Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1911-10-07
COMMISSION FOR THE BLIND

The work for the welfare of the Del
aware blind has made signal progress
during the past six months. The head
quarters have been removed to tht
adequate and convenient location on Wes
Eighth Street, where the whole building
is devoted to the interest of the blind
The first floor and basement are used fol
the "Industrisl Exchange" the Free
Library for the Blind, and work rooms
and storage of materials used in tbs
various handicrafts by the blind through
out the state. The upper floors are living
apartments for few Of the workers who
have no homes, where wholesome fare
is provided within the limited means oil
their capacity. The Commission rents
the rooms in proportion to the rent oi
the property and the culinary department
is being managed upon cooperative
basis outside the public fund. There are
rooms for six blind workers of this class
besides the staff of the Commission.
The Industrial Exchange has shown q
marked improvement in business in their
new store and the demand for rugs woven
by the blind has taken great impetus.
325 chairs have been resested through
the exchange during the past six months,
besides many more by the workers
through the state. Salesmanship has
been encouraged and three men have
been started out selling mops, broJms
and tea and coffee. A twelYe-foot carpet
loom has been installed which Weaves
rugs Of any width up to that dimension,
sufficient to cover a whole room Of
ordinary size. These large rugs have a
demand and command higher price per
square yard than the small rugs or carpet
in breaths, and this being the only loom
of this character in the neighboring
country, it will have an exclusive field.
A broom.making plant has been
ordered and one of the blind workers has
beed sent to Baltimore to learn the trade
of broom-making upon the machines
which are TO be installed. Reports re.
ceiyed upon this mans work show
excellent progress and he will be through
with his apprenticeship and ready to start
the local plant by the end of the year.
The broom plant will furnish employ
ment for several men in manufacture and
sale of output.
Two young men have completed terms
of handicraft in the Industrial Depart.
msnt of the Maryland School for the
Blind and third has been entered in
those shops. A young colored woman
has just completed eight years tuition at
the Pennsylvania and the Maryland
Schools for the Blind, and has been
placed in situation where she bids fair
to become a useful and seltsupporting
member of society. The school term
opens with Seven Delaware pupils
enrolled at the Pennsylvania Institution
for the Instruction of the Blind and five
at the Maryland School for the Blind.
The working blind population now
includes one piano tuner, two Weavers,
six chair Gamers, and six salesman who
are selfsupporting. Besides these many
women are earning generous share OF
their support and many others are doing
towards that end. The
OF the Free Library of en-
bossed books for the past siz months has
been 3S5 volumes, and has been limited,
owing to the fact that few new books are
printed in raised type.
Pursuant to an act Of the Legislature
carrying an appropriation for the purpose,
/ complete census of all detectives,
the blind, the deaf, the feeble.
minded, has been started and completed
outside of Wilmington. The city will be
in the near future. The
purpose of this investigation is to dis.
;oyer the facts relating TO all detectives,
correcting the late q. s. Census which is |
7ery faulty on this subject, and to learn |
What the state may be able to dc to |
Imeliorate the condition of her unfor-
unate citizens.