The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-02
WORK OF THE BLIND IN
 TALLADEGA INSTITUTION
By J. WELLINGTON vANDvER.

Talladega, May 1.-(Special.)-T State monument to the philanthropy and wis dom of our people, and yet but few have the faintest conception of the character of work it is doing. The casual visitor unused to these cheerful children of the shadow spends the first few hours in sem timental reflections and self-satsfed pity which is deeply resented by those who are its subjects. Here is a community of children stylishly dressed, gay with col ors, full of the happiness of childhood, well informed and keenly alive to the movements of the great seeing world about them and daily learning to accom- plish things with those ten eyes of their bodies which would be the despair of those who having eyes see not"
 Thursday evening about 200 invited guests assembled in the beautiful chapel of the building. in the northeastern an- gle of the campus, to listen to recital from the pupils of Prof. Aloyisius W. Williams, who is a composer of wide fame and a gifted musician and who for years has trained the pupils of this insti- tution magnificent pipe organ faces the entrance to the chapel, and upon this instrument, and upon pianos, the veriest tots, some blind, rendered music which would have done creSit to professional musicians.
 As a matter of information to the mu- sicians of the state the programme Is here given in full in order that the critical may know the character of com position interpreted skillfully by pupils none of whom are blessed with sight and the majority of whom are below IA years of age:
 Berceuse in DelbruclS). John Vann.
 "The Miller's Wooing'' (Fanning).
 "The Lost Chord,' arranged by Shelley (Sullivan), Cleveland Going.
 "The Mermaid's Song GA W. Will liams), soloists Lucille Mahan and Vir- ginia Cartee.
 Andante Cantable. string quartet in D major, arranged by Reinhard (Tchaik- owsky) Blennard Sanders and A. W. Will Hams.
 (a) Spring Song, (PinsutD; b) Say Something to Me" GA. w. Williams).
 'The Bugler (Pfeuger), soloist John Camp.
 Marche Triomphale q. T. stone), Ar hold Deason
 (a) Spinning Song" (Wagner); (b) "Carmena" (Wilson).
 Kammennoi Ostrow, arranged by Will  and Lizzie May Marshall.
 (a) "The Sands of Dee (McFarren); (b) "Stars of the Summer Night (Henry SmarD
 PART SECOND.
 Prelude and fugue in B flat major (Bach), Virginia Cartee.
 God and Nature (&chubert).
 Larghetto from symphony in D major, arranged by Vilbac (Beethoven), John Camp and A. W. Williams.
 Hear My Prayer" Motet (Mendels sohn), soloist Virginia Cartee.
 Largho from "Xerxes," arranged by Whitney CHandeD, Lucille Mahan.
 Hallelujah chorus from "The Messiah" (HandeD.
 The entire programme was given with out a word being spoken from the plat form; no announcement was made of the numbers, the audience being provided with printed programmes. At the conclu- sion of number after a decent pause had elapsed from the cessation of ap plause, a pupil would rise from seat, walk quietly to the instrument and inter pret the printed selection. The choruses were sung by 30 trained voices-not a note slurred, not a discord, not a break in voice, but a grand swell of har- mony
 It isn't easy to play pipe organ; it looks so, but it is not, as you play al- most as much with your feet as with the hands; but these chaps not only played skillfully solos but they rendered duets between the pipe organ and piano, so that it appear red to be but one Instrument.
 There is not a name upon this pro gramme who would not earn wages in the most exacting choir in the largest city.
 The state should be proud of both the deaf and dumb and blind schools of this city. The management. of these institu- tions is ideal The methods and skill here displayed are so successful that those who have similar state schools in charge are growing to make pilgrimages to, Tal- ladega to study our methods, so that the Alabama schools are making national reputation.
 About 300 children are being led from the shadow out into the sunlight of use full gainful citizenship, and their lives filled with hope and aspiration. God help the man who would begrudse the pitiful sum exacted from him in taxation for this noble philanthropy.
 How much better if the various clubs. organizations, schools and societies who annually picnic in some damp marsh full of ticks and malaria would make an ex- .cursion to the state schools at Talladega and carry back home with them enlarged ideas and strong partisanship for a worthy institution founded by the wis dom and charity of their forefathers.