Los Angeles herald., 1905-08-06
BLIND CHILDREN
WORK AND PLAY
ROYALTY VISITS HOSPITAL
NEAR LONDON
SEE TYPEWRITING EXHIBITION
Drilling, Skating, Swimming and other
Performances Astonish the Spec
tators, the Greatest Skill Be-
ing Shown by Pupils

Special Cable to The Herald.
LONDON, Aug 5.-Several little girls,
dressed in white muslin frocks, were
yesterday running gaily UP and down
the stairs of roomy and pleasant
house at Norwood. Their feet never
tripped, and they whisked round cor
ners at full speed. Yet all the little
girls were stone blind.
The roomy house was the Royal Nor
NAL School for the Blind, and the rea-
son of the excitement was the coming
of the duke of Connaught the presi-
dent, to make a speech, and of the
duchess to distribute the prizes.
When their royal highnesses arrived
they went direct to the concert room,
where many guests were assembled.
and then the pupils of the school
adults and children-sang as only the
blind can sing.
On their way to the concert room
their royal highnesses passed half a
dozen girls who were working type
writing machines, reading the matter
that they wrote from little strips of
paper on which were "Braille" short
hand notes that had been previously
punched out. These girls were blind,
too.
Eighty Words Minute
Some of these blind typists are now
so expert that they can achieve a speed
Of eighty words minute on their ma
chimes, and that all by the sense Of
touch alone.
Afterward the duke and duchess sat
on a shady terrace and watched score
Of young men go through an intricate
musical drill in the court below.
The young men never hesitated for a
moment, never lost their dressing"
and were never movement out of
time. Yet they were blind, too.
Following this the duke and duchess
moved across the grounds to the COW
cred skating rink, where several girls
were waltzing round and round on
roller skates. These roller skating girls
were also blind.
Next the duke and duchess went
down to the swimming bath, and here
went through skillful evolutions in the
water. They dived from good height,
and turned back somersaults as they
did so.
The exhibition of swimming ended,
the duke and duchess walked across
the shady lawn. on which were set out
little tables, at which blind children
were doing lessons.
Read From BralIIe Books
Some pointed with unfailing correct
ness to rivers and mountains and cities
marked on the raised maps. Some read
from Braille books. and others, the
older ones. held little strips of copper
wire in their hands and with them went
through problems in Euclid.
Last of all. the duke and duchess
took up their stations in the large
marquee. and the duke. in a neat little
speech, expressed his wonder at and
admiration for all the things he had
seen.
Then the blind headmaster told a
little story about the queen. who when
asked to have the blind children down
at Windsor gladly consented to the
suggestion. But she asked; "What can
l do? The children cannot see mel"
Her majesty was told that II only she
would speak to them they would be
delighted. So she made them little
speech.
After this nothing remained but for
the duchess to distribute the prizes
and the audience was almost in tears
as the blind children solemnly waltzed
backward out of the presence OF roy
atty.
J. G. Cunningham's Trunk Factory,
Mna. 49, Ia