The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1912-03-21
POSSIBILITIES Of
UNFORTUNATE BLIND
TOLD OF IN LECTURE
Miss Winifred Holt Gives
Illustrated Talk on
a. Subject.


by blind people?
Would you place a blind cook in your |
kitchen?
If you had letter to send away |
would you dictate 1t TO a blind stenog- |
rapher and typewriter?
Perhaps not, unless you had heard |
Miss Winifred Holt tell of the wonderful |
work that the organization of which |
she is the secretary, the New York As
for the sightless people of that State |
IN bringing them out Of the darkness
of dependence into the light of self |
supporting independence.
Miss Holt came to Washington yester- |
day to give lecture in the Playhouse |
ION the work her organization Is ac- |
York.
According to her own description of
herself she is an amiable spinster
there is no doubt. for hers Is a sunny |
spirit bubbling over with energy and
enthusiasm for her work. Her 1000 chill |
dren are 1000 blind people whom the as
ISOLATION has aided in the five years Of
Its existence, but, unlike the old woman
who lived in shoe and had so many |
children that she didn't know what to
do. Miss Holt has found occupation
not only for herself, but for all her
children. For instance, in her lecture
last night. she told of a blind aviator
and showed photograph taken of this
sightless visitor to the clouds.
No Blind Beggars Now.
In ancient days the only occupations
open to those who had been cursed by
fate to walk forever in physical dark
ness were those of soothsayer, prophet,
and poet, and there was scarcely call
enough for these to give all a chance
at one or another of these professions.
Therefore, there was preponderance
of Mind beggars But, thanks to the
efforts of modern philanthropists, there
are now no blind beggars. To them
has been brought the glorious message
that has made their lives endurable.
They have penetrated with their inner
vision into the great problems of sci
ence, art and light, and have been
called out of their prisons of darkness
to find the fair horizon of life through
work. Education has lifted them out
Of the condition in which they have
fortune, and they have been taught the
greatest of all life's lessons-to help
themselves.
If you were blind person and didn't
believe you could do anything but beg
the remainder of your life, and II. in
this frame Of mind you should go to
the New York settlement for the blind,
which is Inown as the Lighthouse, and
there a vlry good pair Of scissors were
slipped into your hands, and you were
told that blind man had made them;
If you were given fine statue, which
really appealed to your sense Of touch
and YOU were told that It was the work
Of blind sculptor; IT, little by little, you
began to use the tools for working,
writing, reading, the games. machines
and appliances. you would, in meas
ure, realize something of the remark
able work that the association which
Miss Holt represents is doing for the
citation has in the five years of its &C
tlvity listed 10000 blind individuals, and
has come in contact with 1000 whop 1t
has helped to become seif-supportiEg.
1t has kept in touch with all the activl-
ties for the blind in the world. 1t has
taken the sightless out from homes
where they sat idle. endless waiting in
blind!-and has taught them how to
use their remaining senses to advant
age. 1t has brought them out of that
tragic incapable state between idiocy
and invalidism, and has brought 10
them something for which it is worth
while to I've. 1t has made capable ste
nograDhers out of sightless girls. 1t
las made good cooks and laundresses.
and first-class trained nurses. well
as WedverS, dressmakers, switchboard
operators, wireless operators, piano
tuners and music teachers.
Elite at Lecture.
Men, too, have been taught various
trades and occupations that have made
ii possible for them to support them
selves and ofttmes their families. All
of these things Miss Holt told last eve
ming in the Playhouse, to an audience
composed of Washington's elite. She
illustrated her talk with lantern slides
which in themselves were q mute ap-
peal for assistance in the work of the
association. She told what this organi-
Zation had accomplished, aside from it's
educational activities. 1t has given not
only the first systematic teaching out
side asylums for the blind, to individ-
uas, but it has started the first home
teaching Of trades, reading, and writing
In the State. Lessons have also been
given by the association, in the poor
houses, the prisons, and the IunatiC
asylunS. over 1900 lessons have been
given by its home teachers. 1t started
the first systematic social service, in
Guiding entertainments for children and
grOwn-ups, and excursions to the Coun-
try and seaside. 1t also cares for the
sick and injured. It opened the first
SalesroOm for the blind. where also
tools. literature toys and games and
information of especial use to them may
be had. It started the first club for
blind men, and the first for blind wom-
en-
Pioneer in Field.
It started the first educational cam
plign to instruct the seeing public as
we'll as the blind by talks, literature,
and exhibitions on the need for the pre-
Nentiun Of blindness, ana of making the
blind sclf-helping, helpful and happy,
For this purpose over 33,WO LEAFLETS and
20 900 reports lave been issued. 1t has
been represented at conferences both In
the United States and abroad by Of
ticcrs and exhibits. 1t gave the hrst
blind workers exhibition. opened by the
President of the United states, when
over 200 blind people demonstrated their
ability and industry, ranging from
broom and boukmaking, to stenoSraphy
and wireless topography. It started the
first museum tor the blind In the coun-
try. to show the history Of the enamel
pntion Of tue blind intellectually and in
lndustriaNy from the earliest times untlI
now.
Senator Golc. the blind Senator from
Oklahoma, once referred to Miss Holt
as "thC embodiment Of human radum.