The sun., 1907-08-15
ron THE BLIND BABIES.
An Appeal THAT Gees % the Heart.


To THR EDIroR or THK sUN--Sir; The
proposal OF Mr.. Jacob Riis and Miss Helen
Keller that the memorial TO the late Carl
schurs should take the form'of an endow-
ment Of the work for the blind appears TO
me admirable, but would like, with yonr per-
mission. 70 emphasize with sil the force of
which am capable the need OF help for blind
children under ths age OF eight years.
Miss Keller in o letter to . local paper
said: six thousand blind mon ssd women
reach out beseeching hands 10 you who see
for redemption from . life ofN useiessness
--idlsnsss 10 tho menace TO their welfare.
Give them oocu upation, service, Independence
and the impossible. dark will become endurs
able"
To those who know the facts the dreadful
part Of the statement that o.O0O men and
women are blind and cry to be saved from
. life OF uselessness 10 that such useIessnsss
might have been turned into limited activity
and usefulness n these stricken people had
been taken In hand % babies and trained and
taught. IL In not. l am sure. widely known
that IN the whole State Of New York there
10 no institution which cares for tiny children
under eight ysars Of age. 0poe they pass
that age they are cared for. but In many cases
the little bodies and minds have been neg
lect<d too long. and tho child either dies.
frequently from blood poisoning a. . result
OF picking at its eyes. or becomes idiotic. 4
large number OF these children become GRIP
pies. little blind babies have to be taught
70 walk a. well As 70 d? everything else. and
people and the child 81 practically uacsrsd
Tor II never even learns to walk. and grad
ually.. the limbs become useless.
from that time on have. been cndea yoring 20
her here !. linn. sSas prsSsn.inS tReis Ss SscomIn
In the future Q charge upon the state.
Blind Babies. Eshty-tOurth street and Thlr-
teenth aysnne; Dyksr Heights. Brooklyn,
sns sSsmsSSs ess Children, and dsvs ever 20 many
on the waiting list. For lack Of funds for this
mest worthy sad much needed work we can
though. there are 90 many others equally In
want Of help to save them IL ~ time from live, lives
eo n1 9se ess oey naws scS 30 onss
s. Sp Fed ana in ssusSs % and S cared p1 fof costs
adults and children. no matter how carefully
We manage: % down In the tenemsnts little
oc 70. .s &. os sh! /" ss cy
the money is not forthcoming to save their
Carl Schurz memorial take the form OF an
sndowp&snt & Tor the % 5iiad Why nct have
eudow two cribs In the blind babies home. to
be called by the name OF the dead philsn-
thropist. Or sum OF money could be applied
TO paying on the mortgage on the house
Five thousand dollars must be paid In De-
cember apd another 5000 In five years. II
some OF the money for the Carl Schurz me-
mortal could be applied - snsgpsted u would
mean thas - many children as were cared FOR
IN the home and saved from helpleQsness and
idlocy would become useful members OF
society In the future instead OF so many
The internstiosai Sunshine Society. which
Newspaper association. founded by q news
by the newspapers al over ths country. We
work. such a. fresh air, ice funds, clubs homes
for connimptives, crippies' branches, reading
roome. prison work, and almost every other
useful work that can be thought Of, but this
work for the babies who sit In darkness" is
q great undertaking.. II 10 something which
the State should do, and perhaps In time will
do, but as long as 20 little money comes In IL
must grow slowly. and little children must
continue TO pine away till death or blankness
Of mind claims them.
Perhaps some Of your readers will interest
themselves In the blind babies and send a
contribution, as q thank offering for their
own GOOD eyesight, TO the headquarters Of the
International Sunshine Society. 90 Fifth
CYNTnIA wRsrovER ALDEN,
Prestdent-0 0eneral International Sunshine So
oiety. Treasurer Of the Sunshine Home
for Blind Babies.
NEW YORK, August IL.