The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-11
A BLIND nov GRADUATE.
Takes the Highest HOnors in the
University OF TexnS.

University OF Texas.
Austin, Tex, March 10-Franz Joseph
Dohmen of this city ranks above any of
his fellow-students of the present senior
class of the University of Texas. At the
next commencement he will receive the de-
gree of bachelor of literature. The fact
that Mr.. Dohmen is the first honor man of
his class is only remarkable because Since
his tenth year he has been totally blind
He is "a years old, and was born at New
Braunfels Tex, of German parents. His
father, Or. Dohmen, was at the time of
his death, the state oculist
and one of the most distiD-
gui9hed men of his profession in the state.
When young Dohmen was 10 years old he
was seized with am attack of the tvpboid
fever, which settled in his eyes. and when
ms strength was restored ia was found
that he had completely lost his sight His
tondness for study and his ma tural musical
tastes have apparently afforded him ample
recompense for the loss of his sight. He
was placed in the blind asylum and there
had his talents for music developed and at
the same time received splendid prepara-
tory training for his university career
Whhe he was studying in the blind asy-
lum he received training in a system of,
writing that has been invaluable to him
While a student In the university This
system consists of piercing fun of small
hole stiff waXed paper by means of a
sharp instrument the position of the hole
belhS determined by a small metal frame
held on the opposite side of the paper:
TINS furnishes projections which the blind
learn to read as readily as they do raised
letters. mar. Dohmen is perfect master
OF inns system and writes It as rapidly as
an Ordinary writer does long hand He
comes TO the university daily with his
note book, attends classes. takes notes
and goes about the building so easily and
naturally that the loss of his sight is
scarcely noticed. When a term examine
ton occurs he writes his answers to the
questions according to his shorthand sys
tenn for the blind, and then takes his re-
Plies home and makes a neat copy himself
upon his typewriter. He does his tvno-
written work rapidly and neatly and pre-
sents to his professors manuscript fault
less in its appearance and almost nawlegs
as to its scholarly grasp of the subject nm
der consideration.
Mr.. Dohmen graduated from the blind
asylum in 1893 with the highest bonors
and has now been a student of the mi.
versity of Texas for five years His rro
hcieney as a performer on the piano Is n
great solace both to himself and IN HE
in delving in the problems of higher natb-
ematics, philosophy and political science
lie speaks and writes English. German and
French. He is a fair Latin scholar and
knows a smattering of Greek At present
he is studying Greek, French German
mathematics, Latin and political science
Upon these studies next June he will re-
ceiVe his degree of bachelor of literature
and will leave Immediately for Germany
TO pursue further investigation In his IA
vorite subjects of philosophy mathematics
and political science in some one of the
great universities there
Mr. Dohmen Is rather tall His face az
sensitive, refined and pleasingly INTELLIGENT
| His disposition is bright and cheerful lie
iE popular with every one, and the small
coterie OF his friends, to whom he re Vcals
in some degree his inner self all testify
by their sincere admiration to the true
nobility and greatness Of his character
His life after his return from Germany
will be spent in teaching
No citizen of Texas can ever beerlIdge
the generosity Of the state that has pro-
vided means for educating the unfortunate
blind, and surely every one Will rejoice
that the honors Of the present graduating
class of the University of Texas viii be
| taken by blind boy who received his pre-
paratory education i'm the State Institute
| for the Blind. And patient, persistent, per
seVering application have won this honor
for young Dohmen. His record will be left
behind him on the books of the university
and it is as phenomenal as 1t is hoped his
| success will be in after life