Imperial Valley press., 1913-12-20
Friends of the Blind

vi ItC
Outing for the Blind: Treat the
blind, as far as possible, as if they
could see. At least, with as much
courtesy as you would sighted per-
son.
Don't remind them that they are
blind.
Don't shout at them. The loss of
sight does not necessarily mean the
loss of hearing.
Don't discuss blind peoples infirmi-
ties before them. Apply the Golden
Rule.
Blindness does not affect the men,
tai faculties, although the disease
which causes blindness often affects
the mental and physical capabilities
The adult blind, especially, should be
shown which limitations are due to
blindness and which to the disease
causing blindness.
Don't kill the blind with blindness
(Mistaken kindness often does more
harm than good) Help the blind to
help themselves.
Remember that there are two class
es of blind adults; those to whom the
loss of sight is the only handicap, and
those in whom the cause which pro-
duced blindness has also produced
other physical disabilities. Unfortun-
ately there are many in the latter
group, and this makes the problem of
the newly blinded adult very difficult
Blindness with strong body and
mind unimpaired is one thing; blind
ness plus shattered nerves, a weak
ened body and serious physical all
ments is quite another matter.
The first step should be to eliminate
the handicaps other than blindness
and help the man or woman to be as
nearly normal as possible. Inspire in
him courage and confidence in him
self. He must have confidence in
himself before the world will have
confidence in him. Encourage him,
SO far as it is practical, to follow the
same pursuits he followed with sight,
for this work he. knows how to do.
Compel him, if necessary, to exercise
and show him how failing in this he
simply adds to his physical disabili-
ties, but do not fail to provide some
way by which he may exercise. Re-
move if possible the feeling of lone
Illness and aloneness which comes with
blindness and show him that he has
friends and give him something to do,
even though it be of little value in it
| self.
Inasmuch as PERSONS self-respect
depends in considerable measure upon
his ability for self-support, the blind
should be helped to find or to pre-
pare themselves for some remunera-
tive employment.
"In dealing with q patient" writes
an oculist of national reputation, zone
should always tell the truth. 1t is
neither necessary nor wise in every
case to tell the whole truth to the suf-
ferer. Pandora left her best gift in
the box, when the others flew away
but it is imperative that the relatives
or near friends should know the ex-
act facts. Lack of frankness causes
loss of confidence, and in desperation
the poor man who feels the night set
ting about him flies from one to an
other in the vain hope of finding
way of escape.
Usually the man for whom blind
ness is imminent knows nothing of
the blind, their possibilities or their
achievements. He very naturally
thinks that when his eyes are shut all
avenues are closed. Let those who
know what can be done without sight
be his good angels during this period
of Encouragement and dismay. Let
them bring to his knowledge the bio
graphies of successful blind men and
women, not alone those who were
eminent and gifted like Milton or
Fawcett, or Senator Gore, but those
like himself if he is of ordinary abil-
ity and intelligence who have fought
their way cheerfully through life in
the dark and have achieved content
ment at least, if not happiness, which
is the gift of the gods reserved for
few. Let him be buoyed up over the
danger period and he will have the
courage to face life under the new
conditions and not weakly to throw
it away like child terrified by pres
ent limitations, as Dick did in the
Light that Failed"
Only One Way