Milford chronicle., 1911-10-06
.SEMI-ANNyAL REPORT
OF THE DELAWARE
Commission For The Blind, Sep
tember %, 1911.

DeIdWdIe Dllnu mas lndue slgnal pro
gress during the past six months
The headquarters have been remov
ed to the adequate and convenient
location on West Eighth Street, il
Wilmington where the whole build
ing is devoted to the interests of the
blind. The first floor and basement
are used for the industrial Ex-
change" the Free Library for the
Blind, and work rooms, the storage
Of materials used in the various
handicrafts by the blind throughout
the State. The upper floors are liv-
ing apartments for a few of the work
ers who have no homes, where whole
some fare is provided within the
limited means of their earning ca.
pacity. The Commission rents the
rooms in proportion to the rent of
the property and the culinary de-
partment is being managed upon a
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 a marked improvement in
business in their new store and the
demand for rugs woven by the blind
has taken a great impetus. 325
chairs have been reseated through
the exchange during the past six
months, besides many more by the
workers through the State.
SaIesmanship has been encouraged
and three men have been started in
selling mops, brooms and tea and
coffee.
A twelve-foot carpet loom has
been installed which weaves rugs of I
any width up to that dimension. /
sufficient to cover a whole room of
ordinary size. These large rugs have |
a demand and command a higher
price per square yard than the small O
rugs or carpet in breadths, and this Il
being the only loom of this character =, d
IN the neighboring country, it will +,
have an exclusive field. a
A broom-making plant has been Is
ordered and one of the blind workers 5.
has been sent to Baltimore to learn l.
the trade of broom-making upon the
which are to be installed.
Reports received upon this mans 4
work show excellent progress and he ;
will be through with his apprentice
nip and ready to start the local :
Dlant by the end of the wear The
room plant will furnish employment
or several men in manufacture and
ale Of output.
Two young men have completed
erms Of handicraft in the Industrial
Department OF the Maryland School 9
or the Blind and third has been
ntered in those shops A young
oored woman has just completed
ight years tuition at the Pennsvlva-
Ia and the Maryland Schools for
he Blind, and has been placed in a
ituation where she bids fair to be-
ONE a useful and self-supporting 81
lember Of society. The school term
pens with seven Delaware pupils
lr0lled at the Pennsylvania Insti-
ltion for the Instruction of the
lind and five at the MARYLAND
chOol for the Blind
The working blind population now q
Icludes one piano tuner, two weav-
s, six chair Gamers, and six sales
en- who are self-supporting. Be-
des these many women are earning
generous share of their support
I'd many others are doing some
ing towards that end. The circu-
ton OF the Free Library of en-
'ssed books for the past six months
IS been 385 volumes, and has been
nlted, owing to the fact that few
W books are printed in raised type.
Pursuant to an act Of the Legisla.
re carrying an appropriation for
e purpose, a complete census of
detectives, including the blind,
2 deaf the feeble-minded, has
en- started and completed outside .
Wilmington. The city will be
lvassed in the near future. The
rpose of this investigation is to
cover the facts relating to all de-
tives, correcting the late U. S.
lsus which is very faulty on this
'iect, and to learn what the State
y be able to do to ameliorate the q
ditiOn Of her unfortunate citizens.