The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-02-18
Printing for the Blind.

From the interesting Report of the Perkins
Institution for the Blind, we make the follow
ing extract concerning one department of their
work. Let it be remembered that a dollar Civ
en- to emboss page helps not merely the stu
dents OF this institution, but the blind every
where who read the English language
The great book of nature, with its myriad
pages OF beauty, its endless variety of scenery
ana It's ever-changing aspect of sea and sky is
constantly open to the seeing. The achieve
ments OF art can be enjoyed by them at all
times and seasons, and literature gives them
daily something new and fair to feast unon.
How different is the lot of the blind. and how
few are the privileges of this sort which thew
ENJOY! Yet even for these children of mIsfor-
tune brighter day is dawning; and literature
Whlch 49, next to music, their greatest solace
holds out to them its consolation and its io-c
Music has indeed been considered to be the
greaS GeliSnt ana Speciality of the blind; but it
is the belief OF those familiar with their tystes
that, besides their world wide acknowledged
deVotlon TO and appreciation of this art, thew
are likewise among the most ardent worshiDers
at the shrine of literature Enter a room
Wnere some seeing person is reading aloud to
tne pilnd, and note the intense interest
with which the older member of the
group hang on the lips of the reader.
how they drink in his every word This is their
compensation for all the beautiful things which
U'h0Ao oHJoJ anu from Whlch they are cut Off
a seeing person may well imbibe the love of
study, ii he have it not by nature, from inter
course with the blind. 1t often happens that
the seeing youth glances about the room while
an important work is being read He elows
restless, thinks he can peruse it as we'll him
self at another time (Which often never comes)
Jerks his chair, looks out of the window and
nnally asks to be excused His blind friend
sits in an attitude of intense endowment and
appreciation, draws long breath when the
reading IS over, as If it had been almost too
good, treasures up all the historic facts or phl-
osophic truths IN his memory, aud leaves the
room enlightened and enriched. Those golden
hours are treasures which he never forgets to
count over with pride and pleasure. The men,
tlon OF the title oil each well-prized book brings
a smile to his face He has lived through"
literature, not dreamed over it. How more
tnan happy, then, is he, when it offers
itself to the tips OF his own fingers, when he
need looh to no seeing person to step in as an
interpreter between his author and himseln
This is the work to which the most earnest en-
ergies OF the friends of the blind should now be
directed; namely, the foundation of choice
library OF embossed books for their personal
use. The noble thoughts of great minds were
never meant to be shut off from those who are
oereft OF sight. Nay, how gratifying must it
De TO an author to see that his works have
been laid open for their usel 1t IS as If they
had been translated into another language so
dlnlculJ Is the process which has to be gone
thfOugh before the "open sesame can be pro-
nounced. But the results thus far attained
amply counterbalance the obstacles which
have been encountered, and bid us to carry
forward the enterprise of embossing books and
constructing tangible apparatus, which was
commenced i'll Boston forty-nine wears
ago. Our printing-office is complete in
all its appointments and we'll equipped with
the necessary appliances for carrying on its
work on brof scale, steadily and vigorously.
All that is now needed to promote its useful
ness and make it what it ought to be, a peren-
NAL source of blessing to the blind, is perma-
nent fund, the income of which should be suf-
ticient to deiray its expenses. Doubtless there
are many benevolent persons in our communi-
ty who if they understood the workings of
this grand enterprise. would be willing to CON
trib lte to its success from their abundance.
To them, and to all generous people whose
hearts can be touched by the magnitude of the
calamity of blindness aud the needs of its vic
TINS, we appeal, aud beg them 20 consider the
claims OF those members Of the human family
who cannot feast, as they do, 1T the broad Ia
Die oil universal literature, but TO whose touch
a few OF It's choicest morselS may be adapted,
II the means are given to US. y select library
Tor their use is truly great monument to be-
neVolence and humanity; and we cannot but
nope that someone viii undertake 20 erect u
in the near future.