New-York tribune., 1909-03-24
WORK AMONG THE BLIND
TOLD BY MISS HOLT.
Board of Education VII Hold
Public Hearing.

Miss Winifred Holt daughter Of Henry Holt the
author and publisher will speak at the Board of
Education Building tonight. The board is con-
tempating the establishment Of a number Of classes
for the instruction OF blind children of school age
Miss Holt, who is secretary of the New York AS
sociation for the Blind. at No rs East 59th street
will talk in favor OF the adoption Of the modified
Braille system OF raised letters opposed to the
New York point system. There Will be a public
hearing tonight before the committee on ele-
mentary schools and advocates Of both methods
will present their views. A letter from Miss Helen
Keller TO Miss Holt, strongly favorins the Braille
system, will also be submitted the committee.
The fact that one-quarter Of all the blind chill
dren in all the blind schools Of this country
unnecessarily blind emphasized by Miss Holt
and her associate Miss D. Fiske Rogers. yesterday.
Blind stenogrsphers busily engaged in the ad-
joining room with the correspondence Of the
soclation. Downstairs several blind women. young
and old, making baskets and weaving at small
looms. Miss Holt said:
There are In the United States than sixty
four thousand blind persons. For the blindness of
sixteen thousand of these many of whom are blind
from cause alone there is no excuse except is-
norance and neglect.
The ignorance is of many types; Ignorance Of
conditions which produce blindness ignorance Of
the care of the eyes necessary in the schoolroom
and ignorance OF the delcacy of the sensitive or
OF sight. Neglect is also of many kinds, but
the most serious is the neglect Of the prevention Of
infections of the eyes of the new born. and OF
prompt and adequate trea tnent of the resultant
inflammation when It occurs. knowledge and
promptness the two great factors IN the pre-
vention of blindness
The disease is known infant ophthalnia. It
IS said to be an infectious disease, appearing at
the time OF BIRTH easily prevented II precautionary
measures taken once. within few hours
after BIRTH and durable II. when Il develops. skilled
medical treatment can be secured quickly 1t is.
however, fatal TO the sight if prompt preventive
and curative measures taken, and ends
in the destruction OF the eyeballs.
The responsibility for preventabe blindness
must be laid to the charge of those who able.
ought to be able TO prevent it, said Miss Holt
But a knowledge the part Of the public Of the
dangers which may threaten the eyes will safe
guard many eyes that otherwise would be lost
The blindness Of babies must be prevented where
possible"
1t is considered OF great importance TO extend
this knowledge II was said. that parents every
where may insist on the OF a suitable prophy-
Tactic in the eyes OF the new born, and that the
careless members OF the medical profession and
trained nurses may be brought to sense Of their
duty.
The strangest ignorance exists in the minds Of
people as TO what the blind do she said. She
started the association work three years be-
cause she felt that the heaviest burden upon the
blind not blindness but idleness- She has
given them work to do. and they have already SUE
ceeded as makers OF brooms. brushes. mats bas-
kets in simple carpentry and weaving, oohbiins'
typewriting piano tuning, massage knitting
crocheting and plain sewing
Dr. William H Maxwell city Superintendent OF
Schools. said
Il have seen with admiration and delight the
work done by Miss Holt's blind proteSes IN her
rooms IN East seth street when see how much
has been accomplished by her and her society
feel all the more encouraged and stimulated to 90
something for the blind children OF this city who
have not yet had a chance IN the public schools.
We are without cent Of money" Miss Holt
added 'Our endowment consists or deot
amounting 70 s. on. We have the promise N SOi"i
= we can raise t4a0o II appears disconraging Uu.
this work cannot fail any more than the law oi
gravity