Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-02
TO HELP THE BLIND
HandiCraft Workers will Have
Place to Sell Wares.
IN Department STORE
Exchange to Be at Woodward &
Lothrop's-Will Be Opened
Tomorrow.

Blind handicraft workers are to be
given a place in Washington where their
wares can be exhibited and marketed.
The new exchange for the blind is to
be located just outside the cafe, in the
store of Woodward & Lothrop.
For some time past there has been an
exchange, managed by the Tif1iof1lo, or
the Friend of the Blind. as the associ-
alton is known. The secretary and
treasurer In Washington is Miss e. J.
Giffin of TIE reading room for the blind
at the Congressional Library. The or
ganization reaches all over the United
States, but there are about 100 blind
persons in Washington who are directly
helped. Some of them are merely read
to and allowed to read at the Congress
sional Library, and others are given
work in copying books for the blind, and
are taught to make such articles as the
blind can make and SELL
, There is q variety of these things
They can crochet. make fine lace and 40
some kinds Of sewing. There are other
special classes Of work that they can oe
taught to do, though for the newest and
more intricate things 1t is desirable to
have a trained teacher. Some of the blind
are partially dependent on their own ex-
ertions for a living and all OF them feel
lIldC IHEy WANT lO S6AIu SOIhCSAAA6 SAIhof
to support themselves or help others SINH
larly afflicted. Some Of them have been
able to be partially self-supportins
through the sale OF their products at the
exchange for the blind on East Capitol
street.
Sold Work at Library.
Formerly they were allowed to keep
their work on sale at the Congressional
a cnnH3dara h1p
amount Of it sold there. But there was
some objection raised to doing this in
government building and the exchange
was started through the aid of one OF the
friends of the association.
Recently the matter was presented to
S. w. Woodward of Woodward & 10th
rop. He said that he would be glad to
give the workers stand In that store.
and arrangements were accordingly made
for some show cases and an attendant.
Miss L. j. Miller, who is one OF the en-
thusiastic workers of the association. said
that she would act as saleswoman and
the stand accordingly will be opened to-
morrow.
Miss Giffin says that the association
hopes soon to be able to employ a regu-
lar handicraft teacher, and it Is possible
that eventually there can be regular
library and crafts shop established here
There is much work done abroad in as
Is books. There are several systems OF
blind writing, but that generally adopted
here is the stencil perforation. An ex-
pert operator can perforate blind page
almost as rapidly as one can write IN
long hand. There are good many vOiun-
teer copyists among the ladies in Lon
don, and some of these have learned to
perforate blind books and make copy
from q printed book. This copy in turn
is given to a blind copyist, and they are
paid for their work. It helps them to
support themselves and adds books to the
already large blind library.
Had 1900 Copyists.
Miss Austin. secretary OF the National
Lending Library in London, told Miss
Giffln that she had 1890 volunteer copy
lists on her list. There is similar tn-
stitution, the valentin Hauy in Paris and
there they have 1900 volunteer copyists.
The workers for the blind here express
the hope that there may ultimately be as
many volunteer workers in the large
cities of this country.
The fact that there has been a centrally
located exchange secured, they think, will
go far toward helping the work and
creating more general interest. The
ladies who are interested in the move
ment say they want to make 1t clear that
there are no commissions or other charges
attached to the work Of the blind artisans
now put OH SALE but that all the proceeds
will go directly to the workers.