The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1908-12-25
A Remarkable Homesteader.


Is Roy Clark, the blind homesteader OF
Cherry county, who for some consid
cradle time past has held down" a
claim thirty-iye miles southwest OF
Ainsworth.
Clark, although young man Just
out of school, is by far the most re.
markable blind man in Nebraska in
point of achievement And this
course of his In securing a Cherry
county homestead in north Nebraska
Is in itself something of an achieve
ment for man totally blind.
viii Prove Up Next Summer.
Clark will prove up" on his home
stead next summer. Meanwhile he
will have qualified as capable
farmer.
Out on his north Nebraska claim he
has real neat little frame house,
| l2X30 in size, with two rooms, one of
which is l2Xl4 the kitchen and dining
room, the other l2Xl6, the sitting
room and bedroom Near the house
Is a frame barn, 14X2O Near by is a
frame chicken house and frame fuel
| shed.
The yard of the Clark property Is
| fenced in A year ago last summer
Clark himself planted 400 jack pines
and fifty of them are now living and
doing we'll A good well is on the
property.
Clark has "A large garden and has
ten acres which he will put into grain
next season. His live stock now con
siss of a team of young ponies and
a COW; but he is about to buy some
stock and let it out on shares to other
homcsteaders.
Is Totally Blind.
Clark has been blind nearly all his
life. When little more than baby
he lost his eyesight as the result Of
sickness He was sent to the insti-
tute for the blind in Nebraska City
where he graduated.
A College Graduate.
Roy Clark, now homestead
farmer, is the only blind man who ever
graduated from the university of Ne
braska. A few years ago he graduated
from the state university with honors.
Although terribly and tragically handi
capped by his lack of sight, he sue
cessfully pursued one of the hardest
courses at the state university, did
every bit of the required work and
passed all of his examinations with
marks averaging higher than nine
tenths of his fellow students.
How Clark was ever able to accom-
plish everything he did at the big uni
marvel even to those who worked
with him constantly. He attended
all lectures taking notes by the point
system" which the blind use. His
text books and general reading was
done for him by college friends in
the same classes. His papers were
written on a typewriter, which he
used for all his correspondence. He
had a light typewriter which he car
ried to school on examination days
and dashed off the answers to the
questions read to him. The subjects
he was at his best in were philosophy
political enocomy and English.
Was Never Lost I'm Lincoln.
Clark had perfect confidence in him
self in Lincoln. While a student he
walked the streets of Lincoln alone,
going to any store or in any part of
town. He never feared street cars,
but the appearance of the auto. craze
gave him alarm. He would dash off a
letter on a typewriter, pound out the
address, affiX a stamp and walk over
to the nearest letter box.
In university affairs he was active.
He was a member of the university
debating squad, valued position, won
honors in oratory, ind was elected vice
president of the senior class. His
special enjoyment in Lincoln was the
theater, where his active mind was
always able to supply the stage pic
ture.
Married Lincoln Girl.
A year ago last August Clark mar
ried a Lincoln girl, Miss Gertrude
Hiphhprper who had graduated from