Evening journal., 1913-07-18
MUCH WORK
BY The BLIND
Delaware Commission Reports
Much Accomplished Dur
ing Last Quarter
WANT WORKSHOP
MORTGAGE LIFTED

= OF the Delaware Commission for the
Blind, has issued the quarterly report
of the work done by the blind for the
fiscal year ending June 80.
The report which shows encour-
aging progress. is as follows
The report Of the work for the
blind for the first quatrer of the
fiscal year ending June 80 is very en-
couraging. Although in some de-
! partments the work has not been
sufficient to keep the blind workers
employed all the departments show a
b small balance on the credit side Of
Z the ledger which means that these
] industries have been completely self
supporting. The hand work of the
blind is being gradually introduced
and our kind friends are giving their
less fortunate toilers more and more
of their patronage, and find the ex-
cellence of their products up to the
highest standards and the prices no
more than factory trade goods. TIC
merchants are taking hold OF thd
products of the blind shop and if our
friends when buying a rug, a basket
or a broom should ask their dealer
to show the products Of the blind it
is certain the article made by the
blind will compare favorably with
any in the store. Try it, ask your rug
dealer to show you the cottage rugs
made by the blind
"The balance sheet for the three
months shows the following:
Chair seating department. receipts
S410 % dfch1rrcrr,npfc CQCe with
a total Of 315 chairs reseated employ
ing seven Gamers.
Weaving department receipts are
S24119 disbursements S31221. An in
crease of materials and stock and
book accounts make this department
show a profit of SS9S. Two weavers
were employed and the output con-
sisted of 1876 small rugs, IL large
rugs and III yards of carpet A new
fly shuttle loom has been installed
admitting of faster work which al
lows a blind weaver to weave fine
= material to advantage. On this loom
4 chenille rugs may be made which 1t
" is believed will prove a profitable oc-
5 cupation for a blind man
THE broom shop receipts were
(, S16482, disbursements $2S775 This
. department had accounts receivable
i S13107 most of which are at this
writing paid and shows a neat income
of s23.06. II furnished occupation to
. four men and made 62 dozen brooms
Many of the largest plants in the city
are using brooms made by the blind
] After the improvements are COM
2 pleted the broom shop will be
doubled; the additional machinery IS
on the ground and the blind broom
i makers are ready and waiting to GO
TO work.
THE basket receipts we're s6s O3
disbursements S941S. Net revenue
1851. One basket maker; output 81
baskets and 80 repaired. The result:
7 in this department are very encour-
I aging the baskets are good and mer-
chandizable. and it is believed il will
prove a lucrative business for the
blind
THE payrolls for the quarter show
a total of S711.21 paid to the blind
for their labor
"The circulation of embossed books
has been l34 for the quarter.
Home, teacher and field worker OF
the blind; in this department we have
. departed from our custom of employ
ing a partially blind man with sufficient
sight to navigate and have put on a
! young man totally blind who has the
= courage and zeal to travel alone and
: seek out his fellow sightless with only
I stick tor a guide Such pluck coupled
I with a thorough equipment and famil-
J iarity with all the resources open 10
! the blind give an inspiration and en-
! couragement TO new efforts which no
( sighted or partially sighted instructor
, can impart. The field worker has dur.
I ing the past three weeks in which he
! has been in Delaware visited l25 blind
! persons, has started eight pupils to
reading with their fingers and two pu-
pills in industrial work A new depart
ure has been introduced in the field
work, and five of the blind have been
) started selling the products of the blind
! shop. soliciting sales through THEN
/ friends and neighbors, thus making a
, profit for themselves towards their liv.
ing and supplying work to the blind
shop. Each blind person becoming an
agent Tor the products of the blind.
. THE building improvements are
! being rushed forward by contractor
! Lynch at a good pace and it is ex-
! pected THE Shop of the Blind" will
be opened in its enlarged form dur
, ing this month. A fine large store
! and the library for the blind will
|. ! occupy the front rooms. The broom
! shop and loom room will he located
back Of these and a fine large cane
shop and basket shop will be on the
? second floor The Kitchen and din
ing rooms will be increased and two
! large sleeping apartments on the
= third floor will accommodate six addi.
ton beds, for those who have nc
homes available to their work. All
L additional bulk window is placed in
the store and the Delaware Roofins
/ Company is constructing a copper
cornice across one front of the tive
buildings which will unity archite.
cuTal effect. All our friends are in.
r vited to visit us and see the i'm.
i provements.
}. THE Wilmington Trust Company
s. trustees for the building fund of the
< workshop for the blind have report
7 ed paying off s1,00000 on the mort
! gage on the property on the first in.
d terest day. This leaves a mortgage
e of four thousand dollars which it /.
d sincerely hoped the benevolent
friends of the blind will soon liquid
ate.
I. The last City Council passed an ordi
+ nance increasing the funds 10 the oripi
Z nal figures Of $500 This fund is an
Q propriated to the Wilmington Institute
Free Library. and as it is for industria
: rather than library purposes, il is to bl
regretted that it should not be appro
priated direct to the blind The circu
. lation of embossed books for the blint
; is unfortunately too small to requir,