davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-12

tablished, and the schools for the blind
have become part Of the regular pub
lie school system in all civilized countries.
In 1882 the Scottish Society of Arts Of
fered a gold medal valued at twenty
pounds for the best alphabet for the
blind. 1t was not until 1897 that it was
awarded. and during the intervening time
sixteen alphabets had been submitted,
all of which were rejected and the prize
was awarded to a DIR. Frye of London.
who suggested the use Of raised Roman
capitals. These were introduced in
America in 1884.
A Mr. Lucas Of Bristol introduced an
ingenious system of stenographic short
hand. This Is still used in some parts of
England to teach the blind to read. The
characters are altogether arbitrary, con-
sisting mainly of lines with or without a
duced his phonetic shorthand system
about 1888 The embossed letters were
only an application Of his phonetic sys-
tenn for the seeing. which he hoped would
become general His characters consist
ed OF straight lines, half circles, hooked
lines and angles of forty-five degrees, to-
gether with a hollow and solid circle.
Mr.. Freyre also invented the return
lines-that is to say, the lines in his book
were read from left to right and from
right to left alternately. the letters them
selves being reversed in the return lines
He devised a cheap and very ingenious
method of setting up and stereotypine
his books.
and were laid on a plate previously
washed over with zinc. SO that when
heat was applied to the under side the
letter became soldered to the plate. Both
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-12

books in the blind alphabet and will be
paid for the work. These books are to
become a national circulating library and
will be distributed from branch libraries
in every big city in the United States.
The National Library for the Blind, as
the new enterprise Is called, is also a
social gathering place for those who live
in continual darkness. In the new head
ted up and a varied assortment of games
that can be played by the blind have
been installed. Dominoes studded with
brass tacks and cards with pin-pricked
corners. the player can feel the de-
nomination, are among the games most
enjoyed. Sheet music printed by them
selves in raised characters Is used by
those who play the piano. and vocal Sc
lections are rendered by reading the rails
ed notes and words.
Many of Washington's foremost citi-
zens are behind the new enterprise. Mrs.
Champ Clark, wife of the Speaker of the
House Of Representatives, Is the national
chairman of the membership committee;
Mrs Ernest W. Roberts, president of the
Congressional Club and wife of the rep
resentative from Massachusetts,. is the
national chairman OF the publicity com
mittee; Charles ]. Bell, president of the
American security and Trust Company
Is the treasurer; Mrs William E, Clarke
is the assistant treasurer. he active dl-
rector is Miss Eta Josselyn Glnn' anu
the recording secretary and organizer 10
Miss Ella Lorraine Dorsey. THESE Two
women are in active charge of the organ
ization and are especially fitted for the
work because of their years or experience
in it. Both have made 1t their HE Vocd-
ton.
To these women the credit for the es-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-12

Dr. Moon and Mr.. Lucas used this sys-
tenn of stereotyping for long time.
DIR. Moon, an Englishman. whose sys-
tenn was the most used until few years
ago, adopted an alphabet i'm which some
letters reSembled those they represented.
He also adopted the Freyre system OF re-
turn lines, but did not reverse the let
tiers.
Dr. Freyre's system of Roman capt. ais
was objected to by the intelligent blind
because of it's illegibility, and about the
middle of the nineteenth century con-
certed protest was made by them against
the use Of any line characters. These
had been arranged with as much regard
for the seeing as the blind. Then came
the controversy of the dots versus the
lines and from 1t the invention of Louis
Braille was evolved. He brought out
his first suggestion i'm 1929 and had 1t
perfected in 1884. A gr, 1T number of his
co-workers and blind friends recognized
the superiority of his system, but the
school authorities would not change the
old system 1t was not officially adopted
in Paris until 1854, two years after the
death of it's inventor. The reason for its
adoption. was that 1t was found that
blind persons who could not learn the
line system could learn the points. and
this discovery led to its almost universal
uSe
In 1929 the first school for the blind
was created in America, when one was
established in Boston by an act. of the
legislature. Since that time a great many
more have been opened and these schools
are now part of our great public
school system. Congress appropriated
S25OOOO as a perpetual fund, the inter-
est of which is used for the purchase
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-12
MAKING A NATION OF SE1ARPSHOOTE

National Rifle Association of America. in
speaking of the subject a few days ago,
said that 1.-The American boy takes TO rifle
shooting as the duck does to water, and
it only needs the announcement which
the government should provide In the
way of issuing arms, ammunition ahq
ranges and detailing instructors TO super
wise the work. If this were done, we
ing the rife in this country. he said
1T has been many years" he contin-
ued "since any Fourth of July orator
has had the nerve TO spring that ola
sophism about this nation being ma
ton of marksmen Full well does poth
orator and audience know that IN ms
all-important matter we are not only hot
q nation of marksmen, but that we are
tagging behind all other nations.
\. x
This is a nation made by marksmep.
That the orator always can truthfully
say For il was the skill of our fore
fathers with their trusty old hintlocks
that brought about victories that resulted
finally in our becoming a nation. That
the training of a country In rife prac-
tice is a fundamental principle IN ma
tional defense is recognized by every ma
ton of the world but our own. Some
nations go so far as to compel every
able-bodied boy to take course in
craftsmanship.
Australia has 10000 boys uniformed.
a course of rifle shooting In all the
schools OF the republic. Canada has
started in on a similar movement Every
year in England the great rifle range at
Bisley Is given over for an entire week
to nhe schoolboys as camp of tnstruc-
ton in rifle shooting. and in the great
shooting contests which are held at Bis
ley matches are included for the schools.
Everywhere but in the United States the
Boy Scouts are trained along these lines
Here, for some unexplainable REASONS
such military training is excluded from
the organization.
Assistant Secretary OF War Oliver in
speaking of the subject declared that
'unquestionably a weak spot in our mill
tary establishment is the lack OF train
mug for that portion Of our citizens who
would make up the major portion Of our
armies in case of war. Shall we repeat.
he asked. 1.-THE experience OF the Spanish
volunteers who had never even had a
rifle in their hands until they enlisted?
What a crime against humanity this
would have been IL the war had proven q
serious one. Given a reasonable amount
of practice. our American becomes an ex-
pert shot more quickly than a citizen OF
any other country.
THE ordnance department of the army
has on hand about 10000 model 1888
.3O-caliber magazine rifles, popularity
known as the krag. and $4,000 carbines-
1t is no longer necessary to hold q very
great number Of these arms for reserve,
and they are available for issue to rifie
clubs in the public and military schools
in case the legislation desired becomes
law" -.-.-l-..
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-12

and distribution OF suitable books and
apparatus among the various inslitu-
tons
The new National Library for the
blind, which is the latest development
of this great work I'm the United States.
is supported entirely by it's membership
dues and the gifts OF philanthropc peo-
pie. The initiation fee is 81, the annhal
dues 81 associate members pay s. a wear
and SO makes one a life member These
annual dues are divided, the local orRani-
Zation retaining one-half for current OK
penses and the other half is sent 10 the
national headquarters for copying books.
packing and forwarding travelling libra
Iies and necessary printing NO salaries
are paid to any of its Officers.
Among the life members are John CAD
walader, Mrs William T.. Clarke and
Mrs. r. NJ. Celfelt The last named has
made possible the establishment OF the
institution in Its new Quarters. Some or
the prominent resident members are
Mrs. William Hitz. Admiral and Mrs.
Dewey, Mrs. Enoch Totten. Mrs. X. j.
Giffen, Mrs. Young, wife of the COM
mandant of the Soldiers Home; Gen.
Daingerfield Parker. Senator Briggs OF
. New Jersey, Representative George Loud,
Mrs. Gilbert NJ. Hitchcock, wife of the
senator from Nebraska: Mrs Charles X.
Smith, wife of the representative from
New York; Mrs. Thomas IT, Carter.
widow Of the late senator from Montana;
Mgr. William T. Russell and Bishop
Harding.
Since the establishment of the new en-
terprise thirty-five new books nave been
added to the literature for the blind and
much has been done In the way of en-
tertainments and instruction to promote
well-being among Washington's 4OO
blind.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-12

again saw him as sad and miserable as
on that first night. when he made me
think 1 was going to be stransled by
rebels, but never. during all the tunes
when he came to my office, did once
see him look happy"
X X
When Fort Lincoln was no longer need
ed Bender came to Washington to be-
come chief operator of a mercantile tele-
graph company which, during the clos
ing days of the war. took charge of the
sending and receiving of all military mes
sages for the government. He hadn't been
at his post many days before he was one
of the principals in a most unusual &C.
currence.
ut was Sunday morning. and We were
getting and sending all sorts of military
messages" said he. when all of a sud-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-12

Establishment of the new philanthropy
must be given, because its need was ap-
preciated by them in their years of work
among the unfortunate sightless. and
through their efforts the attention of
benevolent persons was brought to the
new charity, making its establishment
possible. Both Miss Giffen and Miss
Dorsey have studied the proposition from
the point of view of world charity. and
both have kept for years in close touch
with its latest developments in all the
civilized world.
= There are many institutions and asso-
Citations for the education and employ
ment of the blind, but the idea of these
two women is to reach behind these into
the life of forced inaction and to find
something that will place the hand of
the blind man into that of his friend who
can see AS Miss Giffen says: THE rush
of the world is all around them, but or
the worlds work they too often know
nothing" Then. too. most of the institu-
tfons are for the young blind who are
the smaller part of those thus afflicted.
x
The majority of blind people are adults
who have lost their sight after they have
become of age and who have therefore
received their education before their loss
of sight These are the people for whom
the charity is planned, the people who
are in need of the kind of books that the
new library plans to circulate, books Of
travel, novels and volumes of poetry, in
teresting books on all sorts of subjects,
such as sighted people read in leisure
moments. Books of this sort are
greater source of happiness to the blind
than to those who are blessed with sight,
because they do not have so many dis
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-12

financial world as Black Friday, the day
when 80 per cent of the people Of the
United States seemed doomed to bank
ruptcy and ruin.
Shortly after o'clock on that Black
Friday George S. Boutwell,. then Secre-
tary Of the Treasury, walked into the
office Of Bender. Il have a message
which 1 wish to send" he said. 1T is
extremely confidential. I want 1t to go
through as few hands as possible; for
that reason 1 have brought it here my
self instead Of intrusting it to messen-
ger The message must be sent by man
who can be trusted absolutely. and ! do
not wish any copy made Of 1t. In fact,
after the message has been sent would
like to have it given back to me. Would
it be possible to have the person for
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-12

whom it is intended go to the office In
his city and receive 1T verbally. and then
let me know that he has gotten 1t?
"It can be arranged" said Bender,
land I'll send the message myself"
Good" said Secretary Boutwell, Now.
see If you can get Mr.. Thomas Hillhouse.
in charge of the subtreasury In New
York, to your Office in that city. And
hurry please. 1t is important that
reach him before the BANS close"
1T was little after half past O'Clock
when the New York operator told me
Hillhouse was in the Office said Bender.
chief operator on the key. explained
things to him and got him to do the re-
ceiving. All ready. sir said to Secre-
tary Boutwell,, and he leaned over and
whispered the message in my ear. That
message read:
"'Sell five millions gold
well, Hillhouse obeyed instructions.
and everybody knows the result. 1t set
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-12

the banks back on their feet and broke
the panic.
II got to know Secretary Boutwell, bet
ter later and one day l asked him why
his instructions hadn't been sent by
mail in the usual formal way.
"I'll tell you why he said. 1t was
because the orders 1 telegraphed were
finally decided on by the President and
myself just about ten minutes before l
entered your Office. and I ran most of
the way there from the White House. too.
Conditions were desperate. We had TO
do something and do 1t quick. If We had
used the mail 1t might have been too
late.
ct believe" Bender concluded, that
that was the only time in the history OF
any nation that a treasury opened It's
vaults to stop the workings of stock ma
nipulators, and I'm absolutely certain it's
the only time in any history, any place.
that a panic was stopped by telegraph
operator
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-12
Continued From Fifth Page)

them, not only the nation at large would
be benefited by the training of this class
of young men, but the young men them
selves would also become interested In
your National Guard organization.
Gov. Thomas r. Marshall of Indiana,
Vice President-elect of the United states,
in replying to the letter declared that he
was mot only willing but anxious to aid
the national board for the promotion Oh
rife practice in every way possible, ana
that the Officers Of the guard cordially
invite instruction as to how they may
cooperate"
Gov Oswald West Of Oregon in his re-
ply said: Both this Office and the offi-
GERS Of the National Guard will be glad
to cooperate with your department in
this matter in every way possible.
Adjutant General e. A. Forbes of Cali
fornia says: II am an enthusiast on mill
tary training and shooting in the public
schools, and Gov. Johnson gives me
free hand in the matter and holds me re-
sponsible. There is a great deal or oo-
lection in this state to military training
in the schools by peace advocates. LABOR
unions. socialists and woman teachers
The trustees generally are apatnetic or
Indifferent, some antagonlstic, some Ia
vorable few enthusiastic" He eX-
presses the opinion that 1t would be haro-
~ practical for the inspectors Of rifle
practice to instruct all the companies.
and suggests that National Guard Off
GERS instruct the boys. California ne
says, appears to nave anticipated the
War Department in the attempt to intro
due rife practice in the schools and
he adds that California was the pioneer
state in the matter of National Guard
instruction for school cadet companies.
Other favorable replies have been re-
ceived, the only three states so far heard
from not approving the scheme being
Massachusetts,, Pennsylvania and YER
mont.
Adjt Gen. Thomas ]. Stewart OF
Pennsylvania declares that in his state
he does not think the inspectors of small
arms practice could give the time to the
work because of the present heavy duties
placed upon them. The adJufant geherdl
Of Vermont writes in similar vein.
II regret to state" says Ad)t zen.
Gardner ". Pearson of Massachusetts,
that the policy of this state has been
and Ia to discourage civilian rifle clubs
and not to encourage rifle. practice In
schools. unless it could be done in such
q way that 1t would benefit rather than
injure the volunteer militia
Gov Plaisted of Maine passes the cues
tion ON to his successor. Gov. -elect Haines,
who will assume Office next month.
Ofacers OF the National Rifle Associa-
ton are hopeful that Congress will take
some action on the matter this session
and pass the bill already introduced.
What strides have been made in rifle
shooting In this country in the past ten
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-12

NEW Philanthropic Insti-
1 y tuition, Which Is Planned
to Be Nation Wide in Its
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES of the
City Are Given Employment
Organization Will Also Act
as a Clearing House for Vari-
Gus Articles Manufactured by
the Blind-Taught to Print
Books in Blind Appalachian
Exchange of Books With In
situations of the Old World.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-12

" independent, will at least heip thehi
TO make a living. The organization VIII
also act as clearing house for the vari-
Gus articles they manufacture at nome
such as scarfs. mittens. caps and bas-
kets Here they will be taught to print
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-12
NEW philanthropy

NEW philanthropy
ic institution. which
is planned to be ma
tion-wide in Its op-
erations, has just
opened its doors at
1923 II street north
west. Here the I'M
fortunate sightless
of the city will be
given work that.
while it may not
make them entire
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-12

den the door of our office was thrown
open and captain, a lieutenant and four
teen soldiers, with bayonets fixed on their
guns, stalked in. The soldiers arranged
themselves around the room and covered
us-there were six of US working In the
Office.
Hands up. ordered the captain. We
looked at those guns pointed at our
heads and obeyed. Then with our nands
over our heads. we waited, wondering
what was going to happen. To our sur
prise nothing happened at all.
II guess everybody knows how heavy
your hands get after y youve s hea tns ne
began to feel as if they weighed about
a ton each Finally, when l felt 1
couldn't stand it any Longer, l spoke
What's the matter, captain? l asked
None Of your business, he answered
You keep your hands up and your
mouth shut, or you won't have any
further use for either of en-
But messages are coming in, and
there's stuff to be sent out, 1 insisted.
Never mind about the messages he
retorted sharply. 1t might interest you
to know that I'm keeping your hands up
just so you can't touch a Key to send a
message, or pencil to write one down.
1--WE stood there probably a minute
longe-it seemed like ten years. Then I
addressed him again. We won't touch
key or pencil. l promised, but for
heavens sake let US put our hands down.
Take us out in the hall-we can't do any
thing out there
All right he agreed. I'll do that
And leaving three soldiers to guard the
room, he marched us out in the hall.
where, still keeping us covered with
their rifles, the rest of his detachment
stood guard over us for more than an
hour. Then he CURLY told US We could
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-12

used TO make all sorts Of political plans,
discuss all sorts of the most private mat
tiers OF state. Some of the things they
said would have stirred up the whole
country if they'd ever gotten out. But
they never did. I've never mentioned
one Of them until now"
The speaker was r. w. Bender, civil
war telegrapher, who sent messages to
the War Department direct from bloody
battlehelds, while the fighting ragged all
around him, back in the terrible sixties,
and who, though now long past the three
score and ten years allotted to man. is
still in harness. He has been in steady
service as a knight of the key for more
than half a century, and is said to be
the oldest active operator living.
Il Il
Bender is now the wire chief in the
Washington Office of a great telegraph
company that hourly sends messages to
almost every known part OF the globe.
There is no excitement attendant upon
any Of the procedure. Everything is done
quietly and calmly, without one chance
in a thousand Of there ever being a
hitch. But when Bender first broke into
the game II was to the accompaniment
of the spat-spat of long-bored rifles. the
roaring boom Of cannon and the groans
of dying men. And with every message
he sent II was just about an even chance
that IL would never be received-almost
better than an even chance that, II re-
ceived, IL would first be intercepted by
the enemy in gray
For two years Bender went with the
army. setting up his little instrument al
ways on the field of battle, and clicking
out the details Of the fighting TO the War
Department and the President. During
those two years he saw men killed all
around him, and more than once. when
the battle had ended. he helped his army
bury It's dead, laying them away in long
trenches where they had fallen. During
these two years he served in more than
half OF the larger battles of the war, and
so worthy were his services that at the
expiration of that time he was brought
10 Fort Lincoln, which lay just outside OF
Washington on the old Bladensburg road.
10 be the headquarters operator for the
Secretary of War.
Confederate attack on Washington
was hourly expected the day Bender ar
rived 10 enter upon his new duties, and
when ne reported at the War Department
Mai. Thomas Eckert. officer in charge of
all military telegraph during the civil
war. looked him over doubtfully.
You're pretty young ne finally de-
Clared. You're nothing but a boy. Do
you realize you're mighty liable to get
shot? We don't want u boy. We need a
man.
Try me-" said Bender quietly. After
another long look Eckert declared. IL
WILL"
But Bender's preliminary troubles were
not yet ended. Fort Lincoln had not yet
been fitted with telegraphic equipment
and it was UP to Bender to attend to this
To do so 1t was necessary for him to take
two linesmen get an engine from the old
Baltimore and Ohio railroad station and
speed out TO the fort. When he demanded
- engine from Maj. Kuntz. in charge al
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-12
'HES. I knew Lincoln.

ES, ! knew Lincoln,
Ora n t. Sheridan.
Staunton, Andrew
johnson and all
the rest of them
knew them well.
They used to come
to the Office pretty
often to talk over
my wire: you see
they didn't have
any telephones in
those days. They