New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-18
CONCERT FOR THE BLIND.
DR.. Perry, SightIess Himself, Plays
to a Large audience.

An audience decidedly pathetic 70 one not OF IT,
bur happily not at all 50. apparently. TO its mem
bers. gathered in Knabe Hall. at Fifth avenue and
Ssth street. yesterday afternoon. Yet it was an
audience q blind people assembled 10 hear the
playing Of pianist who is also blind.
Dr. Edward Baxter Perry. who passing
through New York in RE course Of a concert tour
wrote 10 Walter Holmes. publisher OF Mrs. Zieg-
ler's Magazine for the Blind" that he had
open date on Sunday and that he would be glad to
use II for the benefit Of those who like himself
could not Mr.. Holmes immedi itely arranged
for this sending cut invitations TO several
hundred OF the readers Of tbs magazine. Every per
son invited told that he she could be ac-
companied by friend. Few Of them could come
without guides. though there were several who
managed with only cane
They came from far and near I,arts OF the civ
these bird listeners; some from institutions hut
most 81 them from private homes. One it;le
woman. with cata-act< over both eyes VAS led IN,
small boy a six her child He SAT ,l,ro,,rb The
programme manfully. but evidently some of the
classical music puzzled him. s me % the blind
were Young girls. Brought by a sister brother
81 mother Blind H'en were brought by their
wives. wives by their husbands One man and
woman, both blind. care uithour any guide
II is rather sad isn't it," said ore Of the men
VINO was helping ~ seat the audience I've seen
Q good deal n blind people and ought 10 he ,,sad
. H. nut thing like this breaks me 10. And vet
they're happy" he added noddinr a, the b,,,a
couple he had just led 70 chairs
And they were. They looked as eagerly ,,,.-
fsted as happy and jolly as any couple could nos
sihly be ~ PoS
nj Holmes had provided some programme.
Wllich were certainly UNIQUE. On one side the
names o. the selections 10 he given vera rrt,,as
N ordinary type, for the seeing guests and on the
oIaer SIDE they were pricked in in what Is oaua5
New York point" for the blind
mere was time" said Dr. Perry when "a
nave walked a milo backward TO escsnA - - !.
i TnT0V ~
W Perry said the mistake vbicb No.. -
people and some blind people made was 81. -
nnagnins thar the blind We're outside things IN
he world. but rot Of f." ."
D.. Perry insisted thar ,bsr. ~,
"hloA blind people could do almost ~ o,.a =
WEI rs seeing people He said the, s,,e,aas - %
ciSunst Of the.r own powers but thar - -.
lreq much more from the dist-ust the vro-is 80
Of their powers "oilo had
ne world gives US its connassio, b, - -,
-''H We DO not want. and its charity, zbth
oi'en We scorn. but Il Is SLOW, 10 believe -. -
On "oFh-- People won't believe that We can INV
- pianos or teach their children music bur NE
'. ana 90 many other things, too
.,r..s 80 Ut Perry told Of his early teaching
'AIeI'eIoes pleased the audience hugely
! had just hung out my shingle IN T3os.o,. -. .,
announcing that would ike pupils and
'l.'r leacher. man with the use OF his ewes
N'4ra Of II. mis- comment was repeated 10 me
an FeFfy blind man. teach?' he said How,
can ne teache He can't teach
a.. Wasn't that logical?" asked DR. Perry ~.
Tor beirg s1SSi as the reasons many people have
.,of iI ne,, reiuei Giant 10 employ the blind
sbo III course there are things we cant do 7
-.e-t-t ADVISE a blind 10 try 10 sf,,G,.
s..5-ilF ana read the stars any more fbaI ia
~ :, - ohe-eggeG man 10 attempt 10 qualify for
- ballet corps. We recognize 81 iiyg,,.
uoas But We want the world 10 feel ,bs, III Inn
Nital part or II. Why. there are neonia al :
or isl, 1T 5ilseo that a blind man enjoy music
Thar the blind can appreciate a Joke ,u,as ..,a.
i, '' Pr ,-e sa9ghier and applause thai punctuated
- - remarks. They chucklod appreciatj well.
Nhen ne exclaimed. after speaking az I1a : ~
ote people are always talking about THE nlertSI
vo,,15 ~ ~ =, ollq, " ny IT'S as absurd as in
man |he wears false teeth u d
Most 81 the men laughed again when Dr. Per-.
smokes and enjoys H. Il rarely 20 into a s5a t ne
az. ne said--"and probably enter one tvriDa :
eag al least-I rarely go into one that some o,e
Why, can you smoke? And then they'll U.s.
ing the smoke" ' Soe-
hummer OF the programme he gave brief Illus
uailFe talk about IL II very evident VIZ,
soF OF music the larger part OF the audience liked
IS iheF liked the gay and rapid sort. Here and
mere sightess listener sat raPt with en- iovp'ens
through the Quieter passages bat il was the brili
ialt music that won The most applause.
seated this audience very like any other
only the glazed eyeballs the closed eyeds ma
Clark spectaces told the story. Those. and the nm
mstakable pose OF The mead the blind have ana
TIE myers threading the raised lines OF the pro-
grammes. But they enjoyed themselves ike any
audience, only more, because 10 them the treat was
more unusual than entertainments to the aver
age seeing" audience.
But II was when they rose 20 60 and stood wait
Ing. each Tor his or her ompaniOn-stretching out
cropping hands 10 be led-that the difference was
evident. Even here compartment told. Many wait
ed 20 be Ted. but some forged cheerfully ahead OF
their several guides. making for the entrance al
most as unerringly IS II chey had eyes.