The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-10-23
STORY or A sliNp
sTENooRAPHER
:. > y = : : = y y y = = > y

y - $ = = :, = = = = = = + 3 y :
Twelve years ago, Miss Grace F
Keator of Kingston, New York. was
preparing % become a teacher Of liter.
allure; then came lllncss and with i'll
ness. hlindnese To most women such
a crushing calamity would have de.
stroyed all thought Of an Independent
career hut IN Miss Realtors case IL did
nothing Of the sort After recovering
from the Illness which had takon sight
/ for toll she went eouragcously 10
study Al the institution FOR the blind
! At batavia. New York. Like Miss Helen
Keller, she had 10 learn to work as
we'll az see with her hands she
learned 10 read raised type and To on
crate q typawriter-she had never be-
fore used such instrument-and then
she studied stcnosrapl.y. IL was serious
wor0 She had determined handicap
ped rs she was 10 he self supportinG
and independent. Her success was cx-
traordinary and wouli have done credit
70 m expert when tho time came
for hor 10 look about Tor q position
she turned az "ncc 10 New York city.
Her excellent WORE. IN the institution
lat Batavia had already attracted at
tention, and she soon became private
secretary &C the Now Yorl. Association
for tho Elind NJ lis EIst Iirty-nintn
street
y visitor "a The Light House." as
the association Is called sees the blind
happily AT work weaving carpets. MAX
ing baskets or nroomo. GAMING chairs
or doing houscwork hut one Of the
most interesting spectacles of all Is To
see Miss Holt and her aid al Worl-in
the background tho hess" debating
IL the foreground Miss Eeator at her
shorthand machine. nor hngor- fairly
dying. whilc under nor sEilliw manin.
uiation a ribbon shaped manuscript
unfolds, tho characters appearing like
p!npricks in the paper. The manuscript
reminds one Of q stock brokers ticker
tape. When dictation is finished the
blind stonographer turns to her type
writer and after passing sensitive
fingers along tho ribbon" 10 read her
aotcs she rapidly transcribcs them.
Tho finished work, and indeed all that
she does. Is n model of ncatness and
accuracy.
Besides holding the secretaryship -
Mise Holt the blind stcnogrgphcr is
president of tho Blind Womeu'a "lun Of
New rori, city. In her official capacity [
she meets many notable persons. The |
n career for herself and her thorou2h
KNOWLEDGE Of tho conditions under /
which the blind must WORK if they arc (
TO he happy, productive members of ,
society, have made il possible Tor her
10 interest numbers Of people in the
work of institutions for the pima. she
Is the first and. l blievc the only blind
woman to earn nor livina as stem
,graphcr.
Miss kcator is at homa IN a modest
apartment on East SiXty-hfth street.
New York city Here n 90. operation
with chum, she does light housekeep-
nr. The two young women take great
bride In their home. They ard il I'm ~
Keep house, and they hay" developed =
highly efficient system n domestic
Team work" what ono cannot accom-
.lish the other can, AMI each strulY
that she has most 70 10
grateful for They get aiong toscthcr
Miss koJ,or Is exceedingly "fcmi-
linc." Sho takes great pains in the
selection and style or her wardrobe
md she deli" hts i'm seeing things
resh from the shops. When women
rleEds call on her she always oXam-
mes their now gowns, lightly passing
lcr delicate hands over the fabric.
NmorIean AiAga2inl.