The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-25
SEEING With The Mind
Wonderful Performances by Those
Who Are Blind.
Pleasure and Cultivation Obtained
In the Reading Room Set Apart for
The Afflicted in the Library of Con-
srcss-TyPewr iting and Card Play
ing Experts Among the SightIess.

The reading room for the blind in the
Library CT Congress affords delight
full Illustration Of the humane scope which
modern progress has taken in ameliorat-
ing 10 a wonderful extent what is com
monty considered the saddest affection of
nature. The unpretentious, vaulted
spsrtuent in the basement of the Library
building which forms the reading room
is often a scene # genuine pleasure man
ifested by those IN whom the whole Wis
lille world is bat darkened chamber;
filed, however, with beautiful thoughts,
aud the most exquisite susceptibility to
every refinement of sense save that of
sight.
The blind who come to the reading
room form a community devoted to one
another who are in sympathy and touch
with the whole world OF thought
and action. for the mere loss of
sight does not debar them from 4 full
realization of all the questions and hap
penlngs Of the present, as well as the
treasures of the past. The guiding
spirit in this happy community is Miss
Jossalyn Gifin. who has been superin-
tendent of the reading room since It's es-
Enlistment in October 1897, and who, N
the words of one of the girls, as she
affectionately calls her blind friends, is
lust devoted to us heart and soul, and
docs everything in her power TO make
us happy"
Miss Gifin is always glad to welcome
ar addition to her girls, and new
conner is speedily introduced to all the
members Of the blind fraternity and made
perfectly at home.
How the Blind Read.
The methods which enable the blind not
oniy TO read and write but TO play such
games as cards, chess, and checkers, are
admirable in simplicity and perfection
The written characters arr raised and in
the more improved methods consist OF
dots or points forming phonetic system,
which occupies much less space and is
easier to read than the old raised letter. |
The books when written in this character, |
are much more bulky than those with |
which people with eyesight are familiar, !
but the rapidity with which they are read 1
by an adept simply by touch almost rivals
that with which person gifted with sight |
can read ordinary print.
The method for writing the point char
aclers compares even more fayorably with |
The longhand system. 4 perforated strip |
of metal and a hand punch are all the re-
quirements needed, and as the positions
Of the various dots forming the charac-
tiers are in the angles OF squares, with |
which The metal strip is perforated, there
is not the slightest difficulty in writing !
the system after having learned the al
phabet Several Of the books in the library
have been written in this way by the
blind women themselves and by persons
in this city who are familiar with the sys-
TEN. The constituencies OF touch with
which blind people are gifted is truly mar
yelOus. They typewrite with the greatest
facility the rapidity with which they
translate the raised point characters into
ordinary type on the machine fully rival
ing the speed of an expert transcribing
shorthand notes, and the result when
finished is marvel Of neatness. One OF
The girls learned TO typewrite in half
an hour from first touching the machine,
having previously mastered the positions
OF the keys.
In room adjacent TO the main reading
room is a smaller apartment containing
raised maps. games and other means for
ministering TO the pleasure of the blind.
The South African war has been followed
here the map with the greatest inter-
est ANA the positions of the various stra-
tegic points and maneuvres OF the cam
psign determined to a nicely.
Expert Eucbre Players.
The playing cards used are of the usual
kind. merely being marked in the upper
right-hand corner with the name of the
card thus enabling a blind person TO play |
with those not understanding the raised
character system. In fact one of the
girls is an accomplished progressive
euchre player and yields no point in skill
TO her antagonist who can see.
The raised point system was originally
the invention OF a Frenchman, by the name
of Louis Brailie. and has been used, with
ceEtain notifications. up TO the present
time. Many of the books in the Library
are written in this system, and some are
Of the raised letter class. but the most
popular method is that known as the New
York point which was the invention of
Prof. William B. Wright OF that city. Miss
Gifin is now having card index in this
system made for the Library.
The Braille and New York point systems
are the only ones taught in the schools In
this country. although several others are
in use. By means OF specially constructed
typewriters these point characters can be
written with wonderful ease and despatch |
The machine for writing the New York |
point contains only six keys the BrailIe ! ,
machine having dozen but both are OF |
great simplicity OF construction. Music IS !
also written and published in the point sys-
TENS. and a newspaper is edited in Mil |
waukse in the same manner.
The establishment of the reading room
is one Of the efforts Of Miss He.en Mari
Campbell. who. being herself blind, could
20 well sympsthize with others who suf-
fered from the affiiction. Miss Campbell
thus describes, the manner ;G which she
obtained this privilege for herself and her
blind friends:
Securing The Heading Room.
IT was just after the new Library had
dear friend in the country who had seen !
the building and was very enthusiastic
over its beauty ! mentioned 10 her what
a pity it was there was no place where /
blind people could read. Ny friend sug- !
gested that l present the matter to Mr.. |
John Russell Young then Librarian of
Congress | went 10 see Mr.. Young and
talked over the subject with him, and the 2
result was that he said We could have this '
room. IL was opened on October c. 1897. I
and Mr. AirswOrth Spohord Assistant d
OF Congress. gave US in that year I
the FIRST reading aloud. The second year ]
we commenced 10 have the musical per- c
formances. which we enjoy so much Many 2
blind people avail themselves Of the read e
ing room, and we have had as many as I
thirty in one day | /
Miss Campbell IS an accomplished must | l
elan and has written several compositions /
which are highly priced. Many disiin- t
guised people have volunteered their serY- !
Ices in reading and lecturing TO the blind
"A .,fss # 49, 4