pus-producing     
germs into the eyes at birth is         
responsible for a large number of cases4
 ,so it should be remembered that       

babies' sore eyes is not a disgrace 7any
 baby may have the disease71 but        
blindness from babies' sore eyes is a   
disgrace1 for1 in almost every case1 it 
can be prevented4  ,dr ,park ,lewis     
says3 ,and when we think of the long    
life of darkness of the blind1 the      
limited possibilities of the child to be
 educated1 the narrow lines in which he 
may hope to be trained1 the fields of   
usefulness from which he will be cut off
 by his blindness1 his dependence on    
others for things he should otherwise do
 for himself1 the financial loss to the 
community for his maintenance when he   
might1 under happier conditions1 not    
only have been self-supporting1 but     
possibly independent--the pity of it all
 comes with added emphasis4 ,the        
importance1 then1 increases of every    
intelligent human being knowing that the
 most serious forms of birth infection  
of the eyes1 in almost every instance1  
should not have occurred4 ,dr ,lewis    
continues1 ,the majority of the blind   

are not wage earners1 and are thus not  
only an added expense1 but an economic  
loss4 ,the education of each blind child
 costs the state yearly about three     
hundred and fifty dollars1 while it     
costs but thirty dollars to educate a   
seeing child for the same period4       
,ophthalmia neonatorum is a crime1      
because of the suffering it brings to   
helpless1 innocent persons1 and because 
it leads to a reduction in economic     
efficiency1 deprivation of many         
pleasures and privileges and1 very      
often1 immeasurable misery1 suffering   
and sorrow during a lifetime in the     
dark4  ,of the twenty children brought  
to me for inspection during the past    
three years1 fifteen were blind from    
infant ophthalmia1 and1 as ,i myself am 
a victim of this same disease1 ,i am    
leaving no stone unturned in my efforts 
to save other children from hardships   
and limitations that are wholly         
preventable1 and ,i feel that ,i am     
peculiarly fitted to help in this great 

work4  ,there are other common causes of
 blindness in children1 one of which is 
phlyetenular keratitis1 usually the     
result of poor or improper feeding1 or  
lack of ventilation1 and it often leaves
 the cornea badly scarred4 ,tuberculosis
 of the eyes results in much the same   
condition1 often causing total          
blindness4 ,measles and scarlet fever   
cause blindness or defective vision4    
,parents do not realize the gravity of  
these diseases1 and fail to cleanse the 
eyes frequently1 or to keep the room    
properly darkened4 ,in some cities1     
during epidemics of these diseases1     
health officers are requested to        
distribute circulars1 calling attention 
to the danger to the eyes1 and giving   
instructions as to their care4 ,in this 
state1 measles and scarlet fever are    
among the communicable diseases which   
must be reported4  ,trachoma1 a virulent
 form of conjunctivitis1 is a           
communicable eye disease which must be  
carefully safeguarded4 ,it flourishes in

 unsanitary surroundings1 camps1 and    
homes where the family uses the common  
wash basin and towel4 ,there are not    
many cases in this state1 but even one  
is too many4 ,we are profiting by the   
unhappy experience of ,kentucky and     
other ,southern states1 and are adopting
 drastic measures for its prevention4   
,interstitial keratitis1 or inherited   
syphilis1 is a common cause of blindness
 in children1 though1 in many cases1 the
 blindness is only partial1 and1 if     
taken in time1 the remaining eyesight   
may be saved4 ,this disease usually     
appears between the ages of four and    
twenty1 often following some childish   
malady1 and it requires the greatest    
care and most nourishing food to        
counteract its pernicious effects4 ,the 
victim of interstitial keratitis is     
never strong1 and1 although a blood test
 may show a negative condition1 any     
serious illness may cause the           
constitutional trouble to reappear4  ,it
 is a common belief that children will  

outgrow cross-eyes4 ,this is not true1  
for the eye that turns either in or out1
 will1 sooner or later1 become useless1 
simply from disuse4 ,such children      
should have attention as early as       
possible1 even in infancy1 as properly  
fitted glasses will usually restore such
 eyes to their normal condition4        
,children are often needlessly blind as 
the result of an unwise and harmful     
selection of toys1 such as scissors1    
forks1 toy pistols1 air rifles and bows 
and arrows4 ,the observance of a sane   
,fourth of ,july has lessened the number
 of accidents to the eyes of children4  
,i have thus far spoken of the          
prevention of blindness in children1 and
 now ,i wish to call your attention to  
what is being done for the conservation 
of vision in childhood4 ,in the lecture 
on the development of the blind child1  
,i mentioned special classes for blind  
children in the public schools4 ,in most
 of the cities having such classes      
7,chicago and ,los ,angeles excepted71  

sight saving classes1 as they are       
called1 are maintained4 ,in these       
conservation classes1 the children do   
not read with their fingers1 but books  
in heavy face1 large type are provided4 
,and for these books we are indebted to 
,mr ,r4 ,b4 ,irwin1 the blind supervisor
 of special classes in ,cleveland4 ,so  
here again we find a blind man planning 
not only the advancement of blind       
children1 but the conservation of vision
 of partially-sighted children4 ,in     
these classes desk blackboards are      
provided1 and a great deal of oral      
instruction is given1 and the amount of 
reading is limited4 ,a great deal of    
handwork is required and everything     
possible is done to save eyestrain4     
,much time and thought is given to the  
proper lighting of schoolrooms1 and to  
the color scheme of the buildings4      
,light should not be judged by its      
brightness1 but rather by the way it    
helps us to see what we are looking at4 
,walls should have light paper or       

tinting1 as dark walls absorb light     
strongly1 instead of reflecting it4     
,reds1 greens and browns reflect only   
ten to fifteen per cent of the light    
which falls on them2 while cream-color  
or light yellowish tints reflect over   
one-half the light4  ,as a result of the
 ophthalmic work of the medical         
inspection departments of many of our   
public schools throughout the country1  
much is being done to help children who 
are partially blind1 or suffering from  
some visual defect which may lead to    
blindness if they continue in school    
under ordinary conditions4 ,every large 
city should have one or more of these   
conservation classes1 and the demand for
 them will increase when the public     
realizes their importance in saving the 
sight of school children4 ,dr ,de       
,schuynitz1 an eminent oculist of       
,philadelphia1 in an address on         
conservation of vision1 asked these     
questions3 ,shall children be allowed to
 trifle with their most precious        

possession8 ,shall our homes be         
permitted to disregard the rules of     
visual hygiene8 ,shall children1 and    
those children of the larger growth--men
 and women--remain on the side lines    
because they can not see well enough to 
play the great game of stirring life1   
with its joy of untrammeled effort8     
,shall they not have a game which they  
can play8 ,shall we of these better     
walks of life pursue our way in smug    
contentment1 and permit the preventable 
causes of blindness to continue their   
black business1 and ever add to the roll
 of their victims8 ,the leading oculists
 of the country recommend sight-saving  
classes1 and many of them give their    
time and money to the service of these  
handicapped children1 establishing      
clinics for their care and treatment4   
,in ,los ,angeles the ,parent-,teacher  
,association has a wonderful clinic1 and
 ,dr ,ross ,a4 ,harris and his          
assistants have saved the eyes of       
hundreds of children who would otherwise

 have become public charges4 ,but here  
again it is necessary to educate the    
public4 ,an old schoolmaster1 rich in   
the wisdom of ripe experience1 has said1
 ,more children's eyes are injured in   
the home than in the school1 and his    
words receive daily verification4 ,but  
in schools where medical inspection is  
given1 and where a visiting nurse is in 
attendance1 untold good is being        
accomplished1 and children who should   
wear glasses1 and attend conservation   
classes are promptly sent to the        
oculist1 and assigned a place in school4
  ,the commonest visual defects are1    
first1 inflammation of the cornea1 or   
imperfections of the lens--the cornea is
 often so scarred as to make vision     
imperfect2 second1 myopia1 or           
progressive shortsightedness1 a         
condition in which the axis of the eye  
gradually grows longer4 ,this           
lengthening is accompanied by stretching
 of the eyeball1 and such children      
always run the risk of the inner and    

most important part of the wall of the  
eye1 the retina or nerve layer1 being   
torn away1 and blindness resulting4     
,when nearsightedness is discovered     
early1 and glasses are given that make  
distant vision normal1 and all needless 
near work forbidden1 the myopia may be  
held in check1 and any considerable     
increase prevented4 ,teachers are       
usually the first to notice such        
defects1 but many parents do nothing    
when their attention is called to the   
matter4 ,but happily these conditions   
are improving1 and the school nurse and 
school clinic1 and all the clinics      
maintained by public and private        
charities1 are accomplishing wonderful  
results4 ,when preventive medicine and  
preventive social service are joined in 
the effort to help mankind1 there must  
result a saving of our most precious    
physical possession1 and an addition to 
human joy4 ,the ,national ,committee for
 the ,prevention of ,blindness and      
,conservation of ,vision1 with          

headquarters at #acj ,east              
,twenty-second street1 ,new ,york ,city1
 carries on a ceaseless campaign of     
enlightenment by means of pamphlets1    
lectures1 charts1 lantern slides and    
posters1 and the work of this society is
 directed by ,mr ,edward ,m4 ,van       
,cleve1 ,superintendent of the ,school  
for the ,blind in ,new ,york ,city4 ,the
 leading oculists of the ,united ,states
 are members of the society4 ,charts and
 lantern slides are loaned to societies 
for the prevention of blindness in the  
various states1 and pamphlets on many   
important topics are sold at a nominal  
cost4 ,when addressing a large gathering
 in ,new ,york1 and urging the wisdom of
 publicity1 ,dr ,de ,schuynitz said3 ,we
 are here to help in the work of health 
education1 of eyesight protection2 we   
are to call on society for aid in       
devising measures1 and for means to     
carry them out1 in order that effective 
results shall merge into perfect        
victory4 ,we are here1 too1 ,i take it1 

to cure those who are dull-sighted in   
this regard1 so that1 with vision       
cleared1 they shall join in the struggle
 for ocular conservation and make it    
possible to give sweetness of           
disposition and ever-present            
cheerfulness1 not to the blind1 the good
 ,god sees to that1 but to those who    
shall be saved from blindness4  ,in ,new
 ,york and ,boston1 the children are    
given instruction in hygiene1 taught to 
properly care for the nose1 throat1 eyes
 and teeth4 ,these lessons begin as     
early as the second grade1 and are      
illustrated with charts showing how     
perfect teeth and eyes should look4     
,these lessons include the harmful      
effect of enlarged tonsils and adenoids1
 and the children are very anxious to be
 in as perfect condition as those shown 
in the pictures4 ,a teacher of one of   
these classes in ,boston took her       
children to a museum1 where they spent a
 morning studying statuary4 ,the next   
day1 wishing to see how they had been   

impressed by what they saw1 she asked1  
among other questions1 ,what do you     
remember about ,aphrodite8 ,one little  
boy held his hand up1 saying1 ,she has  
adenoids4 ,what makes you think so8     
asked the teacher1 wonderingly4 ,why1   
she had her mouth open all the time4    
,the children learn just how far from   
the eyes a book should be held1 and     
often call attention to a companion     
whose myopic condition makes it         
necessary to hold the book very close4  
,and so the outlook for the children is 
very promising4 ,with conservation of   
vision classes1 classes in hygiene1 with
 school nurses and clinics1 with medical
 inspection of schools1 and with the    
public aroused as never before to its   
responsibility towards its boys and     
girls1 we should have less need for     
oculists and schools for the blind1 and 
fewer persons should be obliged to go   
through life deprived of the light1     
which was ,god's first gift to the      
world4  ,before discussing the          

prevention of blindness in adults1 ,i   
wish to say a few words concerning the  
attitude of oculists toward patients    
suffering from eye diseases which1 in   
all probability1 will result in loss of 
vision4 ,if1 for some special reason1   
the oculist fears it would be unwise to 
tell the patient that blindness is      
imminent1 he should at least urge him to
 conserve his remaining vision1 and     
advise him to do as many things as      
possible by touch1 and warn him of the  
consequences of eyestrain4 ,but1        
whenever possible1 it is kinder to      
prepare the patient for oncoming        
blindness1 so that he may shape his life
 accordingly1 and may be induced to     
learn to read raised type1 and use a    
writing device1 before the light is     
entirely gone4 ,most of us exclaim over 
our trifling hurts1 the mosquito bites  
of life1 but when the real trial comes1 
when we know we must face a great       
crisis1 we square our shoulders1 take a 
long breath1 and meet the inevitable    

with courage and fortitude4 ,i wish the 
oculists could hear as ,i do the        
despairing cry of men and women who were
 led1 until the very last1 to hope for a
 restoration of eyesight1 and then told 
that in their particular case1 all usual
 remedies failed4 ,dr ,daval1 an eminent
 ,french oculist1 who lost his eyesight 
at sixty1 makes an eloquent plea to his 
colleagues to tell their patients the   
truth1 and1 instead of treating them    
when they know that loss of eyesight is 
inevitable1 advise them to study methods
 used by the blind1 even though they may
 not need to use the knowledge for      
months or even years4  ,there are a     
number of eye diseases that may be      
inherited1 and those having such        
diseases should be told that they will  
transmit them to helpless1 innocent     
children4 ,the social evil is largely   
responsible for the infections of which 
ophthalmia neonatorum is only one       
result1 but since this disease comes so 
often from a cause which is not         

generally discussed1 it is particularly 
hard to combat4 ,forty per cent of      
existing blindness1 and a vast amount of
 physical degeneracy1 is the direct     
result of venereal causes4  ,certain    
forms of glaucoma may be inherited1 and 
children whose parents have had this    
disease should watch their own eyes very
 carefully1 since1 if taken in time1 the
 progress of this disease1 in certain   
forms1 may be arrested4 ,persons who see
 rings around the lights should heed the
 danger signal and see an oculist4      
,retinitis may also be inherited4 ,i    
have known of three generations becoming
 blind from this cause4                 
,nearsightedness may also be inherited4 
,i have known this condition of the eye 
to be present in four successive        
generations1 and in the last generation1
 the young woman became totally blind   
from detached retina1 due to excessive  
eyestrain while in school4 ,if you could
 see my records1 and count the number of
 cases where blindness is given as the  

result of straining nearsighted eyes1   
you would realize with me that          
progressive myopia should be classed as 
one of the preventable eye diseases1 and
 a vigorous campaign waged against the  
marriage of persons so affected4        
,nearsighted people should be especially
 careful to avoid eyestrain1 and should 
not work by artificial light4           
,bookkeepers1 hotel clerks1 and women   
who do fine sewing at night should be   
cautioned against such work1 if they are
 myopic4  ,optic atrophy is an eye      
disease very baffling to oculists1      
sapping the vision slowly but surely1 as
 a rule1 but occasionally destroying    
eyesight in a very short time4          
,electricians and those working in      
chemical laboratories are susceptible to
 optic atrophy4  ,a common cause of     
eyestrain is reading on street cars1 or 
using the last1 lingering bit of        
daylight to finish a chapter or complete
 some fine work4 ,it is easier to turn  
on the light than to spend years in the 

dark4  ,the eyes of many people are     
ruined because1 instead of going to an  
oculist to have their eyes properly     
fitted to glasses1 they go into a       
ten-and-fifteen-cent store1 try on a lot
 of cheap glasses1 and purchase the ones
 that magnify the best1 and feel most   
comfortable on the nose4 ,the cheap     
varieties of glasses are often made from
 bits discarded by opticians1 and never 
intended to be used again4 ,people are  
not always careful in selecting eye     
shades1 and often use those made of very
 inflammable materials1 which frequently
 catch fire1 and destroy the eyesight4  
,i can not understand how people can    
trifle with the most precious of their  
physical possessions1 and yet my records
 teem with such instances1 and the      
victims realize when too late how       
criminally thoughtless and careless they
 were4 ,some of our grown-up children   
need instructions as to the use and     
abuse of their eyes4 ,in ,los ,angeles1 
,i addressed the various                

,parent-,teacher ,associations on these 
important subjects1 and ,i believe that 
the note of warning sounded by one who  
is herself a victim of unnecessary      
blindness1 went straight home to every  
heart4  ,the percentage of adult        
blindness is increasing at a very rapid 
rate1 owing to the numerous accidents in
 factories and workshops1 accidents that
 are1 in many instances1 preventable4   
,owners of factories1 quarries1 mines   
and other industrial plants have become 
alive to the necessity of safeguarding  
the eyes of their operatives1 and much  
needed legislation is being enacted in  
all parts of the country4 ,the ,national
 ,council of ,safety1 an organization in
 existence but five years1 has          
accomplished a great deal and this      
council co-operates with ,state         
,industrial ,accident ,commissions1 and 
with civic and social organizations4    
,the ,national ,council of ,safety      
estimates that there is one worker      
killed every #ae minutes1 day and night1

 in the ,united ,states1 and one injured
 every #ae seconds1 day and night4 ,this
 gives #cj1jjj killed and #b1jjj1jjj    
injured1 and of this number #bjj1jjj are
 eye injuries4 ,the ,national ,committee
 for the ,prevention of ,blindness      
estimates that there are #ajj1jjj blind 
in the ,united ,states1 and half this   
number are needlessly so4 ,mr ,will ,c4 
,french of the ,state ,industrial       
,accident ,commission estimates that we 
have #a1jjj1jjj employees in the state1 
and we have #cjj industrial injuries    
daily1 including ,sundays4 ,we thus have
 approximately #ajj1jjj industrial      
accidents each year in this state4      
,since #aiad1 there were #bc1dea eye    
injuries1 and of these #edi were        
permanent injuries1 and #aa resulted in 
total blindness4 ,the medical and       
compensation costs of these eye injuries
 will be about #ghh1jjj4 ,the #aa blind 
call for life pensions4 ,the ,state     
,library home teachers are teaching #g  
out of the #aa cases1 and the           

,industrial ,accident ,commission is    
very glad to co-operate with us4  ,in   
,california we have an average of #bf   
eye injuries each working day1 and this 
number is likely to increase1 especially
 in the shipbuilding industry1 because  
of the chipping steel1 use of emery     
wheels1 and machinery in the            
construction of vessels4 ,the ,state    
,accident ,commission advocates goggles1
 one pair to each man4 ,there are four  
kinds of goggles used4 ,those for the   
protection against flying material1 for 
protection against intense heat and     
light1 for protection against gases1    
fumes and liquids1 and dust goggles4    
,masks are urged for welders and        
babbiters1 and these masks are so       
strongly constructed that they not only 
fit the eye1 but have shields at the    
sides of each lens to prevent the flying
 chips from entering the eyes from the  
sides4 ,in most of the large plants     
there are committees of safety composed 
of employees1 and they do much to reduce

 industrial accidents4 ,precautionary   
leaflets are circulated among the       
workmen1 and attractive posters1 printed
 in all languages1 are used4 ,some of   
these are very effective4 ,one shows a  
man saying good-bye to his wife and five
 little ones1 and underneath is written1
 ,how could they do without you8 ,one of
 the best known slogans1 and one        
carrying conviction1 is ,you can see    
through glass goggles1 but you can't see
 through glass eyes4  ,many trades and  
occupations have their well-recognized  
types of injury4 ,in the bottling works 
eyes are frequently lost through the    
impact of popping corks4 ,the bursting  
of unprotected water gauges caused many 
cases of blindness yearly among         
engineers and machinists4 ,in the       
grinding trades eyes are frequently lost
 by bits of flying emery becoming       
imbedded in the eyeball1 and the        
,industrial ,accident ,commission       
recommends iron or glass guards for     
emery wheels4 ,in factories1 quarries   

and mines more serious damage is done by
 larger bits of metal or stone4         
,sometimes harm is done in an attempt to
 remove the foreign body from the eye1  
as the hands of the one performing this 
service may not be clean1 or the        
instrument used may be the corner of a  
soiled handkerchief1 a toothpick or     
match1 or even1 as sometimes happens1   
the tongue4 ,more eyes are injured from 
infection than from the presence of     
foreign bodies1 which1 if properly and  
carefully removed1 might result only in 
temporary inconvenience and the loss of 
a few days work4 ,workmen should not    
trust to the shop or factory doctor1 but
 should go to the company doctor at     
once4 ,immediate and competent care     
should be secured without delay1 and    
this will save eyes1 and also save      
employers and insurance companies a     
great deal of money4  ,lime-burn1       
solder-burn1 and all the so-called dusty
 trades produce chronic inflammation of 
the eyes1 which often results in total  

blindness4 ,the ,national ,council of   
,safety enumerates fifty-five industrial
 poisons1 thirty-six of which affect the
 eyes4 ,absorption of drugs often causes
 blindness--tobacco1 wood alcohol1 lead1
 used in so many industries2 bisulphide 
of carbon1 used in making rubber2       
nitro-benzol1 used in the manufacture of
 explosives1 and some of the anilin     
dyes4 ,hoods and exhausts should be used
 to prevent the escape of dangerous     
fumes1 vapors and gases4 ,for men       
exposed to great heat1 antisweat pencils
 have been manufactured1 and when these 
are rubbed over the goggles1 the glass  
will remain clear of steam for hours4   
,special eye coverings are designed for 
men working over acids1 or in sand      
blasting4 ,one of our pupils1 a man past
 fifty1 who had worked in a creamery for
 over twenty years1 and who usually wore
 goggles when making tests with         
sulphuric acid1 neglected to take the   
precautionary measure one morning1 and  
some of the acid splashed up into his   

eyes4 ,he is totally blind1 and must    
begin life all over again4 ,there have  
been so many cases of blindness as a    
result of dynamite explosions occurring 
in quarries and mines1 that laws have   
been enacted for the protection of      
workmen4 ,when a blast has been fired1  
and it is not certain that all the      
charges have exploded1 no person is     
permitted to enter the place until      
forty-five minutes after the explosion4 
,my records prove the great need for    
this precautionary measure1 and ,i only 
wish it had been enforced years ago1    
before so many men in the prime of life 
had been deprived of eyesight1 and of   
earning capacity as well4  ,improper    
lighting and ventilating in factories1  
shops and stores1 and work requiring    
excessive eyestrain1 contributes to a   
long list of disabilities often         
resulting in total blindness4 ,the      
passage1 by our last ,legislature1 of   
the ,common ,towel ,bill1 prohibiting   
the use of roller towels anywhere in the

 state1 has removed one of the most     
flagrant causes of infection1 and one to
 which very little attention was paid by
 factory workers generally4 ,i know one 
young man and two young women whose     
total blindness is the result of        
infection from the use of a roller      
towel4  ,i trust all these facts and    
figures may not prove wearisome1 for it 
is necessary to know them if you are to 
realize the extent of the work being    
done here and elsewhere to prevent      
blindness and conserve vision4 ,i have  
not mentioned all the activities of the 
,state ,industrial ,accident            
,commission1 or the ,national ,council  
of ,safety1 but a visit to the ,safety  
,museum1 #ebe ,market street1 ,san      
,francisco1 or to the ,union ,league    
,building1 ,los ,angeles1 will enlighten
 you further as to the progress of the  
,safety ,first movement1 and convince   
you of the wisdom and humanity of it4   
,let us adopt prevention and            
conservation as household words2 let us 

do our share in spreading the gospel1   
and soon we shall have fewer blind      
babies1 fewer children sitting on the   
side lines1 and fewer men and women     
deprived of eyesight at the floodtide of
 life4 ,this is another of my dreams1   
and this one is already coming true4    
,let there be light6 was the first      
recorded utterance of the ,most ,high   
,god4 ,let there be light6 has been the 
watchword on the lips of human progress 
during all the centuries that have gone1
 and they must be the battle-cry of     
,progress during all the centuries that 
are to come4 ,i am sure we shall all be 
glad to do our share to preserve this   
light for our own and future            
generations4