The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-26
FOR THE INDECENT BLIND.
An Appeal for Funds by the Aid As
socfAtIon.

| ISOLATION.
! A committee Of three ladies', officers of
the Aid Association for the Blind called
upon Commissioner mcfarland yesterday
and made formal application for a part of
! the appropriation of 5000 for the fiscal
year of 1901 to be expended for the in
digent blind of the District
The ladies in presenting the claims OF
| heir association stated to Mr. MacfarIand
! that in their view of the case they have
priority Of claim to the appropriation. as
being the only Institution whose sole pur-
pose it is to care for the INDECENT blind of
! the District. The appeal Of the association
was submitted in writing. and was in part
as follows.
| In letter under date Of June Z, 1900,
| the Board of Directors of the Aid Associa-
| tion for the Blind of the District of CO.
| lumbia addressed the Commissioners OF
| the District as follows:
In view of the fact that the Aid As
sociation was created not only for the pur-
| pose of caring for INDECENT blind persons,
| but also for the purpose of promoting their
employment at useful and gainful indus
tries, We ask that in tho disposal of the
5000 appropriated for the care, mainte-
nance and instruction of the blind, and for
the equipment of workshops for the blind
for the fiscal year 1901, the association be
given such consideration as is justified by
its charter, work. and prospects,
Accompanying the appeal is a letter
from Mr.. Stiison Hutchins. in which he
| informs the association that he has con-
veyed to them certain DroBerty for its
uses. In suggesting a plan of action Mr..
Hutchins said Il should advise that you
nj nnoa IN nj cup, ,o;o co
pay off the debt and furnish you small
capital for a workshop. 1t ought not to
be difficult to do this and energeticaily
taken hold of | have no doubt you can
soon collect enough to cancel the debt and
also ensure the payment of your running
expenses
a letter from Richard Sylvester to the
association also approves the charity which
the association proposes to inaugurate.
Continuing their appeal. the ladies say:
with the large number of INDECENT
blind, all conditions being carefully con-
siGered, the immediate duty was decided
10 be the opening of the Home department
and the providing of shelter. food, and
clothing before employment. The Home
was opened in January, 1860 At the end
Of five months the board Is glad to an
nounce that the domestic matters are ar,
ranged satisfactorily: a fine matron in
charge and inmates comfortably cared for
Although aware that great vigilance and
effort will have to be maintained to con-
tinue these conditions the board yet feels
that it can now take up the second part
of the work and open, as suggested by Mr..
Hutchns and Major Sylvester, the shop.
An architect, Mr.. c. L. Harding. has made
two sets Of planS-one for altering the
present building for immediate use simply
as shop. with limited capacity. and the
second for the Immediate erection of
freproof two-s'ory shop, with ~dormitores
above for white and colored men-thus
leaving the house for our white and col
ored females, some of whom can also work
in the shop.
1.-THE board is thus able to assure the
Honorable Commissioners that it is ready
to enter into any contract they may sug
gets for the furtherance of this work,
which has already met with the approval
Of the representative men and women o.
the District
THE board therefore awaits such terms
as 1t may be the pleasure of the Commits
sioners to make and indicate, that it may
the more intelligently proceed with plans"
AT the cicse of the interview Commits
sioner mcfarland told the ladies that he
would present their appeal to the Board
and promised that 1t should have careful
The committee was composed Of
association; May D. RUSSELL Young. Chair
man of the Admission Committee. and
Alice U. Hunt. Corresponding Secretary.