The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1906-05-10
HELP The BLIND
Organization Planned to Pro-
mote the Welfare Of Those
Deprived Of Sight
FIFTY PEOPLE PRESENT
MEETING IN THE LIBRARY IN
NEWARK TO FORWARD THIS
BENEF:CENT WORK.

For the purpose of promoting the in
terests of blind people of this State, a
public meeting was held in the Free Pub
lie Library, Newark. under the direction
Of Miss L. Adele Neuhut, Of 18 Goes
place, herself afflicted similarly with
| those whom she seeks to assist. About
| fifty persons, score of whom were blind,
attended, and a resolution was adopted
recommending the formation of the New
Jersey Association for the Blind and the
approval of legislation that will promote
their interests.
The needs of the sightless were dwelt
| upon briefly by Librarian John Cotton
Dana, who made the Introductory re-
marks. As far as the library is con-
cerned. all is done to aid the blind that
can be. he said, and about 125 volumes
hoped TO add to the collection from time
! to time, he remarked. Mr.. Dana said
that If an organization of some kind could
! be formed much good could be accom-
plished.
| Asserting that it Is justice, and not
| sympathy, her fellow sufferers need, Miss
Neuhut made an appeal for State aid in
the training of the blind. Her address
was delivered without hesitation. and few
of those present We're aware that she
was reading it from specially printed
pages by the sense Of touch alone. Lack
| of confidence and cooperation are two
| great obstacles III the path of every blinS
person, argued the speaker, earnestly,
and often the man of sincere purpose sur
renders his ambition because he feels
himself to be helpless.
ssWe object for school for the blind
being thought different from any other"
she protested. "To quote certain phil
anthropist, I am convinced the only
thing blind person cannot do is TO see.'
When blind student learns he can be
| self-reliant, he avals himself of the op-
| portunity. BE iinds his defects do not
make him any IS citizen. AS to their
i ability to support themselves in compe-
| tition with those who can see, there is a
| woman, empigyed in a factory on Ship
man street, who has no difficulty in mas
tering her werk Care for the blind in
this State is wearing serious aspect,
and only civic interest can give the un-
fortunates a fair chance
The speaker advocated the support by
/ the State Of home for the blind, and
favored their education in this State,
rather than in some other one where the
advantages are greater.
'sFrom my experience am convinced
that were our deplorable state more
| widely known" said the speaker, phil
| anthropists would not be afraid to throw
open their doors. Friends, it is hard to
be blind. In the words of Helen Keller,
While it may not be possible to throw
open our eyes TO the light of day, it is
possible to have the darkness made bear
able 2
Charles F. F. Campbell, of Boston,
connected with the experiment station
for the trade training of the blind in that
city, delivered an Illustrated lecture
showing the advanced methods of educa-
| ting the sibhtless in various institutions.
The lecturers father, DR.. f. j. Camp
/ bell, was struck in the ye by tree twig
when he was four years of age and has
been blind ever since. He founded the
Royal Normal College for the Blind in
London. By means of pictures the pleas
ures, the Fairgrounds, the performance
of work superior in many respects to that
accomplished by normally constituted
workmen, were shown. How the blind
indulge in gymnastics how they ride in
specially arranged tricycles, how they
read. sew and write or operate type
writer's and indulge in every occupation
other people do, were set forth. The
great drawback, the speaker said. is. that
no one cares to employ blind person.
even if his skill is superior to the seeing
artisan.