Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-05-20


are perfectly qualified for the work
they are actually doing. In moments
of discouragement it might be well
for such partially qualified workers to
consider how much more fortunate
they are than that Inflated class of
men and women who are compelled to
! work in unending darkness.
We who have good sight may learn
many great lessons in perseverance
and cheerfulness by reading the
stories OF these undaunted blind folk
who have pressed on in the paths of
usefulness despite their terrible af-
Fiction The mere list of the trades
and professions that have been and
are praeticed with success by the
blind is most instructive and inter-
esting. In the manual trades the
ones most commonly followed are
broom making, basket weaving, chair
Gaming and rattan work. The blind
lare capable Workers also in the fol-
lowing lines. The manufacture of
mattresses, cigars rag carpets. mops,
harness and other articles of the
same general nature. Sightless peo-
pie can also practice massaging and
~
goods stores in Chicago has a blind
stenographer doing regular work
satisfactorily.
\ report from a Glasgow institution
states that blind men have been able
to do even such dangerous work as
the operation of a circular SAW or
band saw. Blind men have proved
that they can be good BARRIERS. At
recent date there were III New York
city five blind telephone operators,
two of them at hospital switchboards.
two in business houses aud one in
the editorial rooms of daily news
fiappf. CT these blind operators
three are women and two are men.
one Of the most frequent occupations
for the blind IS the teaching of music.
Piano tuning is another.
Both Of these lines Of work are es-
pecially available because of the fact
that when the power of sight is gone
the sense of hearing increases i'll ac-
curacy and in quickness. Nearly all
blind persons are good musicians and
many of them have been successful in
giving concerts for money
The blind have a sincere-and ardent
desire to be not merely busy, but use
full. In this spirit Helen Keller,
pleading for the blind from out the
darkness of her own threefold allie
ton, implores the public not to pur-
chase from the blind any senseless
and useless knick- knacks. She does
not want us to feIude blind people
into thinking they are useful when
they are not. 1t would be better to
give the money outright to some
charity for the blind
Many of them have been assisted
by the free employment bureau for
teh handicapped which was started
in New York few years ago. Thirty
nine of the first five hundred appli-
cants were blind, and it was not an
easy task to find. places for any of
them. A one-armea1 man can easily
act as a messenger etc; a man minus
both legs is eInplayable as gate
man, and deaf mute can easily be
clerk or boolSkeeper, nut the out
look for blind man is mostly out
and not much look" nor luck. One
case handled by this employment bu-
reau was that OF "a man As years Of
age who had suddenly been stricken
blind and forced to relinquish his
trade as a mechanic. Through the
efforts of the bureau he was placed as
an assistant foreman in novelty
shop. where he fully demonstrated
his abilities and is now considered one
of the most valuable employees.
One of the most famous cases of
success won in lifelong darkness is
that of Joseph Strong, who died near
lily two centuries ago, but is still re-
nowned as "The Blind Mechanician"
Though he lost his sight when 4 years
| OF age, he was so clever with his
hands and SO good musician that
even as a boy he could make several
varieties of musical instruments. He
early had learned to play upon the
organ and at the tender age of Is
had the amazing desire to construct
one.
1t was this very large ambition that
led him into prank that has helped
to keep his name famous. To gain
more knowledge OF organ construc-
ton he concealed himself in the
cathedral at Carlisle and when every
one else had left the building he felt
around among the organ pipes and
gained the facts that he desired. But
forgetting that il was now about mid
night he sat down at the keyboard
and began to play some of his. favor
tie pieces The neighbers aroused
from slumber, were astounded at this
midnight music. Some thought an
angel or spirit was playing the organ
At last some one brought light into
the cathedral and discovered the blind
musician He was reprimanded for
this intrusion, but was given permis-
sion to play the organ at more sea-
sonable hours.
In the course of short time he
built several organs that worked to
perfection.
Several blind men have been sue
cessful inventors in a small way. one
of these was Alexander Davidson,
blind from his seventh year, who con-
tinued his studies and passed through
the University of Edinburgh. To his
lcleverness was due the invention of a
very important apparatus for reliev
ing the mining pits of carbonic acid
gas.
Another British inventor among the