The morning news., 1899-01-19
MAKING ROCKS sOCIETY's FAD.
They Are for the Blind and WASH
ingtOn Girls Like the Work.

From the Washington Post
In the pavilion for the blind in the con-
gressional library are about $50 volumes,
the standard authors most of them These
are for the most part in New York point,
or American Braille system. The great
cost Of the books makes it impossible to
have az this time a very large library,
single prayer book costing $15 or $40 Con-
gress has been liberal in contribution, and
will be much more so. The public outside
is becoming interested, and private par
ties have added somewhat, so the low
book shelves running around the room are
choicely filed. But there are more per-
tinent needs.
Save for the Kneass Philadelphia Maga-
zine for the Blind published every month,
also the Point Print Standard, published
in New York, there is no current ltera-
ture for the sightless. A little Point Print
and American Braille Magazine will be
put in the pavilion. This will contain
some current literature. But there are
greater needs. To these the Washington
society girl is giving all of her spare time.
Through the enthusiasm of Miss Eta
Josselyn Griffin, a number of girls have
become sufficiently interested to buy them
selves New York point desk slates," with
simple instructions, that those who are
blessed with a vision of all the beauties
of the earth may learn this simple sys-
TEN and through its medium give little
gems Of literature 10 the blind, who must
otherwise miss them.
The A. b. c. Of the system is as in
tensely interesting as it is simple, a slate,
STYLUS and sheets of paper being the only
necessary medium. The girls first to take
up the beautiful fad pronounce it entranc-
ing and have acquired such speed and
knowledge of the alphabet as to be well
under way with the reproduction of books
New books, those not in the library, are
chosen. and It is but to copy the pages,
word for word One ambitious girl is do
ing "Cyrano de Bergerac," and making
such fine progress that, though she did
moi offer It as a Christmas gift to the pa
yilion. as she at first hoped, she will fin
ish it shortly. The extent of this work
Of women supposed to care only for the
gaieties of the capital can best be appre-
ciated when one recalls that in the lives
of but few of the blind is there some
one 10 read a long story like this to them.
And even at the daily reading of one hour
a book cannot be unSertaken, as the at
tendance is unavoida Jly irregular and
whole season would be consumed with
single book, and but little comfort These
they will have bound and placed in the
pavilion, TO remain as recofuS OF their zeal
in the uobest possible cause.
other girls who have had less time, and
maybe less zeal, have printed short sto-
ries and poems, with the breath of holly
and tinsel and the jingle of Christmas
about them that would otherwise be de-
MED the children Of the pavilion. The
New York point is a system read by about
two-thirds Of the blind Of the United
states. and taught in thirty-two Of the
blind schools. While the American Braille.
which really looks simpler is taught in
ten schools, and to one-third of the blind
For this reason those who have under
taken the task principally use the former.
This fad is developing into great proper